apple wood logs/chunks

I think if it is a big smoker, you will use ALOT of chunks. Can you possibly find another fruitwood to use? Cherry maybe? Even in my chargriller, I use alot of chunks. I can't seem to find any logs of wood here. I would not consider the chargriller to be a big smoker.

Think of it like this, if you get x amount of smoke out of a 1 pound apple log, you will need about 1 pound of chunks to get x amount of smoke.

Keep your eyes on Craigs List (if that's viable, not sure where you are in MO). Sometimes you'll find folks that want trees cut down, and you can get wood for a little sweat equity.

Just my $.02

BTW, your avatar looks like it's pinching a loaf.

What harbormaster said. I buy meat that's less expensive than commercially bagged apple chunks.

I recently bought a few of the new Smoke Stix (http://www.bbqrsdelight.com/whatsnew.html) because they seemed to be a good value. They are essentially HUGE pellets, and are 100% flavor wood with no binders. You break off a hunk and throw it in the firebox. I've only had two cooks using them but have been pretty happy. I was able to get the advertised 3 hours of smoke from a 1" piece, but that was on a WSM... i'm not sure if that will be the case with a large pit. The only complaint I had was that they were packed pretty loosely in the shipping box and were pretty broken up when they arrived. Each stick is wraped in shrink wrap so it wasn't really a huge problem.