New Dyna-Glo vertical offset smoker

[mikethehammer]

 

 

[ahakohda]

Hi everyone
Thank you all for 10 pages of useful info.
I use Webber 18" smoker for 7 years now and getting an itch to buy a brand new smoker.
I am trying to decide if I should go with 22" Webber for $400 or to get a wide model of dyna Glo.
Only thing that stops me right now is a price tag of Webber and smoking time on single load with Dyna.

Is it really only 2-3 hours of smoking on a single basket load with Dyna smoker?

 

[moloch16]

You can go two hours easy, I've gone three but it's more challenging because you have to load the basket up which reduces airflow through the coals so the beginning of the cook temps might be on the cool side but it will go for three hours plus.

What I usually do is light a full chimney worth of lump charcoal.  Once lit I dump that lit chimney on top of a single layer of unlit coals in the basket.  That will go two hours easy.  At about two hours (give or take) I will add more unlit charcoal to the basket which will light itself.

I use to use brickets but they are harder to light off the already lit coals, and more importantly brickets give off an odor until they are lit fully, lump doesn't have that problem.

 

[ahakohda]

This alone is a deal breaker :(
I guess I'll go with Webber. Pay once cry once.

 

[moloch16]

Yes this is definitely not a smoker you can light and walk away for 8 hours like you can a weber.

 

[cromans]

Buying this smoker next week and I'm planning on doing the mods. I have a question though. If I use a water pan on the bottom grate, will I still need to install a baffle?

 

[cmcvay]

Got the smoker together with all the mods listed. Quite a fun project actually. Did my seasoning this morning and was pretty impressed that I maintained my temp between 235 amd 260 and thin blue smoke for 2 hours and 45 minutes. Main temp more between 240 amd 250.

Used Kingsford Pro unlit ramp method in the FB with about a 3/4 lit chimney. Added hickory chunks initially and about an hour in. Then added 1 good size chunk of Apple for the last hour or so. Regulated temp with intake between 3/4 closed and nearly closed. Never opened the smoke chamber til the 2 and half hour mark. Had it open for about 10 minutes. Closed it back up. Opened the intake and temp shot back up to 220 within 10 minutes.

A few small leaks bit no major concerns. Overall I am impressed and happy I made the decision to go this route for my first smoking experience. Smoking is like being an artist. It's all about attention to detail.

I'm glad I found SMF. I'll post after my first official cook, hopefully in the next couple of days.

Happy Memorial Day.

All gave some, but some gave All!

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• cmcvay
• May 27, 2017

 

[mikethehammer]

This alone is a deal breaker :(
I guess I'll go with Webber. Pay once cry once.

I'm going on 3 hours now 1st hour CC warm-up and temp still holding at 240°, so far so good, doing Jeff's double smoked spiral cut ham, as I need to use now

 

[mikethehammer]

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• mikethehammer
• May 27, 2017

 

[cmcvay]

4 slabs of ribs, 2 1/2 hours in, temp is good, smoke is good. Gonna let em go 30 more minutes then double wrap! Will post the finished product on my maiden voyage!

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• cmcvay
• May 29, 2017

 

[simsfmly]

This is about to be my third smoker.  Started with a little, bullet smoker that lasted a few seasons and really set the hook on smoking.  We winter in Texas, got a golf cart and had to get a storage unit, perfect reason to get a big offset smoker that we store there in the summer.  Needed a smoker for our summer in Ohio and this Dyna Glo is going to be the ticket.  Getting it from Amazon on Thursday and can't wait.

Thanks as always to the good folks on this wonderful forum for all the information on, not only this smoker, but all the aspects of smoking.

 

[cmcvay]

Here's my first official smoke. Baby backs and 1 St Louis slab! Did the 3-2-.50 method, with Applewood chunks and Kingsford Pro Briquettes. Think I'm going to do 2-2-1 next time. Overall I'm pleased with my first smoke. Family loved it.

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• cmcvay
• May 29, 2017

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• cmcvay
• May 29, 2017

 

[wimpy69]

Looks great, nice and evenly colored, did you have to turn them or move them around in smoker. Same ramp method? What was your refuel time if any.

 

[cmcvay]

Thanks, I was really impressed with the color and taste. Having leftovers tonight! :)

Ramp of unlit coals in the basket, 3/4 lit chimney. I staggered the ribs bone side down, one on each rack, smoking for 3 hours. At the 2&3/4 hour mark I lit a 3/4 chimney and got it white hot for refueling! Tightly wrapped the ribs at the 3 hour mark in double foil and placed them back on the racks meat side down for another 2 hours.Refueled with the 3/4 lit chimney and a couple of Applewood chunks. After 2 hours wrapped meat side down I removed the foil and placed them back on the racks bone side down for about another 30 minutes. 

The next time I cook ribs I may try 2 and half hours bone side down, 2 and a half tightly wrapped meat side down and then just about 20 minutes loose wrapped rest time.

 

[wimpy69]

Thanks

 

[simsfmly]

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

Smoker came yesterday, a day early.  Just perfect.  

