Building a Texas Style BBQ

[Qweaver]

For my 70th BDay I smoked 3 briskets in a borrowed pit that I could not keep the temp below 300 and often even hotter.  The meat was OK but mainly over cooked and dry.   As a vocational welding instructor for 25 years in Texas, I've helped my students design and build many a BBQ pit.  It's time to cut, fit and weld again. 

I have a good pit that I left in Texas but it would take more time and money to go down there and get it than to just build another one here.  So I've been collecting parts and I have everything that I need now. 
I got a 10' x 26" piece of pipe for $70, a 4'x 8' x 3/8 plate for $120, a 2' x 10' galvanized grate for $25  and enough steel and axles  to build the trailer for it to set on for about $200.  Less than the cost of fuel to make the round trip.

I recently closed in one of my 12' x 30' shed bays so I will have a warm place to give birth to this meat machine this winter.  Planning a big cook off at the break of spring...or maybe before.  Now I just have to find some mesquite. I may have a friend stowaway some on a hotshot coming this way.

Quinton

[Magicman]

Sounds like a plan.   8)

[Skidder Kev]

Did someone say BBQ!    Sounds like a fun project,  can't wait to see the finished product.

[thurlow]

AWWWWWWWWW!!!!!!!!   You've used the words BBQ, smoked, pit, brisket, cook-off, etc in the same sentence.  Thanks to Sam Walton (and others), I thought that portions of dead pigs were available most everywhere.  :D :D :D

[sandhills]

   Be sure and take pictures as you go  ;)

[pappy19]

Home Depot usually has big sacks of mesquite chunks for less than $20. I use them all the time.

[caveman]

Qweaver,
Will you have a separate fire box or will it be inside the pipe on one or both ends?  I cook ribs, butts and chickens quite a bit and would love to become proficient at cooking brisket but beef is too expensive for me to practice on.  I look forward to seeing your final product.  Until recently, my students (Ag) usually built three smokers a year.  Last year they only built one.  We sell them to help pay for other stuff for the kids. 




Caveman

[pine]

I got a 10' x 26" piece of pipe for $70, a 4'x 8' x 3/8 plate for $120, a 2' x 10' galvanized grate for $25  and enough steel and axles  to build the trailer for it to set on for about $200.
Quinton

Wish I could find 3/8 plate at that price around hear and the 26" pipe as well.

Sounds like a fun project and even better eating when you are done.  Would worry a bit about the galvanized grate.

[sandhills]

I was going to ask about the galvanized, but would a smoker get hot enough to do anything with it?

[luvmexfood]

Qweaver. I agree with pine about the galvanized grate.

Caveman, back when I was in school around 79 wood stoves were becoming real popular. I was in welding class half a day. The school got a local company to donate new sheets of steel and we welded up a bunch and sold them. Made enough money to take a trip to the other side of the state for the school to compete in a competion.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

Now I just have to find some mesquite. I may have a friend stowaway some on a hotshot coming this way.

Quinton

Mr Qweaver, you are in the middle of Hickory and Oak country. Please give some of the local smoking woods a try, you might be pleasantly surprised! ;D

When in Rome, roam around.

Jon

[Qweaver]

I bought all of the pipe, plate and grate used.  I had the trailer material on hand and bought long ago. 
I really miss the availability of free materials from the plants and shipyards that I had in Texas.  Plus I could buy new structural steel for @ 19 cents a pound.  Not today in rural West Virginia.  But I can usually get what I need at the scrap yards...but I'm paying about 20 cents for used but good.  The grate was like new.  I've  always used galvanized grate.  We cook on SS, copper, Al, cast iron, etc.  How would zinc be any different?  The grate will be coated after the first use anyway.  I always "season" the pit with a heavy smoke burn before I use it.  The interior gets completely coated.  Zinc melts at @ 800 F.  Far above my cooking temps.

My pit will have a fire box on one end for indirect cooking and charcoal can be used under the grate for grilling.  I keep the heat below 212 and cook long cook times for big hunks of meat.  I have several big 1st place trophies saying that I know how to cook brisket.  My pit that I left in Texas was built to look like a steam train complete with a 6 note whistle using compressed air, cow catcher and conductor cab.   This one will be similar.

