Building a stick burner.

Jeremiah

First, I still love my egg!! However building a real offset whole log stick burner from scratch really intrigues me. It seems to be the ultimate challenge in bbqing. So while continuing with my egging, I want to begin planning and acquiring the parts to build my Eleanor. Does anyone on here have any experience building these? I'm thinking I want to build a medium sized one something <250 gal. Hopefully an old propane tank (aesthetics) Can you even buy logs for bbqing? Or is it a go to the woods and dry the damn things out sort of thing? As always, 'preciate it!! :-c

Eggcelsior

You can get splits from places like Fruita woods for offsets. I'll be in the same boat with my next house. I'm pensively looking forward to it.

cazzy

My debate right now is between a 500 and 1000 gallon.  Likely going to go with the 500, but damn the 1,000 is tempting.  I should have whichever one by the end of the year.  

For wood, do not go with Fruita...your best bet is craigslist and see if you can find few friends to split a cord with you.  

Jeremiah

Thanks for the input, going this weekend to look at a couple tanks. I'll keep y'all posted!

caliking

Like @cazzy said, craigslist is probably a better source for wood. Just be careful that a cord of wood means different things to different folks - its supposed to be 4'D x 4'H x 8'L.

Make sure you post pics!

Firemanyz

@cazzy at the firehouse we have one made out of a 500 gal tank. We normally smoke whole bottom rounds on it and we can fit about 20 on it at once. It is a clone of a meadowcreek grill. A 1000 gal would be AWSOME but I would want some way to close it down if you did not need all the space.

A few weeks back there was someone on the forum who was talking about his stick burners and was going to try and shoot some pics and video that weekend when he had them out cooking. I need to follow up on that as we are getting ready to build a new one with two 250 gal propane tanks side by side. As for tanks find a local propane dealer and see if they will sell you an old tank at scrap prices. If the tanks are a certain age and their registration tag falls off they have to scrap them. If not there try a local scrap yard.

If I have some time next week I'll try to get some pics of ours. Or just go to meadowcreeks website for some ideas.

GreenhawK

A few of us went in together and built a stick burner from a 250 gal tank several years ago.  We modeled it off of a Lang.  We also put a sink on it with a water heater, and a propane burner on the side that could handle a large pot.

I would build it as a reverse flow.  That makes it a lot easier to maintain a consistent temp throughout.

cortguitarman

I know nothing about stick burners, but I'd imagine that you could get cutoffs from a sawmill to burn. If they have a kiln, they may even dry them for you for a cost.

cazzy

Firemanyz said:

@cazzy at the firehouse we have one made out of a 500 gal tank. We normally smoke whole bottom rounds on it and we can fit about 20 on it at once. It is a clone of a meadowcreek grill. A 1000 gal would be AWSOME but I would want some way to close it down if you did not need all the space. A few weeks back there was someone on the forum who was talking about his stick burners and was going to try and shoot some pics and video that weekend when he had them out cooking. I need to follow up on that as we are getting ready to build a new one with two 250 gal propane tanks side by side. As for tanks find a local propane dealer and see if they will sell you an old tank at scrap prices. If the tanks are a certain age and their registration tag falls off they have to scrap them. If not there try a local scrap yard. If I have some time next week I'll try to get some pics of ours. Or just go to meadowcreeks website for some ideas.

Yeah...that's the very reason why i'm likely going to go with a 500.  Have to start somewhere right.  

You're talking about @SGH and I haven't seen him in a few weeks.  Wonder where he's at...

cazzy

GreenhawK said:

A few of us went in together and built a stick burner from a 250 gal tank several years ago.  We modeled it off of a Lang.  We also put a sink on it with a water heater, and a propane burner on the side that could handle a large pot.

I would build it as a reverse flow.  That makes it a lot easier to maintain a consistent temp throughout.

It's all about how you build it.  If you build it right, you can maintain a temp within 5 degrees all the way across the chamber.  I've seen that first hand on a 1,000 gallon with an insulated fire box.

The Cen-Tex Smoker

caliking said:

Like @cazzy said, craigslist is probably a better source for wood. Just be careful that a cord of wood means different things to different folks - its supposed to be 4'D x 4'H x 8'L.

Make sure you post pics!

correct "a cord of wood" means many different things to many different people on craigslist. Search wisely, my friends.

Griffin

I don't have any experience building them, but I'd recommend checking out The Smoke Ring Forum. They've got a whole section on building pits.

Jeremiah

Thanks griffin. Looks like nothing's gonna get done at work now. I've also been reading on: http://smokerbuilder.com/forums/index.php

GreenhawK

We have a couple of sources for wood.  There is an apple orchard close by that sells the trees/limbs that they cut for various reasons.  They sell it already cut up and palletized.  Then we also live in tornado alley, so there is a lot of good wood available that way.  A lot of people will give it to you for taking it off their hands.  Lastly we have to do it the old fashion way and cut a tree down. 

Jeremiah

Well. The tank I had in mind got gone. Going to get this one sat. It's oval, but I think if it's laid down, should do fine.

GreenhawK

Do you know what was stored in the tank?  

Jeremiah

Kerosene or some sort of fuel oil.