Neighbor got a Brinkman Trailbalzer for Xmas...not going so well..advice?

[show me smoke]

What is your price range?  Do u like offsets verticals or want to go with pellets?

 

[turfguy]

I've had my Trailmaster for a couple of years and have found that I need to run it somewhat hotter than I did on other smokers. I get it up to about 300-320 on the stock thermometer that came with it and it's worked very well. I also sealed it when I assembled it, but have not done the other modifications. Good Luck.

 

[mikebham]

Took mine back, never did work correctly, couldn't regulate the temp and keep it where I wanted

 

[parman]

I also have the same unit. I've done what you have but used perforated stainless steel veggie cooking sheets to disperse the smoke. I also want to add 1 more mod. The ash tray just isn't deep enough for a long cook. I've had to empty the tray while smoking and that thing gets hot and with hot ash falling. I want to find someone to either may a deeper version or cut the bottom.

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• parman
• Feb 13, 2013

and extend the depth.
 

 

[austin-b]

Where did y'all get the material to make the coal basket? Does it come in a 4X8 sheet?

 

[james parker]

Thanks for the advice JIR.  I will sure look into that WSM. I love my MES for the convenience and it is good for most smokes for my wife, son, and myself, but when the rest of the kids and grandchildren come home it is a little small.  I would be interested in knowing where you got yours, locally or online?

James

 

[socalbbq]

Where did y'all get the material to make the coal basket? Does it come in a 4X8 sheet?

I picked up 2 sheets of expanded metal at Home Depot, they're smaller than 4x8. I had to cut the height to make sure the firebox door would close, then bent into L shape.  I then had a friend tack weld together making the box.  Works really well for long smokes,

 

[parman]

You can purchase 4x8 sheets at sheet steel businesses. Just call and see if they carry extended metal. They'll cut for you but each cut costs a few bucks. They'll have it in different thickness. Even the thinner stuff at Home Depot gets real rigid once your finished tacking or bolting it together.
 

 

[evab]

Interesting thread, learned a lot, and will hope that the smoker I have is going to work as well. I can't get to it, it was bought over 7 years ago, and never used, its an upright propane run rig, about 5 feet tall, the body of the smoker is probably around 4 feet as it has legs as I remember, (I told you it was long ago) will try to get it out this summer (may not happen but then again it may) and try some smoking but I really do want to try it out! I dearly would like to smoke my own bacon, as I really am not impressed with the prices on the stuff in the stores, not to mention the ratio of water that is allowed in the stuff!

My mother used to make bacon on the homestead years and years ago in the 1920's and 30's and she wasn't impressed with store bought stuff in the 50's and 60's and would just plain think the crap these days was just that crap!

 

[jirodriguez]

Thanks for the advice JIR.  I will sure look into that WSM. I love my MES for the convenience and it is good for most smokes for my wife, son, and myself, but when the rest of the kids and grandchildren come home it is a little small.  I would be interested in knowing where you got yours, locally or online?

James

I got mine local - there is a guy who works at a wine shop here who also sells smokers (go figure... lol), but most folks have to buy them on-line because almost nobody stocks them. Best thing to do is to find somebody doing free shipping, and/or a sale. If you have any issues Webber is really good about replacing anything damaged - I know of one person that recieved one and the middle body was out of round, and Weber sent them a new one with no hastle at all.

I have been super happy with my WSM, and I have never regretted it once.

 

[rschlank]

Got my WSM on Amazon. Free standard shipping. Check out virtualwebberbullet.com for more info on the unit and link from there to amazon if you like the site as they will get a referral.

 

[tularejohn]

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• tularejohn
• Feb 18, 2013

4 Babyback  ribs and 1 Beef rib on TLE this past Sunday, using 3-2-.5 method... Finger Lickin Good all around..

 

[yoni63]

I may be rehashing something someone might have mentioned, but just passing on my lessons learned.  I have a trailer smoker, graduated from a Master Forge double door this year.  I've learned that with my trailer mount that with excellent thermometers in the doors, that temp will be greatly different from the grate temperature.  Now saying that...my rule of thumb is ALL smokers are different in their own ways scientifically when it comes to heat etc..  While my left side door is stable at 150, my right side door is at 175.  All that and my grate is at 225.  Playing with the venting of course brings changes.  Hope you guys got it figured out.  Nothing more frustrating.  As for finishing in the oven, I find no shame in that at all.  In fact some of the best pork butts I did were on smoke for several hours and finished in the oven.  

 

[cpfitness]

 
I bought the trailmaster this past week and set mine up this weekend and did a couple test runs...I noticed the stock thermo on top is nearly 100 degrees off the two I drilled through at grate level.  Hopefully my plates will be done today and I will be able to get a more even and consistant temp across the grates, mine was runnig at about 15 degrees difference from box to exhaust.  Of course it was about 24 degrees outside with I was seasoning her up.

Couple other words to note, check the mods section...highly recommend sealing it with Rutlands and getting a gasket for the fire box and smoke chamber doors, both mine leak like sieves.  Best of luck...happy smoking!