[Qweaver]

Mr Qweaver, you are in the middle of Hickory and Oak country. Please give some of the local smoking woods a try, you might be pleasantly surprised! ;D

Jon
[/quote]
I've used oak and hickory.  Oak is OK but very mild, Hickory is too strong and Mesquite wins trophies.  I usually used well seasoned Oak and add a few sticks of Mesquite now and then.  I cook for 12 to 14 hours and wrap and add a can of beer after about 8 hours.  My rub is a secret.  :D

[Weekend_Sawyer]

You just made my mouth water! :D

And I agree, you have to be careful with Hickory, too much can make your grilling bitter.

Jon

[luvmexfood]

Qweaver. Try some apple if you can get it and it the spring when the sap is up maple is pretty good.

I looked up your town to see where it was in WV. Was going to volunteer to come and do a taste test for you the first time you smoke with it but it is too far. I can be in Bluefield WV in about an hour but not that far. Good luck with your project.

[Qweaver]

Here are the plans for the WV meat machine.  It'll take about a week to build with trailer.   Lots of small parts to make slows down the build.   More time required to make it look like a train but I'll burn some brisket as soon as its able.  It's not shown on the plan but I do weld a baffle, top and bottom, between the fire box and cooker


 

[Magicman]

My rub is a secret.  :D

Why a secret?   

[scsmith42]

Subscribed

[Qweaver]

My rub is a secret.  :D

Why a secret?   

Well now that I no longer cook in cookoffs, it does not need to be a secret.    Brown sugar, salt peter, black and red pepper, garlic, salt and rub enough in until you think it's ruined...then add some more.  Cook below 200 and for a long time.

[Magicman]

Thanks for sharing with your FF friends.  

Of course one trick used by savvy cooks is to not include the amounts or to "accidentally" leave out one key ingredient.   :P    :D

[Qweaver]

I got everything organized this AM, leveled and laid out the pipe, cutout for the fire box, laid out the plate pieces , cut out the fire box top and knocked off for lunch and football.  I believe I could have got it all cut and tacked up but for the football.  Tomorrow!  I discovered one thing...the old gray mare does not cut as straight as it used to!      

 

[luvmexfood]

Just look at it this way. The steel is your paper, the torch is your pencil and that grinder is the eraser. ;D

[Qweaver]

I thought I would be posting a welded up BBQ shell this eve... But that bent up piece of pipe nearly ate my lunch today.  I sure miss my fab shop in Texas.  I spent half the day making tools to lay out circles and move that out of round pipe to match the round circles that I cut.  :D  But the ends are on, baffle welded in and  firebox top welded on.   It should go faster tomorrow.  I've always worked in a completely equipped shop and not having all the toys is not much fun.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I am watching with interest.

I like to look in the background of pictures, tell us about that old car in the background.
And is that a mig welder to the left. Is that what you are using to make this project?

thanks
Jon

[Qweaver]

The car is a MGTD kit car that I put together at least 25 years ago.  Rebuilding it this winter after a salt bath in hurricane Ike.  I'm using my buzz box to weld up the BBQ.    Finished the BBQ shell today.  I'll put it on legs  and cut out and hinge the doors tomorrow.  Every thing went much better today.  I have not done any fab work in a long time and the quality of the fitting and welds show it.  Plenty strong...just not as pretty as I'd like. You would not guess that this work was done by a welder with over 40 years of certified experience.  It will cook meat OK but I'd hate to give it an xray and hydro.      Pictures tomorrow and meat cooking this weekend.

[wood monger]

A coat of paint and it will look great, you're not building an atom smasher.

[Qweaver]

Here's where I stopped today.  There was a time when I would not have stopped until the doors were done but I quit at 5 pm and popped a cold one.   The pit should be making smoke by quitting time tomorrow.


 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I can smell the Hickory wood now. Looks like top of the line Q.

[Holmes]

I can smell the Hickory wood now. Looks like top of the line Q.

Poston you look good in that hat and lipstick

[Don_Papenburg]

First time I saw that pic I thought he had a new pet skunk on his horns

[Nichols]

Looking good Qweaver!!!  I can't wait to see the finished product. I have been gathering the pieces to make one myself, just not enough time.

[Piston]

Oh boy, your making me hungry already, and I haven't even SEEN any food yet  food2

[Ljohnsaw]

Anxiously awaiting the final product!  I was thinking of making a small one.  Would a water heater core be too thin to mess with?

[LeeB]

I've made them from water heaters before. Electric works best. Can be a pain to cut though because of the minerals that are usually built up on the inside. A cutting disc might be better than a torch.

