Shirley Fab Firebox options

What offset firebox would you choose or did you choose?

  • Total voters
    60
  • Poll closed .
pjtexas1

pjtexas1

somebody shut me the fark up.
Joined
Dec 28, 2011
Location
Belton, Tx
Name or Nickame
Texas Pete
If you had a choice what would you get or what did you get on yours? 1/4", 3/8", 1/2" or insulated? My order has been placed but Paul and Tyler have not started on it yet. After another post today I was wondering if my money would be better spent on the cabinet option, SS table, etc. I live in Central Texas. Hopefully you guys can help a confused brethren with your wisdom.:becky:

Thanks baseballegg for bringing this up. I thought I new what I wanted but now I am second guessing myself. You might have saved me from making an expensive mistake.
 
First off congrats on the new pit. Like I said before, if I went reverse flow I wouldve gone Shirley.

As for the firebox, when I ordered my LSG offset I went 1/4" since I live in SoCal and wind is not an issue where Im at. We're in the "coldest" months now and having fired her up a few times I have been happy with the 1/4" FB choice. Never experienced drops in temps when I opened the FB door to add splits,etc.

If I were in colder,rainy, windy climate I would consider 1/2" to insulated FB though.

P.S. I really like the Shirley cabinet style and personally will go with that.

Good Luck!
 
i went with the cabinet style just so its easier to open...the wife can open it...the teenagers...and when im old i can still open it. wasnt too worried about the firebox tbh...it doesnt get that cold here...or that hot for that matter lol
 
I ordered my SF pit about a month ago and opted for insulated. BUT I live in a fairly cold climate... If I lived in TX, I would probably go 1/4 or 3/8. Honestly I think you're going to be happy either way. They make great pits!
 
I live in Southern MO, and while it doesn't get MN cold here it does get cold and windy. I am adding the insulated box.
 
A normal firebox rusts pretty quickly. Does an insulated firebox rust less due to less heat on the outer layer?
 
3/8"

I went with the 3/8 and couldn't be happier, but this was before they started doing insulated boxes. If the price were comparable I would've went with the insulated. Even though I have no complaints with the one I have now.
 
If money were no object, and since we're talking your money, it's no object to me, I would go with the insulated box. It is going to be more efficient even in Texas. And unless you have tons of wood to get rid of, the more efficient, the better.

However, I sure would want the cabinet doors, they are sweet and the capacity is better, if it came down to insulated or 3/8" and cabinet doors, I would get the doors.
 
I don't know any better. And since I don't, I would suggest talking to Paul and Tyler. I am sure they won't steer you wrong. Explain to them your usage and climate. They hook you up right.

While I understand this is their business, nothing I have heard makes me think they would sell you something they don't need.
 
Only because you said it's either/or and your climate is warm I say go 3/8 and cabinet doors.


Without warm climate and not worried about cash I'd go insulated and cabinet doors all day long though. And I'm guessing this is what you'd really want, but the advantages of this setup over the same one with 3/8ths firebox are felt much less often than the advantages of an insulated rig without the cabinet style doors.
 
Paul and Tyler should be starting to build mine in a few weeks.
I went with the insulated firebox, as I am in MN.
Even in the warm month's this option will make a easy running pit, even more easy to maintain temps.
This is a $600 option, in my case and well worth it! INHO :decision:
No matter what you choose they will build you a piece of art!
 
i live in florida and when i asked paul about the insuated fire box he said i would not need it. so i went with 3/8. paul is real honest.he could of just sold me the insulated box and made him some extra money. with that said if you have the money and want insulated then go for it. but if i had to choose id go 3/8 with the cabinet doors.
 
If I were you and wanted to add an option I would do that before insulating the fire box. I checked the Dallas 5 day. -6 with 15mph wind here yesterday morning. on a bad day what is the difference an arm load of wood. last year I did a cook in sault ste. marie 240 lbs. of butts in mid nov. 30 mph winds 4" on snow came down. everything done 2 hours early. 3/16 fire box and a cooker nothing close to the quality your going to have in a Shirley fab. I didn't volunteer to cook this year.
 
I just have the regular 3/8" version (or whatever the entire cooker is) and have done plenty of cooks in cold Illinois weather without any issue whatsoever. I, too, was seriously contemplating getting a thicker or insulated firebox when I ordered my pit from the Shirley boys a year ago but decided not to and I haven't regretted it at all.

