Altoids Sours BBQ Grill

I decided to try my hand at making an Altoids tin grill after reading about the eBq.  This one is powered by a standard-sized charcoal briquette and is capable of cooking a full-size hot dog (cut down to size) or smaller hamburger patties with ease.  It gets mighty hot after it's fired up so use plenty of caution and keep a large glass of water handy.

If you decide to make one of your own please post a picture in the comments!  I'd love to see what you guys are coming up with.  The propane version is coming soon! :D

Step 1: Materials

Materials
1 Altoids sours tin
4x 1.5" sheet metal screws with wide heads (or 4x washers to match)
8x nuts to thread on screws
70mm metal computer fan guard (similar style to the one shown)
92mm metal computer fan guard (similar style to the one shown)

* I scavenged my fan guards from an old computer power supply.  They just happened to be the correct size

** I think these are the same fan guards that I'm using: 70mm and 92mm

Tools
Dremel tool with cutting wheel
Drill with bit slightly bigger than screws
Tin snips
Pliers/Needle nose pliers
Screwdriver
Safety goggles and gloves

Step 2: Remove bottom of tin

Using the small 70mm fan guard as a template, drill 4 holes in the tin slightly inside the screw holes.  They don't need to be perfect, but they should be close.

After you have the holes use a Dremel tool and cutting wheel to remove the center of the tin, leaving 2-3mm of metal around the holes you just drilled.  Remove enough metal so that the "tabs" with the 4 holes can easily bend outwards without altering the shape of the tin or breaking off.  When the metal is removed bend these tabs out slightly (~15 degrees)

Be careful of the sharp edges when you are cutting and bending, and always wear appropriate safety gear!

Step 3: Upper grill notches

Using the snips and the large fan grill as a template, cut 4 small slots in the rim of the tin.  These should be thin so that they will grip the upper grill but not so much that the grill can't be removed.  Needle nose pliers come in handy for removing the metal after you snip the edges.

When you are done test fit the large grill and make sure it snaps in and out nicely.

Step 4: Legs and lower grill (briquette rack)

The small grill will hold the briquette.  It needs to sit about a quarter inch or so below the bottom of the grill due to the thickness of typical charcoal briquettes.

First you need to connect the legs.  Put all 4 screws through the holes and secure them with a nut, but only thread one completely through.  Do not tighten this nut either just yet, it should be loose.

Next put the grill on the leg and loosely thread another nut on it about halfway down.

For the remaining legs you'll need to screw the nuts in about halfway, align them with the holes in the grill, and then push them all the way through securing them with a second nut on the end.  You will probably need to bend your tabs a little more at this point to get the alignment just right.

At the end of this step tighten the top nut on all of the screws to secure the legs to the tin.

Step 5: Alignment

The second nut on each leg serves to align the bottom rack.  Tighten each one until the lower grill is level and about a quarter inch from the bottom of the tin.  All 4 legs should be pointing out about the same amount from the center, and your grill should stand without wobbling when you flip it over.

Step 6: Lid

Using the tin snips and needle nose pliers cut 4 notches in the lid so that it can fit over the tin when the upper grill is installed.  In practice you can also use the lid as a tray to keep the ashes off of the table.

Step 7: All done!

Your grill is now complete!

To use simply remove the top rack, set a briquette on the lower rack, reinstall the top rack and light the briquette from the bottom.  In no time it should be fired up and ready to go!

Don't forget to post pictures of your grill in the comments! =)

Comments

[ch1pm0nk]

Love the idea here. I just finished making my own, albeit a tad bit bigger. I made it out of a 1 cp measuring cup, some fan grills, and screws. Great job on the grill. I call mine the "No-Frills-Hill-Grill"

[vmspionage]

I love it! Looks like you did a great job putting this together. Did you make the upper grill yourself?

[ch1pm0nk]

No the top grill part was cut out of another type of fan grill. Its a 120mm aluminum generic type, just a bit different from your typical circular fan grill.

[donnyk]

I was really impressed by your altoids BBQ grill. I wanted to do the same but couldn't find any altoid sours anywhere. I had some metal food containers laying around and decided to use those. Here's what I came up with.

It's a bit bigger. Holds 4 charcoal briquettes.

