Hitch/Tailgating Grill

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I am working on building a grill that will go into a 2" receiver hitch.  It is made out of 12g sheet metal.  I will post the picture of what I have so far.  Hopefully you guys can give me so advise because I do not have any type of plans, I am just building as I go.Should I round my welds off to make a nice seamless look or leave them the way they are?Should I weld the inside?Does this look better as a top or a bottom?
Reply:I would grind the welds and weld the inside. Once you do this it could be either the top or bottom.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Thanks for the input Gravel.  I am going to grind the welds and weld the inside like you said.  My original plan when making that part was it being the top so I think I am going to stay with that.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Nice looking job.Gravel, in your suggestion you didn't specify which sequence/order to weld the inside.  Would it be better, since it is thin metal, to weld the inside before grinding the outside welds...just in case there was a hole created when doing the inside?  That would help me next time I have to do sheet metal.
Reply:I guess it would depend on metal thickness and machine size. The more weld you have on the outside, the more heat it will take to fuse the inside (considering that, for a beginner, fusion on sheet metal is difficult because you go from cold to blow through fairly quickly).  If I had enough heat, I would weld the inside first using the extra outside weld as insurance that I wasn't going to blow through, then grind the outside.Just my thoughts and I'm no expert.GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:I think your reasoning is good on doing the inside first.  Use the outside welds as a backer for the inside ones.
Reply:Being it is thin metal run your welds down hand. Usually I do the outside first then inside, your choice i guess. I have made many fan shrouds out of 16ga to 10ga for big diesel equipment doing just that. Most times you don't have much sanding to round them over nicely...nice project thou!
Reply:Since your making this to be receiver hitch mounted, consider building a seperate stand with a receiver hitch tube to use with it. That way it can be used on it's own in the backyard or somewhere, without the need of the truck hitch to support it.
Reply:Thanks for the good information everyone! I just picked up the rest of the steel I need to finish the project but unfortunately I have class tonight so I can not work on it.  I like the idea of making a stand in order to use it when it's not mounted to a truck.Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:Originally Posted by Br4denJ  I like the idea of making a stand in order to use it when it's not mounted to a truck.
Reply:Good idea, Bist!GravelThe difference between theory and practice is that in theory there is no difference.
Reply:Originally Posted by shortfuseI think your reasoning is good on doing the inside first.  Use the outside welds as a backer for the inside ones.
Reply:I can't wait to see the finished product.
Reply:I had some time after class tonight and was able to fabricate the bottom section of the grill.  Now I have to weld the inside of both sections and round the welds off on the outside.
Reply:Have you got any plans on making it on a swivel?  I like having them swivel so it can be turned so the wind will blow the smoke away from me when I open the lid to check on the cooking.
Reply:I have thought about it but I can not think of a good way to make a swivel and maintain the rigidity.
Reply:Originally Posted by Br4denJI have thought about it but I can not think of a good way to make a swivel and maintain the rigidity.
Reply:I misunderstood your original question.  I took it as a pivot that collapses into the the vehicle so it can be extended.  I get what you are say now!  I think I am just going to make it be in a fixed position for simplicity, and I don't have any 2.5" square tubing on hand.  Thanks for the good suggestion!
Reply:Originally Posted by shortfuseI "misspoke" as the politicians say...meant to say "...good on doing the outside first."  Then the inside with outside as backer.  Spent too much time outside in the cold!!
Reply:Now, I'm REALLY cornfused...oh, well.
Reply:Originally Posted by Br4denJI misunderstood your original question.  I took it as a pivot that collapses into the the vehicle so it can be extended.  I get what you are say now!  I think I am just going to make it be in a fixed position for simplicity, and I don't have any 2.5" square tubing on hand.  Thanks for the good suggestion!
Reply:Made some progress tonight. Not much.  I really took my time making the hinges because I did not just want to throw something on there that doesn't look good.  I got the hinges welded on and they operate flawlessly.  I was working on welding out the inside when I ran out of gas.
Reply:The last two pictures are how I am planning on connecting the grill to the square tubing.
Reply:Originally Posted by BistineauThe swivel would need to be made from ROUND not SQUARE tubing. Square don't rotate too good. Oh well, it was just a suggestion anyway.  But it can be nice to have a grill that can be rotated to orient it to the way you need it to be regardless of which way the base is situated. Your build your call, just thought I would throw the idea out there for consideration. After you use the grill for awhile you may come to see the usefulness of a swiveling grill though. Easier to build it in originally than to retrofit it later.Keep us posted on how it is going, and show some pix of the first two or three cookings on it.
Reply:Originally Posted by Br4denJThe last two pictures are how I am planning on connecting the grill to the square tubing.Its been a while since I have done an update.  I have a lot of pictures.  I just have to paint the grill and drill holes for oxygen to fuel the fire.
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Reply:Quite frankly, I think you have a product that will sell well.  It's a very nice and practical product.  You might talk to some local "Hardware" type stores and see if they would like to buy one to market for themselves (locally).  Then they could buy more from you as there sales kick off.You could also advertise on CL.I think it's a good product!I really have no idea what I am doing.Two Shop Cats (not Bobcats...real cats)Miller DialArc 250 AC/DCScratch-Start TIG SetupMIG 175Plasma CutterO/A
Reply:My plan was to build it to sell it.  There are other ones similar that sell for 500-800!Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Reply:I built one out of a stainless beer keg and made it to swivel to the side and the grill could also swivel to where you could sit on tailgate and flip burgers or just have room to sit up on tailgate I let some friends use it and got it back a year later trashed I believe they didn't pin it and it came off truck never got full story on it
Reply:Originally Posted by DockMan30817I built one out of a stainless beer keg and made it to swivel to the side and the grill could also swivel to where you could sit on tailgate and flip burgers or just have room to sit up on tailgate I let some friends use it and got it back a year later trashed I believe they didn't pin it and it came off truck never got full story on it
Reply:Originally Posted by DockMan30817... I let some friends use it and got it back a year later trashed I believe they didn't pin it and it came off truck never got full story on it
Reply:All you need now is a fifth wheel cut out tail gate ,so you can drop the gate to surround the grill with a table .