Ingenuity or Stupidity

[MasterTech]

Looking at your photo,

I'd probably use eye bolts to span the spaces between the bars on the grate. The heads on smaller diameter carriage bolts would fall through. Or use threaded rod with a fender washer between two nuts where the bolt head would be. That way you wouldn't need two grates as pictured.
The empty cans allow the extra grates to be used for other purposes, and make storage easier.

I think I'm going to go with threaded rod and fender washers with wing nuts tacked to them for a more "permanent" solution. That way I can have a couple of lengths for different heights (within reason) and then I can keep my foil for the leftovers or bottom pan, lol. When done, it can be easily disassembled and put into a drawer.

 

[MasterTech]

If I used my old ladys cooling racks like that my butt would be smoked!
:thumb:

Looks great!

We actually planned on getting one just for this purpose, but my wife found them at a decent price and I said, maybe get two. Glad we did. Now I have my own. :-D

 

[MasterTech]

Use of Duct Tape and Aluminum Foil both in the same genius category!!! :amen:

Foil...the duct tape of the bbq world

 

[MasterTech]

My UDS setup

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Nice setup. Looking at using something like your lower rack setup, but with wingnuts.

 

[MasterTech]

When I had my WSM, I got tired of pulling the upper grate to get to the bottom grate. I didn't want to use bolts, as I didn't want the two grates attached all the time. I just got some small cans like for tomato sauce or mushrooms, peeled the paper and cleaned them out. Worked for me:

I like that. I tried to find some cans that weren't too tall or too short laying around. I failed. Almost cut soda cans in half, but was worried about the structural rigidity for solid support with weight on them. They don't make those cans like they used to anymore.

 

[PorkinButts82]

Nice setup. Looking at using something like your lower rack setup, but with wingnuts.

The holed pizza pan at the bottom is my diffuser. Also acts as a holder for drippings pans.

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[cats49er]

I've used beer cans before.You can crush them to desired height.

 

[mbt]

my 2 cents...
Ok for aluminium balls, as you did.
If someone is planning to use screws or threaded rods with washers and nuts to hold the grills, I suggest to use inox
as far as I know, "classical" screws, nuts etc. are phosphatated or galvanized and this kind of surface treatment can (I said can, not do) release poisonous or ,anyways, unpleasant smells

 

[zethreal]

If it's stupid and it works, it ain't stupid.

 

[MasterTech]

my 2 cents...
Ok for aluminium balls, as you did.
If someone is planning to use screws or threaded rods with washers and nuts to hold the grills, I suggest to use inox
as far as I know, "classical" screws, nuts etc. are phosphatated or galvanized and this kind of surface treatment can (I said can, not do) release poisonous or ,anyways, unpleasant smells

Yeah, I had some stainless in mind. I'm sure I can find the washers and wing nuts easily enough. The threaded rod may not be so easy locally. Haven't been able to run to the local Ace hardware to check yet. Didn't want to use galvanized stuff. Not sure what could be released into the food from that.

 

[MasterTech]

Version 2.0

Adjustability came in handy as the front pieces were a little too tall to close the door completely. I made a quick adjustment to have more rod come through the bottom and just shift it down some. I could probably have dropped the rack down a little more too.

Additional Notes: I did not take into account the placement of the rear corner support. As it sat, I was not able to lift the upper empty rack to access the lower rack while on the smoker. I had to tilt and hold the upper rack to remove the pieces on the lower rack. If I use it on this smoker again, I will keep that in mind along with lowering the whole upper rack some more. Other than that, it worked great, the supports when held tight on the lower rack allowed for plenty of stability of the upper rack. All hardware was 304 stainless steel.