No more stick burners - too much effort - just kidding

Bill Fuentes · 10-23-2019, 10:07 AM

Having new stick burner built - not too big, not too small

Here in Texas, and especially growing up in Central Texas, always meant working your fire and becoming one with your pit (brick or steel). "Suffer for your craft" I always said, then recently, after a long nite of offset babysitting, I said "that's it, I'm out - somebody get me one of those Rec Tec Pellet cookers" .

Almost did it - instead, after looking back at my roots and feeling the pull back to the firebox, I ordered a new pit to be built by a local guy cutting his teeth on building smokers (support your local pit builder :))

Behold project X, a tiny 20 incher, she is in flight and once complete will take many great (and fun) hours of fire research and tuning to get me back to that original warm feeling that only wood fire (not a little pellet) and a firebox can provide.

I still have an eye on the pellets, but for now lets see what I can do with this piece of steel. Once complete I'll fill you in on the specs and builder.

Oh, side note, I'm fine with the welds - this aint a $4k pit so it is what it is - there will be no paint or fancy devices or extra shelves - just a firebox, with a door that will open or close, and a chamber to put meaty things in, and a fat smoke stack

pjtexas1 · 10-23-2019, 10:16 AM

I see a beautiful cooker so far. [emoji106]

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

rwalters · 10-23-2019, 10:22 AM

Love the simplicity!

Lynn Dollar · 10-23-2019, 10:37 AM

My OC Brazos is 20" wide. I really can't see how a 24" width does a lot more for me.

I can put two pork butt side by side on the 20" grate, but even with four more inches, I could not put three side by side.

I can put a rack of spares crossways. Another 4" would be nice, but I don't need it.

Maybe with a 24", I could put two brisket side by side. But really, I don't wanna smoke more than one brisket.

My thinking on an offset, is I would rather have length than width. Having length allows me to get the meat further from the fire and I think it creates more convection at the stack end. I'm more about smoking a small amount of meat in a great way, than cooking a great amount of meat in an average way.

I would probably get better air flow on a 20 X 48 .

Just my thoughts, I could be all wrong, very easily.

cowgirl · 10-23-2019, 11:34 AM

Looking good!

ronbrad62 · 10-23-2019, 01:12 PM

Sometimes simple is better. I miss owning an offset also, and one day will rectify it. For now, I will enjoy your cook pics when you break her in.

4ever3 · 10-23-2019, 01:17 PM

WAIT!!!

No intake in the door!?!?

How will the heat be controlled!?!?

Love it!!! Keep the pics coming!

DownHomeQue · 10-23-2019, 02:24 PM

Looks great! Nothing better than building your own cooker! Stickburners are my favorite cooker! gives me an excuse to sit by the smoker and do nothing else lol

Stingerhook · 10-23-2019, 02:47 PM

Looks like some fun ahead.

SonnyE · 10-23-2019, 05:46 PM

Looks great so far!

You know, stick burners take a LOT of beer to run them.

big irv · 10-23-2019, 05:49 PM

I felt the same way about pellets tillI got one. Wish I had done it years ago. Also some good USA offsett makers are manufacture pellet cookers as well that are way more heavy duty than you find at your big box stores, or that get shipped in from china. Pitts and spitts, gator pit, and yoder to name a few. If you like burning sticks, but want to go pellets I would look at those first.

Bill Fuentes · 10-23-2019, 06:10 PM

Thanks - When the maker says it's cool to release his company name / brand I will.

There are so many cool builders out there in Texas alone, and not everyone has a website - someday Dustin (builder) may add his name to this growing list of Texas steel artists.

It makes you dizzy looking at different ways to build

I'm sure there are at least 20 other shops I missed in my list - but I've looked at them all and studied their builds and hope them all the best in this market, is there such a thing as too many ways to smoke?

Austin Smoke Works (BAS)
Bad Habits
Big Phils
East Texas Smokers
El Cucaracho Smokers
Gator
Helotes Pits
Jambo
Jays BBQ Pits
Klose
Lang
Lonestar Grillz
Long Horn
Lyfe Tyme
Mill Scale (BAS)
Moberg (BAS)
Old Country (not really Texas - kinda Mexico I think)
Pits by JJ
Pitts and Spits
South Texas Steel BBQ Pits
Texas Original

redchaserron · 10-24-2019, 07:49 AM

That's awesome. My recent smoker aquisition was built by a backyard welder for his own cooking, the welds are sloppy but none of the briskets or butts I put in it have ever complained.

