rotisserie questions

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

I think Big Al mentioned his BD mod plans and some others may have touched upon this subject recently as well. I also realize that Weber offers a rotisserie and expansion ring for its kettle. Amazon.com sells it for $99 plus some other models. Amazon discussions indicate that Weber rotisserie moter is crap. Numerous listings for several brands on ebay as well. Some are 3 rpm and some are 6.

For anyone with experience using rotisseries for smoking, please share your advice, techniques, limitations, etc. Thanks in advance.

Mark (STL)

chad · Oct 10, 2003

You can get generic rotisserie setups just about anywhere starting at about $30. They are ALL crap -- now, having said that, the motors are just too small for the loads and run times we put on them. An exception may be the motor that's on Phil's big honkin' gas grill -- but that is an expensive setup. Hopefully, if would last.

Next, the idea on the Bandera mod I remember was to put the motor on top of the verticle chamber and have some kinda of setup with hooks so the ribs could circulate hanging down - ala the Al Rocker smoker in the Mephis-in-May special.

Now I'm probably going to get flamed (again!) regarding this post but what the heck -- we're family

Bottom line: buy one cheap, try it out, figure out what's wrong with the one you bought, buy a better setup next time.

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

Okay guys. This is just way too early for hijacking this thread. Lets get some legitimate input first. After that, maybe we can coal fart power the rotisserie somehow.

Mark (STL)

chad · Oct 10, 2003

You'll notice that I did have legitimate input

You probably get what you pay for but nearly all the ones available for add-on - Weber, CharBroil, other third-party add-ons, will work for a while. If you load 'em up like we did Phil's with 4 chickens then they won't last as long as if you only do one or two birds at a time.

As an aside: you can get accessories for the rotisseries -- baskets for cut chicken (my dad used to have one of these and it worked well) are an example.

Bill-Chicago · Oct 10, 2003

Your right Mark.
Sorry.

When I was passing one of those Brazilian Steak places, they had their rotissere spinning vertically (kinda like a Gyro machine) with the fire in the middle and these things spinning in an outer circle.

I looked at it and wondered if it was possible (or practical) to use something like that in the Bandera. Probably not practical, as I guess you would need to come down the chimney with it.

But my point is that these rotisseries had half a cow on them. Huge honking pieces of meat. So I'd bet if you looked on the restaurant supply side of cooking equipment, you could pick up a pretty decent motor.

chad · Oct 10, 2003

But my point is that these rotisseries had half a cow on them. Huge honking pieces of meat. So I'd bet if you looked on the restaurant supply side of cooking equipment, you could pick up a pretty decent motor

Odds are the motor/rotisserie would cost more than the Bandera

The heavy duty setups like that are really expensive. I was thinking of a dryer motor with reduction gearing.

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

Yeah. I'm thinkin used industrial grade gear reduction motor.

Mark (STL)

PS: My last post was not directed at you David.

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

Dryer motors have gear reduction? Mine looks like a regular motor with a little sheave with a belt around the dryer drum (a really big sheave).

Mark (STL)

parrothead · Oct 10, 2003

industrial grade gear reduction motor.

Too expensive. Go Industrial grade, but do the gear reduction yourself outside of the motor.

chad · Oct 10, 2003

It would be "manual" gear reduction-- ie. sprockets from, say, an old bicycle

The motor would probably be too big to put on top of the Bandera anyway.

An industrial grade gear reduction motor would be the way to go -- I'm just cheap and a shade tree mechanic, too.

I knew you didn't mean me -- I've just been guilty of hijacking more than one thread!

I just had a thought (I know, I know, amazing isn't it?)

if you mounted one of the cheaper motors on top of the Bandera and used it to turn it's load in a verticle way (like Bill was talking about) the load on the motor should be less than the horizontal spit -- the cheaper motor just might last (as long as it didn't get rained on). Hmmm, I'll have to try that out.

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

I wonder if its the non-balanced load or the heat/humidity that does in rotisserie motors. Perhaps mounting the motor UNDER the smoke chamber????

Otherwise, verticle, with the motor on the side opposite the firebox and living with the size/weight limitations. What's more practical?

Mark (STL)

parrothead · Oct 10, 2003

I wonder if its the non-balanced load or the heat/humidity that does in rotisserie motors.

Probably the non balanced load is the worst of the 2. All that jerking everytime the unbalanced load flips.

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

I'm beginning to think vertical orientation with the motor mounted underneath. That should take care of most of the problems discussed so far including rain. Just drill a hole in the exact center of the BD smoke chamber and add a stablizing bar about halfway up with a hole in it for the other end of the spit bar. Some refinements to consider:

1. a small roller bearing above the hole in the bottom of the smoke chamber
2. a washer welded to the spit bar so it can rest on the bearing.

Are we geting somewhere? Any other thoughts?

Mark (STL)

parrothead · Oct 10, 2003

Any other thoughts?

Yeah, where's the water pan go now that you just drilled a hole in the bottom of the bandera and ran a rod up through it, all the way to the top.

parrothead · Oct 10, 2003

Yeah, where's the water pan go now that you just drilled a hole in the bottom of the bandera and ran a rod up through it, all the way to the top.

Fixed that problem myself. Just use one of them bundt cake pans for a waterpan. COOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

A bundt pan would work pretty cool too but do you really need a water pan at all when using a rotisserie?

Mark (STL)

chad · Oct 10, 2003

I'd think real hard about putting the motor on the bottom of the Bandera -- all the grease, oil, mop, etc. in going to run right into the motor. But other than that it sounds like you have a plan.

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

You could keep the crap out by brazing or welding a short chunk of pipe above the hole. Yeah, youd end up with a crap resivour though

Mark (STL)

Mark · Oct 10, 2003

The additional weight would be minimal. And I envision taking the rotisserie contraption off when done with it. I don't plan to be moving it around anyway.

Mark (STL)

parrothead · Oct 10, 2003

Could not be direct drive. Would have to have gears or a belt or chain. Otherwise everything would run down and collect.

rotisserie questions

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