New Build Underway

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

Here are a few pics of the progress we are making on our new competition pit.

Getting Ready for square doors

This is how we shear and form our FB's and warming cabinets

Starting to insulate the FB

One step closer

[Rodcrafter]

Nice work there CRS, what brand is that shear. I haven't seen one like that before. I have moved hundreds but never one like that.


Making memories.

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

Can't remember the name for the life of me. It was "new" in 1985. It's a comb shear and brake

[Big T]

It looks good

[Puff]

I've never seen that kind of equipment...only when driving down the road and there is one on a truck going somewhere. It's very interesting stuff to look at but at 65moh, it a litte tough.

This is very cool for some people. Having zero knowledge of these things, it would be cool to go on the tour and see this work.

[Smokeone]

Nice work CRS!

Can't wait for my samples.

[Rodcrafter]

I've never even seen a brake and shear combined. It really surprised me.

[bluecatfish]

And the pit looks good too!

[The Czar]

Nice!!!!

[Tom_Heath]

Simply freaking awesome.

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

Everyone is welcome to come to MN in January for a tour. LOL

[Pennywise]

CRS I came up to MN for a Chiefs game in December once. It was back in the dome, and we stayed @ the 4 seasons across the 3 highways. After Dante Cullpepper and Randy Moss got done with the then undefeated Chiefs, needless to say I had drank away my blues in your indoor stadium. WELLLLL it was a night game and I had left my coat @ the hotel, because we were shuttled over, and they were picking us up...i just forgot where to meet the shuttle.

We walked around in the -10 degrees during a nice little snow storm for an hour trying to figure out how to cross 3 highways at once before breaking down and calling a cab. I was a might bit chilled when we got back to the hotel.

I haven't been back since.

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

LOL -10, that's a walk in the park. I still wear shorts outside at that temp (true story, ask my wife). I live about 2 hours North of the twin cities where it tend to run about 10 degrees cooler.

[Pennywise]

Yeah..no thanks.

I think the coldest Chiefs game I've gone to was the wild card game a couple years ago. It was -24 with a wind chill of -32 in the parking lot before the game. I froze my proverbial nuts off. We tailgated, and the food we made was cold before you could eat it.

On that note, how does smoking work up there in the winter? Do you have to bring into a garage to keep temps up?

[Frank_Cox]

I like it!

[Tom_Heath]

Up north they dont use vac seal machines. Everything is freeze dried. Just like a wolly mammoth, preserved forever.

[Puff]

That's inconceivable how cold it gets. But I know this much. January 1976 Fairfax, VT was the coldest spot in the nation one day beating out International Falls, MN. It was -54 F. What a dubious distinction. You must love it to deal with it. It's not just a freak event in Minnesota. It lasts all winter.

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

Yes we get some extremely cold weather. When I was 17 (long time ago) it got down to -64 with a -72 wind chill. That will be one day I will never forget. Furnaces ran non stop.

[Smokeone]

Glad I wasn't around for that!

[DUAYNE B]

Today it was 75 here. Thought about a lite jacket for a sec.

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

More progress made today. Hope to be done by January 1st.

[Big T]

It's coming together in a hurry, I don't think you'll have a problem making your deadline.

[Puff]

That's a beauty CR,

I like the way your frame footprint widens at the floor. Makes tipping over much more difficult. Two quick questions.
1.) what size wheels are you using front and rear?
2.) where is the stack going?

That could be one heck of a shop heater too!

[Tom_Heath]

I could be all wrong but center of balance looks to be just about right where the fixed wheel leg is located. How much more steel you got left to add on to the tail end.

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

Puff, I'm using 13x5 rear tires and 8" on the front. The stack will be on the right side next to the warming cabinet.

Tom, I have the doors and guts of the warming cabinet and FB to add yet. I'm not happy with the balance right now, but will fix that once everything is added.