My Shirley Fabrication Number is up!

[WilliamKY]

Congratulations, Rainman. When it finally arrives in your driveway and you see it for the first time, be prepared to have a permanent grin for weeks. Also, you dont need a sacrificial plate. The plate is designed to protect the paint on top of the firebox but you have a warmer so it's not necessary.

 

[SonVolt]

Congratulations, Rainman. When it finally arrives in your driveway and you see it for the first time, be prepared to have a permanent grin for weeks. Also, you dont need a sacrificial plate. The plate is designed to protect the paint on top of the firebox but you have a warmer so it's not necessary.

It's to protect the integrity of the steel also. Just because there's a warmer on top doesn't mean the roof of the firebox isn't taking damage over time.

 

[Sid Post]

Wow! You guys must be building some really big fires to warp a firebox top that thick!

 

[SonVolt]

Took 12 years to burn out the top of my propane tank firebox. The inside will eventually rust and then you pound it with fire over and over and, well, steel does what steel does. Albeit a propane thank is thinner gauge than the 1/2" used in the Shirley, but a sacrificial plate makes sense in the long run if you want to maximize the years you get out of it. Just a cheap upgrade to offer some peace of mind.

 

[PatAttack]

You, your children, grandchildren and great grandchildren will have a nice smoker for years to come.

 

[cdhbrad]

I've not measured it, but I think only 1/4". With the rest of your firebox @1/2", they would do it in that thickness if you wanted, but 3/8" is likely plenty.

I know Tyler was my main contact when I ordered, a true gentleman in all respects and a credit to his family. I couldn't get him to stop calling me "Sir" in all the emails even after I asked him to just call me Curtis.

 

[TheRainman]

I've not measured it, but I think only 1/4". With the rest of your firebox @1/2", they would do it in that thickness if you wanted, but 3/8" is likely plenty.

I know Tyler was my main contact when I ordered, a true gentleman in all respects and a credit to his family. I couldn't get him to stop calling me "Sir" in all the emails even after I asked him to just call me Curtis.

Tyler is a very well raised young man, that is for sure. Extremely polite and helpful.

 

[WilliamKY]

If I could make a recommendation. Skip the sacrificial plate and add a baffle block. You have to purchase the baffle block when the cooker is built, cant get it later, It's custom fitted to your cooker.

 

[cdhbrad]

Wow! You guys must be building some really big fires to warp a firebox top that thick!

It was not a warping of the top of the firebox that prompted Paul to come up with the "sacrificial plate" on the 24x36, rather some early Owners didn't seem to be following the recommendations for "seasoning" the paint on the firebox with a small burn, in the 200-225 range, for several hours to set the paint.

Owners seemed to have been bringing the temps really high in the first burns to "season the pit" by cranking them up to 350+ and, in the process, peeling the paint off the tops of the fireboxes. I guess Shirley decided that putting in the plate and upping the price by $50 was cheaper in the long run that having to deal with whatever blame was being sent their way for the discolored paint.

Paul has a video on YouTube that describes his coming up with the idea to solve this "problem" that Shirley had not created.

 

[TheRainman]

If I could make a recommendation. Skip the sacrificial plate and add a baffle block. You have to purchase the baffle block when the cooker is built, cant get it later, It's custom fitted to your cooker.

Yep, forgot to list that = definitely had that on the order list

 

[cdhbrad]

I would agree on the baffle, the plate just protects the top of the firebox but, if you have a warmer, there’s no paint to worry about.
Look forward to seeing you Shirley when it’s done. Love my “Baby” Shirley, but it’s everything I need for just my wife and me.

 

[70monte]

Congratulations. Sounds like it is going to be a nice cooker.

 

[pjtexas1]

24x42 is the perfect size. Congrats!

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[SonVolt]

Did Tyler say how long it would take to build now that your number is up?

 

[TheRainman]

He didnt. I'm guessing less than a month - but what do I know...

 

[JohnH12]

"Drip bars on both doors"
What are drip bars?

 

[SonVolt]

A lip on the bottom of the doors to trap grease and condensation so it doesn't run down directly onto the shelf (or your feet) when you open the doors.

 

[TheRainman]

"Drip bars on both doors"
What are drip bars?

Its an angle iron piece welded on the doors that rolls the grease into the chamber instead of the grease sliding down the door onto shelf - or the ground.

 

[TheRainman]

Congratulations!!! I have heard that the wait is well worth it!!! A Shirley is on my wish list (only item on it!) Looking forward to seeing the pics when she is done!

Will definitely post them asap

 

[Taybear]

Congrats on your number being up! I'm about 6-7 months in right now, and somehow feels like it's still an eternity away.