I've loved barbecue and outdoor cooking my whole life. I started my barbecue journey with a small charcoal grill and have used all types of pits, from kettle grills to large offset smokers. Every pit I owned had features I liked and others I wished were there. In 2025, I decided to start building them myself to make my ideal smoker. Tar Heel Metalworks was born and continues to grow out of my shop at Nova Labs, a nonprofit community maker space in Fairfax City, Virginia.

 

Each pit is meticulously designed and 3D-modeled before entering the build process. ​​With parts cut using precision tools and welded with top-of-the-line equipment, my products are built to last a lifetime. At the end of every build, all smokers and grills go through a final quality check including burning a fire to test performance. Every pit that leaves my shop is one I'd be proud to own myself.