Drumroll Please. The MOAB.

oh wel.. snif snif.....its gone.. snif snif.... Truck came and got it today. Waybill was listed as "salvage". That hurt. Was a fiasco getting it on the truck. The send this truck with a puny little liftgate that was just about big enough to fit the pit. The lift was 2 sections with a 5 inch rise over 3 inchs which is pretty steep to push 900 lbs up onto, especially with snow on the driveway. The gate itself, once the pit was on it had about 3 inchs on the sides and front. the back was right at the edge. Almost toppled it twice when he kept moving it around and one wheel would fall off the gate.. twice the side of the truck stopped it from falling completely over. When he finally got it centered on the gate, he started the lift, it jerked up and the second outside section dropped about 2 inchs launching the pit off the gate and toppling it over, of course right where i was standing. Caught it from falling completely over but that was one heavy farker. The driver kept insisting how easy it was gonna be.. Wouldn't believe me when i said its falls over easy.. Now I know how this thing got damaged.. If all the drivers are like this guy, it fell over a few times. Figured from the beginning that the only way enough force can be generated o bend the stuff the way it was.

i didnt measure it, but i made sure a full size rib rack fit. It did with about 3-4 inchs of clearance above it. Thats enuf to stand spares on end. Only think id have to remove shelves for is to do a turkey.

biscuit test: Get a few packages of pop-n-fresh biscuits. enough to put 6 or 9 per shelf. With the smoker at 250-300, start cookin ght biscuits and keep an eye on how things cook and where. it will map out the characteristics of the chamber. Hot spots cookin faster cold spots cook slow... real hot spots burn the bottoms.

Figure since the thread re-opened, i'd update. Dave called me up the day the pit arrived back at his shop. Seems it arrived with even more damege than when it left here. Steel was gouged out and the back panels were bent. He said it looked like it got hit by a forklift. I will be working with Monty as soon as I get a chance t work onthe redesign of the firebox and waterpan. stay tuned.

Holy FARK!!!!


It showed up TODAY!

After shipping MOAB back to Klose and it being more destroyed on the return trip, i was hesitant about having another shipped up and was considering alternatives(thanks Tim). I spoke to Monty, Dave Kloses Fabricator and told him some of the stuff i saw wrong with the old design. The plan was to get together and work on Version II. WE never hooked up, so I thought stuff was still on hold. I was seriously considering going with a differnt type cooker this time, but Oh well...guess I'll just have to settle. :mrgreen:

MOAB v2 showed up today. SURPRISE to me. Called Monty and he said it was tested for 3 days and works amazingly well. It seems seasoned allready, opened up and the smell of mesquite hit me right tween the eyes.

Due to the lowered firebox its not top heavy this time.. It shipped with a medical equipment shipping company that ships MRI equipment and such.. Trucker said they specialize in shipping highend or fragile equipment. Behind the smoker on the truck were 2 $60,000 choppers(motorcycles) shipped form southern california. I asked if he'd drop them off instead, but he declined. The pit was shrinkwrapped, wrapped in padding and strapped to the wall. Other company had it rolling around the back of the truck and bouncing off walls. Guess Dave switching shipping companies. This puppy arrived in pristine condition. Not a scratch.

Got a little work to do and then gonna find something to cook. Rob.. u still comin out tomorrow?

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/modules...ame=gallery&file=index&include=view_album.php

Its both. Under the plate(1/4 inch steel/), is a grate. The plate can be used as a griddle, I am goint to leave it in place all the time just as more insulation. Top of the firebox stays pretty cool with it there. Preheat wood mod may be an issue.

I discoved the atkins version of the Biscuit test. !!

The bacon test.

Scatter bacon around the chamber and see how it cooks where. Shows the hot and cold spots.. and IMO.. bacon beats biscuits to eat after you mapped the chamber.