Work horse pits stick burner or Moberg 250

You're talking about a world of difference in size, cost, pretty much everything. Moberg is on my list as a dream smoker, but I just can't justify that amount for something to use at the house only for myself and when I do have party at the house. But that's my situation with a family, yours may be different. I think you need to figure out what's important in a smoker first.

My opinion...

Workhorse Pits "tack-tac-tack" welds. Not acceptable at all in any way, shape or form. I never in my life seen any pit builder resort to this. You can see each weld theres a "blob" with a dimple in the middle. That's because it's not a weld bead, just a bunch of overlaying tacks. They just strung together a bunch of temporary tacks in a line in attempt to make it look pretty. There's not going to be any proper fusion at all. This is what you do when you first buy a welder off Ebay and keep blowing holes in everything because you don't know what you're doing, but want the "stack of dimes" look. You will resort to doing this "tack tack tack" method. In the bottom picture it's an outside corner joint, and the tacks don't even fill up the bevel. I'm totally stunned to see a "pit builder" doing this in a commercial setting. The "tack tack tack" is what you do on body panel sheet metal. Not 3/8ths thick steel.






The entire pits are done using this horrible "tack" method. You can see each weld blob has a dimple in it.




Here's a Moberg. That's a proper weld and solid bead. No dimples. That will hold up to any test and last a million years.



Here's a Millscale Metal Works weld. This is years of skill on full display. Pure art. This is what the Workhorse guy is trying to emulate, but he can't do it because he can't weld. So he does the "tack-tack-tack" method to get close as possible and it just results in blob mess all over the smoker.

"Here's a Moberg. That's a proper weld and solid bead. No dimples. That will hold up to any test and last a million years."

Hardly. That will have turned back into Iron Ore long, long before a million years.
I was born in the dark. But it wasn't last night.

Hell, my Pontoon boat, including the Aluminum dry deck will be Basalt in 300 years.
I don't plan on being here...

If you're located in SoCal, may I suggest looking at JH Smokers as well. Just picked up a pit from Justin 2 weeks ago and am enjoying it so far. Alot of value for the prices he sells at.

I plan on posting a full review this weekend but here is some of his work.

https://www.instagram.com/j.h.smokers/

I asked for a fair amount of customization and Justin was able to accommodate. Went with a 28x72 trailer model, 3/8" steel, 3' custom axle (56" overall width) to get it in the back yard.

SonnyE said:

"Here's a Moberg. That's a proper weld and solid bead. No dimples. That will hold up to any test and last a million years."

Hardly. That will have turned back into Iron Ore long, long before a million years.
I was born in the dark. But it wasn't last night.

Hell, my Pontoon boat, including the Aluminum dry deck will be Basalt in 300 years.
I don't plan on being here...

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"one million years" was said metaphorically, not literally. I think most people understand that.

Rockinar said:

My opinion...

Workhorse Pits "tack-tac-tack" welds. Not acceptable at all in any way, shape or form. I never in my life seen any pit builder resort to this. You can see each weld theres a "blob" with a dimple in the middle. That's because it's not a weld bead, just a bunch of overlaying tacks. They just strung together a bunch of temporary tacks in a line in attempt to make it look pretty. There's not going to be any proper fusion at all. This is what you do when you first buy a welder off Ebay and keep blowing holes in everything because you don't know what you're doing, but want the "stack of dimes" look. You will resort to doing this "tack tack tack" method. In the bottom picture it's an outside corner joint, and the tacks don't even fill up the bevel. I'm totally stunned to see a "pit builder" doing this in a commercial setting. The "tack tack tack" is what you do on body panel sheet metal. Not 3/8ths thick steel.

The entire pits are done using this horrible "tack" method. You can see each weld blob has a dimple in it.

Here's a Moberg. That's a proper weld and solid bead. No dimples. That will hold up to any test and last a million years.

Here's a Millscale Metal Works weld. This is years of skill on full display. Pure art. This is what the Workhorse guy is trying to emulate, but he can't do it because he can't weld. So he does the "tack-tack-tack" method to get close as possible and it just results in blob mess all over the smoker.

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hate to brake your hart but those are not tacks that is from manipulateing the weld puddle i would venture to say the workhorse pit was welded with a larger size mig wire the the millscale welder is more than likly a more skilled welder but i would say the millscale weld used smaller wire with a gas cover but tac tac tac no :doh:

I mean...really, you answered your own question in your original post. If you call a certain cooker your "dream cooker" and you have the money for that cooker, why would you bother with an intermediary cooker? You even got further by saying "buy once, cry once," so it's pretty obvious you want the Moberg.

Just to throw a wrench into your decision making, have you ever looked at Fatstack Smokers? Looks like they are about an west of you in Sun Valley, CA. They also make some solid cookers in a similar fashion to a Moberg.

https://fatstacksmokers.com/

For reference a YouTuber has been using his for over a year and he seems to be very pleased with it. The guy has some brass balls on him..first cook with that new smoker was a huge catering event with something like 20 briskets. haha

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OvDi5k8dGqk

If the Moberg is your dream pit then you answered your own question. If you want the best deal on an offset around IMO, then get a Workhorse. And there’s nothing wrong with those welds.

Millscale, Moberg, Austin Smokeworks, and Evie Mae are all very competitive with each other and prices are similar.

For direct flow, Austin Smokeworks will deliver fastest based on the limited research I've done and, while not a Moberg it is very similar just like Millscale.

I'm more into reverse flow so, Evie Mae is where I'm looking primarily.

All of these on a trailer will run $7K~$9K depending on options. Moberg is about 18 months out on the build schedule so, if you have your heart set on one get on the list today! Skid build will probably run in the $4500~$5500 range plus delivery.

Smokestack88 said:

Also should I get counter weights on a 250?

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If you plan on keeping the pit for ever then yes get the counter weight. Your shoulders will think you when you get older. A bad shoulder is why I have a cabinet door smoker and I wouldn’t trade it for anything.

Smokestack88 said:

Sid 250 gallon moberg painted on skids is 6 thousand don’t know how much raw . Waiting list is 16 months . Sunny is also releasing his backyard pit 24x50 for 4,000 in winter . Found a quote for shipping for 700 bucks from Texas to Cali hopefully that’s a good price . Also should I get counter weights on a 250?

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$6K with paint on skids seems about right. Good to know his build schedule is getting caught up.

Regarding a counterweight, I certainly would whether a single door or double. You may be young and healthy today but, a shoulder or arm injury, or simply age, will make you appreciate a lighter door to lift. In addition to capacity, why do you think 'square-back' pipe smoker cabinet doors are so popular?

not to hijack but for anyone that's had the chance to cook on a moberg, smokeworks or mill scale. How even was the temps from end to end?

I've listened to some interviews with John Lewis where he claims Moberg got some stuff wrong when he supposedly copied that design from the Austin Smoke Works pits. I can't imagine what that might mean.

Dustin Dorsey said:

I've listened to some interviews with John Lewis where he claims Moberg got some stuff wrong when he supposedly copied that design from the Austin Smoke Works pits. I can't imagine what that might mean.

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He called him out on Instagram a while back, then deleted it. Called Moberg a failed pipe fence welder or something that stole his design.