Upgraded Kettle Grill

by Missourian

5.8K5512

Intro: Upgraded Kettle Grill

A neighbor had a rusted out char-broil gas grill that he was throwing away. I asked if I could have what was left to upgrade my very nice grill/smoker...a Weber One Touch Silver kettle grill...making more akin to a Weber Performer.

STEP 1: Materials and Tools

Materials

Your original grill and donor grill. (I don't have a picture of the original donor grill...but this is the pretty close model I used)

Some aluminum tubing and flat bar (sizes are conditional on the type of frame you end up with...I used 1/2 inch tubing and 2 inch flat bar)

All-thread of the appropriate length (also conditional on your donor frame...I used 3/8 inch diameter 8 foot section and cut it to length)

Nuts and washers for all-thread

Nuts and bolts for attaching brackets to kettle

Sandpaper

Plastic paint

High temp grill paint

High temp RTV gasket maker (optional)

Wire baskets

Wood for shelf (treated preferable)

Zip ties of the appropriate length

Small chain and hooks (if you're doing a Silver)

Blue painters tape

Tools

Cut off tool (or angle grinder, hack saw)

Drill and bits

Ratchet and sockets

Wrenches

Screw drivers and pliers (for disassembly)

Half round file

Vice or a couple pairs of vice grips

STEP 2: Disassemble Grills

Remove the legs from your kettle grill. Remove the donor grill and discard it. Disassemble donor grill as far as necessary to make room for your kettle. My donor grill was attached to brackets in the frame with pins...so I used that system as the model to install my kettle.

STEP 3: Make Your Brackets

Measure the inside distance of the brackets. Using the aluminum flat stock, bend your brackets using a vice, or even a pair of vice grips. Locate where the kettle best intersects the frame brackets...make sure the kettle is level then mark the location with blue painters tape (may need another set of hands and eyes to hold and make sure everything is lined up properly.

Drill holes in the bracket, then use that as a template to drill the holes in the kettle. Attach the brackets to the kettle. If you choose to, add a dab of RTV high temp silicone gasket maker to you bolts to seal the holes.

STEP 4: Attach Kettle.

With some help...line up the kettle with the brackets and mark the location of the holes for the pin. Drill the pin holes in the new bracket. Attach the kettle to the frame.

STEP 5: Adjust the Frame Width

If your kettle fits without adjusting the width of the frame...skip this step, but chances are that you'll need the frame to be wider. Drill holes for your all-thread. Put a nut and washer on one end of your all-thread. Figure out how far apart the legs need to be and measure your aluminum tubing. If your frame legs are round...add enough extra to your measurement to be able to use the half round file to contour the tubing to fit snugly to the legs...3/8 to 1/2 an inch should be plenty, but use your best judgement. Cut the tubing (cut-off tool, angle grinder etc) and file the contour. Put the tubing in place between the holes you drilled, and slide the all-thread through the hole in one leg...through the tubing and through the hole in the other leg. Don't put the nuts and washers on the other end to the all-thread until both sides are done, then put the nuts and washers on, tighten them, and cut off any additional all-thread.

STEP 6: Add Your Shelf and Baskets.

Cut the wood to fit as a bottom shelf...leave enough overhang for the baskets to set on. Paint everything. Attach the baskets with zip ties.

I got lucky and what was the part of the old grills front panel still fit...I drilled some holes and used the old bolts to attach it. If you are not as lucky, and your upgraded grill is not sturdy...cut a piece of sheet metal, remove any sharp edges and attach it to the legs in the same configuration...or add another tube/all-thread cross brace...to insure excellent stability.

I attached the ash catcher with small link chain and hooks. I drilled small holes in the edge of the catcher to correspond to the hole where the legs attached to the kettle. I ran the chains up the leg holes and hooked them with small hooks....then hooked the bottom of the chains through the holes drilled in the ash catcher. Eventually I will work out a One Touch Gold style ash catcher. Suggestions are welcome.

STEP 7: You're Done...

After the paint dries, you're ready to cook!!!

I actually built this four years ago, and it has been going strong. I've lost track of all the smokes we've done together.

The holes that were drilled through the kettle look the same today as they did four years ago. Not a lick of rust around them.

Hope you enjoyed this Instuctable. Questions, comments and criticism are always welcome. Happy Q-ing.

12 Comments

J-Po 7 years ago

Love this!
Seen it several times before, but nothing close to this quality build. Well thought out, especially like the organizational bottom shelf.
You seemed to know what you are doing with offset smoking too.

Missourian 7 years ago

Thank you very much. It is my love of indirect Bbq...which directly led to this project.

sctirvn687 7 years ago

That is a great idea. Thanks for posting! I get tired of dragging out TV trays to keep stuff on while grilling. I have seen many gas grills out in the trash over the years and never thought of this. Now that I will be looking for one, I won't find any, lol.

Missourian 7 years ago

Isn't that always the way. Glad you enjoyed the instructable...hope a rusted gasser turns up for you asap...looking forward to seeing some pictures

ChrisD142 7 years ago

most Excellent.... Well Done !

steffelem 7 years ago

That is an amazing 'upgrade', dude! You have your whole system there. Clever!

Missourian 7 years ago

Appreciate the complement...thank you