A great way to get started with metal fabrication is to build a simple, functional project that uses several basic techniques. This portable fire pit grill makes a perfect first project, combining cutting, welding, and metal forming techniques.
The great thing about this project is you can make it out of hardware store materials or even scraps you may already have sitting around your shop. The design is simple and can be adapted easily to accommodate what you have on hand.
Below are recommendations for the tools and materials needed to make a fire pit grill from common steel hardware. Follow the step-by-step instructions included here and check out the video as we show you how do it.
Tools
- Eastwood Benchtop Metal Cutting Bandsaw
- Eastwood MIG 180 Welder
- 90º Welding Magnets
- Yost MV-5 Multipurpose Vise
- Eastwood Metal Forming Bender
- Fairmount Tools Tornado Drill Bit Set
Materials
- 6’ length of 1” x 1” angle iron
- 2’ x 1’ piece of expanded steel
- 4’ section of 1” steel tube
- 2” section of 1-1/2” steel tube
- 16” section of 3/8” steel rod
- 5/8-16 nut and bolt
Procedure
- With a band saw, cut angle iron into two (2) 24” lengths and two (2) 12” lengths with 45º inside angles on the base of each end
- Cut a 45º angle on one end of the 1” steel tube
- Use a welding magnet or welding block to square corners for welding
- Tack the frame together one corner at a time, ensuring each one remains square
- Once the frame is tacked, go back and tack each corner with additional welds to create strong, complete seams
- Insert the expanded steel mesh into the frame and tack it in place around the perimeter of the frame
- Drill a 5/8” hole through the middle of one wall of the 1-1/2” steel tube
- With the nut inserted into the bolt, center the nut over the hole in the steel tube
- Tack weld the nut to the tube
- Cut off a 4” length of the 3/8” steel rod
- Center the short section of rod on the head of the bolt and tack weld the two together to form a handle
- Align the tube section on the center of one of the short sides of the grill frame with the nut and bolt facing outward
- Weld the tube section to the grill frame on both sides
- Using a metal bending former, create a 90º bend in the remaining piece of 3/8” steel rod so that one leg is approximately 8” long
- Weld the shorter leg of the L-shaped rod to the angled end of the 1” tubing so that it resembles a lower-case “h”
- Optionally, you can paint the tubing upright using a high-temp finish, however do not paint the cooking grill surface