What's wrong with this smoker?

[Eldon]

What do you guys think? Is it worth the time and money or is it scrap?

The throat doesn't look large enough for good convection. Could also ditch the grates and make racks with stretched steel. Would need to weld the fire box door back on.

The fire box is 20" W 21" H
The chamber is 6' L 30" D
2 stacks that are 4.5" W
The throat is only about 7.5" with and adjustable damper

 

[kilo charlie]

If the price is right and you have the skills and knowledge to make it your own then go for it! If not, then pass.

 

[forktender]

What do you guys think? Is it worth the time and money or is it scrap?

The throat doesn't look large enough for good convection. Could also ditch the grates and make racks with stretched steel. Would need to weld the fire box door back on.

The fire box is 20" W 21" H
The chamber is 6' L 30" D
2 stacks that are 4.5" W
The throat is only about 7.5" with and adjustable damper

View attachment 494538View attachment 494539
View attachment 494540View attachment 494541

Man, that thing is a beast!!!
I'd most likely rent a killer pressure washer and have at it than make a fire in the box to dry it quickly. I would then hit it with some top quality high heat semigloss paint then let it cure for a day or four. LOL
After the paint has cured start out slow with low heat fires to harden off the curing paint increasing the heat every hour or two until you get it up to smoking temp 225-275*. Then it's time to season it inside of the smoke chamber. For that I would use real lard or Canola oil and repeat until you got it seasoned nicely.
If it needs a larger throat that would be simple to grind out or plasma cut the correct size throat.

Dave would be the guy to help you crunch the numbers to get the correct size opening he is super helpful and knows his $h!t, he's a sharp guy. daveomak

If you're thinking about buying it for home use that's a lot of mass to heat up to smoke up a few racks of ribs or a few butts and briskets. Unless you have access to free wood and have a family of 15 I'd probably think twice about it, but that's just my opinion on it.

Let us know what you decide to do with it.
Best of luck too you.
Dan

 

[nnolannn]

Elden. Agreed with everything you said.
Change the stack to the one like Franklin's new pit he sells. love to see a good flow in an offset.
What's the top box? An Oven?

 

[mike243]

Looks like it has fire bricks for insulation, it might not be good to heat them up if they get water logged, there are 2 styles of fire brick, I would clean it up and run a cook or 3 through it before you start modifying it for problems that might not be a problem , m2cents

 

[PPG1]

I agree with kilo charlie here. That's a nice setup if the price is right!

 

[daveomak]

Cut the FB/CC opening out to match the curve of the CC....

Then, directly across from the FB/CC opening, figure out how to add an adjustable upper air inlet to the FB....
Get rid of all the adjustable dampers and adjust the air flow for the smoker using the FB air inlets... upper and lower...
The upper air inlet moves heat from the FB to the CC WITHOUT adding any air to the fire... The lower air inlet adjusts the heat output of the fire to regulate CC temperature..

 

[GrumpyGriller]

What do you guys think? Is it worth the time and money or is it scrap?

The throat doesn't look large enough for good convection. Could also ditch the grates and make racks with stretched steel. Would need to weld the fire box door back on.

The fire box is 20" W 21" H
The chamber is 6' L 30" D
2 stacks that are 4.5" W
The throat is only about 7.5" with and adjustable damper

View attachment 494538View attachment 494539
View attachment 494540View attachment 494541

There's no food in it!!!!

 

[Eldon]

I'm going to pick it up since the price is right. I'll have the grates sand blasted today and will weld the door back on. I was also given a boat trailer to mount it on. I'll clean it up and try a few cooks. Will most likely only use it a few times a year when my friends, family, or I am throwing a party.

I have access to a plasma cutter and welder so I'd like to correct the throat and add a new exhaust collector and stack. I'd also go with an additional air intake on the upper portion of the air box. Thank you daveomak and everyone for the input.

 

[Eldon]

Elden. Agreed with everything you said.
Change the stack to the one like Franklin's new pit he sells. love to see a good flow in an offset.
What's the top box? An Oven?

The top box is just a warmer/oven.

 

[Eldon]

Welded the door on and rolled on some high temp paint. The cook chamber is 1/4 and I was surprised to see the firebox is made with 3/8. I should have the grates back from sandblasting this week. I'll coat the inside with canola oil and season it before the weekend. If I can get my hands on some wood then I'll try it out over Memorial Day weekend.

 

[Eldon]