After redoing my cedar deck, I had a bunch of small cut offs around 18" long. I didn't want to throw them out, and as it is softwood, it isn't great for burning, so I decided I would make some cedar BBQ grill scrapers.

Along with cleaning grill nicely, these scrapers have the added benefit of not having any metal wire in them. Recently I have noticed that there have been accounts of the metal wire from BBQ brushes falling off and then becoming lodged in people's throats. If you watch the video above I show three different xrays which I found through news sources that show the metal wire in people's throats. It's a scary thought for sure!

Supplies

Below are links to tools and materials I used in this article. It is either the exact tool/supply or something very close.

- Scraps of Cedar Wood (either 5/4x6 or 2x6 will work)

- Table saw

- Thickness Planer (optional depending on wood)

- Bandsaw, scroll saw or jigsaw

- Router and 1/8 round-over bit

- Random orbit sander

- Drill and drill bits

optional:

- Pyrography kit

If you want a BBQ scraper and don't have the tools you can get one here: BBQ Scraper

Note: The links above are affiliate links, meaning, at no additional cost to you, I may earn a commission if you click through and make a purchase.

Step 1: Squaring and Cutting to Width

Most decking boards come with a rounded over profile, so the first thing to do is to take them off.

I first set the fence of my table saw to width a bit smaller than the board and ran it through. I then set the fence to 4 1/2" and ran the board through again.

Step 2: Planing to Thickness

As the board I had were 2x6 (1 1/2" x 5 1/2") I sent the boards through my planer to make it a bit thinner. I kept planing until I had a board that was 1 1/4" thick.

Step 3: Adding Bevel

I set my table saw blade to 60 degree and then cut the tip of the board off.

As I noted earlier, these boards were about 18" in length. If you have longer boards, now is a good time to cut them to length.

Step 4: Draw One Side

I drew the shape I wanted for the BBQ scraper. The main thing I kept in mind was that I wanted the center shaft to feel good in my hands so I wanted it to not be too thick. You only have to draw the line on one half of the model, and you will see why in the coming steps.

I have included a rough computer sketch with some dimensions that might aid you while drawing. I included metric and imperial, but please take note that all of the measurements are approximate, so make something that works best for you.

Step 5: Cut First Side

Using my scroll saw, I cut out the first side of the BBQ scraper by following the line.

Although the scroll saw worked, a bandsaw would have been a better tool (but I did not have one at the time). Alternatively, a jigsaw could be used to cut out the shape. If you use a jigsaw, make sure to secure the work piece down to a table using clamps.

Step 6: Draw and Cut Second Side

Using the cut off from the first side, I trace out the second side of the handle. This ensure that I have a nice symmetric handle. I then head back to the scroll saw and cut out the other side.

Note: If you are batching out these BBQ scrapers, then I suggest saving the cut out to be used as a template. Then you can trace out both sides at once and save time.

Step 7: Sanding and Adding a Round-Over

I first sanded the sides of the scraper. There were some rough areas left from the scroll saw and I wanted to smooth them out before adding a round-over.

I then took out my router and put in a 1/8" round over bit. I rounded over all edges except for the tip.

I then sanded the scraper using my random orbit sander and 80, 120 and 180 grit sandpaper.

Step 8: Adding a Hole for Hanging

While you don't need to have a hole for hanging these scrapers, it does really make it much easier to store. I used a 3/16" bit to make a small hole and then I used a 1/2" to add a bit of a countersink.

I personally just use this hole to hang my scraper on a nail, but I know a lot of people have hooks instead of nails, so you can add a bit of cording to the end if you want.

Step 9: Optional: Customize With Wood Burning

Adding a bit of personalization can take these BBQ scrapers to the next level. While I can hold a hot iron on wood and burn it, my wife is the real artist. You can see some of her examples here. Basically you can do anything that your talents allow!

Step 10: Scrape and Enjoy!

Now you are ready to scrape off your grill. The first few times you use this scraper you will be wearing your grill marks into the scraper. The more you use it, the better it will work. The grill lines will get more and more pronounced and conform exactly to your grill.

These make great use of the bits of decking that I had around and they make great presents (I know we gave a few out last father's day)

I hope you enjoyed this project, if you did, you might also enjoy following me on other social media:

YouTube

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If you make a BBQ grill scraper, I'd love to see pictures to see how you customized it! If you have any questions, please feel free to ask them in the comments below.