Hey JacksBBQ, I researched for a while, and just couldn't seem to wrap my head around the $ that some of these cost. I found a local DFW that custom made mine for me and it was VERY reasonable. His craftsmanship was spot on! I'm very happy with it. Due to the Photobucket boning, I'm unable to post pics, but if you pm me your email address I can send you pics of mine, and contact info for the builder.
you have contact info for the local guy? ive been looking at them for a long time and cant bring myself to pay what some of these guys want.
LSG makes some really nice Santa Maria grills. My wife and I were at the LSG shop with her having punched my ticket to get one. Then...... i just got to thinking about my two BGE's that I use to grill stuff on plus my Weber Jumbo Joe that I use at times to fire up and grill a steak or two. So... I punted. I know what you are thinking. How could I walk away from such a great new cooking toy?
The Grillwrap covers are expensive but very well made and are constructed to fit your cooker/grill. I love mine that is used to cover my LSG VO. As mentioned in this thread, they have a ten year warranty.
I put one in my back patio last summer. I use an old grill cover so it doesn't rust, I imagine it would get worn pretty quick i I didn't have it one there.
Mine is wood burning, no gas. So the bottom and walls are all firebrick and I didn't mortar the bottom in, so any water that gets in seeps through the cracks in the firebrick.
Couple of recommendations:
1) Go with wood burning, gas is cheating :grin:
2) Def need some sort of cover, esp if any water won't run through/off
3) You need air in the chamber, otherwise you'll be babysitting the fire. I had to fix mine with an air pump that i have attached from underneath my gas grill. I run the air pump through a steel pipe that comes out in the bottom of the pit in the santa maria....now the coals/wood burn perfectly with little to no maintenance..