Do-it-yourself grill and barbecue from a gas cylinder. Photos, videos, and drawings. Barbecue from a gas cylinder: fresh solutions for relaxing in the country Do-it-yourself barbecue from a cylinder

Everyone needs a barbecue. Some people organize monthly picnics, others cook aromatic meat on their plot. Such a vacation is always pleasant and useful, because beautiful landscapes and clean air give a boost of energy and have a relaxing effect. But you don’t always have the funds to purchase a barbecue, because this design cannot be called cheap. But if you have free time, then old gas cylinder can turn into a good grill. This material contains drawings, a diagram, video materials and step-by-step instructions for making a barbecue from a gas cylinder - all this will help you understand the simple work.

We will study three types of barbecue based on a gas cylinder:

  • standard grill;
  • barbecue steam locomotive;
  • grill-smokehouse.

Preparation of tools and materials

In order for the work to go quickly, you need to ensure that you have the necessary tools and materials. To make a barbecue we will need:

  1. Welding machine.
  2. Bulgarian.
  3. Several clamps.
  4. Metal pipe.
  5. Electric drill.
  6. Dense metal sheets to add structural strength.
  7. Aluminum rivets.
  8. Hinges for the lid.
  9. The basis of the barbecue is a cylinder with a volume of at least 50 liters (if the cylinder is smaller, it will be inconvenient to turn over the coals).

The photo shows the main units for making a barbecue.

IMPORTANT! Safety must come first, so sawing the cylinder can only take place when all the gas has left it.

Removing gas is simple: turn the cylinder upside down and twist the valve. Gas is heavier than air, so in this position it will come out intensively. To see whether the process is going on or not, you need to lather the valve hole. If bubbles appear, it means the gas is escaping - wait for completion. To be sure at the end, the cylinder can be completely filled with water so that it washes away the last remaining gas.

Manufacturing process: instructions

When the cylinder is empty and all the necessary tools are at hand, you can get to work:

After drilling the holes, the manufacture of the barbecue can be considered complete. Clean it thoroughly and heat it several times until the smell of gas disappears completely. As for paint, this is an optional step. Some owners paint with a heat-resistant coating, others skip this step. All the same, after a few dinners with good barbecue, the grill will become smoky and black. To increase draft, it is recommended to install a chimney: a round hole is cut out at the end of the barbecue structure, into which a regular drain pipe of a suitable diameter can be welded.

You can place a couple of cast iron grates at the bottom of the grill. They are used in potbelly stoves and various boilers. By installing these elements, there will be additional ventilation inside the barbecue. Hot grates help save coal, since they also participate in the process of cooking meat. You can place the grill in a brick gazebo or in an open place.

For convenience, the internal barbecue area is divided into two sectors. In one, protrusions are made for the grates, and in the second, slots are cut for skewers.

As tests show, the thickness car cylinder is quite enough for normal functioning - the shape of the grill is maintained under the influence of high temperatures.

Features of barbecue legs

Legs are the basis of a homemade barbecue. Before you make them, think about whether you will take the grill with you or whether it is created only for use on the site. If you plan to go on a picnic, then you should take care of folding legs. First, you can weld four short bases, which can later be placed on a higher structure.

The legs are usually made from durable pipe. You can fix it either by welding or using bolts: we drill holes and place the bolts there. After installing the legs, the bolts can be tightened with nuts or welding can be used.

Barbecue smokehouse

Using the instructions for creating a regular barbecue from a gas cylinder with your own hands, you can also make a smokehouse. The main difference in the design is the presence of a firebox. Also, the smokehouse must be airtight. A strip is cut off at the bottom of the cylinder, then it is necessary to cut off half of the bottom of the cylinder. As a result, we will have space for the firebox. It is made from dense iron sheets - 2-3 millimeters.

The element is welded to the bottom, after which we get a solid structure. Also, a barbecue smokehouse requires a pipe through which the smoke will escape. This part can be purchased on the construction market or made from a cylinder with a smaller diameter. Some craftsmen even install a motor, whose task is to rotate the spit with meat.

The structure must be coated with safe, but heat-resistant paint. You can start cooking after calcination. Sometimes it’s not possible to get rid of the smell of gasoline the first time.

Brazier steam locomotive

If making an ordinary barbecue with your own hands takes several hours of work, then creating a barbecue-steam locomotive can take more than one week. This is a decorative product that includes a grill, barbecue, grill and even a smokehouse. The brazier was called a steam locomotive because in appearance it really looks like one, especially if pipes are used in the design different diameters. Masters make real masterpieces using several cylinders.

If you can take a standard gas cylinder for the base, then barrels and main pipes. The wheels can be made from cut cylinders, but to add originality, you can use forged elements. The barbecue locomotive must be completely covered with heat-resistant paint. For these purposes, take a coating with a temperature limit of 700C°. The paint needs to be renewed, the intervals depend on the frequency of use of the grill.

Forged parts allow you to breathe life into the design of cylinders. Craftsmen install retractable grilles, comfortable tables, functional and decorative elements.

A steam locomotive is not only a curiosity that attracts attention to your site, but also an excellent design that allows for maximum short term set the table.

If you decide to start making a barbecue from a gas cylinder, then you should think about whether you are good at welding and a grinder. This is a rather complex process, so if you handle the tool ineptly, the result can only be disappointing.