[bartman]

Lookin good

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I'm thinkin the chicken population is going to take a hit when you fire that thang up!

[LeeB]

I really like the flattop on the smoke box. Good place for pans and such.

[Qweaver]

As promised, the smoke is rolling.  I will spend tomorrow with the trim and finishing touches.   A full days work to go.  I plan to just keep it burning for awhile,  sip a cold one and relax.  It's be a busy 4 days but a lot of time was used for gathering materials and tools. I may try to come up with dand to blast it...or just Oshpho if no sand close around.  Then a day or two to build the really simple  trailer.


  

 

[Qweaver]

Anxiously awaiting the final product!  I was thinking of making a small one.  Would a water heater core be too thin to mess with?

If you really want to slow cook big hunks of meat, (which is what this smoker is designed to do) then you need a heavy walled pipe (1/4" or thicker).  We built several of these each year with my welding class...usually with 20" or larger pipe with a fire box on one end.  Texans take BBQ seriously and the pit you see here is pretty typical of what is used to cook competitive brisket.  I once cooked 40 briskets overnight as a fund raiser for a school club.  I'll never do that again!  We used 4 pits, all larger than this one and we still had to roll brisket all night.  I politely declined the next year.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I like it!

[Qweaver]

I really like the flattop on the smoke box. Good place for pans and such.

Not really hot enough for cooking when we are in slow cook mode but great when the brisket is done and you are doing the beans and chili.

[Piston]

I'm semi "fascinated" with the idea of slow cooked BBQ like this.  I've only had 'good' BBQ a couple of times in my life, and I yearn for it on a regular basis.  They just don't have good BBQ up north, so I think my only option would be to do it myself, except I have no clue what I'm doing  :

How do you control the heat?  Do you have dampers either at the inlet, outlet, or both?  I can't see how the temp would stay around 200-225 consistently.  Or is it all in experience and how much wood you load in the firebox?

I imagine it get's exponentially harder to keep a steady temp in the really cold and windy weather?  For instance, up north in the winters...  ???

[Qweaver]

I've never tried cooking BBQ in freezing temps but I have cooked in cool windy weather and it just requires that you let the fire burn hotter.  That's the great thing with this cooker design, with a damper on the fire box door and one on the exhaust stack the temp is completely controllable within just a few degrees.  It requires really dry hardwood, oak mainly for heat,  and a "seasoning" wood like mesquite for flavor.   I will try other woods since no mesquite grows in WV.  I usually keep the fire box loaded and choked down to a slow, smoky burn.

[scsmith42]

Looks great Quinton!  Do you have any baffles, etc inside? 

Some of the Texas style pits that I've seen had steel plate installed underneath the grill in order to serve as a heat source (the exhaust from the fire traveled underneath the plates - heating them up and providing an even heat inside the pit).

If so some pix of the inside would be appreciated.

Scott

[Qweaver]

Hey Scott, I do have a baffle that separates the fire box from the cooking area but I do not have a horizontal baffle.  That sounds like a good way to spread the heat more uniformly, but I do want to get plenty of smoke on the meat.  I plan to build another pit in the near future and I may try that.  The design will take some thought.  It is important to keep cooking juices from getting back to the fire or a real conflagration could occur resulting in brisket jerky .  :D  I do love the cooking and socializing activities of a Texas BBQ, beans and chili cookoff.  Except in Texas you can not put beans in the chili...and to me it ain't chili unless it has beans.

[Weekend_Sawyer]

I would like to see some inside pix too.

and beans are the fun part of chilli!

Jon

[LeeB]

Except in Texas you can not put beans in the chili...and to me it ain't chili unless it has beans.

Get a rope.  smiley_hanged

[scsmith42]

One of the ones that I've seen with the plates had the exhaust stack on the same end of the pipe as the firebox.  This required the smoke (and heat) to travel from the firebox to the opposite end of the pipe - under the plates, and then vent up through a gap between the plates and the end of the tube, next traveling back across all of the meat to reach the exhaust vent.

Another one had a pair of plates that came in from each side and covered around 65% of the width of the pipe.  They were angled down towards the middle of the pipe and had around a 1" horizontal gap inbetween them.  The smoke traveled under the plate and up through the gap to reach the vent (on the opposite end from the firebox).  I've even seen this style w/o a firebox - you built the fire under the plates.  That was actually one of my favorite designs.

