All Encompassing Whatcha Smoking With

[dcbc 14443]

28 minutes ago, CoachTex said:

I appreciate the info. I'm partial to the offset vertical smoker. Any suggestions is greatly appreciated.  Just looking to replace this with something a lot more robust and better build quality. 

 

Well, in looking at other vertical offsets, that seems to hit a sweet spot between the super thin OK Joe and the tank-like but expensive Lone Star Grillz.  I can't seem to find a price on Yoder's vertical offsets, but I imagine they're up there.  

 

The stack placement on the ASF is an interesting choice.  I assume there's some sort of baffle or tuning plate that allows the smoke get above stack height and then make its way down?

[thunderlounge 7778]

Is it me, or is the asf ugly as fuck?

[dcbc 14443]

10 minutes ago, thunderlounge said:

Is it me, or is the asf ugly as fuck?

I see what you did there.

[CoachTex 2623]

Yeah there was a company called helotes Pitts that had exactly what I was looking for but they went out of business. 

[dcbc 14443]

24 minutes ago, CoachTex said:

Yeah there was a company called helotes Pitts that had exactly what I was looking for but they went out of business. 

Lifetime makes a combo horizontal/vertical offset.  But the 20" one is $2,200.

 

Just doing a quick search, it's really hard to find something in that layout that isn't high dollar or flimsy.  It looks like they sell those ASF pits at HEB (not exactly encouraging), but it would be easy enough to go over there and check them out.  It should be pretty apparent whether they are built to last at least for a little while.

 

Otherwise, I'd make a crude drawing of what you want and see what a welder would charge you to fabricate it out of 1/4" steel.  Sometimes, this is cheaper than you think.  You can use your current cooker's dimensions.

Edited Tuesday at 10:58 PM by dcbc

[dcbc 14443]

@CoachTex Check this out.  It's more expensive at $2,450, but it seems like it will outlast all of us and is a 20x20 Vertical Offset.  1/4" steel.  Made in Houston.  Depending how many years you got out of your (to use your words) "El cheapo" smoker, it might make the most sense to save your money and get another one in the lower end of the price range.  But I don't think that ASF looks like it's worth $1,500.  This one looks like it's probably built to last at $2,450.  YMMV

 

 

 

https://pitsbyjj.com/smokers/20x20-vertical-smoker/

[thunderlounge 7778]

Es more bueno. 

[dcbc 14443]

1 minute ago, thunderlounge said:

Es more bueno. 

Si.  1/16 more bueno.

[Steel Shank 9416]

oui

[CoachTex 2623]

@dcbc bai hobe da. Yeah I got 4 years out of it. Got it for a song when they were being clearenced at home depot.  Doesn't hold temp very well and looking to upgrade.  Shooting for $2000 dollar range.  So as this will be only my 2nd one, I should shoot for at least 3/8" to hold Temps better? I appreciate all the help.

[dcbc 14443]

25 minutes ago, CoachTex said:

@dcbc bai hobe da. Yeah I got 4 years out of it. Got it for a song when they were being clearenced at home depot.  Doesn't hold temp very well and looking to upgrade.  Shooting for $2000 dollar range.  So as this will be only my 2nd one, I should shoot for at least 3/8" to hold Temps better? I appreciate all the help.

Let us know how it goes.  My first pit was a New Braunfels Hondo I bought in the early 2000s.  Probably 3/16" thick.  It was frustrating to use and I mostly put it to use as a grill.  But I really had no idea what I was doing.  From there, I moved through a Pit Barrel (briefly) to a WSM, which I love and am keeping for those times when I'm too busy to tend a fire or just want some sleep.  I sing the WSM's praises whenever possible, and it's thin metal.  But it's well-designed, easy to use, and I've put out some exceptional food on it. 

Incidentally, I gave the Hondo to a friend of mine and he's still using it over 20 years after I bought it.  He'll burn out the firebox soon enough, but it's gotten him into smoking food and, to my benefit, he's keeping me supplied with wood from some rural property he owns as long as I go out and help him cut it on occasion.  

3/16" steel may be fine in that vertical design, and there's only one way to find out.  In my case though, I wanted to buy once/cry once and spent about $650 more than I would have spent on that Old Country G2 at Academy.  The G2 is a beast, but I don't regret the wait and a little extra money to get get the smoker I got, which is a monster for its size and spec'd out like pits costing even more.  I have no worries about its longevity as long as I oil it  up periodically and keep it under cover. And so far, the extra-thick gauge of steel has made the learning curve not so steep with my first two cooks going really smoothly.

But what I learned in the last day is that vertical offsets are not all that common, and when you do find them from custom builders, they ain't cheap.  Keep us posted.

Edited Thursday at 03:29 AM by dcbc