New Braunfels Restoration and Mods w PRON!

Aaren Cobb · 12-31-2010, 11:27 PM

I bought this New Braunfels for $40 on Craigslist, researched the brand and type of smoker on BBQ Brethren before I bought it.

A little rusty, a lean, but some character, right? Over the next few weeks I browsed BBQ Brethren and got tips on getting rid of rust, rust converter, and what type of paint to use to start restoring it.

I started with this

And after some tough work with an orbital sander and some rustoleom, I ended up with this

So far I'm in this about $70 including the purchase price of the smoker, paint, and sand paper.

Then I started grad school and the smoker sat in my garage for a few months. But I got a Tel-Tru thermometer for Christmas (thanks again to everyone at BBQ Brethren) and decided New Years Eve was the perfect day to get my smoker finished.

Went to Home Depot and picked up some red oak and stain, and an oak dowel for new handles.

First I installed the thermometer

Then I cut and drilled holes in the red oak plank and oak dowel (couldn't find a red oak dowel), and then stained it with Sedona Red Stain.

And here's the final product.

Smoker - $40
Paint and Sandpaper - $30
New bolts, washers, and nuts - $10
Wood and Stain - $30
Thermometer - $60
Steel Baffle - $10
Total - $180

The BBQ Brethren forums helped me immensely by answering some of my questions directly, and by just searching and seeing what others had done. Big thanks to everyone here for their time, advice, pictures, mod suggestions etc. I hope this resto shows all of your hard work on this forum really helps people.

I'll be smoking for the first time next weekend, any suggestions for the best meat to smoke for a first timer?

BBQ Bandit · 12-31-2010, 11:30 PM

A thing of beauty... now fire it up and get her dirty!

Well done!

As for the inaugeral smoke... a pork (Boston or picnic/shoulder) butt and a few fatties!
(The fatties to fend off the appetites and the pork butt is a very forgiving cut of meat)

frognot · 12-31-2010, 11:41 PM

Wow! Great job restoring your smoker. Gotta agree with smoking a pig butt & some fatties for your shakedown cruise.

R2Egg2Q · 01-01-2011, 12:07 AM

Nice job on the restoration! Excellent suggestions on the pork butt and fatties. MOINK Balls are an excellent appetizer and you'd probably have space for some!

bigabyte · 01-01-2011, 02:05 AM

Looks sharp!

jdub · 01-01-2011, 06:28 AM

Very nice. Fun to do ain't it?

Gotta say though, your "before" picture is a definite Keeper! You can tell people you have a special offset for high wind situations.

Skidder · 01-01-2011, 06:40 AM

Nice job. Just remember she ain't never gonna look as she does right now .......and that's a good thing.

BBQ_MAFIA · 01-01-2011, 07:02 AM

Nice job

Groundhog66 · 01-01-2011, 07:03 AM

Looks great, now enjoy it

bluetang · 01-01-2011, 07:08 AM

Great job on that smoker!

Mister Bob · 01-01-2011, 07:46 AM

Nice job, good luck with it!

Happy New Year!

Phesant · 01-01-2011, 08:27 AM

Looking good, now put it too use

stephan · 01-01-2011, 08:48 AM

Nice score, well done on the restore job

Bob S · 01-01-2011, 09:47 AM

Looks great!

Westexbbq · 01-01-2011, 10:13 AM

That is really good work, nice going.
Enjoy.

12-31-2010, 11:27 PM	#1
Aaren Cobb Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 08-03-10 Location: Fresno, CA	New Braunfels Restoration and Mods w PRON! I bought this New Braunfels for $40 on Craigslist, researched the brand and type of smoker on BBQ Brethren before I bought it. A little rusty, a lean, but some character, right? Over the next few weeks I browsed BBQ Brethren and got tips on getting rid of rust, rust converter, and what type of paint to use to start restoring it. I started with this And after some tough work with an orbital sander and some rustoleom, I ended up with this So far I'm in this about $70 including the purchase price of the smoker, paint, and sand paper. Then I started grad school and the smoker sat in my garage for a few months. But I got a Tel-Tru thermometer for Christmas (thanks again to everyone at BBQ Brethren) and decided New Years Eve was the perfect day to get my smoker finished. Went to Home Depot and picked up some red oak and stain, and an oak dowel for new handles. First I installed the thermometer Then I cut and drilled holes in the red oak plank and oak dowel (couldn't find a red oak dowel), and then stained it with Sedona Red Stain. And here's the final product. Smoker - $40 Paint and Sandpaper - $30 New bolts, washers, and nuts - $10 Wood and Stain - $30 Thermometer - $60 Steel Baffle - $10 Total - $180 The BBQ Brethren forums helped me immensely by answering some of my questions directly, and by just searching and seeing what others had done. Big thanks to everyone here for their time, advice, pictures, mod suggestions etc. I hope this resto shows all of your hard work on this forum really helps people. I'll be smoking for the first time next weekend, any suggestions for the best meat to smoke for a first timer?

