Chuck's Outdoor Grill Review

Backyard BBQ’s are a must for any summer event, or get together. And if your anything like my family an all year favorite past time!  I can’t tell you how many grills we have gone through over the years.  Finally, we decided to try and build our own grill which ended up being a huge success!  Their are huge benefits to building your own grill out of a 55 gallon drum.  One, the amount of money you save making your own.  Two, you can customize it to your personal specifications.  Three, the glory of bragging to all your buddies that you were man enough to make your own grill!

It took us a while to get it exactly how we wanted it, but now we have 3 grills!  Each one proudly displaying our favorite NFL, NCAA, and NBA teams logo!  Needless to say we have a grill for every event!  Over the years we have even had several family members begging us to make them one for the birthday gift!  So here ya go, here is the perfect set of directions in Making a grill out of a 55 gallon drum!

Backyard BBQ’s are a must for any summer event, or get together. And if your anything like my family an all year favorite past time!  I can’t tell you how many grills we have gone through over the years.  Finally, we decided to try and build our own grill which ended up being a huge success!  Their are huge benefits to building your own grill out of a 55 gallon drum.  One, the amount of money you save making your own.  Two, you can customize it to your personal specifications.  Three, the glory of bragging to all your buddies that you were man enough to make your own grill!  Alright lets take a look at how to build a grill out of a 55 gallon drum.

It took us a while to get it exactly how we wanted it, but now we have 3 grills!  Each one proudly displaying our favorite NFL, NCAA, and NBA teams logo!  Needless to say we have a grill for every event!  Over the years we have even had several family members begging us to make them one for the birthday gift!  So here ya go, here is the perfect set of directions in Making a grill out of a 55 gallon drum!

Remember safety first!  Be sure you have some safety gloves and glasses handy!  You will be dealing with sharp edges and I have a scar to prove it!

You are going to need
_ Metal to use for the legs and if you want to get a little crazy a shelve

- Hinges and handle for the lid to the grill

_ Metal Bars and Mesh for the Grilling surface

- Grinder to get rid of all those ruff edges

- a Sawzall, make sure you have the right blade for cutting the metal

- welding equipment and other supplies

- Marker

- Last but not least, a 55 gallon Drum.  And lets make sure its a CLEAN one since it will be used for cooking.  You will be able to find some recycled ones, but make sure they were not used to hold toxic substances!

Directions
1.  Take your marker and measure one quarter of the barrel drum.  This is gonna be the lid of the grill.

2. Using your saw, cut the edge of the quarter section to cut out the lid.  Depending how rough the edges are you can grid them down if need be.

3. Attach your rods for the cooking surface.  Weld the bars on each end and two support ones in the middle.  This is an extra step, but it will allow you to move your grade a  lot easier!  Weld any rough edges its better to take your time now then pay for that rough edge later!

4. Put on your hinges and handle.  You can just get basic ones from your hardware sore, or if you wanna go all out you can order custom hinges online!

5. Next Attach Base! You will want to weld the legs on and make sure they are sturdy enough to support the grill. Anchoring the bottom with another piece of mesh or horizontal bars from one side to the other can help stabilize it.

This is a little bonus tip on what we did.  We found our favorite teams logo online and made a stencil and placed it on to our 55 gallon drum and spray painted it!  IT looks awesome!  If you want to try doing something similar I would recommended doing all your painting before attaching the handles!  Trust me, it looks great and all my husbands buddies are jealous!  If you want to get a little crazy you can even order custom grates which adds a great touch!

Now that you know how to make a grill out of a 55 gallon drum, go out and do it!

About the Author:

Have you ever seen an Invicta Lupah Watch? They are easily the most sleek and sexy watches on the market right now. If you would like to see some from my two favorite collections the Invicta Lupah Grand and the Invicta Baby Lupah you should go there now. These watches will truly blow you away! For men and women.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – How To Build A Grill Ouf Of A 55 Gallon Drum

Enjoy the Outdoors – With Patio Heaters Or Propane Heaters

The love of the outdoor does not only stop at your own backyard. You can also bring the warmth of patio heaters to the office. The staff will love this new warm and cozy environment outside and it can even give them some sort of moral boost. The heaters have also attracting people at outdoor dining spots.

