Mini BBQ Madness!

[YT2095]

here is a thread I posted years ago on another forum (a Science one).
I thought I`de share it with you all as it might provide a few good laughs
here it is word for word:

Ok, I think I`ve finaly flipped my lid here, lemme give you a little background.
I needed some Potassium carbonate/Hydroxide. best way to get that for free is wood ash, I had no lumpwood charcoal only the briquettes. ****! I only wanted a small amount, and so I set about conducting ANOTHER experiment (the products of which I could use!).

1) what is the least amount of standard charcoal BBQ Briquettes that will make a self sustaining BBQ?

2) Will it work ok indoors and How?

and so I tried, I got an old takeaway tinfoild tray and popped holes in it (charcoal likes Air), placed that on my Pyro testing mount, then stacked up the charcoal briquettes, I found that 4 briquettes is a perfectly workable (although very small) BBQ

take a look:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/yt2095/experiments/bbqscale.jpg

yeah it`s an English £10 note, but it roughly the same size as USA cash.

Anyway,,,,,,, I was sitting next to it (about 2 foot or 60 cms away) and it was still hot, so,,, waste not want not, lets see if it`ll do some toast:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/yt2095/experiments/bread1.jpg
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/yt2095/experiments/bread2.jpg

there`s the bread ))

here`s the results:
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/yt2095/experiments/toast1.jpg
http://myweb.tiscali.co.uk/yt2095/experiments/toast2.jpg

well to cut a long story short, my wife told me "NO MORE" after I`de done 5 rounds of toast (I recon I`de have got a good 20 slices done at least out of it!).

anyway, the point other than just interest is this; What is the Ideal configuration using the minimum amount of briquettes to make a self sustaining and USABLE BBQ?
I figured on 4, 3 to make a triangle and one on top to contain the heat, any better ideas are welcome

Bon Appetite
__________________
If you`re not part of the Solution, you`re part of the Precipitate!

 

[shpj4]

I love to Barbeque but the Condo Rules forbid one on any balancy but if I would guess our many briquettes to put on the barbeque I would have to say 4 or 5.

 

[YT2095]

I used to live on the top floor (13 storys) penthouse for nearly 20 years, BBQ was not allowed there either, so I know where you`re comming from.
although we still had several per year on the balcony regardless, the worst they could do was send us a letter

the real issue as I can see it was the Smoke given off during the initial Lighting of the charcoal, after that it`s plain sailing and down to cooked food smell.

these pics were taken in the corner of my old Lab, purely done for nothing else but scientific curiosity (and few good slices of toast) )

 

[Snoop Puss]

Sorry YT2095, every one of your links comes up with message that the page could not be found. But it sounds like just the right size barbeque for a couple of fillet steaks. Maybe your wife would have been happier with those than a few rounds of toast!

 

[YT2095]

Thnx Snoop

I never realised as I cut my old post verbatim that it would parse the URLs in the way that it did, sorry about that each

anyway, it Should be all OK again now


Snoop, I owe ya one!