I also made a lid and used a drawer handle on top.

I grilled up some salmon today. It was ok. I think it needs to be hotter to get that delicious seared flesh thing going.

Thanks.

[kittigirl123]

yours looks awesome! what tin did u use?

[donnyk]

I really don't know. It was part of a $99, 90-piece kitchen set from Fingerhut.

[vmspionage]

Wow, that one turned out great! Thanks for sharing your project with us =)

[jkilpatrick1]

That is so cool!!

[c3ralki1l3r]

what kind of grill could you make form a square one?

[-l WORK l-]

Nice grill but I was wondering what was the bottom fan part of the grill is for?

[aaronXtreme]

to put little tools to clean the grill with

[gwestlun]

Good news, Valentines day and Easter is putting out metal containers of M&M's
you can use instead of the Altoids tin. Made one today and it turned out great!

[jmitchell29]

what size fan fan guards did you use?

[gwestlun]

I used three and four inch, just cut down to the size that fits and away you go!

[hossweightlifter]

nice pics

[gwestlun]

Thanks for the compliment, I used a canvas paper as a backround. worked great!

[Frowney001]

How did you attach the handle to the top?

I have one of those tins, and I made one, but with shorter feet.

I just need to know...

[gwestlun]

I used a brass nail, it even had a slight twist to it's body so It looks special. I used JB weld underneath. holds great! good luck and pls post your pics, thanks!

[fogman103]

Can you buy the containers online anywhere? If so please send me a link.

[gwestlun]

I haven't looked on line, just had some from Christmas, Easter, and Valentines day from Walgreens, target.

[chamilton4]

I have a few of these kicking around- I just may have to make one or two of these.

[cberry240]

Looks good. Nice work.

[BIGB3AR]

Works great. I love it. Cooks hotdogs well.

[aaronXtreme]

I have a website that sells stuff just like this and much more. please tell lots of your freinds obout my website @ www.krazykontraptionz.com

[diycook]

I love the mini weber but is the coolest ever... but are the fan grills safe to cook on?? I know that some metal surfaces are unsafe once you heat them?? Just a question as I will be making one of these for my son and he WILL use it!!!!!!

[snaponit]

good question

[mason0190]

Maybe if you used shorter screws this could be collapsible!

[Chumlee]

i live in england an no way near me sells altoids sours, any ideas of other tins?

Joe

[Frowney001]

I am soooo gonna make this before next weekend, so I can show it off at the camping trip with the other Boy Scouts in my troop!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[LegoGuy23]

That's exactly what I'm gonna' do!

[r3cycl3dartrat]

Hi. I apologize for the lack of knowledge which led me to ask this question in the first place (thanks for the great gift idea btw!) but where does one find a fan guard in a computer (which computer part?) and do they need to be those particular sizes? thank you for any help!

[vmspionage]

If you are trying to salvage them from an old computer that's about to go to the dump, you can usually find them on the back of the case and inside on the power supply. The thing is they are not always the same style and size, and what you find may not work for something like this. This website sells what looks to be the same ones I used, but I didn't purchase them so I can't say for sure. Mine came off a dead computer power supply and just happened to be the right size. 70mm http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9406/ffg-21/70mm_Fan_Grill.html?tl=g47c221s996 92mm http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2615/ffg-05/92mm_Fan_Grill.html?tl=g47c221s542 If all else fails, improvise! =)

[vmspionage]

Whoops, looks like instructables removed my formatting.  Here are the links to the fan gills

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/9406/ffg-21/70mm_Fan_Grill.html?tl=g47c221s996

http://www.frozencpu.com/products/2615/ffg-05/92mm_Fan_Grill.html?tl=g47c221s542

[bbutler4]

any disscount codes?

[bbutler4]

K. Thanks

[bbutler4]

I have a candy tin and everything else but the Computer Fan Guards. I don't have an old computer. Any stores sell them seperate

[profpat]

great for camping!! i like it!

[NE patsrock]

it really looks like a grill

[scottymac495]

if anyone has a pellet gun, you can use larger sized metal pellet containers, thats what i plan to use. should work just the same

[l0rd0ct0d0rk]

You should probably wash them thoroughly, though, they may contain traces of a chemical (lead) that has been proven to cause birth defects in the state of California.