The homemade design has several features. Please take note of these before starting work:

  • if you do not apply a heat-resistant coating, you can get seriously burned on such a grill;
  • after several “sessions” with kebabs, the cylinder will become smoked, so for transportation you need to take reliable bags or plastic film;
  • the structure must be stable, but not heavy, so you need to calculate in advance what supports to make for the barbecue;
  • Only coal can be used as a raw material, since there is too little space for firewood.

Drawings and videos

The drawing shows a barbecue firebox made from a gas cylinder:

This drawing diagram should help you understand what a gas cylinder grill is:

Scheme of operation of the grill-steam locomotive:

In this video in simple language explains how to build a barbecue from a gas cylinder at home with your own hands:

The video instructions below will help you make a barbecue smokehouse:

You can make a barbecue yourself from a gas cylinder in a few hours. The advantages of this design are obvious - relatively small dimensions, convenience, and the ability to be decorated in any style. After watching videos of famous masters on this topic, you can be amazed. What types of barbecues can they come up with - they look like a submarine, and a steam locomotive, and crocodiles. It can be used as a smokehouse or barbecue, which expands the functionality of the design.

The desire to smoke fish or chicken immediately arises. Buying a barbecue is not a problem, and the simplest one costs about 500 rubles. But how long will such a grill made of thin stainless steel last? It is unknown, since the material from which such barbecues are made does not inspire confidence. And it will be useful only if you are planning to relax in nature and there is simply no room for a full-fledged barbecue during transportation.

The basis of the design is a gas cylinder, its volume is 50 liters. The height is 1.2 m, and this is enough for the heat to last for a long time. And you can easily fit a couple of large barbecue grates (relevant for cooking large amounts of meat). There should be no external damage to the cylinder, otherwise small pockets of corrosion under the influence high temperature and open fire will turn into holes. Not immediately, but after several years of active use, this fate awaits the metal. And if you decide to cover the finished grill with a layer of heat-resistant paint, the defects will come out. The holes can be welded, but appearance this will ruin it. For work you will need tools and materials:

  • electric drill;
  • Bulgarian;
  • pipe wrench;
  • chisel and hammer;
  • screwdrivers;
  • metal pipe;
  • hinges for doors;
  • metal corner.

A frame from an old school desk or a stand from sewing machine. You can also use homemade ones from angle or professional pipes or fittings. If the grill is installed in a permanent place, then you can lay out a brick stand. Just make sure that you can easily pick out the ash from below.

Types of barbecues

The simplest option is an open grill from a gas cylinder; it is very easy to make it yourself, since it does not have a lid, smoker or barbecue capabilities. But more complex designs can be made:


If you have imagination, you can make shaped legs, handles, and stops from reinforcement and metal rods. There are a lot of options for making barbecues, even your eyes widen when you see the designs. Provide a place in the yard to install a barbecue - away from gas pipes and electrical wiring. There should be no containers with paint, fuel, or wooden buildings nearby.

Preparatory stage

Always follow safety rules. The downside of a propane tank is that the gas vapor stays in it for quite a long time. Even if there is no gas in the cylinder for a long time, it can explode from the slightest spark. Therefore, the first step is washing. First, open the valve and bleed off any gas that might remain in the cylinder. Then turn it over and get rid of the condensation.

Carefully cut off the valve of the gas cylinder and water it from time to time cold water. Then connect the hose and fill the container with water, shaking it sometimes to help the gas evaporate better. The cylinder should stand with water for at least a day, only after that you need to empty it (do this away from residential buildings and not on the ground). That's it, the container is ready for work.

If you are making an open grill or barbecue, then you don’t need any drawings, the design is quite simple. And in general, there are no special requirements; it all depends on your preferences in what proportions to cut the cylinder. But it’s worth reading the recommendations:


The simplest option is to cut the container into two parts, weld legs to each, and you will get two good open barbecues. But the functionality is limited and the appearance is not very attractive. And in any case, you need to install it on legs to make cooking convenient. An alternative is to weld two pipes across to place the structure on the ground. But squatting near the fryer is uncomfortable, especially if you need to cook a lot of food. Therefore, it is better to make a full-fledged barbecue with your own hands, with a smokehouse function and all the possible little things that are useful during operation. Before you start manufacturing, look at the photos of the designs and choose the most attractive option for yourself.

Making a barbecue from a propane cylinder: drawings with dimensions

The most convenient option is to use gas burner, but not everyone has it at home. But the grinder is much easier to find. You need to outline the boundaries along which the lid is cut:


To work, you will need several disks, since the thickness of the walls of propane cylinders is large, and the temperature is rather high. To save material, you need to cut not completely, leaving small areas. Subsequently, using a chisel, you cut through these remains of the container wall.

Estimate in advance how tall your structure will be. They mentioned that a sewing machine base would be suitable as a decorative stand. But if there is none, make legs from pipes, attaching them to the bottom of the base of the grill. Initially attach the legs using bolts (the threads should be outward). If necessary, cut off the excess bolts and finally weld the legs to the base. You weld metal strips to the legs from below to prevent dirt from getting into the pipes.

If you do not plan to use the grill on the ground, then it is better to make adjustable legs. To do this, weld nuts to each one so that their planes coincide and are parallel to the base on which installation is planned. The bolts will act as a regulator; tighten them until they stop. Then, depending on the base, unscrew it several turns, achieving a stable position of the structure. A similar adjustment is provided for washing machines, bathrooms, refrigerators and other household appliances.

