and as always "color commentary" provided by Randy
I've built many smokers out of all kinds of stuff, but except for the electrical ones, they didn't hold much, required lots of attention, or weren't very portable. The Magnum is an attempt to address all these issues:
Easy to control
Easy access to the meat
Portable
and above all,
CHEAP!
The Magnum is an old idea: lots of folks have built them, and some
have been kind enough to share experiences and tips with me.
Basically, the Magnum is an imitation Weber Smokey Mountain
cooker (WSM), made bigger and better. It starts out as a Weber Kettle grill,
with a 55 gallon drum between the kettle top and bottom. Charcoal goes on a
grate in the bottom, a pan filled with water is suspended above the fire, and
several shelves above the pan hold the food to be cooked. Most important
Air control - the cooker HAS to be airtight!
Leaks mean the fire will go out of
control, and that means trouble.
Access - the standard WSM has to be taken apart to
really get at things. This would be pretty tough with a cooker as big
as the Magnum.
Safety - The kettle has spindly little legs that will
probably collapse when a 55 gallon drum loaded with meat is put on top of
it.
Still need a grill - don't want to ruin the Kettle's
great grilling versatility, so the Magnum needs to go back to its' roots.