12-31-2010, 11:30 PM	#2
BBQ Bandit Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-15-08 Location: Harrisburg, PA	A thing of beauty... now fire it up and get her dirty! Well done! As for the inaugeral smoke... a pork (Boston or picnic/shoulder) butt and a few fatties! (The fatties to fend off the appetites and the pork butt is a very forgiving cut of meat) __________________ Custom Klose Backyard Chef... of Snot, and a 22.5 WSM Former smokers; Lang 84 Deluxe kitchen, Lang 60 Mobile - The Damsel II, Lang 48 Patio - The Damsel, Bubba Keg Grill - RIP, Double Barrel Smoker and a BSKD

12-31-2010, 11:41 PM	#3
frognot somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 03-22-04 Location: Allen, Texas Name/Nickname : Charles	Wow! Great job restoring your smoker. Gotta agree with smoking a pig butt & some fatties for your shakedown cruise. __________________ The Texas BBQ Brethren 2024 Spring Bash Planning Thread (link) Large Big Green Egg "If you really care about this place, you'll show some respect for it." deguerre "Bludawg looks just like I thought he would. Frognot looks like Tuffy Stone's dad!" aawa " . . . which includes frognot, who is a SoCal Pharker by now" gtr

01-01-2011, 12:07 AM	#4
R2Egg2Q is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 08-15-10 Location: Pleasanton, CA	Nice job on the restoration! Excellent suggestions on the pork butt and fatties. MOINK Balls are an excellent appetizer and you'd probably have space for some! __________________ -John BGEs: XL, Large, Small, Mini, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, MAK 1-Star General, Karubecue C-60, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA, Summit S-620 NG; custom BGE & Weber handles by brethren martyleach [U][URL="http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=86"]CLICK HERE to join us in a BBQ Brethren Throwdown![/URL][/U]

01-01-2011, 02:05 AM	#5
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS	Looks sharp! __________________ Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified?* *Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards!* Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh.

01-01-2011, 06:28 AM	#6
jdub is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-23-07 Location: Rye, NH, USA	Very nice. Fun to do ain't it? Gotta say though, your "before" picture is a definite Keeper! You can tell people you have a special offset for high wind situations. __________________ I woulda gotten away with it if it weren't for you meddlin kids and your dog!

01-01-2011, 06:40 AM	#7
Skidder Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-02-08 Location: Westfield,Ma.	Nice job. Just remember she ain't never gonna look as she does right now .......and that's a good thing.

01-01-2011, 07:02 AM	#8
BBQ_MAFIA somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-10-05 Location: NORTH BERGEN, NEW JERSEY	Nice job __________________ Guido Lang 60 Lang 84 Deluxe Warmer with Chargrill Large Spicewine Large BGE XL - BGE Med. BGE ( Bought it for my son Vincenzo) Brinkman Snp Brinkman ECB GOSM Weber Kettle Kenmore Elite Gasser Camp Chef Outdoor Stove Blackstone Pizza Oven Blackstone 36" Griddle 1-Banjo

01-01-2011, 07:03 AM	#9
Groundhog66 Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-20-10 Location: Livermore, CA Name/Nickname : Tim	Looks great, now enjoy it __________________ Backwoods Party G2 MAK 1 Star XL BGE SM BGE Weber 26" & JJ Blackstone 36" & 22" Brick Santa Maria Pit

01-01-2011, 07:08 AM	#10
bluetang somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-06-10 Location: Stuart, Fl Name/Nickname : Mike	Great job on that smoker! __________________ Homey, the Homegrown frier, 22" WSM, 18.5" Elderly(but not retired) WSM,Homegrown Electric, Weber gasserrrr,Weber Performer, Gravity feed smoker, Blackstone, Indisputably Fastest [COLOR=purple]Purple[/COLOR] Thermapen, SAI Satay Grill Avatar by landarc, thanky!

01-01-2011, 07:46 AM	#11
Mister Bob Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-15-09 Location: Scituate, RI	Nice job, good luck with it! Happy New Year! __________________ Mister Bob, Pitmaster - Smokestack Lightning, Bad Ass Barbecue. KCBS CBJ #31759 - IMBAS Certified MOINK Baller

01-01-2011, 08:27 AM	#12
Phesant Babbling Farker Join Date: 08-24-08 Location: Appleton, Wi	Looking good, now put it too use __________________ Ken WSM Char-Griller Super Pro w/SFB Grill Sargent Turkey / Fish Fryer Weber Ranch Kettle "Lucky Girl" (A Stamp, 1979), [COLOR=darkorange][B]ORANGE THERMAPEN[/B][/COLOR] [COLOR=black]Proud member of the Zero's :thumb:[/COLOR]

01-01-2011, 08:48 AM	#13
stephan is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 07-02-10 Location: lake grove, new york	Nice score, well done on the restore job

01-01-2011, 09:47 AM	#14
Bob S is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 10-24-07 Location: Sayville, NY	Looks great! __________________ FEC 100 Hunsaker Vortex Smoker (3) XL Big Green Egg WSM 18" Weber 22.5" Performer Weber 22.5" One Touch Gold Kettle Weber 18.5" One Touch Silver "Guinness" Kettle Weber Genesis gasser Blazin' Buttz BBQ Team www.blazinbuttz-bbq.com

01-01-2011, 10:13 AM	#15
Westexbbq somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 09-02-05 Location: Rockin' Lake Ronfarkoma, Hinterlands of BBQ .	That is really good work, nice going. Enjoy. __________________ Illuminated, circa 1967. KCBS CBJ-Texas Transplant. Texas Smokemaster offset, Well-cured NB Silver Smoker, Santa Fe grill (retired). glory bee gasser. Texas International Pop Festival, Labor Day 1969. IMBAS Certified. Just roll me up and smoke me when I die. Always remember, no matter where ya go, there you are. I wanna tell you 'bout Texas radio and the big beat. Someday, I hope to visit Penelope. Hondo Crouch, Famous Late Mayor of Lunkenbach, Texas who advocated a 'dillo diet: "You can eat nothing but armadillos for a month, but you will have to run down and catch all the armadillos you eat and it can really take the weight off!"

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