What a tandem of ingenuity and skillful hands have not made a barbecue from: from a washing machine drum, a water heater, a barrel, a car disk, gas cylinders, and other household utensils that have served their purpose. And if you want to make a barbecue inexpensively in a couple of hours, a tank from an old washing machine is something worth taking a closer look at.
Perhaps the old automatic washing machine has been collecting dust on the loggia for a long time, and it’s time to disassemble it to give new life to the surviving spare parts.
Well, if the machine works properly, you can go another way:
- look at recycling collection points;
- scroll through Avito, olkh;
- contact repair specialists or service centers;
- ask friends or neighbors in the garage.
This option is even better because it allows you to choose a more suitable tank.
Are there drums from washing machines lying around on the road? But no! They lie and wait for someone who will give them a second life.
Advantages of making a barbecue from a washing machine tank
Among the positive characteristics of a barbecue made from an old washing machine it is worth noting:
- high degree of resistance to elevated temperatures;
- presence of anti-corrosion coating;
- convenience during operation;
- safety during use;
- high level of wear resistance;
- long service life;
- relatively light weight of the structure;
- there is no need for intensive disinfection of the drum;
- no difficulties in assembly/disassembly;
- mobility;
- compact dimensions of the fryer;
- sufficient number of holes for air passage;
- economical fuel consumption (coal, firewood, briquettes);
- no difficulties in care;
- interesting appearance;
- there are no restrictions in terms of design.
You can make a convenient and practical barbecue from a drum from a washing machine in one day if you have the necessary tools in your arsenal
What materials and tools will be required
To quickly make a barbecue from a washing machine drum yourself, you need to acquire the following set of accessories:
- a tank from a broken washing machine;
- scraps of fittings/pipes for a stand 80 cm long;
- metal plates;
- bolts and nuts (10 mm) 6 pieces each;
- roulette;
- marker;
- Bulgarian;
- hacksaw for metal;
- file;
- welding equipment;
- angle grinder with brush attachment;
- a brush with stiff bristles;
- pliers;
- set of wrenches;
- electric drill;
- anti-corrosion heat-resistant paint for metal surfaces.
How to make a grill from a washing machine drum
To make an original mobile barbecue from a washing machine tank with your own hands, you must follow the following step-by-step instructions:
- Disassemble the body of the failed automatic washing machine and carefully remove the drum from it. It is important to take your time here and do everything very carefully so that the surface remains intact and without damage.
- Using a sharp knife, it is necessary to remove all rubber seals and plastic elements on the tank. After this, you need to get rid of dust, debris, and scale on the outer and inner walls of the container. In difficult places where plaque is deeply ingrained, it is worth using a brush with stiff bristles. An angle grinder equipped with a brush attachment will help.
- By using welding equipment, legs are attached to the drum from a household appliance. For these purposes, metal pipes in the amount of 3 pieces and a diameter of 40 mm are perfect. They are mounted to the bottom of the base.
- After all the preparatory measures, it is necessary to clean the welded structure - the future barbecue - with a soap solution. Then degrease it using a rag and a solvent (white spirit, acetone). The surface after this treatment should dry well in the open air.
- The cleaned drum should be coated on the outside with a heat-resistant compound for metal, including the legs of the grill. Acrylic paint for painting metal surfaces and silicone enamel, which contains a resin-based varnish, are very popular. For greater effect, paint is applied not in one layer, but in two or three. Between procedures, you need to let the previous layer dry thoroughly. Thanks to painting, a homemade grill made from a drum from an automatic washing machine will be reliably protected from corrosive changes, which will significantly extend its service life.
- This DIY roasting pan is ready for use.
Advice!
For greater stability, the barbecue from the washing machine tank must have 4 points of support. There is another interesting option for arranging a barbecue, where there is a rectangular hole in the side of the tank. This design is intended for grilling food. Here you will also need to make a door so that the temperature inside the chamber does not decrease. The body of the tank can be cut crosswise using a grinder, connected with bolts, and get a full-fledged mobile roaster, which camping lovers will appreciate.
There are several ways to install a stand made of metal pipes to a drum grill:
- Using welding equipment or bolts. Racks made of suitable material are mounted to the side fastenings of the structure’s body. If you need a mobile version of the barbecue, which is perfect for outdoor enthusiasts, then the standard type of connection - bolts - will do. To ensure the stability of the roaster, the legs are joined together using a metal bridge.
- The ends of the reinforcement (rods) must be bent from the edge, retreating 100 mm, and maintaining an inclination angle of 100-120 degrees. To make them easier to use, they are first flattened with a sledgehammer. A tripod is made from iron pipes and fixed to the cylinder axis using a welding machine. This simple move will allow the barbecue to rotate.
- If you do not have welding equipment, you can follow the following technology: mark points for 2 holes on the bends of the legs and make them using a drill and a drill. Their size should be 6-8 mm. Then attach the blanks to the bottom of the drum, using them as a sample, and make similar holes. All structural elements are connected using bolts that are suitable in both length and size.