Use a drill to make holes for the hinges, secure them with rivets and weld them. If you place it only on rivets, the lid will sooner or later fall off under the influence of high temperatures. It is possible without hinges - a removable cover installed on top of the base. But you will have to provide 4 bars that will prevent it from falling through. Make holes in the top of the lid and install one or two handles. They must be made of heat-resistant materials. The simplest option is a metal rod. You bend it and weld it with back sides barbecue so that two people can move the structure if necessary.

A piece of pipe or corner is suitable as a limiter. It will not allow the lid to spill over into reverse side and fill up the entire structure with skewers and meat. For fixation, you can use 1-2 pieces of chain. When assembling, first secure all structural elements with clamps. Thanks to this, there will be no gaps, the appearance will be attractive, even despite its simplicity.
You can make a barbecue from a gas cylinder with your own hands in 3-4 hours, if you have everything necessary materials and tools. Here's a video with step-by-step instructions and all sizes:

Additional Design Attributes

When using the barbecue for its intended purpose, deformations may occur due to heating. Weld small metal corners from the inside of the base along the entire roaster.
These ridges will help ensure that the skewers or rack sit well on the broiler. To make your homemade barbecue more stable, weld pieces of angle iron or pipes to the legs. You can make several crossbars if desired.

Holes must be made in the bottom and sides, which are necessary to create draft and drain liquid after washing or rain. From the part of the container where the valve was located, you can weld a piece of pipe to remove smoke. But this is only relevant if the grill is used with the lid closed. If cooking without a lid, this is not necessary. For convenience, make holes for skewers in the base of the grill. They will be useful when cooking, since skewers with meat or vegetables will not turn over under their own weight. Since making a barbecue from a gas cylinder is quite simple, you should not neglect such useful little things.

To improve the appearance, you can paint the entire structure.
Exists a large number of paints that can withstand temperatures up to 800 degrees. This is an important condition, since ordinary paints will simply flare up when heated, and even poison the food if it is already on the fryer. Before painting, apply a coat of primer (it should also be heat-resistant). Red, black, silver - this is the color range available for heat-resistant paints. But this is quite enough. Making a barbecue from a cylinder is not difficult, but deciding what type of structure to choose is important point. Perfect option- this is the manufacture of a smokehouse and a barbecue in one design. Here's a couple for you good ideas in the photo, they enlarge when clicked:



How to do all this, watch the video:

If desired, you can make a stationary roaster by welding small tables on the sides and front.
Since the temperature is high, it is better to make them from a metal corner. Such tables will be convenient when stringing meat or vegetables - you can place pots on them. And if the feast is expected to be long, then you can not put out the coals and place a kettle and pots of food nearby so that they stay hot longer.

Holidays outside the city, be it a dacha or a picturesque clearing in the forest or near a pond, very often involve cooking barbecue. Of course, for this you can get by with a few bricks and a couple of metal crossbars, but the real pleasure of cooking meat on skewers can only be obtained next to a convenient and practical barbecue. A good design can be made from thick sheet metal. If there is no such thing on the farm, then there is no need to rush to construction market. You can make an excellent device for cooking meat with your own hands from a regular gas cylinder.

Features of a barbecue made on the basis of a container for liquefied gas

Cylinder for domestic gas is an excellent basis for many homemade designs. Good quality metal, an almost ready-made shape and several standard sizes allow you to get a potbelly stove or boiler with minimal labor costs indirect heating, autoclave and other equipment needed in the household. Thick walls of the container from under liquefied gas are able to withstand high temperatures, so it is ideally suited for making a smokehouse, barbecue or grill. Other advantages of the design are also known:

A barbecue built from a household gas tank has virtually no disadvantages. Some consider the large dimensions to be a disadvantage, but what’s stopping them from taking a smaller cylinder, for example, 27 liters? The only negative aspects include the semicircular shape of the bottom, which is not very convenient when lighting firewood. On the other hand, with this configuration the coals will be closer to the edges of the skewers. Due to this, the outer pieces of meat will be better baked, which often remain raw when cooked on a traditional rectangular roasting pan. Experts believe that the spherical walls of the grill are not entirely suitable for preparing kebabs, since they interfere with the processes that help “unfold” the rich aroma of baked meat. In the future, we will touch on this issue, revealing the secret of how to avoid the disadvantages associated with the round shape of the bottom.

Preparatory activities

Before you pick up a welding machine, you need to select a gas cylinder and prepare it for work, draw up a rough sketch of the future barbecue and stock up necessary tool and materials.

What kind of cylinder can I use?

Any cylindrical gas cylinders are suitable for making a barbecue. The best option is a fairly spacious and most common 50-liter container for household propane-butane. If you want to get a more mobile and lightweight design that can be transported in the trunk passenger car, you can take a standard 27 liter cylinder. It should be taken into account that the width of the working space of a portable barbecue may not be enough due to the spherical shape of the sidewalls.

Gas cylinders are made of high-alloy low-carbon steels 30ХМА, 45, 34CrMo4, 30ХГСА. A high content of alloys and a decrease in the number of alloys in the metal makes the alloy more durable and increases its anti-corrosion properties.

An ideal option for a stationary barbecue would be a 50–80 liter car gas cylinder. It has an increased diameter, so it will be much more convenient to light firewood. In addition, such a vessel has increased capacity. Its width makes it possible to use the entire length of a standard skewer, and this will allow you to cook dinner for a large company. The only caveat is that finding an unnecessary car gas tank will not be easy, and buying a new one will not be financially feasible.