I will say, the smoker box sounded like something was loose, and indeed, the nuts and bolts holding on the air vent had come undone and one of them fell out when I opened it.

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

15 minutes?  Um, no. It took me more time to find the bolt that fell out.  With all the mods that I did and taking the requisite beer breaks required during any construction like this, it took me about an hour and a half.

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

Put the lava lock around the fire box and the smoke box.  Sealed tightly, but the smoker box wouldn't shut real well.  I took off the spring clip, and the handle fit.  I'd rather have a tight door and a sloppy handle than the other way around.

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

I used the Permatex red high temp gasket goo everywhere.

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

I added a piece of stainless that I picked up at Lowe's for a baffle.  18" piece was perfect.

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

I also spent a couple of other bucks for the cover.

Let things set overnight to cure.  This morning, I sprayed the entire inside with Pam Grilling spray.  I lit a box of charcoal using the minion method, with no wood, to run it dry.

Temperature raced up as others had.  I put in a 12 ⅝" x 10 ¼" foil oval baker filled with water after an hour, and she came right down to a good 225-250 degrees.

Found a couple of places that need fixed.  Where the handle goes into the smoker box, that whole thing leaked so I'm going to put the Permatex on the inside of it.  The back right corner of the fire box inexplicably leaked, so I'm going to take a look at that.

With no wood, only briquettes, she held the temperature for about 2 hours and 30 minutes.

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• simsfmly
• Jun 1, 2017

Wasn't happy that the lava lock came off the of the firebox when I opened it to check on the charcoal.  That will take a little bit of a redo and rethink.

Can't smoke anything today or tomorrow, looking forward to smoking a couple of hams on Saturday and something for the family on Sunday.

Thanks again to all who have posted on this thread.

 

[simsfmly]

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• simsfmly
• Jun 3, 2017

Freezer had no lunch meat, semi boneless hams were on sale, I had a new smoker.  First test with food underway.

I am finding that as I seal more leaks, I find more that are created.  As I noted earlier, there was a separation in the back part of the fire box that I sealed.  Today, I'm finding that same place in the smoke box (at the top, opposite of the fire box) is leaking and needs sealed.

Holding temperature really well.  Started with a small pecan log under the charcoal, then filling the basket with Kingsford briquettes.  Took the center briquettes out, put them in the smoker (less than half full) and lit it.  Once they were fully involved, I dumped them back into the basket.  Finding the sweet spot is about a ¼ of the air vent open and the chimney on the next to the top damper gets me right at 250 degrees.

Still have the oval baker filled with water on the bottom shelf.  For the hams, I use a glaze of brown sugar, a hint of Fireball Whiskey, garlic powder and mix in pineapple soda to make it a slushy consistency.  Put them in pans and added to the bottom two shelves that they would fit on.

Smoker never really got much over 275.  I'm a pretty firm believer Kingsford charcoal is only good for about two hours.  Had some pecan logs that I brought back from Texas.  Alas, they were too big for the basket, so I had to cut them.

On for three hours no, and IT in the hams is about 120 (heading towards 140).  Will post some pics of the finished product.

So far, really ecstatic about this smoker.

 

[wimpy69]

The first thing I did after mine arrived(before assembly) was put a bright light in the fire box turned the room lights off and found all my leaks. Mainly where the top is welded to the sides. Between welds at least .003-5 gap down one side and spotty on the others. Also with the air inlet plate closed alot of light around rolled punches on plate. I laminated a plate onto factory inlet plate with slightly smaller ovals to get 100% closer. In the cook chamber some open gaps where top is mated to body. Light will show you every gap when it shines thru. Hope it helps.

 

[jenos86]

Hey Mike,

How did you find the baffle worked for your smoker? Are you getting more even temps top to bottom?

Jon

Ok here are pics with no baffle and with baffle added.

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• mikethehammer
• Apr 3, 2017

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• mikethehammer
• Apr 3, 2017

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• mikethehammer
• Apr 3, 2017

and these will be placed on lowest rack

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• mikethehammer
• Apr 3, 2017

 

[grillnchill12]

Hi all. I am purchasing my husband a dyna-glo for Father's day and am hoping to get some feedback on what all I need to get in addition to the smoker. I want to make sure I get everything for the mods as well as a gift set to have ready when the mods are complete and he can start smoking.
Here is what I have for the mods:
15ft 1/2" x 1/4" nomex high temp bbq gasket smoker pit seal
4 pack 3" casters with locks
2 pack 3" grill and smoker thermometer
2 cans black 2000 degree high heat spray paint
2 tubes 3oz high temp red rtv silicon gasket
1 sheet 1' x 2' steel for a baffle
Nonstick cooking spray
Saran wrap

Then the gift set:
Kingsford charcoal- please suggest specific
Wood- please suggest specific
High heat gloves
Rub- please suggest specific

I am so glad I found this forum and will give him the site as soon as he gets his gifts. But I want to make sure he is set up when I give it to him. Any and all suggestions and feedback are greatly appreciated.