My Mini Build: M I Z - B B Q!


 

Jorge Willard

New member
After finally getting all the "right" parts and more importantly, a warm weekend to paint my mini, I give you "M I Z - B B Q"! So obviously, I love my Mizzou Tigers and hopefully with this new mini our second year in the SEC will go a little better than our first. :D I wish I would have taken more pics of the build and I had intentions of doing a pic by pic build, but once I get started the camera seems to disappear until the very end. Nonetheless, nothing really new as far as what others have done except for adding two dampers on the bottom bowl similar to the WSM (which has three, but I felt that two would suffice in addition to the bottom vent on the SJS). Thus, here are the pics:


Mizzou logo with "M I Z - B B Q".


3/4 shot that shows the yellow hex cap (far left on pot) that covers the electrical thread grommet mod.


Opposite side of Mizzou logo with thermometer mounted 1/4 inch below middle cooking grate. FYI, I installed my middle cooking grate 5 inches from the top of the pot, which was a Vasconia I got off Amazon. Perfect fit!


Close-up of 3" thermometer for my mini from a some local guys that build smokers


Close-up of bottom bowl with new damper installed similar to WSM. The other one you can see from the next picture of the charcoal basket and where they are positioned in relation to the basket.


Picture of the charcoal basket in which you can see both the bottom dampers similar to WSM and the proximity to the charcoal basket. I thought this was overkill adding more control over temp. I did an initial burn just utilizing the bottom damper and it was locked in pretty good around 230-250 after about 20 minutes. But when I did my second burn, I just used the two side dampers and closed the bottom. I had it locked in at 225 after about 15 minutes and held steady with some minor tweaking for over six hours. :)


Last pic of it in all its glory! I used VHT high heat gloss black engine paint and duplic color engine paint (yellow) for my background color. Without a doubt, the paint job was the most fun part of the build. Once it all came together, I already had visions of several iterations of more mini's in my future.

Other info: I ended going with a 11" tart aluminum pan for my diffuser which was shallow enough to not touch the bottom grate. However, I do have a 12" clay saucer that I will use and see which one I like best. After the initial burn, I realize I need to add some eyebolts to the dampers I installed as they get uber-hot. But other than that, everything else is quite standard. Again, thanks to everyone on this board for giving me the knowledge and insight into making my mini and I hope to help others if they have any questions.

GO TIGERS! :D
 
nice ! in fact, very nice. not sure the side vents are needed but as long as yer happy with them, don't listen to me. now go throw some meat on it and show us how it goes.
 
Very nice build! So do you do the "Jump On It" dance while cooking? Gonna have that stuck in my head a while now LOL
Just FWIW, I used a 1" hole saw to cut wooden plugs for my damper handles after I burned myself a few times :(
 
Very nice!! And I also agree that side vents are really not necessary with the SJS, but nonetheless you did a great job!
 
Thanks for the feedback/comments! I agree that the bottom dampers might be unnecessary, but I decided to install them chiefly for the fact I had two extra set of three dampers for my WSM. Thus, it was something else to mod to my mini! :D The next mod is a wooden handle painted yellow AND adding the eyebolts to the bottom dampers. And of course, my first smoke session. I'm going with a 6 lb pork shoulder and copious amounts of Boulevard. CuckOoOO!
 
After finally getting all the "right" parts and more importantly, a warm weekend to paint my mini, I give you "M I Z - B B Q"! So obviously, I love my Mizzou Tigers and hopefully with this new mini our second year in the SEC will go a little better than our first. :D I wish I would have taken more pics of the build and I had intentions of doing a pic by pic build, but once I get started the camera seems to disappear until the very end. Nonetheless, nothing really new as far as what others have done except for adding two dampers on the bottom bowl similar to the WSM (which has three, but I felt that two would suffice in addition to the bottom vent on the SJS). Thus, here are the pics:


Mizzou logo with "M I Z - B B Q".

GO TIGERS! :D

This is one awesome smoker!! Hope you get to use it at some games this year while you watch your Tigers win some SEC games, especially if you get to play the Gamecocks. I count Mizzou as one of the good guys.

Go Tigers ...Clemson Tigers that is!
 
This is one awesome smoker!! Hope you get to use it at some games this year while you watch your Tigers win some SEC games, especially if you get to play the Gamecocks. I count Mizzou as one of the good guys.

Go Tigers ...Clemson Tigers that is!

I hope so, Barry! Our schedule is a little more favorable than last year, but we have a lot of answers on both sides of the ball. Funny side note, my neighbors are both Clemson grads and proudly sport their 1981-82 national championship Coke bottles in their home. Go Tigers! :)
 
I hope so, Barry! Our schedule is a little more favorable than last year, but we have a lot of answers on both sides of the ball. Funny side note, my neighbors are both Clemson grads and proudly sport their 1981-82 national championship Coke bottles in their home. Go Tigers! :)

Sounds like you have some great neighbors! Class of '88 here and also sporting one of those coke bottles in the bookcase... and hoping for another this next year.

Go Tigers!
 

 

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