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I would really like some new grates for the smoker. The rectangular one for the horizontal tank is made from some scrap steel expanded metal I had laying around and the round grates are from an old Brinkmann smoker, were cheap chrome plated things, and have surface rust on them. The round ones are easy to find but three decent stainless steel ones would be $114. I was surprised to find something that will fit the rectangle but they’re sold in pairs for a Weber Spirit 300 grill and I would need three of them so I’d have to buy two pair. Another $100+.

I might have to make my own. I can get 304 stainless steel rod in 1/8” or 3/16” for the round ones and 1/4” for the rectangle for about the same cost and could make the rectangle in two pieces instead of buying four and using three. I would have to buy some stainless steel mig welding wire but a roll of that would last forever. The 304 SS is used for cookware and keeps it’s corrosion resistance up to 1,500 degrees. Who knows what the amazon sellers are using for SS alloy.

I can get by with what I’ve got. The rusty round grates have been sitting in the smoker and are coated black now LOL. Salmon always goes on foil. Dutch Oven doesn’t matter. Hanging sausage, doesn’t matter. Guess I’ll put it on my to do list — for Spring 2026.

Measured the old chest freezer. It’s 35” tall which is kitchen counter height x 28” deep x 62” long. I just stuck it out in the woods a week ago but it’s coming back today but not going in the driveway. It’s big enough that I could cut most of the front out and stick the old compressor in there. If you have an old chest freezer outside that doubles as a countertop and compressor shed, you might be a redneck.

Hallelujah! I drove around the perimeter of the property on the tractor yesterday looking for dead hickory trees but found none. Plenty of small white oak and black oak. Took another drive in the interior today and found this;

It's 14-16" or so and by the amount of bark missing from that "branch" and the tree being healthy recently, but now dead to the top, I'd say it had a some electricity go through it from lightning. I went back and beat on it with a hammer and it sounds pretty solid. I figured out how to take it down and that will require undercutting until that "branch" is near vertical.

I'll be dropping off the Stihl at the dealer tomorrow so they can give it a good service. Cordless will by fine for a lot of stuff but a 45-50 foot tall hickory with 14-16" diameter base is a bit much.

Plenty of hickory now plus some firewood. Made my day.

Part came in for the truck but I work tomorrow and my next three days off have the 70s for a high so I'll wait.

*** If you have an old chest freezer outside that doubles as a countertop and compressor shed, you might be a redneck.***

Where’s Jeff Foxworthy when you need him? You should send that to him!

BTW, I grew up with a bunch of ole rednecks. Blood relatives, some very close relatives. No matter how far I tried to escape, it’s still a part of me. Rednecks gotta redneck. It’s kind of like DNA.

You can take the girl out of the South, but you can’t take (all of) the South out of the girl!

Note my tagline, if you haven’t before.