Brandon Lawson and Hayes Walton founded TMG Pits (“The Metal Guys”) in 2020 as a side business that took off like wildfire after posting several custom-crafted smokers online. “Our second or third TikTok video had 4 million views overnight, and we decided to just throw down and start this business,” Brandon Lawson says. “We went international in three months. Six years later, we’re in 17 countries and all 50 states.”
The Knoxville native adds, “One of our goals from the get-go was to put Knoxville on the map for barbecue. Technically, we’re not cooking barbecue, but we’ve positioned Knoxville as the place where world-class smokers and pits are handcrafted.”
Driven by a fanatically popular social media presence, TMG keeps an almost year’s backlog of custom orders from all over the world, often from distinguished clientele they can’t always talk about—a custom trailer rig for a surprise birthday gift for a U.S. president’s family (which Lawson calls “a very cool delivery experience”) or a custom smoker for a high-level African dignitary.
Son of a third-generation ironworker, Lawson intended to be the fourth generation, but his dad and granddad wouldn’t teach him welding, insisting he go to college instead. He earned his bachelor’s degree in turf grass management at the University of Tennessee, which led him to open a landscaping company, where he met Walton. Lawson hired his future business partner while he was still in school, quickly realizing he was a highly skilled mechanic with an unstoppable work ethic.
His staff also included welders and fabricators who repaired broken trailers and equipment. “In 2016, we built our first CNC (computer-controlled laser) table in my garage to cut metal. Most people just order them,” Lawson adds. “We YouTubed how to do it, built it, bought all the software and taught ourselves CAD. So, we had two businesses going at once, landscaping and custom metal signs.” After opening a shop in Karns, the metal sign business had taken off when COVID hit the company hard. “My neighbor at Karns Motor Company asked us to build a smoker for their 25th anniversary in six months. We built one smoker, put it online, sold it immediately, built a second smoker, sold it immediately and realized we were on to something.”
They looked at other companies for what they did well and what brought complaints. “We had repaired other trailers, and asked ourselves, ‘Can we solve these issues?’ One thing setting us apart is fabricating 99% of everything in-house. Other companies buy trailer fenders and hinges offshore. We custom- fabricate our fenders from 1/8-inch steel and can literally stand on top of them. All our hinges are built in-house. We weld three-dimensional pieces using three or four pieces of steel into really cool custom cut-outs, not stock tube steel. We build our firebox differently from other fabricators. In our big tankers, we build an inside layer with three inches of insulation and insulate every corner, every plane of it, so it doesn’t transfer heat into the smoke chamber.” Trailers up to 24 feet are power-coated in-house for a higher-quality finish and durability.
Lawson says that out of all the brands building pits, a handful are true custom fabricators. “Of those five—and we all respect each other—we are probably in the top two. Our design and the way we think sets us apart. We create smokers that are artwork with two rules for everything that comes out of our shop: It has to function great, and it must look cool.”
The business evolved with demands and trends. “Right now, 99% of what we do is offset smokers,” Lawson explains, “a smoker with the firebox offset to the side—not directly under the meat, so it’s just getting smoke, no flames.” Recently, however, he adds, “Live fire has really taken off for us. During COVID, smoking took off because everyone was home in the backyard cooking. Once people were comfortable with smoking, the next challenge was live fire. We travel the world for live-fire events because it is a part of so many cultures. We custom-build a live-fire table with different accessories to hang any kind of meat, vegetables or fruit. It’s a really cool way to cook live fire off that table.”
Lawson says, “As a very custom builder, our trailer rigs are completely wild—second to none. For example, we custom-built a rig for a live-fire event in Texas with a top deck where people could hang out, so there’s a party up top while others were smoking and cooking underneath. We designed it with a full marine-grade custom sound system, multiple smokers, fryer, custom-griddle flat top, hand-washing station, lights, awnings, among many custom features. Whatever customers can think up, we can design and build.”
Some customers prefer the look of TMG’s off-road package on their patio instead of casters, or if it’s not feasible to drive a trailer rig in the backyard. “A couple of guys can pull and position an off-road package where you want it. They aren’t street-legal, but our off-road axles have cool black or chrome golf cart tires that give it an off-road mud tire look.”
TMG typically attends 10-20 major American and international festivals and competitions annually (such as Memphis in May, American Royal BBQ in Kansas City and Jack Daniel’s World Championship Invitational Barbecue in Lynchburg, Tenn.), but not to compete. They take smokers (and their custom-blended rubs and sauces) to assist different teams or support causes, such as Hogs for the Cause (pediatric brain cancer). Lawson says they’re always looking for ways to give back, help out and donate wherever they can. Festivals, fundraising or relief efforts, “We care about the fan experience, so we show up to throw a party and hand out food.” Along with national charities, one of Lawson’s many local causes is Central High School, where he attended. “We sponsor whatever we can for them.”
Lawson and Hayes feel fortunate in their veteran staff of metalworkers, hand-picked and trained to their high standards. “We’ve worked very hard to get here … lots of long nights, but we’ve been blessed. We’ve met so many cool people who respect and love what we do. Food, fire and music are all about friends, family and bringing people together.”
And the father who wanted something different for his son? “My dad will stop by after his work and say, ‘I paid for you to go to school and you still end up welding,’” Lawson laughs. “It’s true. I taught myself welding, and it’s true it’s hard, hot, back-breaking work. But it’s work I love and grew up around—especially projects at my granddad’s, where we were always smoking meats for family dinners.
But they’re proud of the business we’ve built that took it to the next level.”
Explore more at Linktr.ee/TMGPITS.
“We’ve worked very hard to get here … lots of long nights, but we’ve been blessed. We’ve met so many cool people who respect and love what we do. Food, fire and music are all about friends, family and bringing people together.”—Brandon Lawson.