# Cajun Bandit's BBQ Stacker



## slingerland (Sep 27, 2012)

I've posted a couple of times the past few weeks. I'm a novice smoker... caught the bug by watching Season 1 of BBQ Pitmasters. And I've been trying to learn how, before spending a lot of money on a smoker. I had always used propane to grill steaks, and a couple of years back my wife gave me a Weber OTG 22.5, which was used exactly 1 time.

So I started smoking... after a few attempts on the propane grill I moved to the Weber (based on some suggestions here.) And while not bad, the Weber just wasn't right either: the food was too close to the charcoal, so cooking/smoking was uneven. 

Money is tight, and whatever I bought would be "it" for a long time.  I was going back and forth between the Masterbuilt XL propane smoker and the Weber WSM.  Then from reading this site, I found a link to the Cajun Bandit and found an answer that didn’t cost an arm and a leg to try.

I looked at the Cajun Bandit conversion kit, but to be honest, its price was high for my immediate budget.  Then I saw their BBQ Stacker product, and the numbers started to make sense.  I ordered it last week, and it arrived a couple of days ago. 

The BBQ Stacker is exactly what it says it is: a steel tube to extend the cooking rack higher up.  It would work with the Weber OTG I have today, and again with a WSM later on.  It would solve my immediate problem of the meat being too close to the charcoal.  So I ordered it, plus a charcoal ring, heat deflector and grommets.

When I unpacked it, the quality of construction impressed me.  Good, strong steel!  And of course I had to change it, so I drilled two 3/8 inch holes: one for the thermometer wire grommet, the other for a plug-in thermometer.













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__ slingerland
__ Sep 27, 2012






First the grommet: after thinking about it, I decided to put the grommet above the cooking grate so the wires would not be going through the grill.  First I used some painter’s tape to mark where the grommet should be. 













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Then I used a series of drill bits to drill a hole and widen it.













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Then I installed the grommet (brass side in).













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Next I installed a plug-in thermometer I bought at Academy Sports.  For ease of assembly I wanted the plug to be immediately under the grate.  I followed the same procedure as for the grommet.













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__ slingerland
__ Sep 27, 2012


















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BTW, as I mentioned, this is steel.  I wore out my 1/8 inch drill bit!

And now here it is assembled.  My sons are teasing me by yelling “DANGER! WILL ROBINSON!” jokes.  (If I had some spare dryer vent hose, I’d dress it up as the Robot from Lost in Space just to freak out my kids.)













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__ slingerland
__ Sep 27, 2012






Tomorrow morning I plan to burn in the BBQ Stacker and monitor the temps all day.  I’ll update here as I go.


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## chef jimmyj (Sep 27, 2012)

Pretty Cool and great mod...JJ


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## bruno994 (Sep 27, 2012)

The only problem with this whole thread is that SQWIB (another longtime member of SMF) already has a 'FrankenSmoker'!  LOL.  Slingerland, I'm sure he will sell you the licensing rights to the name 'FrankenSmoker', but it is probably gonna cost you (at least some pulled pork or another variety or smoked meat).  Other than that great work.  And welcome...


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## smokinhusker (Sep 27, 2012)

I saw the title and thought Sqwib had dressed FrankenSmoker up for Halloween.

Anyway, nice mod and hope to see some q view of some fine smoked foods! (q view is pics of your smokes)


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## slingerland (Sep 27, 2012)

Hmmm... already a FrankenSmoker?  Darn.  I'll need to modify mine then... can't afford any royalties!

I can't figure out any "Lost in Space" jokes, except "BBQ!  WILL ROBINSON!  BBQ!"  or "Oh the pork, the pork!"

Maybe "Frankie Baby?"


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## bruno994 (Sep 27, 2012)

Maybe one of the droids off Star Wars?


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## slingerland (Sep 27, 2012)

Maybe "NOSTROMO"?  Lots of good PUNishment there...


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## slingerland (Oct 13, 2012)

Here is the final assembly (running at 260 degrees):













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__ slingerland
__ Oct 13, 2012


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