Yep we had one too and it also warped the first time we used it. Not just the sides but the bottom wire 'shelf' where you were meant to lay the coals too. Also ash and hot debris falls out the bottom onto the ground.
We carried on using it for a bit at home on the slabs but didn't last much more than another half a dozen BBQ's before we binned it
Quote: Originally posted by robnchar on 21/3/2013Folding BBQ
It must be me. I look at that pic and see a blazing fire, with no spark guard, and dry grass less than a meter away, and I see an accident waiting to happen.
Lol it was February the ground and vegitation were sodden and oh yes it was raining . Dont judge a photo just on what you see
Weve had our folding BBQ 4 years a little warped and rusty but it works .
I think the muddy footprints give a good indication that it is wet. Plus I see you have water hanging off the fence too. So very safety concious I'd say.
I melted the handles off a barbecue using it as a fire pit. I buy a cheap barbecue, one of the round three legged types (B&M Bargains), try and get them when they're going cheap especially at the end of a season. I picked up two last year for a fiver each. I don't care about warping or melting of handles, I just use it all summer and recycle at the end of the season as it's usually done by then.
We have used a Weber Smokey Joe as a firepit, with no problems
------------- XVI yes?
As well is two words!
How does a sage know everything about everything? or does he? or does he just think he does?
Remember, if you buy something you bought it, not brought it.
We have used our portable BBQ as a fire pit too. However, we have always placed a fire blanket underneath it (its an old one we have had for years) to protect the grass. We always use the fire blanket under our BBQ as it is not raised that far from the ground on I hate scorching the grass.
Rather than burning wood we invest in those fuel logs designed for fireplaces (cost about £1 - £2 each and you find them in the hardware section of supermarkets where the matches are etc, aldi sell them too at times). One log lasts for ages, does not throw off scary sparks and kicks out a fair bit of heat.
I've been on sites that do allow campfires in firepits and some have asked us to use a fireproof sheet between the bottom of the pit and the ground (about 6 inches). In spite of this there is always some signe that the fire has been there - usually dry/singed grass beneath where the pit was. Nothing major butyou know it was there. I guess in accepting fires on site, owners also accept some slight damage to their ground, other they wouldn't allow them in the first place.
One other note - make sure your ashes are very out and that you put them in a metal bin - they are always still hot enough to melt through plastic bins the next morning!
------------- Cycling uphill is like fighting a gorilla, you don't stop when you are tired - you stop when the gorilla is tired.