# Fatties, Part two the bacon weave.



## gmc2003

I like the bacon weave as it serves two functions. First it looks good when finished, and second it helps prevent fattie blowouts. Here's how I do mine. 

First you'll need about pound of bacon. Try to get some that is fairly straight. Thin sliced works better then regular. Unfortunatly I could only find the regular slice. 







Just as with the fattie. Lay a piece of plastic wrap down on the counter then top with a piece of parchment paper. After put a piece of bacon down top to bottom to give you a guide of how big your weave is going to be. Next lay down pieces perpendicular to the first slice. 





Fold back every other piece and place the first piece at the top. 






Then fold back the pieces that were under the first piece in the opposite dircection.






Put another slice of bacon down at the fold, and pull the folded bacon back over.  






Repeat until the weave is complete.







With the weave complete get your fattie out of the fridge.





...and set it on the end of the weave.






Once again start rolling up the parchment paper - a quarter of a turn at a time.





You should end up with something similar to this.






Take the plastic wrap and cover the fattie, twist the ends and give it a couple of spins to tighten. My wife starts to chuckle when I do this step for some reason. And it's all done - ready for the smoker. 





For a diagonal weave place the fattie cross-wise on the bacon. 






...and wrap it the same way you would a normal weave.






As Porky pig would say "That all folks". Thanks for looking. Sorry no finished product. I had to go to the store with the wife after these were made. I'll smoke them up tomorrow.

Chris.


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## bdskelly

Great tutorial.  You’ve got it going on. B


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## dwdunlap

gmc2003 said:


> I like the bacon weave as it serves two functions. First it looks good when finished, and second it helps prevent fattie blowouts. Here's how I do mine.
> 
> First you'll need about pound of bacon. Try to get some that is fairly straight. Thin sliced works better then regular. Unfortunatly I could only find the regular slice.
> View attachment 365055
> 
> 
> Just as with the fattie. Lay a piece of plastic wrap down on the counter then top with a piece of parchment paper. After put a piece of bacon down top to bottom to give you a guide of how big your weave is going to be. Next lay down pieces perpendicular to the first slice.
> View attachment 365056
> 
> Fold back every other piece and place the first piece at the top.
> View attachment 365057
> 
> 
> Then fold back the pieces that were under the first piece in the opposite dircection.
> View attachment 365058
> 
> 
> Put another slice of bacon down at the fold, and pull the folded bacon back over.
> View attachment 365052
> 
> 
> Repeat until the weave is complete.
> 
> View attachment 365054
> 
> 
> With the weave complete get your fattie out of the fridge.
> View attachment 365062
> 
> ...and set it on the end of the weave.
> View attachment 365063
> 
> 
> Once again start rolling up the parchment paper - a quarter of a turn at a time.
> View attachment 365064
> 
> You should end up with something similar to this.
> View attachment 365065
> 
> 
> Take the plastic wrap and cover the fattie, twist the ends and give it a couple of spins to tighten. My wife starts to chuckle when I do this step for some reason. And it's all done - ready for the smoker.
> View attachment 365066
> 
> For a diagonal weave place the fattie cross-wise on the bacon.
> 
> View attachment 365067
> 
> ...and wrap it the same way you would a normal weave.
> View attachment 365068
> 
> 
> As Porky pig would say "That all folks". Thanks for looking. Sorry no finished product. I had to go to the store with the wife after these were made. I'll smoke them up tomorrow.
> 
> Chris.


Chris


gmc2003 said:


