Cover your rig

[Smokey]

A barbecue pit is kept outside year round and is subject to heat, cold, rain, ice, bird shit, children etc. Needless to say, a pit can take some serious abuse with the most devastating being rust. Once the bottom rusts out of a pit it's useless. So there are two things I do to keep my pit in good shape. First, I keep it covered. You can buy pit covers of any size at Academy. This will keep them dry and free of bird shit. Also, for those of you with children....it keeps Spider Man from using it as a fortress. Secondly, pit paint. You can buy a quart of Rustoleum high heat paint just for cookers. Just slap a coat on once in awhile and that will keep it from rusting out. Also. it never hurts to run a broomstick through your smoke stack. There is nothing like a swarm of angry wasps stinging the hell out of you because you smoked them out of their nest......trust me on this one. If you keep you take care of your pit, it will take care of you!

[Wayne Copeland]

Also, do not forget to wash out the ash after you smoke up some meat, as the ash will absorb moisture after it cools and will become acidic...which will start eating out the fire box way before its time. Remember what Grandma used to say, lye soap was made with ashes from the old wood burning stove!