ThirdHand - Grate Lifting & Hanging Tool

The Tool That Started It All........

It has always been the disposition, if not the prerogative, of mankind to boast of the tools with which he works.
Ramon F. Adams (1889-1976)


In 2006 I was tinkering around in my garage and came up with the idea of a grate lifting tool for my Big Green Eggs. My idea was a tool that allowed a no-touch approach to remove and hang the cooking grate while cleaning out ashes and reloading the cooker with charcoal.  Later on I came up with my version of a 'wiggle rod' which is used to dislodge ash from charcoal in my Eggs and my BDS vertical drums. For some 14 years I have sold various BBQ tools as a hobby business to patient customers. Here are just some of my gadgets.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Tools ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

ThirdHand - This lifting tool is used on all standard grates on almost every major brand of grill or smoker. In addition, it will also work on a cast iron grate on a large and XL Big Green Egg. This is the most popular lifting tool.







ThreeFinger- This tool is needed if you have a small or medium cast iron grate. It will also work on some of the tiny tailgate sized grills on the market.



The ThreeFinger shown with a small cast iron grate. The fit is the same for a medium cast iron grate.



This view shows the typical engagement of the forks and the "wedge fit" in a small cast iron grate.



Wiggle Rods - The T-Handle wiggle are sized for a particular cooker. The Double-L wiggle rods can be used on two different sized cookers, each L is cut to a different length. Other "custom sized" wiggle rods are available, just contact me.

Here is a picture showing the Double-L wiggle rods and the NEW T-Handle Wiggle Rod, which now features a loop handle. (Double-L wiggles will have custom cut "L lengths" on each end)





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ThirdHand ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Back in 2006, I called the first grate tool I designed and fabricated the ThirdHand, a grate lifting tool that also works as a hanging tool if you have a table or deck railing close to your cooker. The ThirdHand works on standard cooking grates found most of the major brands of grills, barbecues or smokers. In addition, the ThirdHand works on large cast iron grates. The ThirdHand is the most popular and most universal of the two grate lifting and hanging tools. Usually, I have several on the shelf ready to go.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ThreeFinger ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A short while after introduction of my first tool, I started getting requests for a tool specifically designed for lifting and hanging small and medium cast iron grates as well as smaller grates on "tailgater" or camping size grills. The answer was another original designed tool I call the ThreeFinger. It's a smaller tool with shorter forks and a handle that is three fingers wide.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Wiggle Rods ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

As I cruise around on barbecue forums, I just hate to see threads with a title something like "Help!!! My Fire Went Out". A wiggle rod is kind of an ash maintenance tool. Mine are fabricated from 5/32" diameter stainless steel rod. Wiggling your charcoal can help a stubborn fire get going, promote even burning, and is a little insurance during an all night cook when you want to catch some ZZZZZ's.

The most popular style is the T-Handle Wiggle Rod. They have a "L" on one end and my version has a "T" handle on the other. The "L" reaches up through the charcoal grate on ceramic cookers, or up through the bottom of the charcoal basket on drum cookers to stimulate air flow, and dislodge ash. The overall length and the "L" length are sized to your specific cooker. I'll need to know what you're cooking on.

The new Double-L wiggle rods have an "L" on each end, but they are custom cut to different lengths for different cookers. Perfect if you have a pair of cookers in your backyard. You just hold one of the L's in your hand in a pistol grip fashion while wiggling the lump with the other L.