Turkey fryer base reinforcement.

[Nevada Jack]

I just bought this turkey fryer from Walmart (I had been looking for a used one on craigslist and at yard sales for several months with no success). I’m thinking about reinforcing the base so it can handle more weight. Any thoughts? I don't have a welding setup so solutions excluding welding would be appreciated. The pot is from D Crocket.

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[454PB]

Just bolting in a rectangle of 1" X 1/8" strap to surround the bottom of the legs will increase stability. All that requires is a drill, some #12 machine screws & nuts, and a hacksaw.

[country gent]

Boxing the bottom will strengthen it alot 2 X side supports will go even farther. Better yet from several stand points is 3 20 gage sheet metal plates the size of the frame bolted on. Not only will they really strengthen the base but will provide a heat shield and wind break. Enlosing 3 sides with sheet metal will keep the heat inside where it needs to be.

[grumman581]

I would be more inclined to just build a bigger stand for the pot to sit on that would handle all of the weight. You turkey fryer burner could then just slide underneath this stand. You could also more easily adjust the distance between the flame and the bottom of the pot.

Such a stand could be simply a few 1/2" square solid steel bars spread across some cinder blocks. I seem to remember someone posting a design for something similar awhile back.

[WilliamDahl]

I posted the design below at one time. It was in response to someone who had a burner that attached to the top of a propane tank that just seemed a bit unstable in my opinion. It's not exactly just "a few 1/2" square solid steel bars spread across some cinder blocks", but it is the same principle, I guess. One thing that you would need to consider though by just placing the square bars across the cinder blocks is that they are going to be pretty hot and might sag a bit with the weight of the lead if you place the cinder blocks very far apart. Although this design was intended to be welded, I suspect that someone could just bolt it together. Or they could just drill some holes in the long pieces between the cinder blocks and use round bar stock that would fit in those holes for the short pieces that go between the long pieces.

http://william-dahl.000webhostapp.com/lead-smelting-grill-top.gif

Given the OP's existing burner frame size, he would not need for it to be 3 cinder blocks high.

If the burner frame is too far below the surface that the smelting pot is to sit upon, just increase it with a couple of bricks / landscaping pavers under the legs of the burner frame.

[Nevada Jack]

Thanks for all the great information. I will post pictures when I complete this project. Thanks again!

[rondog]

Guess I got lucky. Mine is a Bayou Classic turkey frying kit that I bought when they first came out. It's a 4-legged stand with sturdy bracing welded in, very strong. I weigh 320 and I can stand on it without it even knowing I'm there. VERY stable. Has a bodacious burner too. Don't know if they make 'em like that anymore.

[grumman581]

Guess I got lucky. Mine is a Bayou Classic turkey frying kit that I bought when they first came out. It's a 4-legged stand with sturdy bracing welded in, very strong. I weigh 320 and I can stand on it without it even knowing I'm there. VERY stable. Has a bodacious burner too. Don't know if they make 'em like that anymore.

For that type of stand, diagonal bracing makes a BIG difference in the sturdiness of the design. Have 4 legs that just are welded to stick straight down without any diagonal bracing is OK for loads that go straight down, but if you put a side load on it, you might find that the legs will fold up on you. Many office tables are of that design and all it takes is one person leaning their butt on them to get it to fold up. That's the reason that I always put that sort of table a corner of my office. If anyone pushed against the two exposed sides, it would just push the table into whichever of the two walls that was opposite from their pushing.

[rondog]

Found a pic of mine on Google, maybe they still make these.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/cooking/bcsq14_high_propane_burner.jpg

[grumman581]

Found a pic of mine on Google, maybe they still make these.

http://i18.photobucket.com/albums/b150/rinselman/cooking/bcsq14_high_propane_burner.jpg

The diagonal bracing is only helping in the fore to aft direction. It does not appear to be providing any additional support for side to side forces.

Also, considering how it appears that the legs are bent out of a single piece of strap steel, I'm not so sure that it is providing as much fore to aft support as it could. If it was welded at the point where it bends back toward the center of the side, maybe.

[rondog]

The diagonal bracing is only helping in the fore to aft direction. It does not appear to be providing any additional support for side to side forces.

Also, considering how it appears that the legs are bent out of a single piece of strap steel, I'm not so sure that it is providing as much fore to aft support as it could. If it was welded at the point where it bends back toward the center of the side, maybe.

Like I said, I'm 300+ and I've used it for a stepstool. I'm surely never going to have over 300 lbs. of lead on it at one time.

[grumman581]

Like I said, I'm 300+ and I've used it for a stepstool.

Perhaps, but what were the force vectors when you did that? If you were stepping straight down on it or even if you added a bit of fore to aft forces, you were still in the strongest part of the design. From what I can see from the photo, the weakest point in the design would be if there were any side to side forces.

Is this what the lower legs look like on your unit?
http://www.propaneturkeyfryer.com/files/1799264/uploaded/SQ14.jpg

If so, the design of it is such that if you put sufficient weight on even without any side or fore to aft loads, the metal legs are going to bend outwards (in the fore to aft direction). A couple of straps welded in there to create some triangles would really add to the weight bearing capability of that design. It might very well be strong enough for your use of the item, but I'm a firm believer in the concept of "anything worth engineering is worth OVER-engineering". I have previously broken a rib after telling myself, "awh, I just need it to hold for a few seconds, it *should* be strong enough".

[dudel]

I have the same walmart turkey fryer. Just cutting the legs down to half will work wonders.

[Gray Fox]

I don't want to hijact this thread, but do any of you know if any of the turkey fryers can be used with natural gas or can be converted? When my house was built I had a valved stub up put at the side of my rear deck. It has an 8 foot flex hose that runs to my grill. I could smelt very cheaply if this is possible. Thanks, GF.

[grumman581]

I don't want to hijact this thread, but do any of you know if any of the turkey fryers can be used with natural gas or can be converted? When my house was built I had a valved stub up put at the side of my rear deck. It has an 8 foot flex hose that runs to my grill. I could smelt very cheaply if this is possible.

The "jet" type burners rely on higher pressure and are not the best with natural gas. You can get them to work, but will will not supply anywhere close to the amount of BTUs that they can provide with high pressure LPG (propane).

The "banjo" type burners convert very easily. Just drill out the jet slightly larger. I believe that I went with a 1/16" drill bit and it was enough. After that, it's just a matter of converting hose fittings.

We discussed this in a recent thread:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?215785-Pot-and-Ladle-good-deals&p=2422868&viewfull=1#post2422868