Then again, there are bound to be smokers around. Since they cannot very well smoke indoors, the outdoors need to be at least equipped with patio heaters.

Compared to matches, one should use electric starters as matches can be quite dangerous.

You can expect a coverage of between 10 and 20 feet in radius and between 10 and 30 degrees Fahrenheit raise in temperature.

You can find heaters that are mounted high on the wall in order to facilitate the downwards blowing of the heat. You can also find heaters that are attached to the ceiling. As well, free standing ones.

It is a good idea to get heaters that switch off automatically upon reaching the desired temperature. Wood heaters are quite commonly used or, you can choose to have a copper fire pit or stainless steel heater. Not to worry, the flame is always kept within by a protective grate. Better yet, you can use your own firewood, making these affordable. Just be aware of your local laws regarding wood combustion.

Cover the your outdoor heaters for protection.

The patio heaters are not suitable for winters, but fall and spring. They radiate heat which heats up the area not the air. This is cheaper unlike convection which do use up a lot of energy to heat up the air and thus less effect on the area.

Patio heaters can cost anywhere between $100 and $300. You will want to watch out for safety features like emergency cut off valves, flame controllers, sealed burners, tilt switches, etc. New heaters will have these features incorporated, but the old ones may not.

The patio heaters that are in antique bronze or stainless steel will look very stylish indeed.

The propane gas heaters are actually contained heat that runs on propane gas tanks. They also come in a unique design. Without a doubt, these heaters which look like antique lamp posts will definitely look superb in your garden.

There are a lot of style to choose from for propane heaters. Choosing should depend on the area you want to heat and how you will use it.

The amount of heat a propane heater will release depends on the BTU that is the British Thermal Unit. The highest BTU unit is between 40,000 and 46,000. Thus, the heaters can heat the area of up to 175 square foot.

The BTU is the quantity of heat vital to increase temperature of 1 pound of water by 1 degree Fahrenheit. Higher BTU would mean warmer temperature; however, this also depends on the design of the heater to heat certain amount of space.

How much heat you can feel also depends some on the surroundings. When walls and gates can shield the area from the wind and trap heat within, the heating capacity can be optimum.

The propane heaters will need 18 inches clearance on the ceilings.

Propane heaters can also be in a movable version. They come with wheels and therefore useful especially on bad weather days. Therefore, with this type of heater, you can choose between movable or permanent ones. Table top propane heaters are also affordable however, getting the heaters depend on how you intend to use it.

The propane heaters use the same fuel as the ones used for barbecues. They will not require installation by specialists. You will only need them if you are installing heaters that use electricity or gas line.

About the Author

Kenny Leichester is a foremost expert in the interior design industry specializing in the outdoor or patio settings using
outdoor patio furniture
, patio umbrellas, outdoor cushions,
patio heaters
, patio lighting and so on to create exquisitely beautiful layout. His articles and work is widely distributed and is a regular contributor to PatioShoppers.com.

Dining out is an occasional indulgence for some people. For other people, it is a way of life. Whatever the case for you, careful choices and moderate portions will help you make dining out part of a wise overall plan for your diabetes nutrition.

1-Research the menus. Ask the waiter about recipes. Many restaurants include information about the nutrition values of their entrees. When this resource is available to you, take advantage of it. Research food or meal options at those establishments to make the healthiest choices possible.

2-Keep your helpings of food in check. Diabetes nutrition is based on moderate portions, so keep portion sizes in check. Large portions are the norm at many restaurants. How to control your portions. Always choose the smallest meal size if they offer you options. Share part of your meal with a dining partner or request a take-home container. Avoid “dangerous” places like all-you-can-eat buffets. Resist overeating will be surely hard with that many options. Small amounts of many different foods can obviously add up to a large calorie count.

