Brazier "suitcase": original ideas for your site

With the approaching warm days, not only summer residents, but also many townspeople are thinking about going “for a barbecue” with family and friends. It is worth paying attention to the portable folding metal structure in the form of a suitcase. Such a grill can be cooked in a very short time even in the yard, while a minimum of tools are required.

A collapsible brazier is simply an indispensable item for a picnic in nature. It is good when not only the shish kebab is homemade, but also the barbecue. Indeed, often a purchased portable brazier does not last more than one season. And if we talk about more overall structures, then their cost leaves much to be desired.

Among the indisputable advantages of compact folding barbecues, it is worth noting the following:

• compactness when assembled;
• ease;
• reliability;
• mobility (folding brazier "suitcase" is easily transported in a car, and in the cold season it can be stored in a utility room, protected from the effects of precipitation);

• affordable assembly design;
• durability (if using stainless steel);
• safety in operation (even in case of fire, thick metal will not cover the fire - the steel will only heat up, so a fire can be prevented);
• affordable construction cost (metal is cheaper than types of building materials such as refractory brick or stone);
• quick installation (with all the necessary materials, a welding machine and minimal skills, a compact brazier can be made in just a few hours, and operated already a day after painting);

Making a brazier "suitcase" with your own hands, or purchasing it in a store, you should take into account possible disadvantages.

And if you use too thin metal for the construction of a barbecue, then there is a possibility that the walls may deform. It is better to give preference to reliable and heat-resistant stainless steel.

Braziers in the form of a suitcase are collapsible (they consist of separate elements) or with a removable brazier of a solid body. The minimum recommended barbecue size for a small company is 60x30 cm, and the height is 15–20 cm... This grill will fit about 6-8 skewers.

A brazier in the form of a folding suitcase, as a rule, consists of the following elements:

• bottom;
• corner frames;
• longitudinal and side walls;
• grate;
• legs;
• fasteners.

As for the sizes, they can be different. A compact "camping" grill is usually 60 cm long, 30 cm wide and about 60 cm high. The notches for placing the skewers are usually located at a distance of 10 cm from each other, and the distance from the fire should be at least 20 cm.

For a large company for a picnic, it is better to use a large-scale design of a kebab case. Its disassembled length can reach 80 cm, and when assembled, its thickness is 5 cm.

For example, can be adapted as a "case" of an old suitcase or a large sports bag... Based on the size of the cover, you should also plan the size of the barbecue.In almost all designs, the skewers and grill grate are placed inside the brazier-diplomat, and coals, meat and utensils can be packed separately.

Structures made of stainless steel with a thickness of 2-3 mm are especially popular with summer residents. It is better to reinforce the bottom by making it out of 5 mm metal, since this part of the barbecue is most exposed to high temperatures.

Steel braziers, as well as structures made of sheet iron and refractory metals, are no less durable and reliable. Anyway the selected metal should be lightweight, while strong, non-toxic, corrosion resistant and have a high melting point.

For a practical barbecue design experts recommend using a sheet of stainless steel or heat-resistant steel with a minimum thickness of 2 mm. The thicker the metal, the more durable the grill will be., moreover, it will keep the heat longer, which means that the meat will cook faster.

For the legs of the structure, 10 mm reinforcement is used. From the tools it is worth preparing a hacksaw for metal, a grinder, a tape measure, a jigsaw, a drill, a grinder and fasteners.

To make a "suitcase" requires minimal skills of the welder.

• The bottom is cut out of a sheet of iron, and holes about 10 cm in diameter are made on the sides with a drill.
• The sidewalls are cut out and bent inward (in the drawing this is a dashed line). In order for them to bend without problems, they should be placed with the help of fasteners or welding loops between the bottom and the walls.
• Next, removable walls are cut from the end, which are inserted into the sides and bottom when assembling the barbecue. For this, thin cuts are made from the side, as shown in the diagram.
• 4 nuts are welded to the bottom for future legs of the structure. To do this, you need 4 rods of reinforcement 60 cm long.

• For ease of carrying, it is worth weld the handle to the suitcase.
• It can be closed with a special lock or an ordinary hook screwed to the wall. This detail is also necessary so that the suitcase does not disintegrate and does not open during transportation.
• To make the result look aesthetically pleasing, you can cover the "suitcase" with heat-resistant paint in spray cans, which can withstand temperatures up to + 600 ° C and will not deform.

When choosing steel for the future barbecue it is worth paying attention to heat-resistant sheets, not heat-resistant... These are completely different materials. The heat-resistant alloy is resistant to corrosion under normal conditions and at high temperatures. But it is not at all resistant to physical deformation, so there is a possibility that after the first use of a home-made brazier, its elements can "twist", and then it will not be possible to return the structure to the assembled form.

It is heat-resistant steel that is needed for a folding "suitcase" brazier.

To be able to transport the structure in the trunk of a car, it is worth shortening the legs of the structure to 50 cm. It is not recommended to use aluminum legs for the barbecue, which are unstable and light, because the structure can overturn, which can lead to a fire.

If it is not possible to use a welding machine, it is worth connecting structural parts according to the assembly system "in the groove"... For this, protrusions similar to the letter "G" are made on the side parts. After cutting out all the parts with a grinder, it is necessary to grind the metal edges so as not to cut yourself.

In order for the "suitcase" brazier to serve as many seasons as possible, you should take care of its protective treatment, as well as the correct storage and operation conditions. It is recommended to treat the structure with anti-corrosion agents or burnish the metal, after which it becomes resistant not only to fire, but also to mechanical damage.As a coloring, experts recommend using organosilicon enamel purchased at a car service.

Wherein all moving parts must be lubricated with machine oil... The size and depth of the brazier should be sufficient so that the meat does not char when close to the heat - it is quite enough to keep it at a distance of 15–20 cm from the fire. The wall thickness of the barbecue must be at least 2 cm, otherwise it will simply not be possible to fry tough meat until cooked.

A portable design of a brazier, like a suitcase, is useful not only for frying kebabs, but also serves as a source of heating, for example, if you are planning a hike with an overnight stay in a tent.

You can try to build a barbecue in the shape of a suitcase with your own hands. On the Internet or on the websites of manufacturers, you can find various drawings of braziers "suitcases". Do not neglect the step-by-step work plan so that the installation goes smoothly and quickly. You can also make a mock-up template on cardboard to make it easier to imagine how the structure of a portable folding barbecue will look and function.

If you have financial capabilities, you can order a barbecue on the Internet or purchase it in one of the specialized stores, where a collapsible barbecue grill will cost from 1 to 17 thousand rubles. A "suitcase" made of stainless steel will cost from 3 to 6 thousand rubles. The price depends on the thickness and quality of the metal, as well as on the availability of additional elements and complex forged parts.

For a video review of the "suitcase" brazier, see the video below.