Carbon Steel Griddle Insert

After practicing welding by making a new grill grate with quarter-inch round stainless bar, I decided it would be really simple to make a griddle insert. I started with a large sheet of 1/8 inch steel plate. It was an odd-shaped scrap that I purchased at a discount. I traced the existing grill grates onto it and cut it to size with a circular saw with a metal cutting blade. It was simple to cut, but I had to stop a couple of times to tighten the blade, and then for the rain to stop.

The steel plate was quite rusty from being outside for years, so I used my angle grinder with a flap disk to remove the rust and smooth any sharp edges. Then I did a bit of hand sanding with 80, 100, and 150 grit sandpaper. I had hoped to keep sanding until it was shiny, but that wasn't necessary. That was the end of the construction, unless I later decide to add a lip around the edge to keep food from falling off.

Next, I washed it thoroughly with dish soap. Then I oiled it and heated it to start the seasoning process. I takes up about 2/3 of the grill, but I started with it over the middle burner. The center of the griddle quickly heated to 400F, while the edges weren't as hot. Once the oil spread evenly, I wiped off the excess and made a quesadilla to test it. It worked great!

Barometer on Vacation

 My smartwatch has a barometer built in. It was interesting to see different pressure readings on vacation. I compared readings while on an airplane and going to the top of an observation tower (the Strat).

Flight from Austin to Las Vegas

Going up and down the tower

Flight from Las Vegas to Austin

The airplane was pressurized, but not to the same pressure as ground level.