For Cobb Grill ppl, adding coals already hot

[Caslon]

If you need to add more charcoal to the Cobb Grill, the site says to just
plunk in 2 or 3 more fresh ones. I prefer already "coaled" briquettes that
are ready to add to the Cobb Grill without having to buy one of those huge
chimney coal starters. The heat would peel the paint off my condo deck.
So...I made my own. Hehe...you can to, if you want to. Cheap and not hard.

Large can of red kidney beans from supermarket. $1.29.
24" gutter mesh from Home Depot type stores. $1.79
Small nut and bolt screws..about 10 in all. Home Depot. $1.89

Tools needed: Tin snips, drill (fairly good rpm). Set of drill bits.
Hope you have these.

Holding the can in one hand, wrap the steel mesh around the can and mark
for cutting. Afterwards...wrap the mesh again around the can and use a small nut and bolt to keep the mesh round. You can force out the can to proceed.

Afterwards, drill holes in the can and attach 4 small bolts sticking into the cans inards to hold your mesh. I used two meshes and two sets of 4 mini bolts/nuts to hold "circular meshes". One "circular mesh" sits near the bottom on bolts. That holds my fire starter sticks accessed by cutting a rectangle with larger bit and tinsnips to cut out that rectangle in order to insert fire sticks (notice the cutout slot)
The next mesh level held by nuts and bolts holds the charcoal.

Then I cut a few bigger holes for air to be drawn in.

I know my description doesn't go into detail, but it's pretty simple to make.

With my fairly fast cordless drill and some tinsnips, this cost me all of $4.50.

Your first burn of charcoal will be needed to burn out the coating they put on can interiors these days. Picture on floor just for pics sake.

 

[pacanis]

Neat little homemade charcoal starter.

 

[Uncle Bob]

I like it, but is there a handle?

 

[pacanis]

My guess, since the cobb uses so few briquets, is that you would use tongs to add them to the fire chamber. You're probably only going to have a small amount to add, unlike a larger grill.

What I don't know, is if there is a way to add the briquets directly to the chamber...... or do you need to pull all the food off? If I get a charcoal grill/smoker, I would want to be able to stoke the fire without disturbing anything else.

 

[Caslon]

I was thinking how to add a handle to my mini charcoal starter.
No welding torch here.

Kitchen tongs will get the briquettes out, but I'll be sure to rinse the tongs
off if using same to grab the meat.

It's a bit dicey when ya have to lift off the grill plate plus the roasting rack,
plus the meat using the provided pronged lifting tool. (to add charcoal).

It's a bit awkward, but most manage.

 

[pacanis]

You don't need a welding torch.
Once you find or make your handle, preferably with a couple "ears" sticking out where it attaches, take some heavy wire, furnace wire will work, but not that superthin craft wire, double it up, wrap it around the can going over the handle's ears and twist it tight using pliers. That will cinch it right up and the grooves in the can would be a perfect place to circle the can. Tightening too much will cause the wire to break, but you should be able to see and feel when it's getting to that point.
Of course, if your handle has holes, just bolt it on.

So, can you add charcoal to a cobb grill without going in from the top? I visited their website but couldn't see if they had a side door.

 

[roadfix]

Put a grill on top and you can use it as a hibachi as well...

 

[Caslon]

A handle would be nice, but tonges should do OK to add 3-4 more hot briquettes.

I didn't plan on a separate level mesh for the fire sticks, it just kinda made its way into this kitchen counter project.

I was using a beer can with holes punched in and fire starters, but I wasted a lot of fuel from my
$2.99 butane bbq gun getting the briquettes going. The coals were hard to get out too.

Not to mention having to keep the heat off my painted deck using an upside down brownie pan.

 

[Caslon]

Put a grill on top and you can use it as a hibachi as well...

Hell, you're right...coal it up, leftover mesh screen set on top and and a beef pattie.

lol...nah.

 

[Caslon]

Added a handle. Took all of 20 minutes to think how to do it and make it.
I took a small dowel and drilled a few holes at each end to slot out dowel ends.
Using needle nose pliers, I straightened out a picture hanger hook. Bent it,
epoxied it in and used small nuts and bolts to attach. Didn't even have to drill
out a hole in the picture hook, it was already there. Wooden handle won't get hot.

I bet a lot of store bought bigger charcoal chimney starters would damage a painted
deck surface (they will explode concrete surface), this one won't. It could even be made bigger using a bigger can, one
of those restaurant sized food cans. Without the cost of what's in the can, I could
make any size for about $1.25 each. Just sell the parts in a package like a hibachi.