Gas cylinders are made of high-quality alloy steel with a thickness of 3 millimeters or more, therefore, even if the container has been standing for a long time under open air, it will most likely be usable. If the vessel is heavily rusted, then you should not waste time on it - finding a workpiece in good condition will not be difficult.

How to protect yourself from explosions

Even if the valve of the container you are using is completely unscrewed and gas does not come out of it, do not rush to take up the grinder. Despite the fact that the pressure inside the cylinder is equal to atmospheric pressure, most likely there are unsafe substances left in it - propane-butane and condensate. The latter is drained by turning the vessel upside down, and in order to completely remove the explosive contents, the container is filled to the top with water and left for several hours. Only after this requirement has been met and the liquid has been drained can you begin cutting and welding the metal.

Schemes and drawings

A barbecue made from a gas cylinder is such a simple structure that it does not require careful design. However, on preparatory stage it is recommended to draw up small drawing or a sketch of a future structure indicating the dimensions of all its elements. This will make it possible to determine how much and what kind of rolled metal will be required, and will also allow you to correctly plan individual processes. Perhaps the drawings and diagrams presented in our gallery will help you in working on the barbecue.

Gallery of drawings and diagrams

Diagram of a barbecue with a supporting structure Drawing of a barbecue from a 50-liter gas cylinder Construction of a barbecue made from a gas cylinder Heated air movement pattern

Materials and tools needed for work

In addition to the gas cylinder itself, you will need:

  • sections of steel pipes and angles;
  • metal handles for the grill lid;
  • door or furniture hinges;
  • a pipe with a diameter of 100 mm with a 90-degree elbow, if you plan to install a chimney;
  • grate that you will need for a barbecue;
  • bolts with nuts or rivets.

In addition, you should prepare decorative elements intended to enhance the structure, as well as the primer, paint and solvent that will be needed to paint it.

If we talk about tools, we are sure that everyone interested in building a homemade barbecue will have them:

  • welding transformer or inverter;
  • Angle grinder - angle grinder (colloquially “grinder”);
  • electrodes Ø3–4 mm;
  • cutting and cleaning disc for angle grinders;
  • electric drill;
  • a set of drills for working on metal;
  • clamps for fixing metal parts;
  • long metal ruler;
  • scriber;
  • core;
  • adjustable and gas wrench;
  • set of wrenches.

If after manufacturing the grill will be painted, then additionally prepare a brush attachment for a drill or grinder, as well as brushes or a sprayer with a compressor.

Making a barbecue with your own hands from a 50 liter household gas cylinder

Installation work is best carried out in a well-ventilated area or outdoors. The place where the assembly will be carried out must be fairly level, otherwise it will not be possible to ensure the correct geometry of the structure and the grill will be unstable.

When carrying out plumbing work, it is important not to forget about safety rules; be sure to use protective equipment and workwear.

Step-by-step instruction

  1. Unscrew the valve. To do this, use a gas or adjustable wrench. Sometimes the shut-off valves become so sour that there is no way to unscrew them. In this case, the tap can be cut with an angle grinder. Using the same tool, cut off the lower support rim - with it the structure will look unaesthetic.
  2. Mark the cutting areas. The diameter of the 50-liter propane-butane tank is 960 mm, which allows it to be accurately divided into four parts. It is convenient to take the longitudinal seam as a reference point. Having laid the cylinder on a flat surface, measure a quarter of the diameter - 240 mm - from the welding line in both directions and apply horizontal markings that will divide the cylinder in half. An indent of at least 30 mm is made from the line of fastening of the upper and lower parts of the vessel, after which circular lines are drawn. The distance between them is divided into equal intervals of 80–100 mm, on which the skewers will be placed. After this, mark the grill cover. Its length should be less than half the diameter, so 100 mm is measured from one of the longitudinal lines towards the horizontal welding seam. A parallel drawn strip will indicate the location of the cut.
  3. Installed on the "grinder" cutting disc, cut a line that divides the diameter of the cylinder in half. After this, the slot is marked into equal parts and the hinges are welded. Their number can be from two to four (depending on size). After this, the cover is cut out along the circular marks, as well as a longitudinal line, which is located at a distance of 140 mm from the horizontal seam.

    Don't rush to cut out the entire lid at once. Subsequently, this will entail a lot of inconvenience associated with its correct orientation, setting gaps, etc. Doing this without an assistant will be problematic. If you immediately weld the hinges along the first cut line, you will be able to save a lot of time and nerves in the future.

  4. In order for the top door to be held in the desired position and not break the hinges when tilted, it is necessary to weld stoppers along the cutting line. They can be made from 20–30 mm pieces of steel angle with a shelf width of 40–50 mm. The fixing stops are mounted on both sides - this will prevent the lid from warping.

    The distance at which the door will tilt can be changed by unbending the clamps to the required angle. At the same time, choose a position in which you can easily reach the lid handles without bending forward too much, and at the same time will not allow the structure to slam shut spontaneously.

  5. To prevent the door from falling inward when closing, a stopper must be welded around the perimeter of the circular cutouts. To do this, a strip 30–40 mm wide is cut from sheet steel 1–3 mm thick. It is secured from the inside of the cylinder with an intermittent seam.

    Instead of limiters, you can use a piece of chain of the required length, welding it with one end to the grill and the other to the lid.