Big George's BBQ · 10-24-2019, 08:55 AM

Looking forward to seeing the finished product

guero_gordo · 10-24-2019, 08:01 PM

No matter what you do, there's someone who thinks it's too much work and someone who thinks you're lazy for doing it the easy way.

10-23-2019, 10:07 AM	#1
Bill Fuentes Got Wood. Join Date: 02-16-15 Location: Texas Name/Nickname : Tito	No more stick burners - too much effort - just kidding Having new stick burner built - not too big, not too small Here in Texas, and especially growing up in Central Texas, always meant working your fire and becoming one with your pit (brick or steel). "Suffer for your craft" I always said, then recently, after a long nite of offset babysitting, I said "that's it, I'm out - somebody get me one of those Rec Tec Pellet cookers" . Almost did it - instead, after looking back at my roots and feeling the pull back to the firebox, I ordered a new pit to be built by a local guy cutting his teeth on building smokers (support your local pit builder :)) Behold project X, a tiny 20 incher, she is in flight and once complete will take many great (and fun) hours of fire research and tuning to get me back to that original warm feeling that only wood fire (not a little pellet) and a firebox can provide. I still have an eye on the pellets, but for now lets see what I can do with this piece of steel. Once complete I'll fill you in on the specs and builder. Oh, side note, I'm fine with the welds - this aint a $4k pit so it is what it is - there will be no paint or fancy devices or extra shelves - just a firebox, with a door that will open or close, and a chamber to put meaty things in, and a fat smoke stack __________________ Offsets - Bullet - Drum - Kettle - Bricks and Tin - Hole in the ground Last edited by Bill Fuentes; 10-23-2019 at 11:50 AM..

10-23-2019, 10:16 AM	#2
pjtexas1 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 12-28-11 Location: Belton, Tx Name/Nickname : Texas Pete	I see a beautiful cooker so far. [emoji106] Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk __________________ Paul (aka Texas Pete) SF 24x36 Midnight Edition / Mak 1-Star /Abe's 48" Insulated Cabinet / 22.5 OTG / 28" BS / Jimmy with CB Roti and pizza kit / Red Box on custom cart / Char-Griller Kettle / Barrel House Cooker / Pit Boss Copperhead / Char-Griller Akorn Jr Sign Up for The 2022 Texas BBQ Brethren Fall Bash Here! ([URL="https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/12NjP4bH3uLyH6-RJnI4gSfDr0nKQ6_4cxdw_GhmrKq0/edit#gid=1935530835"]Link[/URL])

10-23-2019, 10:22 AM	#3
rwalters Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-08-12 Location: Columbia, TN Name/Nickname : Robb	Love the simplicity! __________________ MAK 3 Star — Camp Chef FTG 900 — 26.75 Weber kettle — Weber Q3200 Follower of Jesus, Husband of 1, Father of 9, Lover of people "Ya don't win friends with salad!" Come follow my adventures on Instagram: @rwaltersbbq

10-23-2019, 11:34 AM	#5
cowgirl somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-18-07 Location: Oklahoma Name/Nickname : jeanie	Looking good! __________________ jeanie Lifetime member of the Society for the Preservation of Authentic Royal Magical Rare Kaskaskian Peppers (Thanks Ash :)) RIP Ash, you are missed http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/

10-23-2019, 01:12 PM	#6
ronbrad62 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-16-16 Location: Johns Creek, Ga. Name/Nickname : Ron	Sometimes simple is better. I miss owning an offset also, and one day will rectify it. For now, I will enjoy your cook pics when you break her in. __________________ Ron Join us for the South East Bash in Lebanon, Tn. May 4, 2024 (https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets...usp=drivesdk)] Bash planning thread here https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/s...d.php?t=305951

10-23-2019, 10:37 AM	#4
Lynn Dollar is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 01-19-18 Location: Oklahoma City Name/Nickname : A man named Lynn	My OC Brazos is 20" wide. I really can't see how a 24" width does a lot more for me. I can put two pork butt side by side on the 20" grate, but even with four more inches, I could not put three side by side. I can put a rack of spares crossways. Another 4" would be nice, but I don't need it. Maybe with a 24", I could put two brisket side by side. But really, I don't wanna smoke more than one brisket. My thinking on an offset, is I would rather have length than width. Having length allows me to get the meat further from the fire and I think it creates more convection at the stack end. I'm more about smoking a small amount of meat in a great way, than cooking a great amount of meat in an average way. I would probably get better air flow on a 20 X 48 . Just my thoughts, I could be all wrong, very easily.

