Every year I roast a pig. Usually about 70 lbs. This year was the best yet. So here's what works for me. The spit is round pipe with several holes drilled in it. These holes alternate 90 degrees, Spikes are driven through the pig to hold it on the spit. The spit rotates at 1 RPM. Standard oar locks mounted in the end of vertically buried pipes hold the spit. A bell reducer at one end of the spit has a large washer bolted to it. The bell reducer is set into the oar lock and the washer acts as a thrust washer that holds the spit in place. There is a sliding counterweight on an arm that counterbalances the pig. The weight is adjusted in or out to get the best balance. Cureently, I am using a spit that I borrow every year. I have finally got together all the parts to make my own. Looking at surplus catalogs I found a motor with a planetary gearbox with 3.3 RPM output. It has a 1/8 hp motor which is plenty for a 70 lb pig. The plan is to use a three to one pulley reducing scheme and to hang the drive from the spit and use the pig support pipe to oppose the rotation of the drive. The spit rotates above a pit that is about 6 feet long, 2 feet wide and 2 feet deep. The bottom of the pit is brick lined except for a space 6 inches wide the length of the pit. This is where the fat drips and so avoids flare-ups. The fire is built along the sides and ends of the pit. The pit walls are lined with cinderblocks. ERS
- posted
20 years ago