sNp/Smoke-N-Pit charcoal grate/weld/purchase/question

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fire it up

Smoking Guru
Original poster
OTBS Member
Feb 24, 2009
5,167
14
South Jersey
So ok, have meant to ask this and since I am doing a butt and the fire was choking I had to make sure I posted/asked.

Bought an sNp recently (I love it) and have yet to do any serious mods but the charcoal grate level is, well for lack of a better word it's horrible.
3 times tonight I had to hold up the grate and scrape the spent ash from the bottom because I was about to give my firebox the heimlich, cause it was choking...Ha, ha...yeah I know-not funny...

So anyway my question is this

I have no welding skills or supplies and even our loacl Lowes/Home Depot are pretty much lacking and was wondering if any of you welding/building/smoker making/experienced guys/gals would be willing to make me a proper charcoal grate mod for the sNp.
Of course I would be willing to pay for expenses/time/materials/shipping.

I don't know what the process and materials entail but if anyone can help me out please message me or email me.
 
FiU, I know what you mean. Next to the *cough* high-quality *chough cheapcr*p * wheel/axle assembly there was nothing that made me growl worse than the charcoal grate choking with ash.

I designed one with two things in mind.
1) It HAD to be bulletproof. No more of this warping nonsense. Had to be high quality, overbuilt to handle long periods of red hot charcoal.

2) It HAD to sit high enough in the firebox to prevent the choking issue, but at the same time afford me the capability to use all wood (and not just chunks- I use sticks too), or charcoal, or a combination of the two with no problems.

So my design is a "drop-in-place" type.

Drew up the plans, gave it to my welder and a week later, here's a pic:



Here's what it look like in place-



And here's a view from the firebox vent door. I designed it so it sits 4 1/2 inches UP from the bottom of the firebox. Huge area for an outstanding airflow and even burn. No more ash-choking worries. I've smoked PPB & briskets with it and never have to clean out ash mid-burn. I now just wait till the next day when it has all cooled down-



I have to meet with Andy (my welder) about midweek coming up and if you want I can ask him about a price- No worries on making one, he has all the materials and my drawings too
PDT_Armataz_01_22.gif


Although it is heavy (about 10 lbs the framework is 1 inch angle iron) I'm sure ground shipping won't be bad at all.

Let me know and I'll give him a call on Tuesday or talk to him when I go over wed or thu. Hang in there, you are on the right track!
 
I found a grill rack that fits on the firebox side and it keeps the coals off the bottom, never chokes out...Nice and cheap.
 
For my firebox mod, all I did was buy a sheet of expanded metal from Home Depot. It was roughly 12"x 24" (I think?). I bent it into a "U" shape, but with two right angles. Then I slipped it into the fire box and voila, I was done.

No welding or cutting or nothing!
 
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