> I like the bacon weave as it serves two functions. First it looks good when finished, and second it helps prevent fattie blowouts. Here's how I do mine.
> 
> First you'll need about pound of bacon. Try to get some that is fairly straight. Thin sliced works better then regular. Unfortunatly I could only find the regular slice.
> View attachment 365055
> 
> 
> Just as with the fattie. Lay a piece of plastic wrap down on the counter then top with a piece of parchment paper. After put a piece of bacon down top to bottom to give you a guide of how big your weave is going to be. Next lay down pieces perpendicular to the first slice.
> View attachment 365056
> 
> Fold back every other piece and place the first piece at the top.
> View attachment 365057
> 
> 
> Then fold back the pieces that were under the first piece in the opposite dircection.
> View attachment 365058
> 
> 
> Put another slice of bacon down at the fold, and pull the folded bacon back over.
> View attachment 365052
> 
> 
> Repeat until the weave is complete.
> 
> View attachment 365054
> 
> 
> With the weave complete get your fattie out of the fridge.
> View attachment 365062
> 
> ...and set it on the end of the weave.
> View attachment 365063
> 
> 
> Once again start rolling up the parchment paper - a quarter of a turn at a time.
> View attachment 365064
> 
> You should end up with something similar to this.
> View attachment 365065
> 
> 
> Take the plastic wrap and cover the fattie, twist the ends and give it a couple of spins to tighten. My wife starts to chuckle when I do this step for some reason. And it's all done - ready for the smoker.
> View attachment 365066
> 
> For a diagonal weave place the fattie cross-wise on the bacon.
> 
> View attachment 365067
> 
> ...and wrap it the same way you would a normal weave.
> View attachment 365068
> 
> 
> As Porky pig would say "That all folks". Thanks for looking. Sorry no finished product. I had to go to the store with the wife after these were made. I'll smoke them up tomorrow.
> 
> Chris.


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## dwdunlap

Chris, your tutorials are exactly what this first-timer needed!! Your photos illustrate perfectly the process and I think I'll be able to make one this weekend. Fantastic work. Thank you so much!!

I hope you will continue with phase three "the smoke"

Anxious to make a fatty myself.


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## yankee2bbq

Chris,
 Thanks again for the great write-up and pictures!


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## SonnyE

Awe-sum, Chris. Great tutorial!
It must be an inside joke why she gets tickled by you spinning your meat. o_O:rolleyes::confused:

I like the diagonal. But then, I'm weird.


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## CharlotteLovesFood

Great tutorial Chris! Thanks for sharing I am all over that diagonal weave...it looks so pretttty! :D


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## wade

Good tutorial Chris
The only thing that I do differently is that before wrapping the weave around the meat i sandwich it in plastic film (e.g. put another layer on the top) and then flatten it with a rolling pin. This helps to bind the bacon weave together, fills in any small holes between the weave and also makes it slightly larger so the bacon goes further.


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## gmc2003

bdskelly said:


> Great tutorial.  You’ve got it going on. B



Thanks for nice words and like B - appreciate it. Paying it forward is the goal of this forum, and I'm only passing on what I've learned on smoking meat forums. 



dwdunlap said:


> Chris, your tutorials are exactly what this first-timer needed!! Your photos illustrate perfectly the process and I think I'll be able to make one this weekend. Fantastic work. Thank you so much!!
> 
> I hope you will continue with phase three "the smoke"
> 
> Anxious to make a fatty myself.



Dunlap, thank you very much. I'm also hoping to get it smoked up today. It's up to mother nature. I'm glad I was able to help you out in some little way. Give it a go and let us know how it turns out. If you find a better way of doing something also let us know. We're all here to help and learn from each other.

Chris


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## gmc2003

yankee2bbq said:


> Chris,
> Thanks again for the great write-up and pictures!



Thanks Justin, I'm trying to give back some of what I've received here. 



CharlotteLovesFood said:


> Great tutorial Chris! Thanks for sharing I am all over that diagonal weave...it looks so pretttty! :D



Thanks for the kindly words and like Charlotte. I like the diagonal weave better also. However it doesn't always fit all around the fatty. BTW, In my part of the world the boonies - it's purty.  :)



wade said:


> Good tutorial Chris
> The only thing that I do differently is that before wrapping the weave around the meat i sandwich it in plastic film (e.g. put another layer on the top) and then flatten it with a rolling pin. This helps to bind the bacon weave together, fills in any small holes between the weave and also makes it slightly larger so the bacon goes further.



Thanks for the tip Wade. I wish I knew that beforehand(next time). The bacon on the diagonal weave was a little narrower then what I wanted or saw in the package. That would have helped fill it in the gaps. Thanks for the tip, words and like. Appreciate it. 

Chris


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## gmc2003

SonnyE said:


> Awe-sum, Chris. Great tutorial!
> It must be an inside joke why she gets tickled by you spinning your meat. o_O:rolleyes::confused:
> 
> I like the diagonal. But then, I'm weird.



Thanks Sonny for the like and kind words. Yeah, I don't know, her giggling started after I began making hard boiled scrambled eggs. She thought I was crazy until she tried one. Now she finds it amusing when I prepare dishes that aren't considered normally prepared. 

Chris


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## gmc2003

Thanks for the read and like hebs - appreciate it. 

