converting gas grill

[smokedad]

I have a gas grill that bit the dust, and I was wondering if anyone has converted one to a wood-burning offset smoker. I believe the one I have is a Char-Broil classic 3-burner gas grill. I know you would have to cut a hole in the side and add a fire box, and add a chimney, but beyond that I don't know what else would be involved in making that work, or if it's worth the work to try it. I have never done a project like this before, so it's all new to me.

 

[oldsmokerdude]

I suppose it would be possible, but gas grills typically have a HUGE vent in the back that would make turning it into a smoker problematic.....just not a good design to start with. That said, someone smarter than I could probably think of something to get around that, but not sure how much trouble it would be.

 

[banderson7474]

I just googled the classic 3 burner. Is that the one around 130 bucks? To me, the amount of effort and money to put into it, it wouldn't be worth it. Personally, I think the biggest factor of smokers are the quality of the metal so it keeps heat consistently.

However, don't change your mind b/c of me, maybe you just want a project! Good luck either way.

 

[smokedad]

I did see the vent in the back and wondered how that might be closed to keep smoke and heat from escaping. As I am not a welder or metal worker I think it would probably be a lot of money and time to do something like that, and I have plenty of other projects to work on. My wife was trying to make sure the grill ended up in a recycling pile somewhere, but I wanted to see if it could continue life as something better before that happened.

 

[ravenclan]

Would work as a cold smoker. but still need to close off the vents, not to hard since it will be cold smoked

 

[SonnyE]

Sometimes, there comes a time to move on.
I think you might be at that crossroads.
I have a fully functioning gasser. But my experimenting with doing smoking with it was futile.
I even made a baffel I can hang over the mile wide and treetop high back vent.
But to me... fagetabout it.

If you want an off-set, get an off-set.
Then never look back.

I have Natural Gas piped in my backyard "kitchen". So I am apt to stay a gasser. I like the instant success of it.
But a wood burner has a lot of appeal to me.
I suppose I'm just lazy. But at 68, I figure I've earned to right to sit on my butt.

 

[SecondHandSmoker]

This sounds like the perfect opportunity for a brand spankin' new smoker.

 

[Ty friesen]

I used two cast aluminum bbqs, mates one on top of the other to make my smoker. While a lot of heat escapes the firebox (bottom bbq, mounted upside down), heat is incredibly stable and i think it looks neat.

 

[Ty friesen]