I know this is an old thread but just wanted to bump it to say I am experienceing the EXACT same thing.  I'm not a total noob; I had a brinkmann smoke n pit that I did some very basic mods too.  just got a new trailmaster LE and happened to see brinkman thermo's in the accessories section so I picked up 2 of them and immediately installed them.  As I type this I'm in the midst of seasoning the smoker and the temps I'm getting from the 2 thermo's at the grate are easily 75 degrees lower than the stock thermo that comes with the unit.    In some ways, I think this is a good thing.  Most newbs tend to cook with too much heat so if they heat this rig up to 300 degrees on the stock thermo, they will be doing well.  if they only go up to 225 on it, they could be looking at food poisoning!!!!   

I'm also an avid golfer and Taylor Made has become the #1 seller of Drivers for the same reason.  They knew that people weren't buying drivers with enough loft so they began making drivers that said 8.5 on them when they were actually 11 or 11.5.  people immediately began hitting the ball farther and chalked it up to Taylor Made simply making better drivers!  

 

[cpfitness]

 
Some of us don't have the skills and tools to do all of these mods that seem to be necessary to turn out a good product.  So my question is, what type of horizontal charcoal/wood smoker can one buy out ot the box that will do the job without all the modifications?  I have a 30" MES that sometimes is a little too small for when the whole family shows up or i'm cooking for a church function.  I love the MES but I want a bigger smoker and need some recommendations.

again I realize this is an old post, but as someone who is also on a budget I'll share my personal insight.  

I love food, I love cooking, I love entertaining.  I like to think that I'm not a cheapskate but don't spend just to spend either.  I will gladly pay more for something that flat out works better than it's cheaper counterpart.  

With all of that said, in my research it was going to be about $850-$1000 to get a basic backyard smoker that worked properly right out of the box.  Add to that, 6 week lead time from some of these maufactureres because they produce them as one offs and that really wasn't going to work for me.  The trailmaster is a $300 smoker that seems to be just as good as the Oklahoma Joe that sells at lowes for $429.  So right off the bat I feel like I saved $129.   Most of the mods mentioned are truly simple or don't require work from you.  Anyone can do the caulking to seal it.  Anyone can drill holes to install additional thermometers.  The things that get involved are the tuning plates and the charcoal basket but most people go to metal fabrication shops and pay them for the metal and to bend it into the desired dimensions.  So ultimately, I think the mods on this unit come in at $50-200 depending on how many of them you do so you are looking at $350-$500 to have an excellent smoker vs $800 for a horizon (which by the way, still needs some mods)

 

[dmeyer24]

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• buckstuckinmich
• Jan 26, 2013

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• buckstuckinmich
• Jan 26, 2013

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• buckstuckinmich
• Jan 26, 2013

Charcoal basket, took about 45 minutes to make once I got the right sheers to cut the metal. I already had the nuts, bolts and washers. It holds 8 lbs of unlit, 8 lbs of lit Kingsford charcoal, and 2 handfuls of wood. Originally I had it taller, but I cut it down a bit so I could fit the grill grate over it in case I wanted to cook hot dogs for the kids while I was smoking. I sit it on the bottom grate that comes with it to keep air under it and good circulation.

How are the burn times with your charcoal box? I just made an 12x11x8 inch basket for my TMLE and only got four hours at 233 degrees with 8 pounds of royal oak. I was hoping to get at least 6 hours 8 is where I want to be. Mods on my TMLE are the dryer vent, sealed cooking chamber door and drip pans used as a cheap version of tuning plates. Any feedback would be great!

 

[dmeyer24]

What kind of extended burn times are you guys seeing with charcoal basket? I just made a 12x11x8 inch basket for my TMLE and it only gave me four hours of burn time at 233 degrees. It fits 8 pounds of royal oak lump. I was hoping for at least 6 hours.

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• dmeyer24
• Feb 25, 2014

 

[cpfitness]

I am at 6 hours as I type this but using Kingsford. I find lump burns too fast in the basket

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[buckstuckinmich]

I was getting about 3-4 hours with Kingsford original, then mid summer I did the mods for the clamps on the doors and sealed the fire box.  That helped a ton.  The other thing I would say is that my backyard is kind of a bad wind spot.  I get a ton of gusts, but very little consistent breeze to keep a consistent draw.  By end of summer I smoked a small brisket and a salmon and used 2 chimney's or charcoal and a handful of wood.

 

[whiskeyboyz]

I always pan my butts after I inject them with a 50/50 mixture of Makers Mark bourbon and Simply Apple apple juice. Rub them down, fat cap down. Large pieces of meat reach a stall point at about 150-160. Cover them with aluminum foil and keep cooking. I usually pull mine off at 205 internal temp, let them rest for an hour or two and they will pull just perfect. A little moisture in the bottom af the throw away pns (beer) helps too. WHen I use my 48" Lang deluxe, I usually smoke at 300-350 Hot and Fast. I smoked an 11lb and a 10 lb butt on Monday in about 7 hours, but those were large butts. I also use my Mister Baffler, baffles on my offsets to help deflect the heat and smoke evenly throughoiut the cook chamber.