# My MES Cart Build



## jacobss914 (Sep 17, 2010)

So I need a cart for my MES, so I am going to build one, I am a fabricator by hobby love to do this stuff.  So here is my idea, wanting to get others ideas and build the best cart I can.

Unfortunately I have tried to post this three times, and get a 530 error each time, so here we go with out my drawing to explain it.

Goals

Get the MES off the ground it hurts my back to stoop so low.

Get a counter right next to my smoker - good for prep, wrapping, and holding the book while you check on items.

Get a place to store my smoking supplies, I having all my stuff in one location.

Get mobility so I can wheel it in and out of the garage.

Replace one of my other tool boxes as I'm running out of room and the cabinet is just to small.

So I am going to take one of my Craftsmen Rolling tool cabinets, I use the all the time for bases to equipment and store all the related tools to that operation in that cabinet.  I will build a shelf to the left to hold the MES out of metal, it will raise it up little over 2 feet in the air.  The right side I will build a shelf down low to hold my ember bucket, above that I will have a handle with a towel holder.  the top will be a sheet of MDF with a SS top if I can find SS in the scrap pile tomorrow, or MDF with a Formica top.  I will build a gutter off the back side of the counter to hold bottles, tools, and well my beverage.  I am thinking about adding a power strip and an LED light with a boom to support the light.  With a power strip, I can also use it to supply power to other items while I'm working out there.  The smoker will not be plugged into this strip.

My plan is to build it out of steel and paint the whole thing to match.  But I am thinking about going retro with the look and instead of bending it all in a sheet metal break and weld it all.  I am thinking about making look more like a airplane with exposed rivets, and flared openings etc.....  Painted of course, in some theme, I would love to do it in true fire, or a blue smoke.

So what does everyone think, I'm going to try and post the design concept drawing next as I think that's what is erroring out.


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## jacobss914 (Sep 17, 2010)

heres the design concept


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## beer-b-q (Sep 17, 2010)

You might want to check out some of the MES Mods in this thread.  It might give you some ideas...

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/fo...ot-mods-related-mods-or-creations#post_426267


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## Bearcarver (Sep 17, 2010)

I don't have anything elaborate for mine.

I just have mine about 2' off the floor with some stacking boxes I made to get my chainsaw carvings to various heights while carving them (same reason---Back hurts when bending my old back).

Yours sounds like it will be Great!

The only thing I might suggest, since I was a Self-Employed Cabinetmaker for about 20 years, is maybe think about using a good exterior piece of 3/4" plywood to laminate on, instead of MDF, because of the MDF sucking up humidity, and possibly expanding, and causing problems.

Sounds Great,

Bear


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## jacobss914 (Sep 18, 2010)

Thanks Bear, I did not think about the humidity issue.  I have a sheet of 3/4 pressure treated, left over from a boat floor replacement I could use.  OSB is heavy but supper smooth so I normally use it for a counter top underlayment.

Would the pressure tread take the adhesive well?  It might not be an issue if I find some scrap SS this week in the yards.

Beer, I have looked at the mod thread, and used a lot of those ideas to think of my own.

So from that list ideas came for the cart, a shield for the controls, a bug screen, a tile heat shield to reduce the hot spot.  And the flame mod, I have also added my own charcoal chimney to my MES, and just got my A-Maze-N a couple days ago so as the collection of tools, probes and supplies increase I need to keep them together.


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## Bearcarver (Sep 18, 2010)

Pressure treated would be fine (CDX would be good enough), but you should belt sand lightly (don't stop anywhere & leave a dent) to get any little splinters that might be sticking up. I always used the industrial formica adhesive. The problem is you probably can't get that unless you know somebody who has a cabinet shop. Up here in PA John Doe can only buy the latex crap that's in hardware stores, because of the flammable danger. That latex stuff is terrible!

In case you never did it before:

Coat the wood good, and coat the laminate good.

Then let them sit to air dry, until you can touch it with your fingers without it coming off on your fingers (tacky)

Lay some dowels or pipes across on the coated wood.

Then drop the coated laminate on top of the dowels or pipes or whatever (don't let the two contact surfaces touch each other yet!).

Then get it lined up.

Then pull a dowel out at one end, and press the laminate down at that end.

Then continue to pull dowels out as you move across from that end, pressing down as you go, until the whole thing is stuck.

Then you can use a roller to press it on good, or I like to use a rubber mallet, hitting hard & flat on every square inch.

Then you're ready to route & file the corners.

If it's not that big, you can drop it without dowels, but be careful to not let them touch each other unless it is where you want it. Then set one edge against and lower it gradually across to the other side.

I'm not saying you didn't know how to do this, but just in case.

Don't forget the pictures,
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Bear


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## eman (Sep 18, 2010)

Only thing i could find wrong w/ the design is hanging a towel over the ember bucket. Could be a  fire hazard.

( I can't help it,  Worked in the refining industry to many years, Safety is first allways)


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## jacobss914 (Sep 18, 2010)

That is a great catch on the towel, thank you.

I have not worked on this yet today as I just pulled a 8 pound pork butt out, and replaced it with 25 pounds worth of brisket.


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