cevans_40 said:

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RCR06 said:

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cevans_40 said:

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RCR06 said:

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I'd like to have one, but like most of you I'm not getting on a waiting list or paying $3500 for one. It's hard to tell from that perspective on cooking chamber size. Looks very similar to the lyfetime smoker that's about $1300 and the old country Brazos that's $1000.

He makes/designs his pits at his restaurant(or at least he did at one time). There was an episode he did on pit building for that series that was on PBS. He was very knowledgeable. So I have no doubt that these pits are well designed and built. You know the old saying, they're worth what someone will pay for them. Apparently people can't wait to give him their money.

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Like the original pit he got from John Mueller? I am not bashing Aaron Franklin by any means but he got his start, and still uses today, with someone else's pit.

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Oh ok, so since he started with one from mueller he couldn't have made any of the others? Im not a franklin worshiper, but I respect what hes done. I went there a few months back to eat and we were allowed to go see the pits. They had 5 or 6 pits I believe, I heard he bought 1 pit from mueller when he started. Talking with one of the guys working the pits he said that several of their pits were damaged in a fire that happened in 2017. Hes the one that said franklin designed and helped build the new pits. Didn't really get into how many or which ones had to be replaced. Could have been bs, but that's the story I got.

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You are correct. Like I said, I don't want to bash Franklin in any way. I was just pointing out that he made a heck of a lot of good BBQ on a pit that wasn't really special and didn't have his name on it.

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It's the arrow, not the Indian. Guy's made a name for himself and I wish him the best. YETI now makes the majority of their revenue off tumblers and other assorted drinkware. Not coolers. Make a name for yourself and you can charge outrageous prices as well.

I signed up a couple of years ago. I won't be buying one at that price. I'll keep humming along with my Lyfe Tyme.

I didn't say they're affordable for everyone lol. Building and selling pits for profit is a tough business, you have to really want one to pay someone enough for them to make a profit. Personally Mill Scales style isn't my cup of tea, but they're still great pits. I like Mobergs finished product more, both are equally expensive. It's kind of what you're willing to spend, you can make just as good of BBQ on any pit, it's about the cook and their knowledge of the meat and how the pit works, more than the pit itself.

I too like Sunny's finished product better than Mill Scale and I've cooked on both!

Architelico said:

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nice setup. Im always interested in strategies for type of wheel. the smaller caster types work well if using on the driveway or under an awning, but too small of a diameter to get through grass, gravel, etc. The pneumatic are favorable where the caster types are not, but will always go flat over time, i.e. my two wheeler, riding mower, etc they can also appear bulky. What is the most versatile wheel solution? smaller pneumatics with jackstands?

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Ditch the pneumatics and go with a never flat tire of the same style. Eliminates a lot of the problems you just talked about.

lazuras_dc said:

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You've got a big problem with that pit though..... there's way too many vegetables on there.

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Haha! Don't worry. There was plenty of meat (sausage, burgers, hot dogs, steak, tuna) but I was too busy to take pics!

What's your assessment of both? Does Sunny's firebox help?

Definitely! Less time spend "tending" to the fire because the fuel consumption is better... BTW, you CAN get an insulated firebox from Mill Scale, but it's extra!

Interesting grill design there. Can't say I've ever seen anything like that.

BSD said:

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Y'all should definitely hit up The Pit Man if you are in the market. He built these for me at a much, much, much better price than the competition. He was quick on it, too.

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Awesome! I fell in love with Mill Scale's design like that when I first saw it. I don't have the space for it now, but when I do good to know I can get a cheaper option if I don't try to build it myself.

AggieFabricator said:

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I'm gathering the stuff to build my own Moberg clone, with some additional tweaks to Sunny's design. I look forward to having it done eventually.

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If you're anything like my pit builder (Ryan Newland, Backline Fabrication,) your stuff always comes last! He's been trying to build a clone of mine for backyards and comps... but it keeps getting pushed by projects like mine, Pustka's 500 gallon "Torpedo" on a fully enclosed trailer and a few other builds... HAHA.

wadd96 said:

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Definitely! Less time spend "tending" to the fire because the fuel consumption is better... BTW, you CAN get an insulated firebox from Mill Scale, but it's extra!