  6. Below the hinges, a series of Ø12–14 mm drillings are made for skewers. Previously, these places were marked along the diameter dividing line. On the front wall opposite each hole, slots or triangular cutouts are made on which the skewers will be placed.
  7. Install handles for opening the lid. For this, factory-made products with linings made of wood or fire-resistant composites are best suited - they will not allow you to get burned. As a last resort, a handle can be made by bending a piece of metal rod or fittings into the shape of the letter “P”.
  8. At the next stage, holes are cut in the bottom of the grill to allow air to enter the combustion zone. To do this, turn the structure upside down, measure 100–120 mm from the longitudinal seam in each direction and draw horizontal lines. Setting aside 100 mm from these marks, strips are obtained in which cuts are made every 50 mm. Instead of slots, you can make drillings. In this case, in checkerboard pattern make holes with a diameter of 10–12 mm.

    Cutting through the bottom to supply air is impractical for a number of reasons. Firstly, this will weaken the welding seam, which makes the structure more rigid, and secondly, the holes will quickly become clogged with fat deposits mixed with ash and ash, and will cease to perform their functions.

  9. The hole for the valve must be welded. If the grill is also planned to be used as a smokehouse, then the opening is expanded to the diameter of the chimney. After this, a chimney is welded to the cylinder.

At this point, the main part of the work is considered completed. All that remains is to install the grill on the legs and decorate it interesting decor or simply paint the structure with heat-resistant paint.

Installation of barbecue supports

There are several options for installing the barbecue on legs, which is facilitated by the fairly thick metal of its body. The first and easiest method is to weld four pieces of steel pipe or a corner directly to the body. Of course, the connection points must be carefully verified, and during the work, use a square and a building level, otherwise the structure will look askew and untidy. Everyone makes the height of the barbecue for themselves, but there is also a standard recommendation - the distance from the ground to the plane where the skewers are laid should be no more than 1 m.

It is worth noting that the method described above cannot add presentability and convenience. If you want to get a stylish, practical structure, then for this you will need to make a frame-type support. To do this, from the profile metal pipe A pair of side posts are made 20x20x2 mm. In its upper part, a semicircular bed is welded from a metal tire, curved to the shape of a cylinder. Both parts of the structure are fastened together with the same metal profile so that a kind of underframe is obtained. The cylinder is placed on the prepared bed and secured by welding. In order to make the barbecue more mobile, metal wheels can be attached to the legs.

Made from a household gas cylinder, the barbecue can be taken with you during forays into nature. To ensure that it does not take up much space in the trunk of a car, the supporting structure is made collapsible. All you need for this is a 40-centimeter piece of pipe with an internal diameter of 18–30 mm and a 3-meter pipe with a diameter of 16–28 mm. The main requirement is that when pairing them, the gap is small, otherwise the grill will be unstable.

By cutting a short piece into four equal parts, couplings are obtained, which are welded to the cylinder at the places where the supports are installed. After this, the grill is installed on the legs and through drilling is performed to fix them inside the couplings. The pins inserted into these holes allow you to easily move the assembled structure - the tubes will not fall out. Additionally, carrying handles can be welded to the sides of the portable barbecue. By the way, during transportation of the structure, all legs, firewood (or packaging of coals) and lighter fluid can be placed inside. Such optimization will save a lot of space in the trunk.

Gallery of ready-made homemade barbecues

Side walls structures can be designed in the form of a funny pig Steam locomotive styling
The support structure can be made from an old sewing machine
Brazier with bottom shelf and firewood box Styling a barbecue like a submarine The shelf located under the grill will be very useful during cooking. Universal building with barbecue, smokehouse and barbecue Additional work surfaces make the design more practical Is this still a barbecue or is it already a steam locomotive?

How to bring a design to perfection

The ease of manufacture and other advantages of a BBQ from a cylinder are somewhat overshadowed by the conclusions of barbecue experts that the meat in them is not as tasty as in traditional-type braziers. A thorough study of the problem revealed several points of failure.

  • Due to the rounded bottom, the layer of coals in the center and at the edges differs in height. This heterogeneity leads to the fact that firewood located on the periphery burns out much longer than in the middle of the stack - the heat in the center settles much faster.
  • The spherical walls emit infrared rays not towards the kebab, but towards the coals, which further enhances the effect described above.
  • Unlike a flat-bottomed design, the supply of oxygen to a barbecue made from a round container is uneven.

Eliminating the shortcoming that prevented us from getting the “correct” kebab turned out to be quite simple. Refinement of the barbecue requires the installation of a longitudinal air duct along the entire length of its bottom. To do this, you will need a steel corner measuring 80x80 mm and 900 mm long. Holes with a diameter of 12–15 mm are made in both of its shelves in increments of 50 mm. The air duct is welded into the bottom so that both its edges remain outside. The essence of the improvement is more clear from the presented figure.

How to paint it “cheaply and forever”

A metal structure must be painted for both aesthetic and practical reasons. Unprotected steel will quickly rust, which will not add either beauty or durability to the structure. Any heat-resistant paint intended for car mufflers is best suited for painting a barbecue, but it high price And complex technology application does not allow us to call this option ideal. Silicone-based paints, specially created for painting, have the same disadvantages. metal furnaces, fireplaces, barbecues and grills.

Cheap and practical material is Kuzbass varnish and similar mineral compositions based on bitumen resins.

The coating should be done in 3-4 layers, with complete intermediate drying after each application. Of course, there is no need to paint the inner surface of the barbecue - a coating of soot, on the contrary, will contribute to obtaining an ideal product.

