[AZBBQGRILLS]

For those of you who do not know who I am. My name is David and I live in Tucson AZ. I own Arizona BBQ Grills. I currently build pits and grills for the backyard BBQer. I have had an outstanding response to my smoker and grill. I am in the process of building a bigger smoker and grill combination. I will be building one that can be trailered. So my question is what would make it appealing to the competition BBQer. Give me your ideas. There are more pics on my website www.azbbqgrills.com

BACK YARD BBQuer

Smoker / Grill is built from 10 Gauge Mild Steel (Domestic Only) I support the USA local Steel Mills
Smoker is 24" x 24"
Smoker Grill Grates are 21 x 22 ( 2 or 3 ) can be added spacing is 7 inches on 2 and 5 inches on 3
Fire Box is 20" x 16"
Fire Box Vents are 4 x 6 inches one per side
Heat controlled by a 6 x 16 inch damper
4 inch exhaust stack that can be opened or shut
Elevating Open Face Grill 22" x 34"
Portable

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[brandon]

You do some nice work David. I am not a competition Q guy, just a guy trying to make a living serving good food and have a few ideas which I look for. I like an insulated box or at least double walled to not only keep temperatures regulated but uses less fuel. I also like an offset firebox with baffles to maintain a more even temperature throughout the cooking chamber. The Kingfishers I have used for years have a water box mounted on top of the fire box and allow a nice flow of moisture in the cook box which is something you might consider. It is a simple idea but really works well. I hope this give you some ideas from a simple working man. Best of luck to you.

[AZBBQGRILLS]

Thanks for the input. I have had several request for the offset firebox. My thoughts were to put it under the grill. As for baffles. Are you referring to venting system for air flow or adjusting the baffle to regulate the heat. The double walled is also another question I have been asked. What thickness metal is used and is there anything between the walls.

[KidCurry]

Having never cooked on your smoker the only thing I can see would be maybe moving the smoke stack to the middle.  I guess if I used one I might be able come up with something else but hell it probably cooks great as is.

I cook on a few UDS cookers so the fire just under the food seems fine. That arrangement Works well for the spicewine/backwoods type cookers which is what your smoker is kind of like...minus the insulated walls.

[Jaybird]

Thanks for the input. I have had several request for the offset firebox. My thoughts were to put it under the grill. As for baffles. Are you referring to venting system for air flow or adjusting the baffle to regulate the heat. The double walled is also another question I have been asked. What thickness metal is used and is there anything between the walls.

Hi David, usually ceramic insulation is used between the walls of an insulated firebox. Don't know where to get it but....

[Gava Ds BBQ]

Owens Corning 700 series high density, rigid and semi-rigid, insulation...

[bearbonez]

 I completely agree with adding a water pan and insulation. Cabinet smokers are getting more and more popular. Also you may check into providing bbq guru installs as well. Also a charcoal basket With plates offset 1/3 and 2/3 the width so the charcoal burns slow in a serpentine manner using minion method.

[chas]

Dave
The smoker that is in the photo looks good. The grill appears to have a crank to elevate the cooking grate. This is a problem when cooking for the public. The meat is exposed to the open air and is not covered. Smokers with insulate walls  require different construction techniques. The increased heat in the smoker fire box may require thicker wall construction or reinforcement. I have a vertical the is 36 X 24 x 74 inches. The walls are insulated. I am presently working on a 48 X 200 inch offset with grill. Trailer rig with tandum axles. Storage for wood, coolers, etc. Over all length 32 feet. Weight approx. 3800 lbs. Keep us posted.

[barbedQ]

Dave,

The doublewalled unit I have has 1/4" as the inner wall and approx 1/16" for the outer wall.  The doors, upper and lower, are the thinner metal and not insulated.   If I could, I'd change that to be an inner and outer 1/16" insulated door.

My cooker has the stack in the back corner and one of the things I don't like about it is the fact that it makes it next to impossible to have the same amount of smoke at the top shelf as I have at the bottom shelf.   I've struggled with smoke penetration because of this.  If I could weld, which I can't, I'd notch the shelves and create an extendable stack using threaded 3" pipe and unions.  Each extension when attached to the previous extension would end just past the bottom of its associated shelf.

One of the features it has that is handy is the ball valve to drain the huge water pan.   So if the water pan can't be removed, mine can't, having the ball valve is a must.

Your's is a sweet looking unit.  Good luck with any upgrades you decide to implement.

By the way, by unit is a bit over 5' tall and weighs in around 625.   It's like rolling around a loaded gun safe.

[chas]

I would not make the walls thinner than 3/16 inch plate. If the heat warps the walls/doors, you have a problem that is hell to fix. Extending the exhaust to the grate level is a good idea. You do not have to use the same size material for the extension as in the present stack. The area of the present stack must continue in the extension to the lower shelf. When I build a smoker, I usually install a water pan constructed from made 1/4 inch plate. I can put charcoal in the empty pan and grill burgers. Remember that if you cater, you can make more money selling dogs, burgers and fries. I smoke every week or two, but I grill steaks/chickens/chops every week. On July 3,2010, I will grill 700 burgers and 400 dogs. This is an every July event and when it is over, I swear that this is the last time, but my leader, George Washington and his treasurer,my wife, has other plans. Behind every man is the women who tells you which pair of paints to put on. Her name is (she who must be obeyed) Remember that if it was not for the women in our lives, we men would be living in caves with our remote control.