- Jun 27, 2011
- 97
- 11
I had just put time in this spring going through my inventory of spare parts and project modifications-in-waiting (can you believe SWMBO referred to my inventory as "junk"?). I utilized what I could, hid some, gave some parts and pieces away, and some even went to the curb. Down to one UDS and my old weber. Had the patio swept and things organized so "somebody" wouldn't have to "look at that stuff" when she looks out the back door to check on the dog.
Then my over-educated idiot of a neighbor moved out. And left on the curb... wait for it... a pristine Weber kettle, a middle of the road gasser that's seen better days and a New Braunfels offset. My neighbor across the street knew just what to do. He grabbed the Weber and made a beeline for his back yard, and sent his wife over to tell me to "come look and see what they left!" He was just headed around the corner of his house with the weber when I got out there.
I think the offset is a Hondo, based on pictures here and elsewhere. It seems a little heavier material than the Char Griller Duo I started with 5 or 6 years ago. Not heavy enough to be one of the "good" ones, and it's not had the best of care. I'm not sure the firebox has ever been cleaned thoroughly. (And why doesn't it have a clean-out drawer? anybody got a mod for that?) Both doors are tweaked a little and are going to take a bit of reverse-tweaking. From the way the frame leans a bit, I think at some point it's been pushed over backwards. The smoke stack is just spot welded into the hole. The corners on the firebox look like they were made in 8th grade shop class. The different pieces come together enough to hold, but there are enough gaps I don't think closing the vent would be enough to snuff the fire out. I figure a tube of high-temp sealant ought to fill in the gaps in the firebox and around the exhaust. But the price was right!
I enjoy my drum so much, I really hesitated and put a lot of thought into it (about 2 seconds
) before deciding the SFB was calling my name. My drum fits my laziness perfectly. The SFB means more work. after I made my first drum, it didn't bother me a bit to sell the CharGriller. But when it was just sitting there on the curb, orphaned and homeless... I just had to save it. Besides, the best pulled pork I've done was on the CG and not the drum.
Here's some low-quality cell phone pics I got between rains today...
While it was raining, I started replacing a bathroom vent. (Out of curiosity, do the mfrs. change the sizes every few years just to make replacing one harder??) The exhaust 1/2 had died, but the heating element was still good. I'm thinking there has to be some way that heating element can be used on the drum. I mean, it still works--I can't just throw it out, can I? I just have to get it to the shed when nobody's looking
...
Then my over-educated idiot of a neighbor moved out. And left on the curb... wait for it... a pristine Weber kettle, a middle of the road gasser that's seen better days and a New Braunfels offset. My neighbor across the street knew just what to do. He grabbed the Weber and made a beeline for his back yard, and sent his wife over to tell me to "come look and see what they left!" He was just headed around the corner of his house with the weber when I got out there.
I think the offset is a Hondo, based on pictures here and elsewhere. It seems a little heavier material than the Char Griller Duo I started with 5 or 6 years ago. Not heavy enough to be one of the "good" ones, and it's not had the best of care. I'm not sure the firebox has ever been cleaned thoroughly. (And why doesn't it have a clean-out drawer? anybody got a mod for that?) Both doors are tweaked a little and are going to take a bit of reverse-tweaking. From the way the frame leans a bit, I think at some point it's been pushed over backwards. The smoke stack is just spot welded into the hole. The corners on the firebox look like they were made in 8th grade shop class. The different pieces come together enough to hold, but there are enough gaps I don't think closing the vent would be enough to snuff the fire out. I figure a tube of high-temp sealant ought to fill in the gaps in the firebox and around the exhaust. But the price was right!
I enjoy my drum so much, I really hesitated and put a lot of thought into it (about 2 seconds
Here's some low-quality cell phone pics I got between rains today...
While it was raining, I started replacing a bathroom vent. (Out of curiosity, do the mfrs. change the sizes every few years just to make replacing one harder??) The exhaust 1/2 had died, but the heating element was still good. I'm thinking there has to be some way that heating element can be used on the drum. I mean, it still works--I can't just throw it out, can I? I just have to get it to the shed when nobody's looking
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