Grill made of re-bar?

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Is there any reason I can't make a grill (the cooking surface) out of re-bar? - Mike
Reply:Go ahead. Rebar is usually a bit harder (higher strength) than A36 mild steels, which only matters if you are trying to cold bend it to a tight radius. It snaps sometimes, and you go flying across the room. But other than that, rebar will operate just like mild round bar, but it will give a much more interesting grill mark on your steaks.If you barbecue many Oysters, though, as I do, you will find that the salt water makes the mild steel, rebar or no, rust out very quick. My bionic barbecue is now mostly stainless, as each part disintegrates, I replace it with a stainless one.
Reply:In terms of food safety, it'd work just fine as long as the oxidation was cleaned off before using it.-Heath
Reply:Originally Posted by mhorowitIs there any reason I can't make a grill (the cooking surface) out of re-bar? - Mike
Reply:Howdy!  I saw them all the time at our states parks.  They use rebar grills for lots and lots of their BBQ pits.  Don't see any reason not too.  The ones I have seen, are usually in a fire pit ring about 2 or 3 feet across.  great cause they're stout enough to hold a fat iron skillet filled with trout  happy cookin!  Brian Lee Sparkeee24
Reply:Originally Posted by Sandy One of those things that might be feasible but not practicle.
Reply:Originally Posted by mhorowitMy middle name!    Sometimes when a project is fun, I find myself spending more on building it than what it would cost. Bad business, but if I enjoy doing it, that's what I'm in it for.In this case, cleaning might be a pain - Mike
Reply:I've been using them for decades. They last a lot longer than the store bought heavy duty ones, too. Just made another not too long ago. Used rebar and some expanded metal for the cook surface. Works great.
Reply:Most of the state parks in GA use to have rebar grills until they decided to spruce things up and buy a bunch of pre-fab ones for uniformity.  I have eaten probably a herd of cattle off my dad's rebar grill.  O'course Ga is 50th in education and food safety to my dad is shooting twice before approaching.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Of course if you're talking open pit BBQ grills and grates, they don't have to be elaborate. Here's what I use most of the time for overnight trips. Components are readily available, very little fab involved and low cost. Attached Images
Reply:Sandy,I hope you realize what you have done.  You have turned every bum on the street with a shopping cart into an urban bar-b-quer.  Wal-mart will have to go to all plastic carts.  Weber will have to come up with a competing model that has one wheel that shakes like an alcoholic in detox.  THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING!!!BTW, I wonder if I can get one that runs off propane?Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:For those that are concerned about food safety, the only downside to using rebar or any other kind of steel other than stainless would be excessive iron in the diet.  There are many commercial grills that use cast iron cooking surfaces, so I doubt it would be a problem.  Just be sure to clean off any rust on the grill before using it.  One could also try to season the grill surface, but that would probably only work if it's used very frequently.  I've got a small cast-iron grill that I can't seem to keep seasoned because I only use it a few times a year.-Heath
Reply:Sandy, you had to go and show that.  I wasn't even going to mention this, but We have a rather large scrap yard in my area.  They sell alot of "drops" and new steel as well, I buy alot of stuff from them and always take some time to cruise thru the scrap yard, and one day found that they had a huge pile of shopping carts. Anyway they thru 10 shopping carts in for a few bucks, I bet I made 15 grills for buddies of mine out of those things, and they actually make a pretty handy cart to throw drops or scrap in and roll around the shop.  ~JacksonI'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Shopping carts are plated, aren't they?  I wouldn't cook on them unless the plating were removed.-Heath
Reply:Sandy, you had to go and show that.
Reply:yes, some of them are plated, and I have even seen some with stainless grating.   you can take a rose bud tip and heat the grating and let it cool then the plating will brush off with a wire wheel on a grinder.   or atleast the ones i had would do that.I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:You might be a redneck if........... Lincoln 225 AC/DC, Hobart 140 Mig. Oxy/propane Victor torch.(2) Makita 5" angle grinders  one with zip disk, 14" chop saw.  and just about every other tool you can think of. Whoever has the most toys when he die's ..... Wins!
Reply:HEY!!!!!!!!!    I resemble that remark.....I'm a Lover, Fighter, Wild horse Rider, and a pretty good welding man......
Reply:Halbritt is right.  If these carts are chrome plated, you could get really sick from food cooked directly on the surface.  Some variants of chrome are very well know causes of cancer and can lead to all types of immuninty problems.  A power company out west called Pacific Gas and Electric is likely still paying for their use of chrome around humans.  So, I'd check before doing serious grille-top cooking.Smithboy...if it ain't broke, you ain't tryin'.
Reply:Undoubtedly chump change compared to what Duke and Enron did to them, but yes....essence of chrome isn't something I enjoy on my burgers either. I believe HCl (aka muriatic acid from your local pool/spa place) will take the chrome off, but I'm not sure about the nickel underneath. Originally Posted by smithboyHalbritt is right.  If these carts are chrome plated, you could get really sick from food cooked directly on the surface.  Some variants of chrome are very well know causes of cancer and can lead to all types of immuninty problems.  A power company out west called Pacific Gas and Electric is likely still paying for their use of chrome around humans.  So, I'd check before doing serious grille-top cooking.
Reply:Originally Posted by smithboyHalbritt is right.  If these carts are chrome plated, you could get really sick from food cooked directly on the surface.  Some variants of chrome are very well know causes of cancer and can lead to all types of immuninty problems.  A power company out west called Pacific Gas and Electric is likely still paying for their use of chrome around humans.  So, I'd check before doing serious grille-top cooking.
Reply:Howdy Howdy!  I THINK I just got a killer deal on a rebar bender / cutter. What do you think?  I thought they went for around 300 - 400$, so when the JET tools surplus store in my area had a few for 85$ each, I couldn't pass it up!   Was I right?  If so, let me know and I can get yall in contact with the surplus store.  They have several New, a few used, and a few with minimal parts (easy to fab) missing.  They are all the same price.  I picked the best I think, it was a new model made in Japan, not taiwan or china.  They're in Kent WA if your curious!  Brian Lee Sparkeee24