The disadvantages of this method are long drying times and unpleasant, toxic fumes. In addition, the paint remains fragile for a long time, so it requires careful handling. The first 2-3 firings are best done “idle”. This will eliminate the odor and make the coating more durable and safe. When mineral composition baked, it will be very difficult to damage it. Practice shows that such a composition does not require updating for decades.

Video: how to build a barbecue from a gas cylinder in three hours

Many options for barbecues built on the basis of a gas cylinder allow you to build a practical, functional and original design. It can be placed under a canopy or in a gazebo, installed outdoors or made completely mobile. A properly built grill produces soft and even heat, which makes the kebab soft and juicy. Therefore, all that remains to be wished is good company and bon appetit!

Summer is time for picnics fresh air, outside the city, in the country or in the yard of your house. What would a picnic be without shish kebab, grilled meat and vegetables or barbecue? There are many cooking methods, but each of them requires a grill. Of course, you can buy it ready-made in a store or order it from a workshop. We offer you an excellent opportunity to improve your own skills home handyman, making a universal barbecue with your own hands from an empty gas cylinder.

Materials and tools

The first thing you need to prepare is, of course, the gas cylinder itself. The main condition is that the capacity of the device should be 50 liters, and the height should be 120 cm. This is the most suitable size for a grill on which you can cook a lot of food at the same time.

You can make an excellent barbecue from an old, deteriorating gas cylinder 120 cm high

Note! The selected cylinder must be carefully inspected for damage. There should be no pronounced corrosion, since the areas affected by it will quickly burn through when you use the grill for cooking.

In addition to the cylinder, you will need:


The grill will need to be installed on legs. You can make them from metal corners or pipes, or take up design and use, for example, stands from an antique sewing machine.

The legs from a Singer sewing machine will be very original stand for barbecue

From simple to complex: open grill, barbecue, smokehouse, smoker

There are several most common types of barbecues, and all of them can be built from an old, failed gas cylinder:

  • regular grill without a lid;
  • B-B-Q;
  • smokehouse;
  • smoker

Three latest species There are a number of significant differences, which we will consider in detail.

  1. BBQ - quite simple design both in appearance and in production. A part of the side of the cylinder is cut off, which is then attached to hinges and serves as a door. Inside there is a place for coals and a grid on which you will place food for frying.

    Barbecue grill - simple design with a lid without a smoke exhaust pipe

  2. A smokehouse differs from a regular barbecue in the presence of a firebox and tightness. To make it, a strip of metal is cut from the bottom of the cylinder and part of the bottom, usually half, is sawed off. The firebox, made from sheet iron or from another cylinder, must be welded and the structure must be equipped with an additional pipe for removing smoke. When the smokehouse is ready, it needs to be calcined with wood several times, after which you can start smoking.

    A barbecue-smokehouse requires a firebox and a chimney

  3. Barbecue smoker, or as it is also called, a steam locomotive. Much more complex design, but multifunctional - it combines everything you could want from similar device: barbecue, grill, smokehouse, barbecue. In order to build such a super-unit, you will need several cylinder pipes, and each will have its own option. As a result, this device really looks like a steam locomotive.

    Barbecue smoker is the most complex, but also the most multifunctional design of several gas cylinders

Photo gallery: how to decorate a barbecue

The barbecue grill can easily be decorated to look like a steam locomotive or an antique car A barbecue smoker, popularly known as a steam locomotive, requires virtually no additions and looks decorative in itself The hinged lid is often attached to a chain to make it convenient to open when hot. The grill-smokehouse can also have convenient shelves You can make shelves next to the grill and under it A woodpile is often placed below Perhaps the simplest option: a grill with a removable lid on a pipe leg Turn your barbecue into a submarine

Preparatory work

How to properly open and rinse a propane tank

Never forget about safety rules. You will have to cut the cylinder that contained the gas, which means that you cannot allow a spark to occur and ignite the remaining propane.

  1. To avoid trouble, first open the cylinder valve and wait until the gas has completely evaporated.

    Unscrew the cylinder valve completely to release all remaining gas.

  2. After this, place it upside down and drain the condensation. To control the gas output, apply a little soap suds to the valve opening. When it stops bubbling, you can continue working. Place the bottle on its side and saw off the valve, constantly pouring cold water over the cut area. Attach a hose to the cut and fill the container to the top with water, shaking it constantly so that the inner surface is washed from the smell of gas.

    Be sure to rinse the bottle

  3. Leave it for several days, then empty it somewhere away from residential buildings. After this you can start cutting.

Do you need a drawing?

As for working with a cylinder, you don’t need any drawings to make an open barbecue. With barbecue everything is also easy. One of a kind correct scheme no, it all depends on your taste and favorite cooking method. If you plan to use only ready-made coals and a grate, then perhaps the distance between them can be left smaller by cutting the cylinder lengthwise exactly in the middle. If you make coals yourself and use skewers rather than a grate, then let the lid be smaller in height than the base.

Visual instructions

So, the cylinder is completely ready and washed. Now you need to cut it into 2 parts. The simplest option is to simply cut the cylinder into two halves lengthwise and get two classic open barbecues.

The easiest way is to cut the cylinder in half and use it as a regular open grill

If you are making a barbecue grill, then you need to “cut out” and cut off a rectangle that will be the grill cover, and the second part remains as the base. Draw a rectangle of cut lines on the surface, the horizontal lines will run approximately in the middle of the balloon or 5 cm above it, and the vertical (transverse) lines will run about 20 cm from its edges.