Chris


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## tropics

Chris That is a great step by step Thanks for sharing POINTS
Richie


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## gmc2003

Thanks, Richie for the kind words and like. I started out intending to make a readers digest version of the fatty process. Then it just exploded into a three-part series. 

Chris


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## SonnyE

gmc2003 said:


> Thanks Sonny for the like and kind words. Yeah, I don't know, her giggling started after I began making hard boiled scrambled eggs. She thought I was crazy until she tried one. Now she finds it amusing when I prepare dishes that aren't considered normally prepared.
> 
> Chris



Maybe you are like me, you just look so out of place playing in the kitchen.
We look like we belong out in the woods, uprooting trees and carrying dead animals home?
Grunting over a spit on a fire, roasting meat.


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## Ishi

gmc2003 said:


> I like the bacon weave as it serves two functions. First it looks good when finished, and second it helps prevent fattie blowouts. Here's how I do mine.
> 
> First you'll need about pound of bacon. Try to get some that is fairly straight. Thin sliced works better then regular. Unfortunatly I could only find the regular slice.
> View attachment 365055
> 
> 
> Just as with the fattie. Lay a piece of plastic wrap down on the counter then top with a piece of parchment paper. After put a piece of bacon down top to bottom to give you a guide of how big your weave is going to be. Next lay down pieces perpendicular to the first slice.
> View attachment 365056
> 
> Fold back every other piece and place the first piece at the top.
> View attachment 365057
> 
> 
> Then fold back the pieces that were under the first piece in the opposite dircection.
> View attachment 365058
> 
> 
> Put another slice of bacon down at the fold, and pull the folded bacon back over.
> View attachment 365052
> 
> 
> Repeat until the weave is complete.
> 
> View attachment 365054
> 
> 
> With the weave complete get your fattie out of the fridge.
> View attachment 365062
> 
> ...and set it on the end of the weave.
> View attachment 365063
> 
> 
> Once again start rolling up the parchment paper - a quarter of a turn at a time.
> View attachment 365064
> 
> You should end up with something similar to this.
> View attachment 365065
> 
> 
> Take the plastic wrap and cover the fattie, twist the ends and give it a couple of spins to tighten. My wife starts to chuckle when I do this step for some reason. And it's all done - ready for the smoker.
> View attachment 365066
> 
> For a diagonal weave place the fattie cross-wise on the bacon.
> 
> View attachment 365067
> 
> ...and wrap it the same way you would a normal weave.
> View attachment 365068
> 
> 
> As Porky pig would say "That all folks". Thanks for looking. Sorry no finished product. I had to go to the store with the wife after these were made. I'll smoke them up tomorrow.
> 
> Chris.


Wow you made that look easy!! I’ve never done a weave cause I didn’t know how..... until now!!!! Thanks


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## gmc2003

Ishi said:


> Wow you made that look easy!! I’ve never done a weave cause I didn’t know how..... until now!!!! Thanks



Thanks Ishi, I owe a ton to this site for the same reason. 

Chris


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## smokininidaho

gmc2003, thanks for your tutorial. Trying my first fattie tomorrow. Ham, pastrami,organic orange sweet bell pepper, onion, mexican blend cheese, a little sweet baby rays on top of the cheese, rolled up, did the bacon weave, can't wait. Told the wife what I did as she was at work and she said disgusting, it's all good more for me and my friends. She will be sorry!


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## gmc2003

Sounds great, nice combo. Your right it's her loss. My wife was indifferent to the idea also - that is until I offered her a slice. Let us know how it turns out.

Chris


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## TomKnollRFV

I did just did a second fattie today <Jasmine Rice. Cranberry..pepper jam..trio of cheese. I was gonna do another repeat but parents had a special request for jasmine rice. It actually rolled better>

I actually used a rolling pin on my bacon weave so it looked like a bacon weave this time! But..GMC...can you do a tutorial on doing a 2x the size bacon weave? I want to do fatties in a 1.5 gallon freezer bag just for the ease..which I couldn't find..so what I got is 2 gallon ones. So I'd need to do 3 pounds of meat, which definitely to me means a much bigger weave is needed.


