Bandera 101 Document

Great Find!

My wife talked me into getting a Bandera a couple of years ago that we saw at a local Walmart. Didn't really know how to smoke or what to do with it but it sure looked cool, and I made a "lot" of smoke with it.

Went as a newby with the Windomar East vrs. West comp and learned a lot. Out team came in 17th out of 48. Finally saw what better cooking was and how it was to be done. Found out about this site, and now after seeing the refurbished photos of others and about the mods I'm all set to fix-up my NBB and see what I can do. Thanks to all for you comments and insights.

Keep reading that I need to review the "Useful Mods" document in the "files" section. I don't know and can't find the files section. Where is it?

i don't even remember where i bought my "bandera". just found out why they quit makin' 'em. then started over...with, as usual, a lesser product.

mine hasn't been used since i was married (reception food!) and now i'm deevorced. time to get it and put her back into action.

i used to use bricks for a baffle...now i see that a i was going 'bout it all wrong. fire-bricks and a baffle.

got it home and had a fire in it pronto. cooked on it that night. great stuff.

have to tune it up a bit, but i'm still real happy i bought that smoker back when i did.

hey--i once saw a catalog listing of a ss version. did they ever actually make those?

yo, anybody got a copy of the 101 in a different format?

here's mine in action. only had her back for three weeks and learned more here in a week than i thought i didn't know...

WadePatton said:

i don't even remember where i bought my "bandera". just found out why they quit makin' 'em. then started over...with, as usual, a lesser product.

mine hasn't been used since i was married (reception food!) and now i'm deevorced. time to get it and put her back into action.

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I lost nearly 2 years of cooking time due to a divorce. Very happy to report I've successfully reunited with my bandera and we plan on living happily ever after! Oh yeah, I'm getting married again, WadePatton, but this group's feelings about our banderas is the real love story here!

oh yeah, i'll be rebuilding this one as necessary until i can build my own moab.

bricks and sticks make mine rock on. never cooked "badly" on it, but realize now that a lot of that was luck.

here she is in the middle of my comfort zone, and running blue. yes, i turn the thermo to read my desired temp at 12'oclock. make remote (kitchen door) reading quite easy.

_note_ if i had had any idea how popular banderas were, i'd taken a photo of mine sitting side by side with my bros'. we both got them back before anybody (round here) knew anything about 'em. pre internet q.

_note 2_ if the photos appear blurry, then have another beer. :wink:

Bandera rehab

Here is the beginning of my bandera rehab, gonna turn it into the "red rib racer".

Bandera Rehab *updates*

Ok after day 2 here she is all painted up chevy red with white racing stripes, new steel axel and lawn mower wheels instead of the cheap plastic casters, charcoal basket made.
Still need to make the heat deflector, put in the firebrick, make all the wheels match, add shelf, put some sort of gasket on the door and find a thermometer. The red rib racer is coming to life!

bourbondrinker said:

Here's the finished smoker project. I fired it up on Sunday. It got up to 250 degrees in less than ten minutes. Now I just need to get better at holding temp for a sustained period. Hopefully next weekend I'll put some real eats in it and go to town! I'm looking forward to learning more about using it and figuring out how to make some world class bbq!

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Devin,

New to the site and just got my Bandera - my first smoker. It looks very similar to the way yours did before your remod. Great job...I'm curious if you could give me an idea of what worked best for you when cleaning it up, inside and out. Also, can you give a brief template for the cutting board modification you added?

Thanks!

Josh

That before pic kinda looks like mine except I have 4 tires. It needs work badly.

jjkozel said:

Devin,

New to the site and just got my Bandera - my first smoker. It looks very similar to the way yours did before your remod. Great job...I'm curious if you could give me an idea of what worked best for you when cleaning it up, inside and out. Also, can you give a brief template for the cutting board modification you added?

Thanks!

Josh

Click to expand...

Josh-

I may have gone overboard on the restoration (20 hours)... But any job worth doing is worth doing right. For rust removal I used an angle grinder (worth buying a new tool---only way to go) with a brush, and sometimes with a more aggressive sanding pad. Than I took the thing completely apart for more rust removal. Painted (before reassembly) and rebuilt with new hardware. More paint after reassembly. Inside I just ran a wire brush on a drill to knock off what I could and than wiped down with oil which took care of most of the rust ---not much clean up inside really because it's pointless.

For the smaller parts I was fortunate enough to find a moth balled sand blaster at work. Got it running, cleaned up the small parts, and called it a day.

The folding cutting board mod was inspired by this forum. I saw someone that did their own woodwork, but I thought a cutting board would be cheaper and much quicker! I bought folding shelf brackets from Woodcraft.com. Found a cutting board for $10 at TJ Maxx. I looked EVERYWHERE for one that would fit and didn't cost a ton. TJ Maxx was the last place I'd think to look, but is the only place that even came close. Not really any sort of template to offer on this portion---I just used a tape measure and looked for something that fit.

The only really 'original' idea I had on this restoration was using a stainless steel dog bowl to use as a replacement water bowl---perfect fit.

Help, i just acquired a Bandera for $40. Is in pretty good shape just needs a good cleaning. The guy that had it must not have known much about it because no modes done to it. I have a UDS and have had great success with it. I saw this Bandera and just to get it and try it. Not knowing anything about it i knew i could find help here. I read about the modes to do. Before i print it, is the "Bandera 101" updated with any knew info since it was created?

it hasnt been updated, (I wrote it), but it covers all the mods.. The only thing is the charcoal baskets they we were making are no longer in production for them. U would have to find a welder to make one for u.

Ok, Thanks.

New to the Forum. Had my Bandera for 12 years now. I have used a pizza stone in the bottom and top of the smoke box and a thick steel baffle for years. Will try the door mod. Are there any other threads or links that discuss the materials for sealing the door? Also, has anybody setup a Guru or Stoker on a Bandera? I am very interested but alsways do my research first. Thanks

There are some georgeous projects in this thread. Makes me want a Bandera of my own.

Me too!

I have a few questions? Is there any video's on using the smoker? Explain the water bath? I love the pictures, I was redoing my smoker that I got on craigslist, and see that the hings pin on the fire box was installed wrong, tried to knock it loose but didn't move maybe a bigger hammer. I would love to have the heat diverter but have no way to make one, does anyone have one for sale?