This cooker takes me 30 minutes to get up to temp and she rocks and rolls at a steady temp no matter what the conditions are like. I just used it yesterday to smoke some jerky and it was no more than 12 degrees outside.
 
I selected insulated in the poll, not that you really need it. Shirley's are so well built and the fit-n-finish so tight they will perform no matter what.

One considerstion when making this kind or decision is what do you want your pit to look like; if you have any need or desire for colors, custom paint art and/or logos you gotta go insulated IMO. I've tried a bunch of the fancy high tech colored high temp paints and they just don't work worth a chit.

Edit: and of course the insulated will hold the normal high temp paints much better over time meaining less maintenance, especially if your pit stays outdoors.

Just my $0.02
 
rdstoll said:
I just have the regular 3/8" version (or whatever the entire cooker is) and have done plenty of cooks in cold Illinois weather without any issue whatsoever. I, too, was seriously contemplating getting a thicker or insulated firebox when I ordered my pit from the Shirley boys a year ago but decided not to and I haven't regretted it at all.

This cooker takes me 30 minutes to get up to temp and she rocks and rolls at a steady temp no matter what the conditions are like. I just used it yesterday to smoke some jerky and it was no more than 12 degrees outside.
Click to expand...

How is the paint on the firebox holding up? My 20+ year old 1/4" offset is still holding up but the firebox doesn't look good.
 
landarc said:
However, I sure would want the cabinet doors, they are sweet and the capacity is better, if it came down to insulated or 3/8" and cabinet doors, I would get the doors.
Click to expand...

You nailed my dilemma! Those cabinet doors just seem to be begging me to buy them.:wacko: It would probably help if I could stop watching Paul's videos on FaceBook. I am a cheap farker buy nature so that doesn't really help me either. I will probably end up getting it all but it's going to be painful to that little cheap farker in my head.:laugh:
 
mr big said:
I went with the 3/8 and couldn't be happier, but this was before they started doing insulated boxes. If the price were comparable I would've went with the insulated. Even though I have no complaints with the one I have now.
Click to expand...

How long have you had your SF? Could you post a pic of the firebox? One of my concerns is how the paint will hold up over the years.
 
Well being in my region you know that we don't have terribly cold winters and unlike folks up in the northern states, for us an insulated firebox isn't a MUST as far as maintaining temps. You also know about the hot summers we have and that during those months the first 100 degrees is free, so as far as maintaining temps goes the extra thickness of the 1/2 inch plate would probably be sufficient for you.:-D
Another thing to consider is wether you want a grill top or not because that option is usually lost when you have an insulated box. My suggestion would be to consider the 1/2 inch box and then also the warmer/oven that Shirley makes to go on top of it. Between the two you'll get excellent efficiency by the extra thermal mass of the 1/2 inch steel of the firebox, by capturing the heat normally lost off of the top of the firebox with the oven and also get the added benefits of the many uses of the oven.:wink:
 
The pit I bought is uninsulated and 3/8 in the fire box, warmer and cooking chamber. The paint on my fire box has definitely faded. This not a reflection of poor quality. I use my pit a lot and run it in excess of 500 degrees when making pizza. The paint is just going to fade if you use it and run it hot. On a insulated fire box the paint on the outside of the fire box will certainly hold up better. But the inside wall is still taking a beating. Im fixing to purchase another Shirley pit. On this one im going with cabinet doors, insulated and the thickest metal that he has. Let me add that im 100 percent satisfied with the pit that I have. I just want another one with all the bells and whistles. When I made my first purchase, money was the limiting factor. This time its not a issue. If you have the money, I recommend getting the thicker metal and insulated. The cabinet doors are a no brainer.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

sudsandswine
Shirley Fab rehab
2 3
Replies
56
Views
5K
TravelingJ
T
L
Lonestar Offset Horizontal Cabinet Options or Similar LSG Pit Options.
Replies
2
Views
302
musicmanj
M
OneHump
Offset Checkboxes
Replies
8
Views
3K
SkaterSmoker
SkaterSmoker
M
Can your traditional flow beat up my RF in a cage match?
Replies
11
Views
2K
gtsum
G
B
New RF smoker design/build_help needed
2
Replies
20
Views
1K
Back9Q
B
Back
Top