This week we are doing more work on our BBQ grill. I have to say I am really pleased with ow this is turning out so far and I can’t wait to share the next part next Sunday. I am still not sure how many parts the project will take to complete. I am trying to keep each video between 20 and 30 minutes and to end in a logical place each time.
The first thing we are going to do this week is make the grill rack that will go into our grill so the doll family can use it to cook some delicious foods.
I thought about this process for a while before I started the project. I wanted to make the rack as well as the rest of this project from materials all of you could easily get and work with. I am trying to avoid things on this project that require special tools or special glues. So for the rack I am using Slim Sticks from Hobby Lobby, these are their version of skinny sticks (or coffee stirrers) they are slightly narrower and a bit thinner than a standard skinny stick.
Cut three pieces of slim stick to just fit inside your grill going front to back on top of the ledges we put in place last week. Then cut two pieces that are just a tiny bit shorter that the lengthwise measurement of your grill, again to fit on top of the ledges we put in place.
The exact size of the pieces that fit your grill might be slightly different than what fit my grill.
The other thing we need for this step is a way to line up all the pieces of the rack easily. I decided that some 8 square to the inch graph paper would be the best tool for this since it is super easy to get. I used a sheet I printed from a free PDF that I got online. I use graph paper a lot to help size items on both of my channels. This time since I was going to have to tape the rack to the paper I covered a piece with some clear packing tape so that I can re-use it for a long time to come. I can see this being a very useful tool for many projects.
Now tape your covered graph paper to your work surface and then line up one of the longer pieces of slim stick you cut. Make sure it is lined up with the lines f the paper. Use some tape to hold it in place being sure to avoid putting tape in the middle or at the ends of the stick. Now put some glue onto the end of one of the shorter pieces and add it to the end of the long piece. Being careful to line up the short piece with the end of the lone piece and use the lines on the graph paper to help you get a nice square corner. Repeat with a second short piece on the other end of the long piece. Allow this glue to dry completely so it doesn’t get moved in the next step.
Once the glue dries carefully add the other long piece of slim stick to form the frame that we will be building the rack on top of. Allow this glue to dry before moving on. I know it already seems like this week’s part of the tutorial is a lot of waiting for glue to dry and it is. That is because we need to make this frame as carefully and as accurately as possible and I have found over many years of doing minis that the key to that is patience. Line up each piece and allow the glue to dry so you don’t move something and ruin the entire project.
Now it is time to add the 3rd short piece we cut to the middle of the rack frame. Now be very patient and allow the glue to dry completely, even if you fudged a bit and only let your glue get set up on earlier steps this time it has to dry all the way because we will be moving the frame for the next step.
Now flip the frame over and tape it to the covered graph paper this time with the long slim sticks facing up. Again be sure to line up with the grid, this will make adding the rest of the rack so much easier. I used round toothpicks for the top bars on the rack, they are a good size, easy to get, and easy to work with. Cut one to the size you need and then use that one to measure the rest of the pieces. I used 19 toothpicks for my grill so you will probably need around that many I would think.
Now dip both ends of one of the toothpicks in glue and add it to the top of the frame. I like to start in the middle and work out to the ends. I find this way the project turns out much better and I can place them much more evenly. Only glue a few (like 3 or 4) at a time and allow the glue to set up. I just had this on my table and every time I walked by during the afternoon I added a couple of toothpicks. This way I wasn’t just waiting for glue to dry and the project got done as I was doing other things. Allow the glue to dry completely before the next step.
Now flip the rack over and using a craft knife cut any pieces of toothpick that are sticking past the sides.
Then using a piece of 80 grit sandpaper carefully sand the long edges back. Be very careful to brace the rack in your fingers so you don’t break it. Sand a bit and try it in the grill. Keep sanding until it fits into the grill on top of the ledge.
Now we are going to cut some pieces of heavyweight card-stock. It should be labeled as heavyweight and rated at 100 lbs. This will be the outside layer on most of the grill that will be seen when the grill is finished. Cut a piece that is 1 1/8” wide by 4 ¼” long. And a piece that is 3 1/8” by 3”.
At this step we are just going to anchor the ends of the pieces in place so run a bead of glue on edge and glue as shown in the video. Be very careful that the pieces are lined up so they will go on straight. This will be the finished surface of the grill. Allow the glue to dry completely.
Now using some thick glue spread a thin layer onto the card-stock and smooth the card-stock into place. Allow to dry.
Once the glue has dried we are finishing up this week by painting all three pieces (the grill body, the rack, and the side firebox) with a black craft paint. Be sure to get all the nooks and crannies so no white or wood shows. Also be careful to wipe up any drips as you go.
So here we have the grill as it is at the end of today’s tutorial. I am loving how this is coming together. Be sure to come back next week when we add the bottom part to the grill.
As always I do want to sincerely thank all of you for watching my videos and reading my blog posts. It means so much to me that you are supporting me in this way. If I could ask you all to do just a bit more by subscribing to the channel and liking the videos and leaving comments. Those help more than you can imagine. Also if you could pass the links on to your friends I would appreciate it so much.
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