With summer around, everyone needs a good project to kick it off. What better way than to put together the ultimate barbecue! The air will soon be filled with the delicious smells of grilled meats and smokey goodness. One of my favorite things about summer is having BBQs with family and friends. They are always full of wonderful conversations, fun games and of course amazing food! Most homes have the standard 2 burner grill on the back porch, but not all homes sport their own rotisserie BBQ pit! This family decided to take things a step further and create something awesome! They made their very own DIY rotisserie BBQ pit. You can make your own rotisserie with these DIY instructions and make your friends, family and neighbors extremely jealous! Everyone from miles around will want their own Rotisserie BBQ after seeing your monstrous pit and tasting your amazing food.
Here is what to do:
Step One: Location, location, location!
It is essential that you find a good location for your Rotisserie BBQ. Make sure to take into consideration that it will produce smoke, and since you are digging a pit, be aware of possible tree roots that will cause problems with your project. If you are using an electric motor you will also need access to an electrical outlet.
After deciding where you would like your Pit to be, level the ground and mark the perimeter (28″ x 68″) with stakes and flagging tape. Next you’ll want to lay flag stones around your perimeter to help distribute the weight of the cinder blocks and to keep the blocks from sliding into the pit. Without flagstones the cinder blocks may fall into the pit. Dig a one foot hole within the perimeter of the flagstones. Use 12″ strips of expanded metal with re-bar stakes to help secure the borders. This will keep the sides of the pit from caving in and ruining any chances you may have of impressing your friends and family!
Next, assemble the cinder blocks as directed in the diagram (found on page 3). Be sure to check that they are level and square throughout the process. You do not need to use any type of mortar, just make sure they have a tight fit by laying them as close together as you can manage. Use a hammer and an ax to remove any extra pieces of cement that might not be needed on the cinder blocks. This will allow for a tighter fit and a more aesthetically appealing BBQ Pit in your backyard.
Here is a front view of the cinder blocks on top of the flagstone foundation. Be sure to have some of the cinder blocks laying on their side so the holes allow smoke to vent through the back and side of the Rotisserie Pit. This will also allow the fire to breathe.
Put 2 inches of sand or gravel in the bottom of the pit and drill a 1/2″ hole on the top row of cinder blocks on both sides. These holes will be used to mount the hinge brackets for the lid.
Interior of pit with base for Rotisserie Spit. The base was made with some angle iron and a little bit of welding.
Another view of the interior of pit with base for Rotisserie Spit. They moved the base to the back side of the steel mesh to keep it out of the fire.
Interior of pit with Rotisserie spit in place. The base uses a pipe that slides within another pipe in order to raise or lower the spit.
Use an 8 foot black steel pipe for the spit with a gear welded to one end. If you do not know how to weld I would recommend making friends with someone who does know how to weld… Support it in the pit by hammering the 4′ x 1.5″ pipe 24 inches into the ground (leaving 24 inches above ground) at both ends of the BBQ. Weld horizontal arms at the recommended height and a V’ bracket to hold the rotating pipe.
Now, let’s work on the lid of your Rotisserie!
Cut the food-grade drum in half, length-wise, and secure the angle iron and a 1/2″ rod to create the hinged lid. Use the wooden hockey stick to create a handle and mount it 5″ away from the lid with copper pipe and bolts, so you won’t burn yourself handling your BBQ. It’s pretty amazing what some people build in their backyards.
Weld a 12″ length of threaded rod to the backside of the lid to allow the lid to rotate. Feed it into the vertical hinge brackets on the side of the cinder blocks and secure with bolts.
The below pictures show how to connect the lid to the BBQ Pit as well as attaching the hockey-stick handle.
Before using your Pit make sure to burn off any chemicals by making a large fire and letting it burn for some time before preparing any food. Also, use “high-heat” flat black paint on the exterior surfaces of your pit and be sure to use Canola oil on internal pieces often.
Your Rotisserie BBQ Pit is done!
This could be YOUR food in YOUR rotisserie Pit, in YOUR backyard!
When you are finished, this incredible DIY rotisserie BBQ pit will be in YOUR backyard!
Here is a view with an open lid and a fire almost ready to cook.
That chicken looks amazing. Now I’m starving.
The two angled “v” brackets on the spit base allow for a grill attachment. This is with the grill attached so you don’t always have to have rotisserie. You can cook regular BBQ over the coals as well including steaks, chicken, pork chops etc.. I want to see what’s under the foil!
When the DIY rotisserie BBQ pit is not in use you can create a custom cover with a simple tarp and some string!
Now that you have seen pictures of someone else building an awesome Rotisserie BBQ Pit in their backyard, it is time to run the store to buy the materials so you can build one in your own backyard! Just imagine, Next weekend you could be having an amazing BBQ in your own backyard that everyone will be talking about for summers to come!
Look Below For A Complete List of Materials As Well As Detailed Building Diagrams
Now that you saw pictures of someone else building the Rotisserie BBQ Pit that you want in your backyard, here are some helpful things that might make building your own easier which include lists of materials, tools as well as some detailed diagrams that you can follow:
Materials:
Parts for the Pit:
(1) 6′ x 12″ wide expanded steel
(8) 24″ re-bar pieces
3 Cubic feet of sand or gravel
(2) 4′ x 1.5″ metal pipe
Parts for the Body of the BBQ:
(25) 8″ x 8″ x 16″ standard blocks
(15) 8″ x 8″ x 16″ cap blocks
(4) 8″ x 8″ x 8″ half blocks
(22) 12″ x 12″ patio stones
(8) Wood/metal Stakes
(1) Flagging tape or string
Parts for the Lid:
(1) Food-grade steel drum
(1) 20′ x 1.5″ angle iron (bed frames are great)
(1) Wooden hockey stick
(4) 5″ x 5/16″ bolts (with nuts & washers)
(2) 2′ x 1/2″ threaded rod (with nuts & washers)
(1) 7′ x 12″ (1/8″ thick) steel plate
(1) High-heat flat-black BBQ spray paint
Parts for the Grill:
(1) Expanded Steel 30″ x 48″
(2) 1″ x 64″ Steel Pipe
For those of you who prefer visuals, here are pictures of things you need…
The motor to turn the rotisserie is from an old washing machine
Tools You Will Need
– Shovel
– Gloves
– Hammers
– Long Level
– Short Level
– Safety Glasses
– Measuring Tape
– Old Chisel or Axe
– Permanent Marker
– Carpenters Square
– Hand-held Grinder
– Metal Cutting Discs
– Masonry Cutting Discs (optional)
– Wheel-barrow (optional)
Standard Cinder Block:
Front View of The Pit:
Rear View of the Pit:
Side View of the Pit:
View from the top without lid:
Overhead View with Lid:
With these detailed instructions and the full list of materials to create your own DIY rotisserie BBQ pit, you should be grilling in no time. The sheer size of this pit means that you can enjoy some large gatherings with your friends and family. You can also be sure they are going to be very jealous of your enormous backyard BBQ. The smells will fill the neighborhood and the smiles will be seen for blocks around. Especially down wind.