Unorthodox Toolbox Switcheroo: Barbecue!

Despite all the progress in cooking methods over the past millennia, nothing can ever replace the primeval sensation of staring into the embers as your food slowly gets ready. Barbecues are the obvious choice to satisfy this cave nostalgia, and while size might matter in some cases, sometimes you just want the convenience of being able to take your grilling device to the beach, park, or just really anywhere but home. Other times you’re [Laura Kampf] and don’t want to use an old toolbox for storing tools.

It all started with one of those typical three-layer folded cantilever toolboxes that [Laura] really likes for their mechanical construction, but not so much from a usability point of view. Being someone with a knack for turning random stuff into barbecues, this was an intriguing enough device to take apart. After plenty of time spent grinding bolts and paint off, she cut out the tray bottoms to weld metal mesh pieces as grill grates in their place — but you can watch the whole progress in the video below then.

The folding mechanics play out really nicely here. Not only can you access the grill goods by moving them away from the burning coals that are placed in the center bottom part of the box, it also provides you with two different heat layers. The individual lids on each side add even more variety, and this might even work as portable little smoker.

We’ve seen [Laura]’s work a few times before already, and in case you haven’t, go check out her beer keg motorcycle side car, wheelbarrow bicycle trailer, or Zippo lighter turned drill bit storage box.

24 thoughts on “Unorthodox Toolbox Switcheroo: Barbecue!

  1. As someone who live in africa and has seen many things become a braai I’am not often impressed but this is impressive, simple and easily repeatable too helps.

  2. And just to close the circle, I used a BBQ as an impromptu toolbox the other week.

    Plenty of space for tools, and on the ~3ft legs, kept them safe from my dog. Plus – whilst it didn’t rain – could have flipped the lid closed to keep them dry.

    She’s only a puppy so I don’t trust her with a hedge trimmer, let alone an angle grinder yet. But I think she _is_ smart and inquisitive enough to engage the safety and main paddle on the grinder. The hedge trimmer weirdly is the only tool I’ve seen with a 3-way interlock; I’m guessing this is an attempt to ensure two-hand usage.

    1. One day, I will inherit the little tripod grill we used when I was little. It turns out that my mother’s father made it from the nosecone of a rocket. 😮😂

    1. She shows up on “Die Maus” every now and again. She always does the same thing: Build something that looks kind of like a good idea but that you’ll never use more than once because they aren’t really practical.

      I see she’s also doing that typical German thing of roastimg corn on the cob instead of boiling it like it ought to be done.

          1. You don’t want to burn your corn! Every school kid knows that you braai over heat, not over flames (at least where I come from).

            So you don’t burn your meat or your mielies (aka corn). You grill them over the hot coals once the flames have mostly died out.

            Hope you have a lekker braaivleis, man.

        1. Corn _in_the_husk_ is great on the grill. Just soak in cold water to keep it from burning. Right on the hotspot, just flip it three times, 10 minutes. Move them around so one doesn’t overcook.

          Use gloves to pull back husk, turned back husk makes good handle.

          Some caramelization through the husk is good, black is bad.

          If your sweetcorn isn’t still in the husk, it’s stale anyhow. If you break your run from the plant to the grill, it’s stale, lost all sweetness, just starch.

          This isn’t terrible for the ‘art’s and crafts’aDay. Better then the tire wrapped in twine. At least boobies (didn’t watch vid, but assume boobies. German girl…new Ramstein song…)

  3. Shall I add some videos of vietnamees boats struggling to pass a drainage lock?

    Like I’m good wasting time with an algorithm on youtube. I find stuff all the time.

  4. I didn’t realize it was going to be self-contained. I assumed the whole thing would get nestled into a bed of coals. That seriously reduces the useable surface area for food…

    1. Did you actually watch the video? The first thing she does is replace the old paint with heat resistant paint that was made for barbecues according to the picture on the spray can.

  5. How do you kindly and respectfully say: ‘This was a bad idea that should have been discarded before implementation?’

    Truth…I didn’t watch the promoted video…Am assuming it didn’t end with anything like that sentence.
    If it did, then ‘respect’.

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