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We're you cooking on the backyard models or the bad MF'ers? Sunny wasn't building backyard models when I reached out to him. He will soon, though, from what I'm hearing.

Big fan of Backline's work, what did he use to propel that cart he build for Moberg? I'm super curious where he found the axel setup for that?

Big pits... Although I have seen one of our guys cook on a 250 gal from Moberg...

He will be building back yard pits once he gets the new shop up and running, or at least that's what he told me.

I saw a couple of the Mill Scale "backyard" size pits at a party 2 weekends ago... looked ok, but I don't like the round firebox personally....

wadd96 said:

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Big pits... Although I have seen one of our guys cook on a 250 gal from Moberg...

He will be building back yard pits once he gets the new shop up and running, or at least that's what he told me.

I saw a couple of the Mill Scale "backyard" size pits at a party 2 weekends ago... looked ok, but I don't like the round firebox personally....

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That's what Sunny told me as well.

Yep, the Mill Scale rounded firebox with a little lip is a bit tougher to clean but I don't mind too much. I

AggieFabricator said:

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Big fan of Backline's work, what did he use to propel that cart he build for Moberg? I'm super curious where he found the axel setup for that?

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I dunno but it was like another $5k.

Some of these pits confuse the **** outta

https://instagr.am/p/B1rOGzDh9c0

BSD said:

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wadd96 said:

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Big pits... Although I have seen one of our guys cook on a 250 gal from Moberg...

He will be building back yard pits once he gets the new shop up and running, or at least that's what he told me.

I saw a couple of the Mill Scale "backyard" size pits at a party 2 weekends ago... looked ok, but I don't like the round firebox personally....

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That's what Sunny told me as well.

Yep, the Mill Scale rounded firebox with a little lip is a bit tougher to clean but I don't mind too much. I

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Ryan built mine with what we call the "hobbit door" and a clean bottom, no lip. Also a good fire basket. I cut normal splits in half with my mitre saw.

https://instagr.am/p/ByOrdzJBtZL (second photo)

Quote:

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I cut normal splits in half with my mitre saw.

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Some of the best advice on this thread.

wadd96 said:

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Ryan built mine with what we call the "hobbit door" and a clean bottom, no lip. Also a good fire basket. I cut normal splits in half with my mitre saw.

https://instagr.am/p/ByOrdzJBtZL (second photo)

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Nice! I like that design. I'll have to do that if I ever get a different smoker. I don't need much more than what I have currently but if I did, for sure a hobbit door.

And yes, I use my miter saw to cut down wood as well. It's a must have tool.

Speaking of Ryan, he is working on a small, non-BBQ project for me for Halloween. Nothing much but I'll post it when he's done. I may ask him about doing a backyard kitchen open fire grill (Santa Maria, Brasero/Grates?) for me, as well. I'm still planning that, though ... maybe a new thread for seeking ideas is in order.

I'm in on this. Backlines Santa Maria with the chains and sprockets was very clean and nice.

Did y'all see the refab he did on Rossler's, with the hand grenade handle?

water turkey said:

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Every hipsters dream.

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Especially because included with each sale will be complimentary free items such as a beard apron.

PS, not a joke actually...........

https://www.thedrum.com/news/2017/06/16/tabasco-unveils-bbq-beard-pinny-collaboration-with-hipster-lifestyle-brand

I got a HS ag shop to build be one better than the one in the OP for under $500.

https://instagr.am/p/B1r6FGHhgn5

Full on jumped the shark. $8250 for that.

500 gallon, double walled and insulated firebox, incredible draw. No where near jumping the shark.

Just being totally honest, that price isn't terrible for the actual labor and skill that goes into that finished product. Just remember sometime you get what you pay for. Quality ain't cheap, and cheap ain't quality. You'd be upset at what I charged for these..https://imgur.com/gallery/oFQTc7L

It's prolly even more insane that the last time I talked to Sunny he was booked up 18 months in advance.

AggieFabricator said:

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It's prolly even more insane that the last time I talked to Sunny he was booked up 18 months in advance.

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Exactly, millscale is too