Print PDF
Favorite
Email
Step 2The Special Cut
The most distinct feature of the Rocket Grill is how the feeder pipe and vertical pipe come together.
While the exact angle that they connect at isn't super-important, it should be somewhere between a 90-degree and 45 degree. Having this connection at some angle makes it easier to feed fuel, and not bend over too far. Too steep of an angle will not allow for proper air-flow and can prevent the grill from drafting properly.
Cutting the two pipes to fit together can be geometrically-challenging. An angle-grinder makes straight cuts, but both pipes are rounded. Still, they have to meet together tight enough to get a good weld between them.
What you need to do is imagine how two straight cuts would look projected onto two curved surfaces. One easy way to do this is to use a laser level that has the ability to project a straight line. Several inches up from the end,point the laser at the vertical pipe, at the angle you want the feeder pipe to meet it. Then mark the laser line with your permanent marker. Rotate the laser 90 degrees, and mark the line again.
On the feeder pipe, mark two lines at 90-degrees from each other the same way.
Another way to mark the same cuts is to use sheet metal, which you can wrap around the pipes. It is possible to make a projection of what the cuts should look like, and cut that out of the sheet metal. Then wrap the sheet metal around the pipe and mark it. A friend of mine already had made a sheet metal template, so that's the technique I used.
When you are done, you will have a notch in the vertical pipe, and a "bird's-beak" cut in the feeder pipe.
Fit the two pipes together, and see how close they match up. It's more that likely that you will need to use a grinder to get the parts to fit together well.
While the exact angle that they connect at isn't super-important, it should be somewhere between a 90-degree and 45 degree. Having this connection at some angle makes it easier to feed fuel, and not bend over too far. Too steep of an angle will not allow for proper air-flow and can prevent the grill from drafting properly.
Cutting the two pipes to fit together can be geometrically-challenging. An angle-grinder makes straight cuts, but both pipes are rounded. Still, they have to meet together tight enough to get a good weld between them.
What you need to do is imagine how two straight cuts would look projected onto two curved surfaces. One easy way to do this is to use a laser level that has the ability to project a straight line. Several inches up from the end,point the laser at the vertical pipe, at the angle you want the feeder pipe to meet it. Then mark the laser line with your permanent marker. Rotate the laser 90 degrees, and mark the line again.
On the feeder pipe, mark two lines at 90-degrees from each other the same way.
Another way to mark the same cuts is to use sheet metal, which you can wrap around the pipes. It is possible to make a projection of what the cuts should look like, and cut that out of the sheet metal. Then wrap the sheet metal around the pipe and mark it. A friend of mine already had made a sheet metal template, so that's the technique I used.
When you are done, you will have a notch in the vertical pipe, and a "bird's-beak" cut in the feeder pipe.
Fit the two pipes together, and see how close they match up. It's more that likely that you will need to use a grinder to get the parts to fit together well.
| « Previous Step | Download PDFView All Steps | Next Step » |
1
comment
|
Add Comment
|
Sep 8, 2011. 12:12 PMacoleman3
says:
out of curiosity.....have you had training in pipefitting? the joints are very professionally done.
Reply
 |
Add Comment
|