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## gmc2003

TomKnollRFV said:


> I did just did a second fattie today <Jasmine Rice. Cranberry..pepper jam..trio of cheese. I was gonna do another repeat but parents had a special request for jasmine rice. It actually rolled better>
> 
> I actually used a rolling pin on my bacon weave so it looked like a bacon weave this time! But..GMC...can you do a tutorial on doing a 2x the size bacon weave? I want to do fatties in a 1.5 gallon freezer bag just for the ease..which I couldn't find..so what I got is 2 gallon ones. So I'd need to do 3 pounds of meat, which definitely to me means a much bigger weave is needed.



That's gonna be one big mother of a fatty!!! Tom, to expand the weave you'd have to intertwine the bacon weave. I've only done it once before. You'll also have to be careful when handling the weave it because it becomes very delicate. Not to mention you'll need a BIG spatula.

I'm planning a trip to Georgia currently so I'm not sure I'll be able to do this demo any time soon - so I'll try to explain it the best I can. 

First, if you look at the second picture where it says to "Fold back every other piece". I would lay another piece of bacon over the perpendicular piece of bacon in that picture.. Repeat for every slice of bacon, and only overlap the width of the perpendicular piece. You should wind up with twelve slices of bacon end to end with one slice perpendicular to them in the middle. Then you would continue making the weave on the right side. Once that side is finished I would start the other side except working from the middle out to the end. In other words start from the perpendicular piece and weave outwards.  Good luck, it's not as difficult as I'm probably making it sound. Once you start I think you'll understand what I'm saying. These are instructions for making it twice as long. 

To make it twice as wide just lay two pieces of bacon down at the top with one overlapping the other by about the width of a slice of the bacon your using. Then line up the bacon slices perpendicular to the two slices and continue on with the weave. It should wind up being about eleven slices wide instead of six.

Let me know if you have any questions, and make sure to post pics of how it turns out. 

Chris


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## TomKnollRFV

gmc2003 said:


> That's gonna be one big mother of a fatty!!! Tom, to expand the weave you'd have to intertwine the bacon weave. I've only done it once before. You'll also have to be careful when handling the weave it because it becomes very delicate. Not to mention you'll need a BIG spatula.
> 
> I'm planning a trip to Georgia currently so I'm not sure I'll be able to do this demo any time soon - so I'll try to explain it the best I can.
> 
> First, if you look at the second picture where it says to "Fold back every other piece". I would lay another piece of bacon over the perpendicular piece of bacon in that picture.. Repeat for every slice of bacon, and only overlap the width of the perpendicular piece. You should wind up with twelve slices of bacon end to end with one slice perpendicular to them in the middle. Then you would continue making the weave on the right side. Once that side is finished I would start the other side except working from the middle out to the end. In other words start from the perpendicular piece and weave outwards.  Good luck, it's not as difficult as I'm probably making it sound. Once you start I think you'll understand what I'm saying. These are instructions for making it twice as long.
> 
> To make it twice as wide just lay two pieces of bacon down at the top with one overlapping the other by about the width of a slice of the bacon your using. Then line up the bacon slices perpendicular to the two slices and continue on with the weave. It should wind up being about eleven slices wide instead of six.
> 
> Let me know if you have any questions, and make sure to post pics of how it turns out.
> 
> Chris


I won't be trying it for a while ! LOL. I was also thinking of cheating..just two regular weaves and one for each side and a few tooth picks when smoking it.

I know if I did a 1.5 gallon bag I'd need to make it a bit bigger too; but for that I figured I'd just lay some bacon on the top where there was gaps <or leave it>. I just hate rolling the fatty. I sort of missed the skill set from the 70's.. ;) <Bad joke I know!>


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## RiversideSm0ker

Perfect instructions. I did mine with the diagonal angle and feel like that works better to ensure the ends are fully covered. It just seemed easier. Thanks for sharing this.

George


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## gmc2003

RiversideSm0ker said:


> Perfect instructions. I did mine with the diagonal angle and feel like that works better to ensure the ends are fully covered. It just seemed easier. Thanks for sharing this.
> 
> George



Thanks George, glad it help you out. I prefer the diagonal weave as well not just for the reason you mentioned, but I think it makes for a nicer presentation as well. Thanks again.

Chris


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## gmc2003

TomKnollRFV said:


> I won't be trying it for a while ! LOL. I was also thinking of cheating..just two regular weaves and one for each side and a few tooth picks when smoking it.
> 
> I know if I did a 1.5 gallon bag I'd need to make it a bit bigger too; but for that I figured I'd just lay some bacon on the top where there was gaps <or leave it>. I just hate rolling the fatty. I sort of missed the skill set from the 70's.. ;) <Bad joke I know!>



Tom, if you ever do get to making the monster, it may be better to wrap in single slices instead of the weave. Just something to think about.

