Howdy folks....After lurking on this fine site for quite a while, I finally decided to join.
Just a little bit about myself: I was born n raised in S. Louisiana and moved to Alvin,Texas the day after I graduated H.S. in 1962 when my father, who was an ex-roughneck from Nacogdoches accepted a promotion from Monsanto. Naturally, when he retired in 1982 he went straight back to S. La....lol. Of course, since I had married a lil ole Houston gal in 1965, I've stayed in Texas, where I retired from the FAA in 2007.....I guess what goes round, comes round...lol! An dat's da end of dat stuff.
Being a "genuine registered Cajun", naturally I've always had an interest in cooking (and eating) good food, including a more than passing interest in grilling and smoking. Over the years, I've owned several el-cheapo pits, grills & smokers of all types, but recently I've decided to try and up my game.
Remembering just how good steaks and other stuff used to taste over my Dad's simple welded pipe grill, and after much research, study and cogitation, I started looking on Craig's List for something to go along with my Costco Kirkland stainless grill and my Brinkman "Gourmet" electric smoker that I could use as a basis to turn out truly good CONSISTANT barbeque without breaking the bank.
Yesterday, the wife and I headed from Conroe (where we've lived since 1986) to SE Houston to pick up what I hope will do the trick! It's a home made side burner all made from 16" pipe, 1/2" wall thickness with 1/4" end plates on a 2" tubing frame. The cooking chamber is 32" and the fire pit is 19". It's a year and a half old and I paid $400.00 for it from the guy who's neighbor built it for him a year and a half ago.
I think I got a pretty good deal on what I hope I can modify (with LOTS of help from ya'll) into what will ultimately turn into the ideal, versatile, small scale rig for me and the wife.
I'll try and take/post some pictures of it after I get some help unloading it from the back of "ole Blue", my 2000 Ford van. I calculate the doggone thing weighs at least 500# so it's gonna stay right where it is until I get it's place of honor prepared for it under my new gazebo in the back yard!
Anyway, enough rambling on my part. I'm glad to be a member and look forward to picking ya'll's brains for help in my modifications and, hopefully, contributing something to this fine site.
Just a little bit about myself: I was born n raised in S. Louisiana and moved to Alvin,Texas the day after I graduated H.S. in 1962 when my father, who was an ex-roughneck from Nacogdoches accepted a promotion from Monsanto. Naturally, when he retired in 1982 he went straight back to S. La....lol. Of course, since I had married a lil ole Houston gal in 1965, I've stayed in Texas, where I retired from the FAA in 2007.....I guess what goes round, comes round...lol! An dat's da end of dat stuff.
Being a "genuine registered Cajun", naturally I've always had an interest in cooking (and eating) good food, including a more than passing interest in grilling and smoking. Over the years, I've owned several el-cheapo pits, grills & smokers of all types, but recently I've decided to try and up my game.
Remembering just how good steaks and other stuff used to taste over my Dad's simple welded pipe grill, and after much research, study and cogitation, I started looking on Craig's List for something to go along with my Costco Kirkland stainless grill and my Brinkman "Gourmet" electric smoker that I could use as a basis to turn out truly good CONSISTANT barbeque without breaking the bank.
Yesterday, the wife and I headed from Conroe (where we've lived since 1986) to SE Houston to pick up what I hope will do the trick! It's a home made side burner all made from 16" pipe, 1/2" wall thickness with 1/4" end plates on a 2" tubing frame. The cooking chamber is 32" and the fire pit is 19". It's a year and a half old and I paid $400.00 for it from the guy who's neighbor built it for him a year and a half ago.
I think I got a pretty good deal on what I hope I can modify (with LOTS of help from ya'll) into what will ultimately turn into the ideal, versatile, small scale rig for me and the wife.
I'll try and take/post some pictures of it after I get some help unloading it from the back of "ole Blue", my 2000 Ford van. I calculate the doggone thing weighs at least 500# so it's gonna stay right where it is until I get it's place of honor prepared for it under my new gazebo in the back yard!
Anyway, enough rambling on my part. I'm glad to be a member and look forward to picking ya'll's brains for help in my modifications and, hopefully, contributing something to this fine site.
