Summer is here and its time for a BBQ!

I needed a BBQ that I could walk into a lovely Cornish Bay with my family and friends...

I also wanted it to convert into a fire basket to toast marshmallows around a camp fire.

All we need is an old gas boiler...

Step 1: Get Your Bits Together

Get your bits together...

You will need an old flat expansion tank that I found at the back of an old gas combi boiler

An old frying pan!

Threaded rod M10

M10 nuts + washers

The threaded bracket from an adjustable cabinet foot or a large washer sandwiched between two nuts might work

An old cabinet handle

Micro gauge copper pipe

Fire cement

Assorted nuts + bolts

Hand Bicycle pump

TOOLS

Angle grinder

Hammer + screwdrivers

Adjustable spanner

General metal work hand tools

Step 2: Cut Open an Expansion Tank

Take apart an old gas boiler and find the flat circular expansion tank at the back.

Remove...

...and use an angle grinder to cut the seam off...

...prise apart into two trays.

You will find a thick rubber diaphragm inside, mine was fitted into a groove that I needed to angle grind off to remove the rubber.

Grind the edges to get rid of any sharp edges.

Step 3: Feet + Bolt Together

Find an old frying pan for the feet.

A BBQ has to be stable and cutting the frying pan into a three pronged shape makes a great and simple + stable foot for the BBQ.

I decided to use both circular trays, the top one for the fire coals and the bottom one to act as an ash collector and to shield the ground from the heat of the fire. Nothing worst than singed grass and a potential hazard in wild areas.

Drill a 10mm hole through the middle of both trays and the foot.

Drill some air holes in the top tray.

Take a short length of the threaded rod and screw on two nuts.

Lock them together leaving the end nut with half of its thread available.

The cooking tray threaded rod will need to hand thread into this.

Bolt the two trays together with a gap between spaced with nuts.

Bolt on the foot and tighten securely.

Step 4: Make It Spin!

The aim of this BBQ was to have a fully adjustable height for cooking and also to use it as a fire dish for later in the evening to sit around on the campsite toasting marshmellows.

So the idea is to have a central threaded rod that I made about 300mm long [my first one was too short!] and the cooking tray bolts to this allowing it to spin up and down giving the ultimate height adjustment.

I had a cabinet adjustable foot in the workshop that I used the bracket from as it has a threaded hole, this screws onto the threaded rod.

Wire two cooling trays together and bolt to the bracket...

...and spin...

...not to fast with food on otherwise your sausages will go flying!

Bolt on an old metal cabinet handle onto the bracket on the expansion tray to make the BBQ lug-able.

Step 5: Add Some Air

The expansion tank came with an air valve [used to pressurise the tank] that fits a bicycle pump...

...Fantastic! We can use it to pump air into the base of the fire to get it roaring again.

Cut some micro bore copper tube and flange out one end to fit over the inside of the air valve.

Crimp the other end closed and drill some air holes along the pipe.

Adapt a penny washer to fit over the flanged end and drilled for some small nuts and bolts, bolt it to the tray with some fire cement to seal the pipe to the valve.

Attach a bicycle pump and check that air comes out of the holes.

Detach bicycle pump when not using so as not to get too hot and burn when having a BBQ

Step 6: Take It for a Walk!

The BBQ is fairly heavy though it was easy enough to walk it in the kilometer or so to a beautiful cove that we know of in Cornwall, the handle makes it really easy.

Hand screw in the threaded rod and screw on the wire cooking tray...

...Add the BBQ coals, light and pump if it needs some more air...

...Spin the food to the perfect height...

...Cook and enjoy!

Please be responsible, we go to beautiful places to enjoy the beautiful places, please leave it as you found it.

This project is part of my YouTube series Its a Rubbish Challenge where I try to make cool and interesting things out of the stuff that we throw away. Please check out my channel if you want to see more of the challenges, if not there will be more coming to Instructables.
Why not check out what I am up to with pricklysauce.com