Cylinder cutting

To cut the cylinder, use a gas cutter or grinder. Mark the boundaries of the lid: step back 5 cm from the welding seams connecting the base and the bottom of the container and mark the line along which the cut will be made. Cut from the middle towards the edge, while holding the grinder disk perpendicular to the cylinder.

Depending on the intensity of the work and the thickness of the walls of the cylinder, the grinder disc may burn out by the end of cutting. To avoid this, in some places, do not cut sections completely; Then you can easily cut these small pieces with a chisel.

This is what a cut cylinder looks like - a blank for the barbecue

Grill legs

Consider what height your barbecue should be, and then start attaching the legs. You need to firmly install the grill on the ground so that it is convenient to weld the lid.

The easiest way is to attach legs from an old sewing machine or a metal base from a small desk to the grill

You can construct legs from pipes by bolting them to the bottom. Make 4 holes in the bottom of the base, insert bolts into them with the threads facing outward. Secure them with nuts or weld them to secure them. Attach bolt nuts to the tops of the legs and screw them to the base of your grill.

Installing the Cover and Handle

To attach the lid, make holes for the hinges, secure them with rivets and weld them. If this is not done, the lid may become detached due to exposure to high temperatures. You can install a removable lid without hinges, then inside the transverse edges of the grill you need to attach metal strips so that the lid does not fall inside.

Secure the lid to the grill using welded door hinges

You can use bolts to attach the handle to the lid. Simply drill holes for them and secure them. Choose simple, heat-resistant handles to prevent them from getting burned later. Very comfortable handles can be made from a metal rod by welding it to the base.

Choose comfortable heat-resistant handles for the grill

Now you need to install the limiter on the cover. Make it from a corner or part of a pipe. And the cover itself can be fixed on one or both sides using chains, thereby determining the maximum possible value her “throwing back”.

It is better to pre-connect the parts when working with clamps, which will tightly press all parts of the structure without leaving gaps.

Assembly

  1. You may experience deformation of the roasting pan when you cook on the grill. To avoid this, weld the corners to the inner longitudinal edges of the base. You can place a barbecue grill or skewers on the ledge formed from the corner. The high legs of the barbecue also require additional fixation, which you can easily provide if you weld a corner along the outer perimeter of the structure, which will increase its rigidity.

    The body of the barbecue needs to be strengthened so that the brazier does not become deformed later.

  2. Drill holes in the bottom of the grill. They are needed to make it convenient to pour out coals or drain water accumulated after rain. In addition, wood in a barbecue will burn better if you provide air draft from below.

    Make holes in the bottom of the grill

  3. In the hole where the valve was, install a smoke exhaust pipe and weld it. Not everyone does this; some leave the grill without a chimney, especially if they plan to cook mainly with the lid open.

    Use a grinder to make slits in the walls of the container for skewers.

    How to paint

    You might want to paint your canister grill. This is not at all necessary, but is quite acceptable from an aesthetic point of view. Choose heat-resistant paints, which will not decompose under the influence of temperatures, giving the cooked food an unhealthy aroma and taste.

    Now there are many domestic and imported paints on sale that are designed to work at 600–800 o C. They are applied to a layer of special primer (it is advisable to pick it up in the store right along with the paint). These paints are usually environmentally friendly, so they are suitable for painting a barbecue both outside and inside. They are most often black or red in color; they are also silver.

    Before purchasing, be sure to read the instructions and choose a coating with a resistance of at least 600 degrees.

    Video: do-it-yourself barbecue-smokehouse from a cylinder

    Video: how to make a grill from a gas cylinder in three hours

    As you can see, there are no complicated manipulations in making a barbecue from a cylinder, however, the work will require care and patience. But such a device will serve you for many years, delighting your family and friends not only with delicious kebabs, but also with other meat and fish dishes. And notice how cheap this grill cost you. Tell us in the comments about your experience self-made barbecues from cylinders. Good luck and easy work!

It’s hard to imagine a holiday in the country without a barbecue or grill. Modern market offers many barbecues different designs. However, it is not necessary to buy a fryer - making such a device yourself is not difficult. One of the options homemade stoves for cooking meat - a grill from a gas cylinder.

It is practical, convenient, can have a different appearance - for example, the shape of a steam locomotive - and will be an excellent addition to summer cottage. We’ll look at how to make such a grill in this material.

Making a roasting pan from a metal cylinder

First you need to decide whether to create a barbecue from such a container the best option. Still, you can use almost any available materials: potbelly stove, barrels, sheets of unnecessary metal, bricks - there are a lot of options.

Gallery of ready-made options


Advantages

The first and main advantage that distinguishes homemade barbecues is their cost-effectiveness compared to purchased ready-made barbecues. Even if you don’t have an old gas cylinder on your household, you can purchase such a container at a low price. All that remains is to properly prepare it for turning into a barbecue.

Other advantages of a balloon fryer include:


It is also worth noting the size of the structure: on a barbecue from a cylinder you can cook twice as much meat as on a cheap store-bought metal barbecue.

Users often search:

Flaws

The disadvantages of using such a product include:

  1. The unsightly appearance of a standard cylinder, especially if it is old. Peeling red paint, dents and weld marks will ruin the aesthetics of your barbecue if you don't work on the finish. It is better to use a heat-resistant coating - this will additionally protect against burns when cooking.
  2. The large mass of the structure means that such a barbecue will only be portable. You definitely won’t be able to take the product with you into nature, so this option is only suitable for use in the local area.
  3. If the skills to work with welding machine not enough, the reliability of the design will suffer.
  4. Making mistakes when making a barbecue or not following the technology will lead to low efficiency, or even inoperability of the brazier.

