Thread: I am building a 32 grill----Wanna Watch????

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There---first side of perimeter frame is done. Before you start to work on bending the rod, establish a centerline to use as a reference---this is just square and tapemeasure work. For a full length (unchopped) 32 insert like mine, cut a peice of rod 52" long, and starting at the end of the opening that corresponds with "bottom" of the grillshell, let the end of the rod extend about 5" past the centerline. NOTE--you do not heat this rod to bend it---its all bent by hand, a bit at a time to get the radius at the first corner. Once you get the first corner close, put a clamp on it, and using a medium size hammer, give it many small forcefull taps into the radiussed corner, while forcing it with your free hand into the corner, to help it take the exact shape. No big whacks---you dont want any localized bending under the hammer blow, you just want to "convince" the rod into the same curve as the plywood untill it holds its own shape.---Then work your way up to the next corner, clamping, tapping, and "convincing" the rod into shape. This requires a bit of practice. When the rod will hold the exact shape you want, your done. Take your hacksaw and cut the extra rod off that extends beyond the centerline at both ends.
---Then repeat the process for the other side. Tomorrow we will trial fit the 2 perimeter peices into the shell, and when we are happy with the fit we will clamp them into place in the grillshell and tackweld them together. (thats how we get around the fact that you flattened out the pattern when you cut the hole in the plywood)