The Homemade Oil Drum Grill

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The smell of the BBQ is once again flooding the air in most suburban neighbourhoods, as we make the most of the weather and try and get a little fresh air while we cook. The BBQ grill is obviously the centre of any BBQ activity, so naturally a lot of thought tends to go into choosing one.

While a lot of people opt for the store bought BBQ, more people are starting to look around the yard and wonder, is there any way they can reduce the cost of getting a BBQ but at the same time get something strong and sturdy, that won't fall to pieces after a couple of months of heavy use?

A great option that ticks all the boxes is the homemade BBQ grill. With just a few tools and a little effort you can actually make a BBQ grill that will work just as well as the most expensive grill on the market, and in all likelihood be as tough if not tougher.

So, the main ingredient for a sturdy homemade BBQ grill is a scrap 55 gallon oil drum. When you actually look around, these drums are used for so many things other than storing oil! Just the other day, sitting in a bar with my wife, I looked up and saw that the shades over the lights were fabricated from oil drums cut in half!

Once you've got yourself an old oil drum, you next need to source some angle iron for the frame. If you can't get angle iron or don't have the tools to work it, hardwood will also work. Contrary to what you might think, you won't set the entire place on fire.

The basics of the 55 gallon oil drum BBQ grill are as follows; the oil drum is split in half, with the bottom half being used for the fire, the top half can be hinged and used as a hood, this is optional, A simple grate is then fitted over the open half of the drum, and there you have it, an oil drum BBQ. A simple frame can then be constructed for the oil drum to sit into. This will give you a bomb proof grill, with massive grilling area.

There are obviously some finer points and details to be observed during the construction.

Charlie Zahm "Yankee Doodle"

Celtic singer Charlie Zahm performs a set of Americana music at the Gloucester County Public Library in Mullica Hill, NJ on November 4, 2006. Folksinger Charlie Zahm is based in Pennsylvania and may be reached at www.charliezham.com for more information. Yankee Doodle Yankee Doodle went to town A-riding on a pony Stuck a feather in his hat And called it macaroni. Yankee Doodle, keep it up Yankee Doodle dandy Mind the music and the step And with the girls be handy. Father and I went down to camp Along with Captain Gooding And there we saw the men and boys As thick as hasty pudding. Yankee Doodle, keep it up Yankee Doodle dandy Mind the music and the step And with the girls be handy There was Captain Washington Upon a slapping stallion A-giving orders to his men I guess there was a million. Yankee Doodle, keep it up Yankee Doodle dandy Mind the music and the step And with the girls be handy.



http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HpHaxw4WzuE&hl=en

Anniversary Gifts - Twenty-Fourth Anniversary

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If you're wondering what the modern anniversary gift idea is for your twenty-fourth anniversary, since there is no traditional gift until next year, this one may come as a bit of a surprise. Yes, this year's offering is one of the more unusual gift ideas you're going to find in the world of anniversary gifts.

This year it's time to get your spouse into music and not just listening to it out of the stereo. No, we're talking about making some music on his or her own. If you haven't figured out what this year's surprise gift is, it's musical instruments. This may very well open up a new world to you, unless of course you're already in a musical family. So let's touch on that scenario first.

Let's say your spouse is an accomplished musician. If that is the case, most likely he or she has had their instrument for many years. So there is no reason that you can't get them a new one. Yeah, I know, pianos, if that's what they play, are expensive but isn't your spouse worth the expense? Of course, if your spouse plays something like a flute or a trumpet, then we're not talking about too much money and a new flute or trumpet might be a welcome surprise.

What if your spouse doesn't play an instrument at all? Well, this may be the perfect time for them to start. The one thing you want to keep in mind here is that you don't want to spring for an instrument that is going to be too hard to learn. There are a couple of reasons for this. One is that as you get older, it's harder to learn new things. Also, when you're an adult and working you don't have as much time to practice as when you're a kid and the only thing you have to do is go to school. So keep these things in mind when you're choosing your spouses new musical instrument.

One of the easiest instruments to learn is the drums. It doesn't require hitting any "right" notes. All you have to do is keep a beet. If you decide to get a drum set for your spouse, you might want to start with a simple three or four piece set and work your way up from there. A three piece set consists of a bass drum, snare drum and one tom. The high hat comes with it and is not considered a piece. You might also want to get one symbol for them to splash on.

After the drums, you might want to consider one of the following: Flute, guitar, electric keyboard or trumpet. These are some of your easier instruments to learn. Stay away from things like violins, which take an incredible ear to learn to play.

If you don't know what to get your spouse, a gift certificate to a music store where they sell musical instruments will do. This way, your spouse can pick out whatever he or she wants.

This year's anniversary gift could be the start of something new and exciting in your lives together or, it could just be the beginning of a lot of noise. And you thought the kids caused a racket.