Do not forget about the main danger - the possibility of the cylinder exploding during cutting. To prevent this from happening, you need to carry out the preliminary work correctly.

Photo: when cutting a cylinder, remember safety precautions

Preparation of materials and tools

First, choose a cylinder. The recommended volume is 50 liters to make the roasting pan large. Before you start making a homemade barbecue, the container is cleaned of any remaining fuel. They do this carefully, even if it seems that the container is completely empty.

Cleaning a gas cylinder

Despite the fact that the bulk of the propane has been gone for a long time, dangerous condensate accumulates on the walls and bottom. To get rid of it, you need:

  • release gas naturally - through the valve;
  • rinse the bottle.

To completely empty the container, turn it upside down. To determine whether gas is coming out, the valve is moistened with soapy water - it will bubble. Another way is smell. Due to the presence of odorants in propane, the fuel smells strongly, especially if there is a lot of it in the cylinder. Therefore, you should clean the container in the open air, preferably away from people, so that no one panics. And, of course, away from sources of fire.

Photo: propane valve sawed off

The cylinder is washed as follows:

  1. The valve is sawed off. They do this together - an assistant constantly pours water over the cut area so that the container does not explode due to heat and sparks.
  2. Water under pressure is supplied through the hole into the container. During the process, the container is shaken to thoroughly rinse the walls.
  3. The water is left for several days and then drained. Since it will be filled with mercaptans, the smell will be pungent. We do not recommend pouring such liquid onto the beds.

To prevent the water from smelling, potassium permanganate is added, which causes the oxidation of odorant compounds.

Getting rid of the strong smell of gas is not easy. To finally remove it, the cleaned and sawn cylinder is burned from the inside.

Tools and additional materials

For further work you will need:

  • Bulgarian;
  • drill;
  • welding machine;
  • metal hinges and handle for the lid;
  • steel pipes to create legs.

If you are working alone, rivets are also useful for temporarily securing the cover.

Mangal manufacturing technology

While the container is washed, a drawing is created. Designing a barbecue from a propane cylinder is not difficult - in fact simple version The product consists of three elements: body, lid and legs. The diagram of a barbecue-steam locomotive with a chimney for smoking looks more complicated. The dimensions are noted on the drawing, the location of the lid, cuts for skewers, fasteners for the grill grate, etc. are determined.

Drawing: barbecue

The main work consists of three stages:

  1. sawing the cylinder,
  2. welding the legs,
  3. installation of the cover.

An additional stage is decorating the finished grill.

Marking and cutting

To divide the container into a frying pan and a lid, cut out a semicircular part of the container wall. The circumference of a standard 50 liter propane tank is 96 cm. Marking is not difficult: there are marks on the tank that you can use as a reference.

A weld seam runs along the entire length - 24 cm are retreated from it in both directions and the boundaries of the hole are drawn. Immediately make notches for fastening the skewers. The extreme marks are located 3 cm from the welding rings; intermediate ones - placed with any step; for greater convenience, a distance of 8 cm is recommended - then 6 skewers will fit. If you want to leave space for the grill grate, reduce the pitch between the notches.

Next, the cylinder is sawed with a grinder. The wall thickness is 3 mm, so cutting the container is not difficult. They start with longitudinal lines, and then move on to transverse markings - otherwise you can get injured when the wall moves away from the cut with force. It is important to use the means personal protection- mask, gloves.

Cross cuts are made, moving 10-15 mm from the welds. At these points the metal is double, and shifting will save a little time and part of the grinder's circle. In addition, the lid of the barbecue grill will conveniently rest on the bottom layer.

After cutting the walls with a grinder, cuts are made for skewers. A little lower, holes are drilled with a drill to allow air to pass through. The same gaps are made in the lower part of the grill. Do not touch only the bottom and lid of the cylinder so that the wind does not blow out the coals.

Lid

At the second stage, the homemade grill is equipped with a lid and handle. This part is welded with metal loops - the fasteners can fail under the influence of high temperature. To make it convenient to work alone, the lid is temporarily fixed with rivets. The loops are placed at an equal distance from each other.

Metal is used for the handle, since wood and plastic can become deformed, burn or melt during use.

Legs

Depending on whether the barbecue is stationary or portable, the shape of the legs for it is selected. For the mobile version, these parts are made from pipes or metal corners, with wide platforms welded to the ends so that the fryer does not go underground under the influence of its weight. The height of the products is selected individually; It has been experimentally established that it is more convenient to place the grill on legs 20-30 cm long.

Photo: finished legs made of metal pipe

A stationary barbecue is usually mounted on a foundation made of concrete or brick. In addition, the design can be stylized - for example, by welding forged wheels to give the barbecue the appearance of a steam locomotive.

This balloon barbecue is ready. Only the finishing touches remain - welding the grill mounts, coating the body with heat-resistant paint and other finishing. To add, a chimney is welded to one side wall and a firebox to the other. When the lid is closed, a smoking chamber is created.

Thus, turning a standard gas cylinder into a universal fryer is not so difficult; the main thing is to follow safety precautions when working. A propane container will allow you to realize different design ideas barbecue, which will be an excellent addition to country holiday on the weekend.

Video material