IN MY ONGOING RESEARCH INTO DREAM SMOKERS, I followed another Craigslist lead. Again I was drawn back to Vallejo — well, American Canyon, Vallejo’s Piedmont — back to another welder on Broadway who welds smokers on request. He’s just a short cry up the road from Garnet, who didn’t know of any other local smoker artists, until now.

Cliff Anderson, black sport shirt, shades and a Joel Salatin-style straw hat, the owner of All Metal Fabrication, is practically Garnet’s neighbor. Cliff said he didn’t know of Garnet’s operation, until I came along. Now they’ll both read about each other in The Herald’s online editions and maybe become friends. That would be swell.

Cliff owns a metal fabrication business. He does construction welds for plant equipment, like catwalks, stairways and platforms. He started as a laborer at age 21, took up welding shortly thereafter, got certified, and worked into his 40s for companies like Cory-Delta and Owens-Corning.

Back in 2007 he branched out, went to work for himself, bought an existing fabrication business, acquired a building out on Broadway highway, and began welding whatever needed it. He’s currently 48, but that could change.

Like Garnet, Cliff welded his first smoker because a friend asked him to, and it turned out well. Only difference was that Garnet’s first smoker was built two years ago and Cliff’s first smoker came out this July 2014.

Cliff had a buddy retiring this summer who wanted to start a catering business. He asked Cliff to weld him a trailer-based smoker for the masses. Cliff did not start small. He went industrial first time out. He showed me the second smoker he built, identical to the first because it was such a hit.

It’s parked in front of his business if you look to your right as you drive by, or stop. One chamber of trays is vertical, high as a dorm fridge, another welded at the hip is horizontal, wide enough for a pig to hide inside of it, but not for long. The fire box is out front, easy to access.

His friend threw a party. He used Cliff’s smoker. The guests raved. Cliff was inspired. The rest is recent history.

To date he has built six smokers, while at the same time running his all-metal fabrication business. Cliff had two employees in the field. Inside the shop, he had two more guys touching up work on a huge dual-chamber horizontal offset smoker already spoken for.

He had one backyard size for sale, his first one of that design, all shiny, clean and new, hefty at a reasonable price. He had another small smoker out front that he’d sell, but he’s using it.

The day I showed up for my interview I timed my arrival to be precisely six hours after Cliff told me on the phone that he was starting a few racks of ribs for his family and employees, out front where the fine, sweet smoke may seep into your open window as you drive by.

We sat in his office munching ribs and tasting various sauces. It was bone-suckin’ good. My notes are pleasantly smudged. He said he recently showed off one of his trailer smokers at a Blues Brews BBQs Event at the Iron Steed Harley Shop in Vacaville and people followed him back to American Canyon to see more.

He is selling them as fast as he can build them. He has no backlog yet. He’s just getting started. He feels likes he’s onto something, and so do I. Home cooking is smart eating. I told Cliff of Garnet’s success after two years in the business. It could be his future path. Garnet is booked into the spring.

Garnet has made smokers for the 49ers and Raiders Boosters, Marriott’s, River Rock Casino, Momentum and VW dealerships, about 15 wineries, and a new masterful unit with multiple chambers and sinks that you may very well one day see parked beside Rookies Sports Bar and Grill.

Cliff is casual, industrious, sharp and optimistic. His always-on straw hat that his daughter gave him years ago suits his character nicely. What comes, comes. He’s ready.

Currently, I’m back home. My field work is all but over on the local smoker scene. Now, I’m subscribed to How to BBQ Right by Malcom Reed on YouTube. I’m joining several of the online smoker support-group websites. I’m a pledged member on a few.

I’m reading through the discussions of water or no water, pellet or chunks, electric or gas, brown sugar or white, thermometers for the chamber, thermometers for the meat, and injectors for internal butter and spices — Mmm. Butter and spices.

Steve Gibbs teaches at Benicia High School and has written a column for The Herald since 1985.