Rec Tec 700 and Matador are here!!

[bigfurmn]

As a guy who works in logistics/freight and has for over ten years as a driver and dispatcher... Not the worst pallet I've ever seen. Still looks like crap though. Odds are the second pallet was misrouted and will show up in a week. Can't blame Saia though, most LTL large companies move things cheap but the service isn't the same as a smaller company. I wish I could afford a Rec Tec but well I'm a driver/dispatcher so I'm on a Pit Boss budget! Can't want to hear how good this thing is.

 

[SmokinAl]

Well the suspense is killing me!
Al

 

[gmc2003]

Well technically it is on two pallets. Can't wait to see it together and fired up. As a side dish - I used to own a maroon 78 magnum in the early to mid eighties. One of the best cars I've ever owned. Until it rusted out in the trunk.

Chris

 

[bdskelly]

Well... dang. I thought I’d log on this morning and see the birth of a new Rec Tec.

 

[JK47TheWeapon]

Check your welds...

I went to assemble my replacement RecTec, and the shelf holder plate had been so poorly welded that it had fallen off in transit and scratched the inside.

My original unit had a bent leg in transit, they wouldn't replace it, instead sent me a shelf "so it wouldnt fall over". They did not replace until a few months later when all the paint flaked off from the inside.

 

[Lookn4u]

OK, slow start today as it was well after 3am before bed last night. Spent a few minutes with the wife as we only lay eyes on each other on weekends. She works 7am to 4 pm and I work 2pm till midnight or later, so it’s made for a successful and long marriage. If fact I tell young people all the time that the secret to a long marriage is a lot of time apart. So, at this point I know I’m missing the competition cart and the second shelf. Now that most of it is unpacked we will start an item by item inventory and a general condition check.

Well damn, can’t get pics to load right. Time for a snack and then I’ll try again.

 

[Lookn4u]

View media item 553774View media item 553775View media item 553776

 

[ross77]

That sucks. You’ll have to either wait for the cart or build the smoker now and take off the legs whenever the cart arrives.

 

[Lookn4u]

Introducing the Matador Mini by a couple of trouble makers. Had two of my nephews show up and start helping. After inventing the Matador Mini I convinced them the pallets my blow away if they didn’t hold them down. Worked for few minutes anyway.
View media item 553777View media item 553778

 

[SonnyE]

Cute Helpers there!
Start em young! I'd say let em do a couple of hot dogs as payment for the engineering help. LOL!
What do we have there? 3-4 year olds?
Ice Cream Unk, Ice Cream.

Sorry about the notes. But the wonder is over.
Now for the wait... I hate the waiting part.
I bet some of us are darn near as disappointed as you are.

 

[Lookn4u]

2 and 3. All the nieces and nephews love being at uncle Jon’s. Ice cream, cake, cookies, all the good stuff. Both of these guys are great helpers. We always do “pigs in a blanket “ every time they spend the night. I let them cut biscuits with a plastic knife and then rolll them too. They stand in front of the oven dancing the whole time. It’s a hoot.

 

[SonnyE]

2 and 3. All the nieces and nephews love being at uncle Jon’s. Ice cream, cake, cookies, all the good stuff. Both of these guys are great helpers. We always do “pigs in a blanket “ every time they spend the night. I let them cut biscuits with a plastic knife and then rolll them too. They stand in front of the oven dancing the whole time. It’s a hoot.

I love having the Grandkids around, here. Most are grown up, but #10,11,12 are still young enough to like being at Grandma and Papa's house.
Love them every chance you get Uncle Jon. They grow up so fast! Our littlest, Mia is 2 years, 2 months, and doing her best to try and keep up with her older Sister (Ava 4y, 11m), and big Brother (Mason 6y 6m).
I bet you are the funnest Unk to be around! ;)

 

[Lookn4u]

I'm not able to upload any pics while at work, but we did get it all together and burned in. Then cooked about 3lbs of slab bacon on it because I had to cook something on it the first day. Good thing we all like bacon sandwiches. Over all I am very pleased with it, went together well and I didn't note any obvious shortcomings during assembly. I will say I am disappointed with the smoke box, from the over all construction to fit an finish, I found the whole thing wanting and may just lose it all together. No matter how we clocked the handle it would never line up when closed because of how it hits the shelf supports, the far side handle was just a pain in the "you know what" the screws came out right behind a shelf track making access for a screw driver almost impossible and way more difficult than necessary, again with a little thought and movement even just an 1/4 inch up or down and all would have been much easier. Time will tell on that. When we powered up and started it, it came to 400 pretty quick and held within one degree for the whole hour. I set it back down to 350 for the bacon and it came down to that in the time it took me to retrieve the bacon from the house and get it ready to go on. I had a few pieces crisp up pretty good on one end, so I will be sure to check my foil on the drip shelf and make sure I not blocking any air circulation. as soon as time permits I will break out all my digital thermometers, borrow a couple more and map the cooking surface at a few different temperatures so I know exactly what I'm cooking with. Pics to follow.....

 

[ross77]

Very nice. If it’s anything like my 680 you’ll have a hot spot in the right front.

 

[SonnyE]

Yummm BACON! :D
So glad you were able to give it a try! I was afraid you'd be waiting on back-ordered parts.
Difficulties during assembly will be forgotten when great food is being enjoyed.

Cheer's! Here's hoping the Back-order is waiting for you when you get home!
I think a Bacon Breakin is genius! I'd be going out, opening the lid, just to sniff of it. :rolleyes:

 

[Charles Kosal]

Hey. Little late to the party here but i have had my 700 about a month. Agree on your smoker box comments. Wasn't as tough as i hoped. But, I will say, the handle does work right. My FIL and i spent as much time messing with that handle as we did putting the whole thing together. But, we finally figured it out. The key is using gravity. We probably took that screw out of it 10 times and flipped it every which way. Once we got it, it is snug and shuts tight (enough). I will snap a few pics when i get it fired up this weekend. Cant wait for the long memorial day weekend to cook a gob of stuff. My list.

Butt Friday
Drummies Sat night
Brisket Sunday
and for my wife who decided to become a vegan when i bought a $2k smoker
Roasted Veggies and Jalapeno Stuffs

Monday is a Turkey!

Stocked up on pellets! Ha!

 

[SonnyE]

and for my wife who decided to become a vegan when i bought a $2k smoker
Roasted Veggies and Jalapeno Stuffs

HA!
You know what? That just means MORE for you to enjoy!

 

[id2nv2nj2ca]

Check your welds...

I went to assemble my replacement RecTec, and the shelf holder plate had been so poorly welded that it had fallen off in transit and scratched the inside.

My original unit had a bent leg in transit, they wouldn't replace it, instead sent me a shelf "so it wouldnt fall over". They did not replace until a few months later when all the paint flaked off from the inside.

Everything I have read about Rec Tec and their customer service, including a business card with the owners personal cell phone number included in each grill purchase leads me to say that this comment is REALLY disappointing. I guess there are anomalies in all things, but that stinks to high heavens.

 

[id2nv2nj2ca]

On another completely unrelated note, this image is a screenshot of what opened on my screen when I touched the bold Rec Tec “link” in my previous comment.