3-Make substitutions. Choose for example a diabetes-friendly side salad or a double order of vegetable, instead of fries. Do not settle for what comes with your meal or sandwich with the eyes closed. Try a flavored vinegar or a squeeze of lemon juice on your salad, or use fat-free or low-fat salad dressing rather than the regular variety. Instead of shredded cheese and sour cream, ask for salsa with your burrito. On sandwiches, substitute mustard, ketchup, fat-free mayonnaise or a slice of tomato for the house dressings or creamy sauces.

4-Watch the “extras”. Keep in mind that the extras such as croutons, fried chips and bacon bits can undermine your diabetes nutrition goals by increasing the carb and calorie count. So watch the extras! Do not ever forget that all the additions have calories, even the healthier ones, like barbecue sauce, fat-free mayonnaise and salad dressings. Notwithstanding, you can enjoy small servings of these, without sabotaging your meal plan.

5-If possible, speak with the chef. Food preparation is also worth to consider. Avoid fried and breaded food. Instead request that your food be roasted, grilled or broiled. Whenever necessary and possible, ask if the chef can use skinless chicken, whole-grain bread and low-cholesterol eggs. If you are to order pizza, avoid doubling on meat or cheese, and request lots of vegetables and just a thin crust. Ask that no salt or MSG be added to your food if you are on a low-sodium diet. When you request healthier options and substitutions, do not feel like you are stepping out of line. You have the right to do it. You just try to stay committed to your meal plan, and you are simply doing what it takes to accomplish that.

6-Avoid high-calorie beverages. Watch what you drink. Keep an eye on the continuously refilled soda glass. Each glass of sugar-sweetened soda adds hundreds of calories to your meal. Ice-cream drinks and shakes may be even worse. They have more calories, as well as saturated fat. Instead, drink water, diet soda, sparkling water, mineral water or unsweetened iced tea.

7-Refrain from overdrinking alcohol. Alcohol is another crucial matter. Alcohol has its own caveats because it can worsen your diabetes. An occasional drink with a meal is fine, if your diabetes is under control and your doctor agrees. Remember that alcohol adds empty, non-nutritive calories to your meal. Diabetes complications, such as eye disease and nerve damage, might be the immediate consequences of drinking imprudently. Nevertheless, if you choose to drink alcohol, opt for light beer or dry wines, beverages with fewer calories and carbohydrates. Other options can be mixed drinks made with sugar-free mixers such as diet tonic, club soda, seltzer or diet soda. One or two drinks a day should be your limit, anyway.

8-Eat out at your usual time. Sometimes it is hard to maintain the blood sugar level steady, especially if one takes insulin shots or diabetes pills. Eating at the same time every day can help achieve that. Follow these steps if you are dining out with others:

+ Schedule the gathering at the time you usually eat.
+ Try to avoid times when the restaurant is busiest, or make a reservation to avoid waiting for a table for long periods.
+ If you cannot avoid dining out later than usual, snack on a starch serving or a fruit from the upcoming meal at your usual mealtime.

9-Save room for the afters. Sweets are not necessarily off-limits. Just remember that sweets count as carbohydrates in your meal. Reduce the amount of other carbohydrates in your meal, such as tortillas, rice, bread, potatoes or milk, if you would like dessert. Bottom line: the point is to never forget the principles of diabetes nutrition, whether you are at home or dining out. Limit the amount of carbohydrates, salt and fat in your diet. Eat a diversity of healthy foods. Responsibly follow the nutrition guidelines set by your dietitian or doctor. If you do that and work together with them, you can afford the joy of eating out without setting your meal plan aside.

About the Author:

JOSE TALAVERA – Health advisor. Diabetes expert. Experienced consultant and author. If you like this article, please visit the web site below for more advice and resources:
http://conquer-diabetes.blogspot.com

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com – 9-part plan for dining out if you are diabetic