[gspren]

   I checked mapquest and I'm only 300 miles or 6 hours away, whens the show and tell party? ;D

[Qweaver]

I've got the pit burning this am mainly to see if I have enough air supply holes to get maximum heat when I need it.  I'd like to be able to see over 400 in the pit and then be able to choke it down to 120 with everything closed off.   I had about 350 in the pit, 650 on the fire box top  with the door closed and the 3 holes open on the FB door.  I think I'll put some more close-able holes each side beside the door. The air temp was 32 so it'll be hotter in summer.  I've got a really good seal on the pit doors.  The pit doors usually spring out when they are cut but these stayed dead straight. 
I'm ready to cook and from here on it's just "how much dress-up do I want to do".  I was going to throw a brisket on there today but Sarah wants it next weekend instead.  I may kill a deer and cook it at the same time.  It takes a lot of care to keep a deer roast moist and get it tender when cooked on a pit.  Note the amount of smoke in the last pic.  Now I have a 3' piece of pipe to build a charcoal pit to go beside this one on the trailer.  I already have all of the materials on hand, so this one should go quickly.



  

  

  

[Qweaver]

Except in Texas you can not put beans in the chili...and to me it ain't chili unless it has beans.

Get a rope.  smiley_hanged

OK, let me get this straight...are we getting a rope for HAVING or NOT Having?  :D

[Qweaver]

I learned to cook brisket in Texas, taught by an old Cajan/Texan who won the cook-off where he taught me to cook.  But not all Texans can cook BBQ.  I once loaned my pit (which had won many cookoffs) to a group of barflies that wanted to cook at a local bar as a fund raiser.  I just assumed that they knew how to cook.  A few hours later they called to say that the pit would not get hot enough to cook chicken.

So I drove up to the bar and sure enough they had a whole tray full of half cooked chicken.  They also had the fire box full of charcoal and very little heat in the cooker.  I had them dig out most of the charcoal and put it under the chicken.  I also had them add a few sticks  of oak I had with me to the fire box and the pit temps quickly came up to chicken cooking temp.  They were out of charcoal so I also offered them more oak if they would come by my house and pick it up.  They declined, saying they had plenty of wood.  I came back awhile later just to see how it went.  Only to find this bunch of non-cookers finishing off this nearly ineatable chicked with pine 2x4s

My pit did not have a good reputation that daay

[LeeB]

Except in Texas you can not put beans in the chili...and to me it ain't chili unless it has beans.

Get a rope.  smiley_hanged

OK, let me get this straight...are we getting a rope for HAVING or NOT Having?  :D

Chili es con carne senior, sin frijoles.

[Qweaver]

Here are the finished pit pics.  A paint job, fire brick and an oak shelf are still left to do.  I am going to mount it sideways on the trailer so I don't think dressing it up as a train will work because it will block access to the flat cooking area.  Maybe just do the side facing the front.  I'll start on the trailer tomorrow.  I should be able to cook at least six briskets, eight if I crowd them.  I'm going to cook Friday night.  If you're near Weston, WV on Saturday,  stop in for a sample. 



  

  

  

  

[Magicman]

Looks good enough to cook on.   

[Skidder Kev]

You can get 8 briskets on it and all we get is a sample!   :D :D

Looks good Qweaver and doesn't take you long to put one of them together either. 

[Qweaver]

You can get 8 briskets on it and all we get is a sample!   :D :D

They can be big samples.
While we're smoking the meat, we'll also be cooking some beans...and some chili WITH beans!  OK you Texans, quite down.  I can hear you muttering in the background.  ;)

[redprospector]

Beans???
In New Mexico when you order chili they ask green or red.  :D

[Piston]

I'm going to cook Friday night.  If you're near Weston, WV on Saturday,  stop in for a sample. 

Hmm, I may just take a 10 hour ride and stop in for a sample....  ;D 

[Qweaver]

Deer hunting for the next 3 days so no cooking this weekend.  I hope to kill 3 does in this 3 day extended gun season and maybe a buck with the crossbow. 
I'm going to slow cook one of those deer and try freezing the cooked meat.  I haven't try that before and have no idea how well it will work.

[beenthere]

How will you prepare the skinned deer for slow cooking? De-bone, trim fat off, or just skinned??

And will you use the TX BBQ for the cooking? Somewhat like the Pig Roast.. it be whole on the grill?

