Am I in the right place?

Steve

"Steve B" > wrote in message
...
> Am I in the right place?
>
> Steve

Probably as good as any. Most of us do a lot of outdoor cooking in one form
or another.

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
. net...
>
> "Steve B" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Am I in the right place?
>>
>> Steve
>
> Probably as good as any. Most of us do a lot of outdoor cooking in one
> form or another.

Then I shall proceed.

When given the chance, I prefer to cook outside. Charbroil some steaks,
grill some vegetables, steam crabs, cook fish, whatever. I have three
barbecues, an outdoor cooker, a smoker, dutch ovens, you name it, I probably
have one.

I cooked a pork roast this evening in a Dutch oven. On the ground. On a
piece of flagstone. I do not like bending over, but want to make a table to
do Dutch oven cooking on that is table height. And has wind screens on
three sides.

Anyone have any experience with this? Any tips? I have the ability and
tools to make one myself rather than buying, yet buying one is easier than
spending time and effort to build one.

Suggestions? Metal thicknesses for the base? I'm thinking 1/4" base and
1/8" wind wings. I can get production remnants for cheap, and the whole
thing will cost no more than $40 materials, plus MY labor.

Steve

"Steve B" > wrote:
> "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
> > "Steve B" > wrote in message
> > [ . . . ]
> Suggestions? Metal thicknesses for the base? I'm thinking 1/4" base and
> 1/8" wind wings. I can get production remnants for cheap, and the whole
> thing will cost no more than $40 materials, plus MY labor.

Steve. First, welcome to the Zoo. Second, YOUR labor is nothing compared to
the bragging rights you'll have when someone asks you where you bought that
neat table! ;-))

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

"Nick Cramer" > wrote in message
...
> "Steve B" > wrote:
>> "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
>> > "Steve B" > wrote in message
>> > [ . . . ]
>> Suggestions? Metal thicknesses for the base? I'm thinking 1/4" base and
>> 1/8" wind wings. I can get production remnants for cheap, and the whole
>> thing will cost no more than $40 materials, plus MY labor.
>
> Steve. First, welcome to the Zoo. Second, YOUR labor is nothing compared
> to
> the bragging rights you'll have when someone asks you where you bought
> that
> neat table! ;-))

Now you have my interest piqued. I built a table about ten years ago
specifically to take my three burner Coleman stove and a tabletop barbecue
for camping trips. I made rails to hold a special group of stainless steel
utensils I bought at May Co. The top was expanded metal, and the legs came
off, and had criss cross bracing. Total set up time, about sixty seconds.
I have had more comments on that table and where I got it.

It was always nice to say, "I made it", and to hear the reply, "Oh, really."

Been wanting to do something on a large scale in the back yard incorporating
barbecue, big burner for wok and boiling, smoker, table for dutch ovens,
etc.

Trouble is, when you're a welder (insert brickmason, whatever), you try and
experiment with different designs that you can do cheaply, whereas someone
else would have to pay and arm and a leg for same. Then you end up trashing
it and making it a little/lot different.

I think I will come up with the ultimate solution, just hope it is not as
big as a small travel trailer.

Steve

"Steve B" > wrote:
> "Nick Cramer" > wrote in message
> > "Steve B" > wrote:
> >> "Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
> >> > "Steve B" > wrote in message
> >> > [ . . . ]
> >> Suggestions? Metal thicknesses for the base? I'm thinking 1/4" base
> >> and 1/8" wind wings. I can get production remnants for cheap, and the
> >> whole thing will cost no more than $40 materials, plus MY labor.
> >
> > Steve. First, welcome to the Zoo. Second, YOUR labor is nothing
> > compared to the bragging rights you'll have when someone asks you where
> > you bought that neat table! ;-))
>
> Now you have my interest piqued. [ . . . ]
> It was always nice to say, "I made it", and to hear the reply, "Oh,
> really."
>
> Been wanting to do something on a large scale in the back yard
> incorporating barbecue, big burner for wok and boiling, smoker, table for
> dutch ovens, etc.
> [ . . . ]
> I think I will come up with the ultimate solution, just hope it is not as
> big as a small travel trailer.

Glad to help awaken the sleeping giant! Jun has a couple of those big wok
burners that she bought in Chinatown. Thay have brass nozzles, each with
multiple outlets. They can get a wok to straw yellow or hotter in no time!

As far as the size, don't just bolt it in place, pour it in a big slab of
1/3/4!

--
Nick. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their families!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops. You are not forgotten. Thanks ! ! !
~Semper Fi~

"Steve B" > wrote in
:

> I do not like bending over, but want to make
> a table to do Dutch oven cooking on that is table height. And has
> wind screens on three sides.
>
> Anyone have any experience with this? Any tips? I have the ability
> and tools to make one myself rather than buying, yet buying one is
> easier than spending time and effort to build one.

Thre are some very nice DO tables on the market (google Dutch Oven or Cee
Dub), including some nice portable ones that are handy of you do a lot of
cooking in diferent places. But I simply welded one from 1/4" sheet metal
and a few feet of square metal tubing. All the table has to do is be
fireproof, sturdy, and however tall you want.

My advice - don't make it too high. Remember that you're going to need to
stir, add, or otherwise get to your dutches from above, and by the time
you get a lid lifter involved, that's going to be awkward if you make it
standard table heighth. Also, make it 4 times larger than you think you
need. By the time you get a DO or 2, a charcoal chimney, a pile of lit
charcoal, a couple of tools, and maybe a bowl of prepped meat or
vegetables, you'll use up horizontal space in a hurry.

You might also consider making separate 3 sided wind screens. This can
make th etable itself a little lighter, and give you more flexibility to
adjust to wind direction.





--
Ask Me Why I support Stem Cell Research
http://stemcells.nih.gov/info/faqs.asp

There are many of these already on the market, a good example can be seen
he http://www.cabelas.com/spodw-1/0013227.shtml

I have cooked with dutch ovens for years, and quite frankly I want them low
and at ground level. I have a lid lifter that is about three feet long that
would be impractical at table height, plus I like to stack the ovens when
cooking whole meals. I just can't see stacking three or even four ovens
(rare) on a table.

Of course, I think anything that you make will be much better than a
commercial product, just for the fact that you get what you want (and the "I
made that" factor). 1/4 inch is pretty thick material, but it should hold
up to the heat for a while. You just may not want to move it very often

Drager



"Steve B" > wrote in message
...
> Am I in the right place?
>
> Steve
>