Building My Own Offset

[xxsmokin foolxx]

Hello all, first I want to thank you for reading.  I purchased the CG Duo a couple of years ago and immediately fell in love with the art of smoking.  I used it very often, 4 days a week.  Unfortunately it could not keep up and the SFB rusted completely, even under cover.  This past year has been pretty tough and I havent been able to get another smoker.  Now that I am ready, I just want to build my own.  Problem is, I am not 100% committed to a design.  If someone would please pm me with some ideas it would be greatly appreciated  :)

 

[ribwizzard]

Id be more than happy to help, Ive built plenty of pits over the years. What exactly are you looking to do with it?  Back yard patio or trailer pit. How much food do you want to cook at once and what kind of stuff do you smoke?

 

[xxsmokin foolxx]

I am mainly wanting it for backyard.  I plan on doing butts, ribs, brisket, chicken etc.  I would like it to be big enough for a whole hog.  I am looking for something inexpensive to build that will last a while.  

 

[sqwib]

I am mainly wanting it for backyard.  I plan on doing butts, ribs, brisket, chicken etc.  I would like it to be big enough for a whole hog.  I am looking for something inexpensive to build that will last a while.  

 I built mine from scraps and in the end I was out close to $800.00 bucks, it adds up quick.

Most folks will say, "I built this for next to nothing", that may be the case for some but was not for me, I built mine to my specs, gives you total control, cost was not a factor

So inexpensive is subjective.

If you want cheap, build an ugly drum smoker, if you want a stickburner, build to your specs and don't worry about the cost, after all.... this is going to be your baby.

 

[xxsmokin foolxx]

Thanks Sqwib.  $800 is a lil out of my range right now, I guess I'm impatient  :)  I will definitely have it drawn up and build it to specs. . . . it's just a matter of getting the right material.  We'll see how it goes

 

[bruno994]

Building your own pit is not always the cheapest route.  Unless...you have access to materials.  Then you can chop the price down quite a bit.  With my trailer pit, I had a free tank, a $100 trailer and I still ended up at $1200.  Which I am very happy with, but you might not be.  For a pit big enoiugh to do a whole hog, you will need at least a 60" chamber I would think.  You might get a small one in a 48", but then it might have to be called whole piglet cooking...LOL.  Can't wait to see your ideas and we'll all be happy to help along the way.

 

[ribwizzard]

Im thinking find you a good 100 lb propane tank to start, you could go up to 120lb or even down to 80lb and be alright. But 100 lb sounds about perfect for what you want, Just go through your local phone book and call all of the propane fillers, gas companies in your area. You can usually get one for free if you are persistant enough. I was filling my 20lb bottle at one and just asked about a tank and next thing you know, there was one sitting in the back of my truck.

Once you have a tank in good shape to start with, everything else is gravy. Go get one and there are enough people on here to walk you through a build that will give you a smoker that will last you a lifetime. Here the one Im building now,  Maybe have $100.00 in it at the time of this pic except for the trailer. Its complete and ready to cook this weekend and I have maybe $300.00 in it and that was buying two  $50.00 tel-tru thermometers and $60.00 worth of des-ta-co latches, wich I could have done with out.

 

[xxsmokin foolxx]

Hey Bruno, thanks for the input.  I have the metal readily available. . . . . I also have some diamond plate lying around ass well as the expanded metal cooking rack.  Size I'm looking at is 48" W x 96" L x 36"D.  I know I could easily fit a hog in that lol  I'm just looking for ideas as far as aesthetics go

 

[xxsmokin foolxx]

He wizzard, wow one helluva job you've done there.  Thats a nice rig  :)  Thanks a bunch for the tip, I'll get started on that right away.  I have a trailer as well thats old and beat up, wouldn't be bad mounting it to that.

 

[ribwizzard]

Right now it has two 23" x 48" cooking racks. Easily be able to put a small pig on one of those.  And 12" space between racks, Ill probably build two more racks that I can put in when doing ribs or chicken.

If this design works good, Id like to build a patio size one like it out of a 80 lb, so Im interested in seeing how your build goes.