Smoker Trailer Build, Chef Bob Ballantyne, The Cowboy and The Rose Catering, Grand Junction, Colorado, USA
With the smoker trailer back from powder coat I thought I would give a little
tour of the unit. Even though it still has some work to be finished, the
end is nearing on this 7 month project. And I wanted to show some of the
close up thought that went into the unit and its trailer.
First the smoker unit is powder coated black with the new 1600 F coat.
This unit will not peel its coating unless I use Liquid Oxygen again, which I
have not done since the barbeque race at 29 Palms. Which I won! (another
story)
She is really built well, a reverse flow design with a 4 degree induced draft
angle to be sure with get draft. I had to induce draft with a built in
angle as I intended to go across the trailer so the tongue could not be used to
lift or lower for draft inducement. And I like my beer level, so I am not
tilting my rig!
She has a large side and a small side, both with expanded metal slide out
racks. The expanded metal also makes up all the space inside between the
racks so a full pig or two can cook in there. The reverse flow heating
element is a piece of 22 gauge steel, arc at 8 foot radius and stitch welded
with a grease trap at the firebox end to prevent grease flare.
She sits nicely in an angle iron trap. Bolted for security to the angle
which is welded to the trailer. The cooker carries a wood rack under the
smoke chamber, and we used expanded metal to create a charcoal storage area
under that. The firebox also sports a rack shelf under it for my gloves
and strikers.
You can see the mount hole for storage of the weed burner starter welded to
the trailer floor. The half inch nipple is for the valve and propane
supply to the weed burner. The upright half inch pipe goes to a propane
lantern for light without all the racket of a genset.
Here you can see how the expanded metal traps the charcoal for transport.
The rings are for the two propane bottles. The one inch steel line coming
up is for the house propane regulator to deliver the flow of fuel for the
lanterns and heaters and stoves.
The armadillo is waiting to open long necks!
The rack goes all the way around the firebox. Lots of things can be
stored under there. Mostly my welding gloves for handling stuff that is
hot.
This shows off her twin 55K btu commercial propane two eye range. I
love appliances! And she has got a nice set! As I expect her to
have!
Her deck is completed powder coated in the metallic gray as is her underside.
I put a set of Dutch Oven stacks on her, these are able to handle three 16
inch lodge ovens in each stack. The door allows ash to be cleaned out.
There is a 1.5 inch air insulation area between the trailer floor and the base
for the charcoals. The hollow spot is for the lights. I have not
wired it yet.
I doubled up on the Dutch Oven stacks, the jacks take her off the axles for
functions. And the ramp allows my food to roll on board. But more
important she is wide enough on the deck to haul two Harley Heritage Soft Tail
Classics anywhere we go!
I am very happy with the project so far. I wish it would go faster, but
correct is more important than fast!
View of her counter weight system.
Her ramp slides in and jacks fold up. She is ready to roll on to the
next party!
Hope you enjoyed the tour
'til we talk again, really get a little done every weekend on the project and
it will come to fruition!
Chef Bob Ballantyne
The Cowboy and The Rose Catering
Grand Junction, Colorado, USA
A tour of the New Rig... a close up look at the build!
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