Chris


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## TomKnollRFV

gmc2003 said:


> Tom, if you ever do get to making the monster, it may be better to wrap in single slices instead of the weave. Just something to think about.
> 
> Chris


Might be a valid point..or if I did the two wraps seperately, just dress it up with some twine to hold the shape..I dunno, now I kind of want to try what might be a 3-4 pound fatty LOL


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## gmc2003

@Pittmac68 Thanks for the like appreciate it.

Chris


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## pushok2018

This is really great tutorial, Chris! Thank you for sharing. Never tried this before (because I never knew how to do it :)) but on my list "to do" now. Thank you again!


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## disco

A great tutorial deserves a like!


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## gmc2003

pushok2018 said:


> This is really great tutorial, Chris! Thank you for sharing. Never tried this before (because I never knew how to do it :)) but on my list "to do" now. Thank you again!



Thanks push for the kind words and like. Enjoy your fatty when you make it. It is a must do for smokers to try at least once.  Let us know what type of fatty you finally decide on. The choices are only limited by your imagination. 



disco said:


> A great tutorial deserves a like!



Why thank you very much Disco. I really appreciate it.

Chris


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## TomKnollRFV

Alright Chris it's time for you to put together lists and pictures of good fattie fillings, because I can never think of any but cheese and more cheese.


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## gmc2003

TomKnollRFV said:


> Alright Chris it's time for you to put together lists and pictures of good fattie fillings, because I can never think of any but cheese and more cheese.



Now that would be quite the undertaking Tom. I'm not sure my waistline is up to it. However I'll keep that thought in the back of my mind the next time I roll one.

Chris


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## gmc2003

@JR-SMOKER thanks for the like appreciate it.

Chris


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## gmc2003

@martin1950 appreciate the like.

Chris


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## gmc2003

@bassthumb32 thanks for the like appreciate it.

Chris


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## CSR

I haven't studied up much on it, but what if you cured your own bacon and cut with the grain so you had longer slices?  Not sure how it affects the texture if at all.  I read 2 items on the topic, one for and one against...


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## gmc2003

CSR said:


> I haven't studied up much on it, but what if you cured your own bacon and cut with the grain so you had longer slices?  Not sure how it affects the texture if at all.  I read 2 items on the topic, one for and one against...



Sorry CSR, I've never made bacon so I can't answer your question. One of the mak'n bacon guys will have to chime in on it. 

Chris


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## gmc2003

@NU2SMOKE 

Thanks for the like appreciate it.

Chris


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## gmc2003

CigarLlama
 Thanks for the like appreciate it.

Chris


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## CigarLlama

gmc2003 said:


> CigarLlama
> Thanks for the like appreciate it.
> 
> Chris



It helped me a lot when I made fatties yesterday!


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## gmc2003

I'm glad it helped, now you have'ta post up some pics of your fatties. 

Chris


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## gmc2003

negolien
 Thanks for the like appreciate them. 

Chris


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## CTisMe

Chris, Thank you. Now I know what a fatty is. Great tutorial. Gonna have to try this this weekend!


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## gmc2003

CTisMe said:


> Chris, Thank you. Now I know what a fatty is. Great tutorial. Gonna have to try this this weekend!



CT your welcome. Make sure you post up any questions you have and how it turns out. 

Chris


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## CTisMe

gmc2003 said:


> CT your welcome. Make sure you post up any questions you have and how it turns out.
> 
> Chris


Absolutely will. Thanks for the reply.


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## gmc2003

Looking forward to your post.

Chris


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## gmc2003

Kevinbthgrouse
 appreciate the like. Thank you

Chris


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## gmc2003

CoolbreezeBBQ
 thanks for the like appreciate it.

Chris


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## gmc2003

Smokin' in AZ
 appreciate the like. Thank you

Chris


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## Brokenhandle

Bump! Figured part 1 and 3 were bumped just as well put part 2 as well! Plus this was a huge help for my 1st weave!

Ryan


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## DRKsmoking

Thanks to Chris for the instructions and to Ryan for the heads up and the bump. This is just what i need 
Thanks to all for the great info 

David


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