Cauldron is a cast boiler. Its distinctive feature is a semicircular bottom, which does not allow it to be installed on the hearth without a special supporting device - a tripod. If you have a list of tools and materials, you can do it yourself.
Varieties and purpose
Homemade supports for boilers are of several types:
- three-legged;
- four-legged;
- improvised.
The legs of the three-legged stand are mounted in the form of a cone. An equal distance is maintained between them, which is an important factor determining the degree of structural stability. A hoop is installed as the top of the cone, the diameter of which corresponds to the outer diameter of the middle part of the cauldron.
This hoop serves as a holder, into which the boiler is lowered.
This method of retention is most effective, since with an increase in the mass of the contents of the cauldron, its pressure on the inside of the hoop increases, as a result of which the boiler sits more firmly on the stand.
To enhance the strength of the structure, the support legs are fastened with the help of additional jumpers located below the holding hoop, which prevents them from dispersing under the pressure of a boiler filled with contents.
Tripods of this type are designed for installation on an open fire. A fire is being built under them, the flame of which evenly heats the semicircular bottom. To provide a space under the cauldron sufficient to accommodate logs, the height of the tripod should be adjusted depending on the distance between the ground and the bottom of the tank.
The design of the four-leg stand is similar to the design of the tripod.Their only difference from each other is the presence of a quarter support. Given this factor, the location of the support legs of this stand is determined removing them from each other at an equal distance.
In its final form, the lower support points - “soles” - form the vertices of a square or rectangle (depending on the design and the angle at which the legs are located relative to the holding hoop).
So that the four-legged stand can be installed on the brazier, its design is supplemented by connecting jumpers connecting the lower points of the support legs. Jumpers are not only a fastening element, but also play the role of skis, ensuring a stable position of the stand on the grill.
When installing the cauldron on the grill using the four-legged support, it is important to take care of stability and the entire structure. The degree of stability of the barbecue to the loads should correspond to the size and weight parameters of the cauldron filled with contents.
Makeshift coasters made of appropriate materials at hand. They may include: stock car rims, barrel-shaped containers, and others.
These materials are being finalized and installed in such a way that a cauldron can be placed on them, a fire under them, and the distance between the ground and the bottom of the container should be sufficient for a bonfire of the appropriate size.
The design of the stand of any type may provide for its use both in a stationary form and in a collapsible.
Instruments
The set of tools necessary for making a homemade stand for a cauldron may consist of a list of items, determined by the type of concrete construction and the materials from which it is made.
The composition of the tool kit:
- welding inverter;
- Bulgarian;
- a hammer;
- brush with a metal pile;
- grinding nozzle for grinder;
- measuring instruments (tape measure or ruler);
- other related tools.
The presence of a welding machine is required. Since the product will be used under the influence of high temperatures, welds are the most reliable connection.
Materials
To make the stand with your own hands, you need to prepare a sufficient amount of the following materials:
- fittings;
- iron rod (replaces fittings);
- round pipe;
- a hoop (if any).
The diameter of the reinforcement must be at least 12 mm. Lower values of this parameter will not ensure the reliability and stability of the structure to deformation loads.
The diameter of the reinforcing bar should not be too large, since its increase entails an increase in the mass of the product, which is not a positive factor.
If there is not enough reinforcement, you can use a metal rod of round, square or hexagonal cross-section. Dimensional parameters of the selected rod must meet the same requirements as the reinforcing material.
The segments of the round tube are used to equip the connection nodes of individual parts of the structure, which is important for collapsible modifications. The diameter of the tubular elements must exceed the diameter of the reinforcement or iron rod by 1-2 mm. This will allow the fastening of the components with a tongue-and-groove method.
The holding hoop is selected taking into account the diameter of the middle part of the cauldron. In the absence of a finished element, it can be made by hand from a reinforcing bar.
The arrangement of the structure is allowed, which allows the change of hoops with different diameters, which makes it possible to use the stand in conjunction with boilers of various sizes.
Manufacture
Before proceeding with the manufacture of a makeshift stand for a cauldron, it is necessary to determine the type of its design, its purpose, and draw up detailed drawings.
The optimal model of the boiler holder is one that allows you to install it not only on the ground, but also on the grill. If this model is supposed to be manufactured, then the dimensional parameters corresponding to the characteristics of the existing boiler and barbecue should be indicated on the drawings.
The diameter of the main hoop is noted. The distance between the extreme points of support, the “soles” of the legs, is entered. The value of this distance is calculated taking into account the thermal expansion of the metal and should allow the stand to be freely placed in the barbecue.
Assembly of support legs
The legs of the collapsible stand are made according to the identical principle. First, one of them is assembled, then the rest are copied from the sample.
With the help of a grinder, a piece of reinforcement is sawed, the length of which is sufficient for the manufacture of a support leg from it. To provide the ability to fold the foot to save storage space, a piece is sawn in the middle.
A tube with a length of at least 10 cm is welded to the edge of one of the parts of the segment. It is important to use a thick-walled tube of circular cross section. A square or rectangular section will not allow for reliable connections and will contribute to the appearance of play. The diameter of this tube should allow the remaining part of the reinforcement segment to be freely inserted into it. Thanks to the welding of the tubular element, the leg becomes collapsible and can be folded in half.
The remaining three legs are performed in a similar manner. In the process of their production, it is important to strive to ensure accuracy of compliance with dimensional parameters, which will avoid disturbing the geometric balance of the entire structure.
Making jumper wires
To ensure the fastening of the support legs, it is necessary to make connecting jumpers. For a four-leg stand, two will suffice.
They are made of the same material as the legs. This reduces production costs and simplifies the assembly process. The length of each jumper must exceed the distance between the lower support points of the legs by 5–10 cm. This is necessary to ensure the static structure on the grill.
To equip the knots of connection of legs and jumpers, tubular segments are welded to the latter, the parameters of which are identical to those that were welded to the legs. The angle of inclination of these segments with respect to the plane of the jumper depends on the angle at which the legs will stand. The value of this angle is arbitrary and does not require compliance with any design standards.
After connecting the two legs with the supporting jumper by means of tubular connections, a figure similar in shape to a trapezoid without a vertex, a square or rectangle without an upper edge should be obtained. The plane of the retaining hoop acts as the missing element.
Hoop making
In the absence of a finished hoop, you can make it from reinforcement. Its segment, the length of which is equal to the outer circumference of the middle part of the boiler, is heated to high temperatures. When warmed up, a bush of a rod is applied to the outer surface of the middle part of the inverted boiler and is bent in accordance with its diameter.
Suitable tools are used to hold and bend the rod: blacksmith's tongs, pliers or gas keys. Wherein no need for high precision. After manufacturing, the hoop itself will take the optimal position relative to the cauldron body. To facilitate the bending process, smaller diameters may be used.
To ensure the possibility of replacing the hoop with a ring of a different diameter, it is necessary to weld to it pipe segments up to 5 cm long, the number of which is equal to the number of supporting legs, which will allow it to be disconnected from the main structure.These tubular parts are positioned so that the legs mounted on the connecting jumpers can be freely inserted into them. In this case, the hoop should lie on these tubes in order to overlap their upper part, preventing the through passage of the legs through them.
Using a brush with a metal pile and a grinding nozzle, process the welded joints to the proper state.
At the final stage of designing a homemade stand for a cauldron, it must be painted with paint that is resistant to high temperatures. To perform this operation, you can use a spray can, as the coating by spraying provides the optimal thickness of the layer. After drying, the stand is ready to use.
On how to make a stand under the cauldron with your own hands, see further.