- For a homemade barbecue, you can use a ready-made stand made of safe materials, non-flammable and durable. The main thing is that it fits in size. A metal stand for ornamental crops and flowers serves this role perfectly.
Different hearth designs
If a simple hearth on legs seems too boring, then you can modify your homemade product. Decorating the “base” is simple: just experiment with the base, top part or the entire surface of the drum. The most suitable option is selected depending on personal preferences, available materials and desired functionality.
- Unusual base. Unsightly legs made of crosses or metal plates can be replaced with openwork stands made of twigs. For example, a fireplace placed on poles bent in the shape of the letter “S” looks impressive. Elongated or asymmetrical supports look beautiful, as do bricks and even an iron base from an old chair.
- Grate on top. You can not only make a fireplace in your dacha, but also turn it into a barbecue. You just need to find a metal base for the future “lid” of any shape: round, rectangular or square. Afterwards, all that remains is to lattice it with rods, fix it with a stand at the bottom of the drum and sand down the unevenness.
- "Stone Ring". For a concrete “foundation” it is necessary to calculate the required diameter, make formwork and fill everything with heat-resistant cement mortar, adding rigidity with reinforcement or stones. Afterwards we dig a hole, install the rim and fix the drum in it. In a similar way, a “border” is made from rock or brick.
The fireplace from the drum of a washing machine can also be used as a barbecue.
- Well. If you plan to use the hearth outdoors, it is recommended to take care of the roof. An excellent option is to make a “well” grill. It is enough to weld two metal supports to the side walls of the drum, and attach the gable roof to them.
- "Two-story" hearth. If you have a second washing drum or other metal container of similar size, it is easy to upgrade the stove with a second “floor”. You just need to weld the found reservoir to the lower cylinder. Afterwards, you can place the cauldron or saucepan directly in the top hole - a large distance to the fire will provide the ideal temperature for cooking.
- Table with fireplace. An interesting solution would be to install a “fire” directly into the tabletop. The material does not matter: furniture can be made from wood, metal or concrete. The main thing is to provide a gap between the fire and the tree, and secure the drum with strong iron pipes or profiles.
- Gas firebox. If desired, the hearth can be heated not with wood, but with gas. But you need to be able to connect the pipes to the drum, make connections and connect the system to the gas cylinder, not forgetting about safety precautions.
A fireplace made from a washing machine will become not only a place for cooking or heating, but also an unusual decoration for a summer cottage. Thanks to the perforations on the walls, the flame looks gorgeous in the dark, especially after decorating the homemade product with legs or a border.
Interesting:
- What can be done from an old washing machine
- Mini washing machines for summer cottages
- Crusher-chopper for apples from a washing machine
- Review of mini washing machines with spin for the garden
- DIY washing machine tank repair
- Stainless steel washing machine drum weight
Reader comments
- Share your opinion - leave a comment
Decoration of the barbecue
It is not necessary to paint a homemade grill from a washing machine drum. The design can fully cope with the effects of adverse environmental factors. But it is still recommended to paint the stand, especially if a material with a low degree of resistance to moisture and temperature changes was used for its manufacture. It is better to use stainless steel for these purposes.
Not only for beauty, but also for convenience, it is worth considering a canopy that will save the barbecue with kebabs in rainy weather. It is also good to provide special holders for forks, tongs, skewers, and necessary accessories. If desired, you can improve the stand for the grill or skewers on top of the structure.
What is the difference between drums and automatic machine?
In fact, such options are distinguished according to several criteria: from the company to the drum loading volume.
An excellent barbecue grill can be made from a washing tank with a narrow washing machine and front loading. The meat will brown perfectly on this design and will also be very juicy.
Reference! The advantage of such a washing drum is that minimal coal is needed.
Standard washing machines are equipped with large capacity washing tanks. They make excellent fireboxes for firewood; you can cook barbecue on them not only with skewers, but also on a grill. Many users cook in a cauldron using such drums.
Recommendations
Additional practical tips include the following:
- The ends of the pipes must be processed, since under their own weight they gradually go deeper into the ground.
- A good solution would be to make a stand, a kind of platform made of concrete mixture and cement mortar. The depth should be about 15 cm.
- It is necessary to install wooden valves at the lower ends of the pipes, after flattening them with a hammer. They are fixed using self-tapping screws.
- A barbecue made from a drum from an unnecessary washing machine can be effectively used as a fireplace while relaxing in the garden, outdoors, or on a personal plot.
Video on how to make your own grill from a washing machine drum.
Preparation
Dismantling
First you need to remove the drum and dismantle all the plastic parts.
A grinder, a screwdriver, a hacksaw, and pliers will come in handy.
The crosspiece is used to make a stand
Cleaning
To give a presentable appearance, a heavily soiled tank needs to be tidied up: cleaned of dirt and limescale. This can be done using a torch and a wire brush.
You can also wipe the drum with a brush dipped in 9% vinegar, use a special anti-plaque agent, or soak it in a 1-2% warm solution of citric acid and water.