[Qweaver]

I'll just de-bone the hams cut lots of slits and insert really fat bacon, drap bacon over the meat, truss and cook open on the grill at 400 deg for a half hour then lower the temp below 200 for about 5 to 6 hours, wrap with Al foil, add a can of beer and about another 6 hours at 200 or less.  I'll also season and baste just like brisket.  I'll do the shoulders the same if it is a large deer.  I have not hunted my farm yet this year so I hope there is plenty of deer to shoot.  There were lots this summer.

[beenthere]

That sure sounds great.  thanks..  would like to give that a try sometime.

As to freezing cooked meat, has not been a problem for me. Seems to have some extra liquid when thawing, but not earth shaking problem. Like to dice up venison into 3/4" cubes and use as stew meat. Sometimes putting in a crockpot with some mushroom soup and makes for very good eating. Will freeze if extra.

[luvmexfood]

A little off subject but I have had real good sucess canning venison. It's done, flip the lid off and make get a little beef gravy mix of canned and some mashed potatoes. A good quick meal. It's also good for a quick barbecue sandwich.

Now if you could smoke it a little and then can it that might be even better. It's a great way to get rid of small pieces. I debone the shoulders and use them. Meat needs to be cut in to approximately inch and half pieces.

[Qweaver]

OK, got to the camp about 4:30 pm,  2 deer shot by 5:30 pm, back home by 8:00 pm.  I guess the cooking is back on.  Although I may hunt again tomorrow and cook Saturday.  I don't have a big set of horns in the man cave yet.  I'm not really a horn hunter but the man cave should have at least one set.  8)

[luvmexfood]

Two deer in one day is a lot of work. Time you gut, drag out, skin and process. If you can get some cold nights around twenty and then no warmer than 40 in the day you can let them hang in an outbuilding a few days. I believe the slightly freeze then slightly thaw really helps the meat. Plus if you start cutting them up in the morning while they or slightly frozed it makes easier cutting.

[Qweaver]

I've got both deer hanging and the weather is perfect...so I won't skin and process until Monday or Tuesday.  I'm really anxious to try out the BBQ pit, but I may wait until after Christmas and do a whole pit full of brisket, deer and pork country ribs.   We could have a real feast for new years.   Maybe throw some back-strap on the grill to eat while we cook.  My mouth is watering as I write this.  :new_year:

Quinton

[Magicman]

I think that you have started something.  First you, then LeeB, and next the whole neighborhood Forum.   8)

[luvmexfood]

Sounds like a trip to West Virginia on New Years. :D Don't forget the black eyed peas and cabbage. Haven't harvested a deer in a few years but your sort of making my belly growl and trigger finger itch. Only bad thing is my smoker bit the dust. Had an electric charbroil and it did a fair job.

[Qweaver]

Cold and other projects have delayed the trailer.  Back at it now.  Here are the plans. Build out of 4" channel and 2x2x1/4 angle.  I'll spring it for 7000 lg GVW.  Probably put a roof on it also.


 

[Qweaver]

I got the trailer on wheels and decked today.  I may try to bolt the BBQ on tomorrow.  This cold weather is sure keeping me in the man cave a lot.  I did saw 2 oaks today but I was not comfortable in the cold.  Hopefully some pics tomorrow.

[LeeB]

I cheated. I got my nephew to build mine. No way I could ever do this nice of a job. Actually lindy got him to build it for my Christmas present this year.

  

[Qweaver]

Really nice job!  I don't see a smoke stack.  How does the heat and smoke travel across the cooking area? Woops...OK I do see it.  interesting design.   I always hated working over the wheel on this kind of design so I will work off the deck on this one.  But the dis-advantage to that is having to walk up on the trailer to get to the BBQ.  6 of one and half a dozen of the other. 

[LeeB]

I guess it's what you call a reverse flow design. There is a false bottom in the smoker side that channels the smoke and heat across the bottom of the pit away from the fire box. It then comes up through an opening on that end and flows back through the smoke chamber and out the stack located at the firebox end of the smoke chamber. It's supposed to keep more even temps that way. So far it seems to work as designed although it does get a little hotter on the firebox end but not much. Also tends to get a little hotter on the lower racks, but again not that much. I did a brisket, two chickens, two racks of ribs and about 10 lbs of sausage on it last time I was home. it was a full load. I'm still learning the ins and outs. It takes a good bit more wood than I'm used to using in the past on a store bought and smaller version, but I'm very happy with it so far. It should last me the rest of my days.

