My ideal smoker

[ckkphoto]

Had a baffle for three years now, finally rusted out and fell off. This time I will make the "standard" from the drawings, and see how i like it in comparison.
Next time, I am going to rent a welder and build an idealized bandera. Got definite ideas on what that should be like.

[tommykendall]

I started a reply to this post earlier but must have lost it in the morning haze. Craig - I just found out that I'll be in MD for another 5 years or more, so I'm going to have an idealized Bandera built in the next year. Would you be kind enough to share some of your ideas with me? A couple things I'm looking at:

1. 1/2" steel firebox cloned after Phil's BYC.
2. 22 wide by 22 deep (or 24x24) cook chamber, maybe 6 inches taller than current bandera height.
3. Cook chamber will consist of 2300 degree ceramic insulation sandwiched between inner and outer 1/8" sheets of steel.
4. Trailer mounted (it's gonna be heavy)
5. All kinds of other stuff.

When I get closer to the "let's build it" stage, I'll be seeking opinions from the group on several of the design ideas (such as #3 above in lieu of a 1/4 or 3/8" steel chamber), so that I can weigh them out in preparing the final design. For now I've decided against the double-barrel Bandera (chambers on both sides of the box) because I think it's gonna be too big.

[willkat98]

Depends on whether you will have the outhouse blue pill mod added.

[ckkphoto]

Count on a reply to this...I'm a little slammed for a day or two, but this one's a goody :wink:

[david]

Let's not forget we've already had this thread once or twice...

http://www.bandera-brethren.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=UpDownload&file=index&req=getit&lid=63

[ckkphoto]

Okay, here goes: My ideal smoker would be two of the bandera smoke boxes wide and about four inches deeper. It would have two doors that open independantly. In the middle would be a removeable divider that would alternately allow for a big a$$ smoker area when removed and the longer shelves installed or divided into two separate chambers with separate heat inleat and smoke stacks for separate temp control. the walls of this smoke box wouldn't need to be much heavier than the existing bandera but would be two-ply with a half inch dead air space in between. Instead of the heat coming in from the side at the bottom it would come in directly under the centers of the two sides of the cabinet. Stacks up on top the same way.
The firebox would be much heavier and the width of the two cabinets, but the lid would not extend the entire length because I would want a flat plate to use as a warming (frying) surface. I would want the fire box to be deep enough to have a rotisserie over it, and want the fire to be adjustable in height (cuz the bandera just isn't a great grill) which would make the unit a working grill, rotisserie, and two cabinet smoker all on a footprint about 3 foot square. Add a drain mod and removable lazy q for grilling and gas for the flat plate. And finally put some wheels under it that are beefy enough to roll the unit on and off a trailer. Thats it. perfect smoker for Chris. Would handle about 150-200 lbs of meat. with room for a sauce pot.