Progress as of 4-29-2010
Finally nearing completion. I'll be able to cook on this baby for my whole vacation, which starts tomorrow! Here's what I got done yesterday:
Wheels stripped, painted and mounted.
Plenty of clearance to tilt back and move it.
Shelf all sanded and sprayed with a good soaking of "Plasti-dip" I had left over from last build. It's a rubberized coating that you'd usually use on tool handles. I thought it would seal the wood well.
All my hinge and handle holes laid-out and drilled.
Hinges installed. They work like a charm. Nice and sturdy and no problems with clearance or sealing to the drum. I did however take the precaution of bending the out lip of the lid out just a little more with a pair of pliers.
That was the last pic I could take before my camera battery died, but I did also get the handles attached, the stack pipe on, and painted the intake damper.
Still have to install my thermometers once they come in the mail, put the intake damper on and christen it, but that's all that's left to do.
It sure is beautiful! Can't wait to start using it.