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!