Offset Smoker Recommendations

[TNJAKE]

I don't have any smoke loss between the doors or the firebox door. I don't use probes other than my instant read very often so I don't have a probe port. I do believe Displaced Texan has a probe port on his

 

[Displaced Texan]

I don't have any smoke loss between the doors or the firebox door. I don't use probes other than my instant read very often so I don't have a probe port. I do believe Displaced Texan has a probe port on his

No, mine does NOT have a probe port. You had actually suggested to me once not to use probes because the doors being so heavy would probably date/destroy the wires.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Displaced Texan, (TN Jake you can jump in here too) quick question on your 24 x 48. Do you have any smoke loss between the doors when they are closed and/or do you have a probe port on yours. I am having a probe port installed for a thermowork smoke and don't know if it will fit between the edge of the door and the end of the cook chamber or have to go through the end of the cook chamber?

Hi there. Extremely minimal smoke loss if any at all. Certainly nothing that prevents me from keeping the temps up in the pit.

I think on a FB page I once saw someone write in a thread about the use of gaskets that it is a smoker, not a pressure cooker lol. I thought that was accurate and a good point. Maybe it was somewhere on this forum.

Believe me, you will have no trouble keeping the temps up in your Bell Fab.

 

[Creosote]

No, mine does NOT have a probe port. You had actually suggested to me once not to use probes because the doors being so heavy would probably date/destroy the wires.

 

[Creosote]

I have the thermo works smoke and that is why I was wondering if you had a probe port to prevent running the wires where the doors would lay on them. The probe port is installed on the left of the smoker in the picture. I installed it in this piece of garbage inherited with the property. It requires a 27/32 bit but I used a step up bit and just wallowed it out a touch on the inside and outside. This will hold three themowork cables and probes without a problem and probably more. You must have me confused with someone else on the probe port destroying the wires.

 

[Displaced Texan]

I have the thermo works smoke and that is why I was wondering if you had a probe port to prevent running the wires where the doors would lay on them. The probe port is installed on the left of the smoker in the picture. I installed it in this piece of garbage inherited with the property. It requires a 27/32 bit but I used a step up bit and just wallowed it out a touch on the inside and outside. This will hold three themowork cables and probes without a problem and probably more. You must have me confused with someone else on the probe port destroying the wires.

Actually, you quoted me quoting TNJAKE . He was the one I had a conversation with about the doors and wires.

 

[Creosote]

Actually, you quoted me quoting TNJAKE . He was the one I had a conversation with about the doors and wires.

Do you know the length and width of your smoker? I have a 33 x 66" slab where I will be putting mine when I get it and the length won't be any problem, I'm just hoping it's not wider than 33 inches.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Do you know the length and width of your smoker? I have a 33 x 66" slab where I will be putting mine when I get it and the length won't be any problem, I'm just hoping it's not wider than 33 inches.

Not off hand. I’ll be home in a while and will check.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Wheel base is 27 1/4". Width of pit to edge of front shelf is right at 40". Sounds like you should be good to go on that slab.

 

[Creosote]

Wheel base is 27 1/4". Width of pit to edge of front shelf is right at 40". Sounds like you should be good to go on that slab.

Definitely appreciate your time and info. I was out clearing an area to increase the yard size to run an electric fence to help prevent the wild hogs from tearing up the yard and looked at the slab and wondered "what the heck is the width gonna be on that smoker and is it gonna fit". The width of the slab is plenty wide with 5 3/4" to spare and that's great news. Six weeks and counting and can't wait.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Definitely appreciate your time and info. I was out clearing an area to increase the yard size to run an electric fence to help prevent the wild hogs from tearing up the yard and looked at the slab and wondered "what the heck is the width gonna be on that smoker and is it gonna fit". The width of the slab is plenty wide with 5 3/4" to spare and that's great news. Six weeks and counting and can't wait.

Happy to help.

 

[BenCarlson]

I also have the Bell Fab rig you just ordered. Absolutely love it. I will also add that there is little to no smoke loss through the double doors.

I will say this, even with the handle attached for moving it, I'd enlist some help to get it to your pad. It is an absolute tank. If you have 4 wheels like Jake it probably isn't a problem, but mine only has two and it is a struggle to move it without help.

 

[Creosote]

I also have the Bell Fab rig you just ordered. Absolutely love it. I will also add that there is little to no smoke loss through the double doors.

I will say this, even with the handle attached for moving it, I'd enlist some help to get it to your pad. It is an absolute tank. If you have 4 wheels like Jake it probably isn't a problem, but mine only has two and it is a struggle to move it without help.

When I talked to Craig and ordered it, he said it was close to a thousand pounds and I only have the two wheels so it's got to be a beast to move about. Once I get it home it's going between two oak trees on a slab and staying there. I can just back the U-Haul up to the slab and unload it right to the slab. I wouldn't even want to move Jake's around with those wheels on his. I have a truck but I think I will rent a U-Haul open trailer to haul it, not nearly as high as the bed of a truck and I really don't want to unload it with a come-along with the truck under a tree limb or even a tractor. U-Haul only charges $14.95 a day for the size I need and that's pretty cheap shipping. Do you happen to have a probe port installed for thermometer cables.

