Offset Refurb questions

[rbbennett]

I was given a large offset with an upright on it (pics attached). Per the pit feltons calculator, without the upright figuring in the FB is 145%, if I add just the extra horizontal length (20" OD) then it is about 89%. Do I need to add the overall volume of the upright? or just the horizonal length.

Pit dims are FB 16" D X 24" L, CC 20" D X 37" L, Upright 20" D X 54" T from centerline of the CC and the Stack is 6" D X 12" T on top of the upright. So top of smoke stack is 60" above top of CC.

I have to replace the bottom of the upright (rusted out) and the end of the FB below the CC (also rusted out).

Any ideas to make it a better beast please don't hesitate to suggest.

 

[Nuco59]

That will be a nice project. Looking forward to seeing how the refurb progresses, the final product and some pics of the fine food coming off it.

I have no way of knowing who mfged your cooker or which (or any) calculator was used.
Will say that some people hold Feldon's in a MUCH higher regard than others do.

AFIK, that vertical cook chamber is not figured in with any calculator. Best advice given is to consider "some" of the vertical as chimney and shorten if need be" WTF?

Me? I'd hold off on a full refurb. Just patch what needed patching, clean the grates off and fire that mutha up just as it was built. It may need nothing but some TLC. If you then feel the need to take tools to it to make it "right"- get after it.

 

[Fooball]

I didn't see the door on the bottom of the upright in your first thread. Looks like they already had a spot you could turn into a fire grate. Add a vent and a way to clean out ash under the fire grate.

I'm like Nuco59, fix what needs to be fixed to run the thing and then see how she does. Don't worry about the tables, your cooker is already built.

If you like the way it smokes, then invest your time dressing it up to look good.
I think you'll like it once you learn how to control temps on it.

 

[rbbennett]

Humor me on this.

I've been studying it and looking at it and have what may be a crazy idea. The bottom of the upright door is about 1 3/4" above the top of the CC. and I have about that same distance between the CC door and the wall of the upright. The FB is a little small. What if I made a horizontal cut at the top of the CC across the upright and a vertical cut at the meeting point of the two. Put an end cap on the end of the CC with exhaust and make a 20" X 37" or so offset. Or cut the FB off and transplant my Treager pellet hopper and auger etc to it and make a 1/4" thick treager to used for quick cooks like burgers, pork chops etc. Pellet Pooper on Steroids.

Then take the 54" or so tall Upright, turn it 90 degrees add legs and a proper sized FB with new smoke collector and smoke stack to have a 20X54 offset?

Am I biting off more than I can chew. Or would I be a genius for taking an upright that is frankly too tall, I can't even see the top of the upper grate in the dang thing and I'm 6'1" and making a true offset out of it.

 

[rbbennett]

Make the cuts marked in white and ditch the part with the X

 

[bschoen]

Fine line between crazy and genius. Either one can put you in the brethren hall of fame.
If you have the tools and half (or more) of the skills, I say 'get er done'.

Only word of sanity I will admit to, if it is made of thin gauge steel it is probably not worth your effort.

 

[Fooball]

Too much work....If you have the tools to do all that....just start from scratch and build what you want.

I know this was free. But don't try to turn it into something you may wind up not wanting after a bunch of work.

Cook on the dang thing and see if you want to work with it or not before jumping into a total rebuild.

 

[Nuco59]

If you just did the minimum- cut patched and pitched the upright portion you'd wind up with a 20 x 37 smoker. It'd be (slightly) better than a 16 x 36 and I guess that'd be the route I'd take if I just "had to do some alteration".

Good luck with your decision.

 

[Dough13]

Looks like a Horizon to me. Nice smoker. I'd fix it.

 

[cowboyupbbq]

This

Too much work....If you have the tools to do all that....just start from scratch and build what you want.

I know this was free. But don't try to turn it into something you may wind up not wanting after a bunch of work.

Cook on the dang thing and see if you want to work with it or not before jumping into a total rebuild.

I agree. Cook on it and get some use out of it…then scrap it.

I’ve done it, and wished I didn’t.

 

[sudsandswine]

That thing screams “juice that’s not worth the squeeze” to me given the level of fixing/mods you’re talking about doing. A friend of mine had a smoker very similar to that…probably even the exact same model. I don’t think he was able to use the vertical part for much…as mentioned, mainly performed as a “warmer”.

My .02

 

[Itsdone]

How does that even work? lol


Theres no stack at the other end?


OIC there is two fireboxes on both ends. Thats weird.

 

[Itsdone]

That thing screams “juice that’s not worth the squeeze” to me given the level of fixing/mods you’re talking about doing. A friend of mine had a smoker very similar to that…probably even the exact same model. I don’t think he was able to use the vertical part for much…as mentioned, mainly performed as a “warmer”.

My .02

Reminds me of the Rec Tec cold smoker box.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

Looks like a Horizon to me. Nice smoker. I'd fix it.

That's what I thought. Horizon makes a 20 and a 16 in that configuration. I've heard the 16" has air flow problems. I don't doubt that.

Or it could be an old Okie Joe, from way back .

http://www.horizonbbqsmokers.com/backyard-smokers-1

 

[Fooball]

Could be a Texas Longhorn, too. Their pit prices have always been lower than most others.

Check out the TL-18 and TL-44. Look very close to the OP's.

https://texaslonghornbbqpits.com/products-and-prices.html

 

[rbbennett]

It was made on a pipeline job site with drops of pipe, many years ago. But what I'm thinking is making it into the Texas Long Horn Pits TL-17 and a TL-20, but possibly convert the TL-17 portion into a Pellet smoker. Would probably make a square firebox or find a drop of a 20" pipe 20-24" long to make a the FB on the bigger one.

My tools and skills are average. But that is half the fun, learning and figuring out.

 

[seattlepitboss]

I agree with those who suggest that you first repair it and cook with it awhile until you really understand it and only then consider doing modifications.

How thick is the steel? If it's at least 16 gauge, I would sandblast that cooker.

I'm also wondering about air flow through the horizontal cooking chamber. What keeps the hot air from just flowing along the very top? Is there a baffle? Some of those adjustable tuning plates?

I personally don't see the value in the vertical part, but that could be because I've never owned one. I have owned two Banderas and one of the cool things about those was the way you could cleverly figure ways to hang things like jerky or sausage.

seattlepitboss

 

[rbbennett]

It’s 1/4” thick

 

[rbbennett]

This is where I was thinking of cutting. I think I’ll make the vertical cut at end of smoke chamber. Put new end and smoke stack on it and us it. Then I can figure out what to do with the upright portion.

 

[Fooball]

This is where I was thinking of cutting. I think I’ll make the vertical cut at end of smoke chamber. Put new end and smoke stack on it and us it. Then I can figure out what to do with the upright portion.

The vertical would be like a big ugly drum with a door cut in the side. :-D

I see it made it to your backyard or side yard. Did you get the wheel freed up or did you just drag it?