[Qweaver]

It finally got warm enough to finish the BBQ trailer.  Now comes the cookin and eatin.  I took some pics and put it for sale on Facebook.  Got lots of replies until I posted the $4500 price.  I have over $2000 in material and parts and many hours of labor. I'm going to buy and mount a propane grill on the open right rear spot.  I'm also thinking about a building a roof over it.

    

    Here's what it cost to build.

BBQ Cost                                   Trailer Cost   
Material   Cost                            Material   cost
26" Pipe              $75.00           4" channel         $100.00
3/8" Plate              $60.00            2" Angle          $75.00
3/16 & 1/8 Sheet $20.00        Axle/Spring            $175.00
2x2 Angle              $75.00         Wheels & tires   $375.00
5" pipe             $10.00          Decking                   $200.00
Steel grid              $20.00            Hitch                   $20.00
Hardware/Bolts       $15.00          Jack                    $45.00
Paint supplies       $30.00           Paint Supplies    $100.00
Welding Supplies   $75.00      Welding Supplies   $100.00
Shearing               $20.00       Hardware, bolts etc.   $50.00
Misc/Travel   $30.00       Misc/Travel            $30.00
Labor 40 hours @ $45       Bench Materials        $60.00
Propane grill   $250.00       Light kit                    $35.00
            
                  $680.00                                $1,365.00
            
         Total BBQ/Trailer Costs   $2,045.00

[drobertson]

Looking good!  been wanting to do something on that order for a long time,  I reckon in due time it will happen,  enjoy!

[dean herring]

Qweaver, nice pit. That is something I know about ,  been welding for about 35 yrs. I have the same problem. I quote them a price and they say no way I can get one at Lowes for 400$. I tell them to go get one then go back in 2 years and get another one. Just finished one out of 20" pipe. The one I build it for said he was on his 3rd one in five years. He will never have to buy another one. I have one I built when our son was 2, he will be 28 on March 31. Only thing I had to change is the cooking grate. People don' t know how much time and work is in a pit. Jmho, not everyone can build a quality pit. Iike the benches. I built one for our son out of an 18" 90 degree ell, it took some thought to figure out the door. I will get some pics as soon as I can. Looks good and like the roof idea, all weather grilling. Keep me posted on future ptojects. Dean

[21incher]

I find most people buying off of craigslist are bargain hunters and only willing to spend a small percentage of the value of a item. Looks like a nice job and I am sure someone will buy it at your price. It would be cool to offer it with a pole mounted to the trailer for mounting a custom carved sign on. People like things personalized. 

[Magicman]

Not that it matters, but I did not realize that you were building it to sell.

[Qweaver]

Not that it matters, but I did not realize that you were building it to sell.

Everything I own is for sale...but only at the price that makes it worth it to build another one.  :D  All of the materials are tax free if I'm building it to sell.

[Qweaver]

I did a trial burn last evening.   It held a steady 220 with the firebox draft wide open and the damper at 90% closed.  I had to nearly close everything to get it below 200.  It topped out at 400 with everything open and the firebox ablaze.  Produced really good smoke at all settings.   I seasoned the meat today for the first cook starting tomorrow morning... brisket, deer, ribs and sausage.  We should be fine dining  for supper tomorrow.

This is my first trailer mounted pit and I would make the trailer a bit bigger if doing it again.  10' just makes good use of material and I only had one 4" channel on hand.

[WV Sawmiller]

Qweaver,

    Hope you get your price and your BBQ pit finds a home where it will be properly appreciated.

    Once while I was in USMC I rented a super cooker (Trailer mounted BBQ), filled it with good dry oak, put the tender in place and when it was time to take to a church picnic at a State Park about 10 miles away, in a moment of cerebral flatulence, I lit the tender and drove to the party. When I got there the oak was a bed of read coals ready to cook. How I got that far without setting the woods on fire or getting arrested for driving with flames shooting out of the grill is still beyond me. That is a quick start technique I do not endorse any more.

[Qweaver]

The smoke is rolling and we'll see how good the pit cooks in about 10 to 12 hours.  I can do a brisket in 6 hours if I have to, but I generally shoot for at least 10.  I wrap and add a can of beer at about 5 to 6 hours. 

[LeeB]

to the brisket or the chef?