10-23-2019, 01:17 PM	#7
4ever3 somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-29-12 Location: Tulsa	WAIT!!! No intake in the door!?!? How will the heat be controlled!?!? Love it!!! Keep the pics coming! __________________ Jeremy Old Oklahoma Joe (Opal) GMG TREK (Greta Thunberg) Weber Summit Charcoal (Waylon) MAK 2 Star (Maybel) 2x “Unfortunately nothing wrong with that” Bob C Que… I must be living right (somehow…)

10-23-2019, 02:24 PM	#8
DownHomeQue is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-11-12 Location: Jonesboro. AR Name/Nickname : DHQ	Looks great! Nothing better than building your own cooker! Stickburners are my favorite cooker! gives me an excuse to sit by the smoker and do nothing else lol __________________ [URL]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=243527[/URL] 150 Gallon Build (2017) [URL]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=148660[/URL] 250 Gallon Offset Build (2012) [URL]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=211078[/URL] 600 Gallon Offset Build (2016)

10-23-2019, 02:47 PM	#9
Stingerhook somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 02-13-12 Location: SE Florida Name/Nickname : Marty	Looks like some fun ahead. __________________ Marty UDS now gone, WSM 18", WSM 22" and pellet pooper in the garage for 18 months now.

10-23-2019, 05:46 PM	#10
SonnyE is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 04-06-19 Location: Saugus, California Name/Nickname : Sonny	Looks great so far! You know, stick burners take a LOT of beer to run them. __________________ SonnyE, Grillin, Chillin, Beer Swillin, Grandpa's Ribs a specialty. Farking good BBQ is a learned skill, low and slow. :becky:

10-23-2019, 05:49 PM	#11
big irv Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 04-23-08 Location: Corpus Christi Tx	I felt the same way about pellets tillI got one. Wish I had done it years ago. Also some good USA offsett makers are manufacture pellet cookers as well that are way more heavy duty than you find at your big box stores, or that get shipped in from china. Pitts and spitts, gator pit, and yoder to name a few. If you like burning sticks, but want to go pellets I would look at those first.

10-23-2019, 06:10 PM	#12
Bill Fuentes Got Wood. Join Date: 02-16-15 Location: Texas Name/Nickname : Tito	Thanks - When the maker says it's cool to release his company name / brand I will. There are so many cool builders out there in Texas alone, and not everyone has a website - someday Dustin (builder) may add his name to this growing list of Texas steel artists. It makes you dizzy looking at different ways to build I'm sure there are at least 20 other shops I missed in my list - but I've looked at them all and studied their builds and hope them all the best in this market, is there such a thing as too many ways to smoke? Austin Smoke Works (BAS) Bad Habits Big Phils East Texas Smokers El Cucaracho Smokers Gator Helotes Pits Jambo Jays BBQ Pits Klose Lang Lonestar Grillz Long Horn Lyfe Tyme Mill Scale (BAS) Moberg (BAS) Old Country (not really Texas - kinda Mexico I think) Pits by JJ Pitts and Spits South Texas Steel BBQ Pits Texas Original __________________ Offsets - Bullet - Drum - Kettle - Bricks and Tin - Hole in the ground

10-24-2019, 07:49 AM	#13
redchaserron Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-14-15 Location: Lafayette, La	That's awesome. My recent smoker aquisition was built by a backyard welder for his own cooking, the welds are sloppy but none of the briskets or butts I put in it have ever complained. __________________ Weber Kettle 22", The Monster (67x32 Franklin Clone offset on a trailer)

10-24-2019, 08:55 AM	#14
Big George's BBQ somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 02-07-08 Location: Framingham, MA Name/Nickname : George	Looking forward to seeing the finished product __________________ Large BIG Green EGG- Hatched 8/17/09 Backwoods Extented Party- sold Weber Genesis Gasser Mid Atlantic BBQ Association KCBS Back Porch BBQ Competition BBQ Team Proud Member of the Zero Club When all else fails ask yourself WWGALD

10-24-2019, 08:01 PM	#15
guero_gordo is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-14-14 Location: East Bay, CA	No matter what you do, there's someone who thinks it's too much work and someone who thinks you're lazy for doing it the easy way. __________________ UDS, Weber OTP(the Swiss Army Knife of cookers)