Built braai

Moereloos

Moereloos

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I am having a braai built for the first time ever and want to do it right...
I thought, the inside at least 1 meter wide, 500mm deep and 700 mm high with concrete lintels to make the fire on and a whirly bird extractor (Windmaster Chimney Champ) on the chimney.
I have a granite shelf which will be use as the top for a built-in table next to the braai.
Something like the picture below, but in face brick to match the rest of my house.

Is there anything specific / any tips I should be aware of before starting? I don't want to spend a lot of money on something that will not be usable.

fa93ddede56f3a76554235d13ae63920.jpg
 
There's a bit of a science to the chimney design to get it to draw air. I'm nowhere near qualified enough to answer you on the specifics.
 
[XC] Oj101 said:
There's a bit of a science to the chimney design to get it to draw air. I'm nowhere near qualified enough to answer you on the specifics.
Click to expand...
This.

Also build it higher than you expect, and build an additional "box" to the side where you can mount a motor for a spit if you want to ever use one in the future. Also install a good light and a working surface in front of the braai. Don't place the grid too high either. Just listing some issues I've seen with built-in braais in the past.
 
Toxxyc said:
Don't place the grid too high either. Just listing some issues I've seen with built-in braais in the past.
Click to expand...

I've designed one that I haven't yet built (the chimney dimensions were given to me). It's got rods to old a grid above every brick 3-4 bricks high, so you can choose from 4 different heights depending on what you're braaing.
 
[XC] Oj101 said:
I've designed one that I haven't yet built (the chimney dimensions were given to me). It's got rods to old a grid above every brick 3-4 bricks high, so you can choose from 4 different heights depending on what you're braaing.
Click to expand...
I can quite understand how you would want a grid 3~4 bricks high to braai on.
 
Make sure your chimney is the correct length. If it is two short there will be a back draft which will push smoke back down and blind you.

Do some light reading on"venturi effect" as your chimney needs to essentially create a vacuum in the firebox.

Essential parts of chimney, that I can recall off memory:
- Flue/Smoke stack
- Smoke chamber
- Chimney throat damper (minimizes back draft and keeps smoke moving in one direction - think of this as a 1 way valve with no moving parts that simply replies on negative flue having pressure)
- Firebox.

If you have a look at that braai in the pic you posted, you should be able to see why the smoke is actually coming out of the firebox, and not going through the chimney.

Is your braai going to build inside or outside?
 
Last edited:
Alright, luckily I am working from home and the analytical part of my brain is working OT.

I just went to go have a look at the built in braai we have inside, here is what I can report.

Smoke moves in an L-like shape into a smoke chamber, there is a chimney damper(it is just a stainless steel plate mounted onto a lintel) This damper which is mounted at nearly 45 degrees seems to minimize back draft from the smoke chamber back into the firebox - subsequently the house, then from the smoke chamber it is pulled up and out into the flue where it is exhausted to the outside. We do not have a chimney extractor, we have a bigish paving slab atop the flue.

Another thing to note, our braai has a white cement base and walls, i believe white cement has a way higher heat resistance opposed to grey cement.
 
hot air rises so you want a good length of chimney to have as much hot air inside it to draw the smoke out.
 
Don't forget to add a pizza oven.
I have a family member that built an awesome braai like that.
 
That image have the grid the full length of the braai. You need a space where you can put burning wood that is not under the grid, otherwise your grid will burn through. Additional firebox inside where you can throw the burning logs and keep burning for fresh coals.
 
Flarsiep said:
That image have the grid the full length of the braai. You need a space where you can put burning wood that is not under the grid, otherwise your grid will burn through. Additional firebox inside where you can throw the burning logs and keep burning for fresh coals.
Click to expand...
Thanks,
the image was just one I found on the interwebs as a rough idea.
My plan is to have 1m inside, but the grid will be no longer than 70cm, leaving a bit of space to the side.
 
Moereloos said:
and a whirly bird extractor (Windmaster Chimney Champ) on the chimney.
Click to expand...

[XC] Oj101 said:
There's a bit of a science to the chimney design to get it to draw air. I'm nowhere near qualified enough to answer you on the specifics.
Click to expand...

CT_Biker said:
Make sure your chimney is the correct length. If it is two short there will be a back draft which will push smoke back down and blind you.

Do some light reading on"venturi effect" as your chimney needs to essentially create a vacuum in the firebox.
Click to expand...

Chuckmyster said:
hot air rises so you want a good length of chimney to have as much hot air inside it to draw the smoke out.
Click to expand...
Am I the only one that read the bold part in the OP?
 
Moereloos said:
I am having a braai built for the first time ever and want to do it right...
I thought, the inside at least 1 meter wide, 500mm deep and 700 mm high with concrete lintels to make the fire on and a whirly bird extractor (Windmaster Chimney Champ) on the chimney.
I have a granite shelf which will be use as the top for a built-in table next to the braai.
Something like the picture below, but in face brick to match the rest of my house.

Is there anything specific / any tips I should be aware of before starting? I don't want to spend a lot of money on something that will not be usable.

View attachment 734967
Click to expand...
Do not use a whirly, I had one, bearing melt. I then use real ball bearing, grease melt. As others said, work on your chimney size, if next to your house, it must be higher.
 
Moereloos said:
I thought, the inside at least 1 meter wide, 500mm deep and 700 mm high with concrete lintels to make the fire on and a whirly bird extractor (Windmaster Chimney Champ) on the chimney.
Click to expand...

Make it higher, it's annoying when you try to look down at the meat and you end up looking into the chimney/wall forcing you to bend your knees in order to get to the proper angle for your eyes..

Reinforced concrete lintels will crack from the heat after time so lay some fire bricks over the lintels.
 
Thanks everybody for your comments. I have picked up quite a few good ideas.
Construction starts today.
The chimney will be quite high, as it has to clear the roof above my deck. I will install the extractor any way, as it is quite close to my kitchen and study, as well as to the master bedroom and lounge of the second house on my property.
 
ponder said:
Make it higher, it's annoying when you try to look down at the meat and you end up looking into the chimney/wall forcing you to bend your knees in order to get to the proper angle for your eyes..

Reinforced concrete lintels will crack from the heat after time so lay some fire bricks over the lintels.
Click to expand...
Thanks Ponder. I will take that into account
 
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