[Qweaver]

Maybe both!  8)

[Qweaver]

This BBQ is not for sale on the Forestry Forum and in fact I will not sell it to a member or anyone that sees it here.  I did post it on  face book at a high price mainly just to see what I could get.  I want to support the FF but I would have posted it here if I wanted to sell it here!  It would have been better if the moderator had talked with me before moving my post.

Quinton

[Jeff]

I did not see your post, and I did not move it. but I was told why it was moved. so now I am Telling You, it would have been better if you would have talked to a moderator not the other way around. that moderator was doing their job. you said it was for sale and you said how much it was.

[Qweaver]

Jeff,
I just mentioned the price in passing as part of my description of the build.  This is a long lived post starting back in Nov 2014.  I never intended it to be a "For Sale" post.  I've paid for sales on FF before and if someone from the forum did offer to buy...I'd charge the listing fee if I decided to sell.  But I had no intent to list it that way.  I'm in business and nearly everything on my lot is for sale,  that does not mean it is listed for sale on FF.

[Jeff]

Rules are rules. We have no idea what one's intentions are, and this is getting to be a more prevalent practice on the forum.  There is no advertising outside of the commerce area. Saying something is for sale as stating a price else-ware means it has been put on sale on the forum. No doubts about it.  It puts the moderators in a sticky situation. They can't hardly move it to the for sale section as the person has not agreed to the terms of listing on the forum. This leaves them with one other solution. To delete the topic or edit every post that referred to the sale.  If they removed the entire topic the poster is unhappy. Edit a post, they are unhappy. Allow it to stand, and then what the hell good are the rules to begin with?

You said it was for sale. You posted that here.

[Qweaver]

This is what I said. "It finally got warm enough to finish the BBQ trailer.  Now comes the cookin and eatin.  I took some pics and put it for sale on Facebook.  Got lots of replies until I posted the $4500 price.  I have over $2000 in material and parts and many hours of labor. I'm going to buy and mount a propane grill on the open right rear spot.  I'm also thinking about a building a roof over it." 
I never intended this to be an ad on the forum.  Putting it for sale on facebook was my intention.  But I will be careful to not do this again in a way that can be misconstrued. 

[beenthere]

Sure looked like a "for sale" ad to me..  If you really didn't want to sell it to an FF member, then you would not have mentioned it here at all.. IMO

But I can see why you would want to sell it, because it will require a lot of storage space when not in use.

[Qweaver]

Well the pit is now officially broken-in.  Cooked brisket, deer and sausage for 10 hours  @ 205 deg and they were almost too tender to slice.  Not a cook-off winning condition but mighty fine to eat.  I guess I need to move all further posts to the cooking section. 
I mounted a work table at the front today and installed fire brick.  I'm going to add a few more air holes to the firebox tomorrow.  I was wide open most of the time.  This is going to be a great pit.  I might have to consider putting on some cook-offs if I can spark any interest.
And just to be clear.  THIS PIT IS NOT FOR SALE!  Some of my descendants will be cooking on this long after I'm gone.  I was just testing the waters on Facebook.

[Qweaver]

I called it done today.  Although if this follows what I've done in the past, I'm always adding or changing something. There is a bull bell out on the shelve that would look good on the front.  And a wood box on that empty spot at the left front.  etc., etc.  It passed the first test with flying colors and I'm sure it will be used by many family and friends.  Tho I have seen lots of poor BBQ done by novice cooks on good machines...and this is a good machine.

  

 

[Magicman]

   That is a fine collection of cooking stuff.   8)

[Qweaver]

Here is a pic of the completed pit.  I'm going to cook 3 briskets, a ham and some sausage for our high school reunion next weekend.  The pit really cooks well.  Temp is easy to maintain at both high and low temps.  I'm using mainly dry red oak and I'll throw a few sticks of hickory in there from time to time. No mesquite to be found in W.Va.   I wish I had built the trailer a little longer to accommodate a sink and water tank.  Maybe a next winter project.   

 

[POSTON WIDEHEAD]

I really, really like this cooking trailer. I also agree that a roof would be really nice too.
Good job Qweaver.

[scsmith42]

Very nicely done Quinton!

[WDH]

All you need is a bed and a tarp, and you could live there  :D. 

[sandhills]

Very nice, now that I have my shop I'm going to start scrounging for materials, it'd be a fun winter time project.