 

[Displaced Texan]

When I talked to Craig and ordered it, he said it was close to a thousand pounds and I only have the two wheels so it's got to be a beast to move about. Once I get it home it's going between two oak trees on a slab and staying there. I can just back the U-Haul up to the slab and unload it right to the slab. I wouldn't even want to move Jake's around with those wheels on his. I have a truck but I think I will rent a U-Haul open trailer to haul it, not nearly as high as the bed of a truck and I really don't want to unload it with a come-along with the truck under a tree limb or even a tractor. U-Haul only charges $14.95 a day for the size I need and that's pretty cheap shipping. Do you happen to have a probe port installed for thermometer cables.

Make sure the ramp on the U Haul is wide enough for the wheels. Ask me how I know lol. Craig had to improvise and luckily had some platforms we could use to get the beast in the truck by setting them across the ramp. I had to get some plywood planks at home to get it out.

 

[BenCarlson]

When I talked to Craig and ordered it, he said it was close to a thousand pounds and I only have the two wheels so it's got to be a beast to move about. Once I get it home it's going between two oak trees on a slab and staying there. I can just back the U-Haul up to the slab and unload it right to the slab. I wouldn't even want to move Jake's around with those wheels on his. I have a truck but I think I will rent a U-Haul open trailer to haul it, not nearly as high as the bed of a truck and I really don't want to unload it with a come-along with the truck under a tree limb or even a tractor. U-Haul only charges $14.95 a day for the size I need and that's pretty cheap shipping. Do you happen to have a probe port installed for thermometer cables.

Negative I do not. I just use the two Tel Tru thermometers that I put into the threaded ports on the doors. Works perfect. Jake already linked the ones that I have in mine

 

[Creosote]

Make sure the ramp on the U Haul is wide enough for the wheels. Ask me how I know lol. Craig had to improvise and luckily had some platforms we could use to get the beast in the truck by setting them across the ramp. I had to get some plywood planks at home to get it out.

Appreciate the heads up. Will definitely try to have all bases covered for the U-Haul.

 

[Creosote]

Make sure the ramp on the U Haul is wide enough for the wheels. Ask me how I know lol. Craig had to improvise and luckily had some platforms we could use to get the beast in the truck by setting them across the ramp. I had to get some plywood planks at home to get it out.

Did you use a trailer or a truck. The 5' x 9' utility trailer has a 4' 9" ramp and I was thinking of using the 4' by 7' utility trailer and just taking my own ramps, I have heavy duty ramps that should work great for rolling the beast onto a trailer.

 

[Displaced Texan]

Did you use a trailer or a truck. The 5' x 9' utility trailer has a 4' 9" ramp and I was thinking of using the 4' by 7' utility trailer and just taking my own ramps, I have heavy duty ramps that should work great for rolling the beast onto a trailer.

I was driving all the way back to IL and could only get a 19' Ryder truck. I should have gotten a U Haul since their ramps sit much lower. The trailer will likely be no issue.

 

[Creosote]

I hate to be a pain and bother everyone again and I am probably overthinking all aspects of a smoker but I want it to be a great set up and one I will be happy to cook on and will never have to replace. I am also getting extremely antsy and wanting Mr. Bell to get started on my smoker. I guess I am curious as to why he doesn't like end doors on the firebox (read several old posts he is not a fan of them) and I think I want and need a side door, Pros and Cons please. Who uses tuning plates and pros and cons, do I need them, does it make smoking easier, do you get better results? Do Mr. Bell's smokers now come standard with the triangular exhaust modification (aaron franklin's from an old post) or what type of smoke stack set up? Who likes a folding smoke stack or not? Insulated firebox or not needed on a 24 x 48 with a 20 x 20 firebox and is the 20 x 20 firebox a good size or would a 24 x 20 be better. My question on the firebox size is not so much the cold weather but the wind in east Texas. I have also read Aaron's books and he cooks with a pan of water in his smokers for moistures, do yall place a pan of water while smoking. Again I am a newbie and appreciate everyone's inputs and pros and cons.

 

[Gonna Smoke]

A lot of questions, but I'll try to give you my opinion on each or rather what I do, right or wrong...

As to end doors, I light a chimney of lump to get my smoker going and then add splits to build the bed. Once ashed over, it is difficult to dump it into the firebox through the end door on my of my TMG reverse flow pit. My Oklahoma Joe Highland with the top-opening front door, it's very easy to pour the lit coals in or simply light them in the firebox. I do think that a side/top opening door will let out a lot of heat when opened to throw in another split, but the temp recovers quickly.

I have tuning plates in my Oklahoma Joe Highland, it is a forward flow smoker. I believe that they even out the temps across the cook chamber. My TMG is reverse flow and no tuning plates.

As for the folding stack, it works great for smokers with tall stacks that may be transported from place to place. Other than that, I'm not sure. Stack design is something for the experts, such as daveomak , to address.

I would think that in Texas you wouldn't gain much from an insulated firebox unless y'all get very cold in the winter. 3/8" thick metal, if that's what you opted for, is a lot of insulation by itself. I don't have one on either smoker, but I have used welding blankets on my Oklahoma Joe during the winter, it is made of thin metal.

When I first started smoking on an offset, Oklahoma Joe Highland, I used a water pan. Now, I almost never use one in either smoker. Try it both ways and see what works best for you. A water pan can be simply an aluminum pan filled with water. When I used it, I didn't use anything other than water in the pan because I couldn't tell a difference between say apple juice and water and I did try a couple of different liquids.