Tool Box Grill

[dthurk]

I'm moving this thread to Product Reviews
I copied one of my own messages in another thread:

I recently bought one of the Tool Box Grills from Camping World.  Seemed like a good concept, square box, detachable gas valve, tool tray to store things inside, not too expensive.  
 
 I would not recommend buying it.  I found that the method of attaching the legs did about the best job of making a simple task exceedingly difficult I have ever seen.  I have assembled many items and found this to be the most ridiculous that I have encountered to date.  We bought it 2 weeks ago, and it's still sitting in the living room, waiting to have those 16 (actually 15, I got 1 done) allen wrench headed bolts tightened with a provided allen wrench that is too short to turn.  The nuts are too small to be worked with a wrench, and the bolts are too long to be able to use a small socket wrench on the nuts.  They did about everything they could think of to make it hard.  Enough ranting, but this thing had better make the best burger I've ever had.


And again, a few weeks later:

I finally got this thing put together.  It took $14 worth of new tools and the help of my wife to get the job done.  It's been sitting here for a month, I'd work at it sporadically.  She's tired of looking at it, so am I.  I just got it put together, haven't had a chance to use it.  I complained to Camping World about the thing, we'll see what comes of that.  I'm going to look for someone who might be able to weld these legs to the body, that's what should have been done from the manufacturer in the first place.  I'm sure these bolts are going to loosen up over time.  I would still recommend not buying this item.


I did email Camping World, had been wondering what happened to my message.  I was surprised they had not replied sooner, Camping World had seemed much more responsive to me.  Turns out they forwarded my message to the manufacturer, who just replied to me this evening.  Their director of Sales and Marketing would like to pursue this by phone.  I sent him our contact information, and will await his call.  More later as it happens.

[wavery]

You should post a review on Camping World's website:
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=27720&tab=reviews

[dthurk]

You should post a review on Camping World's website:
http://www.campingworld.com/browse/skus/index.cfm?skunum=27720&tab=reviews

Good idea!  I think I'll give them an opportunity to call me first and see where that leads.  The reviewer who talked about pop rivets just gave me the idea to ditch the nuts and bolts and pop rivet those legs to the body.  That would work really nicely and easily!  Wish I thought of that a month ago.  I haven't had a chance to use it yet, so I'm a little concerned about some of the other reviewers comments concerning underheating and not being able to cook with the lid closed.  I bought this thing in the Orlando store, didn't have the reviews available to look at before I bought it.  Too bad.

[dthurk]

I just received a call from Jay, a representative from the manufacturer of the grill.  I told him of our problems, he knew exactly what I was talking about.  He explained that the original design of the grill called for the mounting bolts to go through the leg from the outside and screw into the bottom of the grill, which makes a lot of sense and would be quite easy to do.  Unfortunately, the factory manufacturing the grills got things backwards and made a batch that worked the other way...the bolts would need to go through the grill from the inside and screw into the legs.  This is impossible to do given the presence of the burner and burner mounts inside the grill which are permanantly affixed to the inside of the grill.  Many of these grills were sold to Camping World.  They included a new set of smaller bolts which could be used to mount the legs, which I tried to use.  I think I have made it clear here how that "fix" turned out.  I am still of a mind that these bolts and nuts are going to loosen over time with the expansion and contraction of the grill from use.  Jay agreed to send me a new grill which is manufactured to the correct design.  I will still have to attach the legs, but I anticipate a much easier process this time around.  He also assures me that the bolts, once attached properly will not loosen over time.

We did use the grill last night and found it to be very good.  I read the reveiws on Camping World and found them to be unfounded.  The grill had plenty of heat, and the burner remained lit with the cover closed.  I tried this in all variations of high, medium and low heat and with the vents open and closed.  I never had the burner go out.  Our burgers were great.

Based on this information, I would recommend the purchase of the grill.  Just make sure you have the properly manufactured version.  If it comes with 2 sets of leg mounting bolts, return it or call Jay.

[wavery]

Based on this information, I would recommend the purchase of the grill.  Just make sure you have the properly manufactured version.  If it comes with 2 sets of leg mounting bolts, return it or call Jay.

I think the other guy had the better idea with the pop-rivets. I think that you are right. Those bolts may loosen in short order from heating & cooling. That's a real problem with all of the screw together barbecues.

I'm sure glad that it works well though . That takes a lot of the frustration out :p .

[dthurk]

I'll probably assemble the new grill as instructed with the appropriate bolts.  I can always take apart the old grill and try the pop rivets.  The smaller hole appears to be the size of a #8 bolt.  Don't know yet which size to use and if either size might work on the stock stove.  I may have to drill the holes to get the rivets to fit properly, and I wouldn't want to mess up the new grill needlessly.  Having 2 of these things gives me a few more options to experiment with.