That heavy smoker!!!

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mph33

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Went to academy sports today to see what the big deal is with this smoker. I will say the build quality is about 60%. The steel is thick and the smoker is heavy as hell! I got 25% off with free shipping. if you want these smokers from academy sports you better get them while you can because according to corporate they're sick of having to deal with quality control issues. Lots of metal shavings and welding overspray. I'm thinking I'm going to have to get a sander and blast the whole smoker and then go back and respray it with high heat paint. I will say this, this smoker is heavy. It's got the way 700 lbs

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Smokers

Heck.........every smoker i have has ugly welds and weld splatter...cause I built them and I am a lousy welder.......LOL.........they still work great...if it is a good design and you know your cooker's idiosyncracies............it just don't matter...........
 
I'd give it a good cleaning- but past that? I'd do nothing it but season it and learn to cook on it. You might have gotten it as a "training pit" while your "forever pit" is being built. You might decide it's all you need and will do what you want it to.

good luck-enjoy it.

I've passed on a couple of Pecos on CL over the years - rethinking that now. Every now and again, I get that "offset itch".... it's back.
 
Robert said:
I thought you were getting a Shirley.
Click to expand...


I was but they are on backorder and they actually sent my check back. I still want to get one but I'm pretty surprised they sent that check back. They must really be slammed. I did read somewhere that they're moving to a bigger shop.
 
Three years ago, I paid $600 for a Brazos that had been used 3 times. Could still see where the factory stickers had been on cook chamber lid.


If you paid $750 for that, you could easily get $600 in a couple of years and at the same time learn stick burners.


I bought mine to find out if I liked stick burning, and then trade up. But I'm finding less and less reason to trade up, about every day. The Brazos does what I want to do.
 
Lynn Dollar said:
Three years ago, I paid $600 for a Brazos that had been used 3 times. Could still see where the factory stickers had been on cook chamber lid.


If you paid $750 for that, you could easily get $600 in a couple of years and at the same time learn stick burners.


I bought mine to find out if I liked stick burning, and then trade up. But I'm finding less and less reason to trade up, about every day. The Brazos does what I want to do.
Click to expand...

Did you do any mods?
 
mph33 said:
Did you do any mods?
Click to expand...


Most of these are not necessary, but here's what I've done.



I added an extension to the stack, a 2' X 6" piece of duct , its not necessary but it does improve the draw.


I line the bottom of the firebox with fire brick. I think it provides some insulation. I've also added an LSG fire basket. Its not necessary but it helps keep a better coal bed and I use it to keep the fire as far away from cook chamber as possible. Again, neither of those are necessary. But don't use the fire grate that comes with it, build your fire in the bottom of the firebox.



My door to the cook chamber warped. Yours will probably do the same. Its a common problem with pipe smokers. Many here in this forum will tell you the leaks are no big deal, just more air flow. But I sealed mine up anyway. The door was leaking bad enough to impact temps on that side of the grate. I used two clamps on each end of door and rtv sealant.


PfchUpx.jpg
 
Here's what I think would make it a better smoker, I just don't have the courage to cut into it .


I think cutting the baffle down to half its size, where I've marked in red, would help. The baffle as it is now restricts the air flow into the cooker.


And on the other end, the stack on this smoker is 6" , but that port I've circled, is only 4.5" . I've thought about taking it to a welder and having a collector and stack installed.


But I will probably never do either one ............. it cooks good as it is. These are just things that might improve it, and might not and just be a waste of money. But when your feeding sticks to it, these are the kind of things it gives you time to think about :-D



nRSA9av.jpg
 
Lynn Dollar said:
I bought mine to find out if I liked stick burning, and then trade up. But I'm finding less and less reason to trade up, about every day. The Brazos does what I want to do.
Click to expand...

And there is the heart of it. Cookers are tools. If it does what you need done all is well.

I have given a lot of thought to something bigger, more expensive, maybe stick burning, but I like the food that comes off of what I have, and the PK especially is quite miserly with fuel, so while I appreciate the romance of it, I just cannot justify the expense.

May even sell my Open Range because I just don't use it enough for the real estate it takes up. Briskets and often butts are a lot more meat than My Favorite Redhead and I can eat, and sadly we cannot have folks over as I like to. When this COVID thing passes I think we are going to institute Sunday Night Dinner and invite different people every week.
 
Lynn Dollar said:
Most of these are not necessary, but here's what I've done.



I added an extension to the stack, a 2' X 6" piece of duct , its not necessary but it does improve the draw.


I line the bottom of the firebox with fire brick. I think it provides some insulation. I've also added an LSG fire basket. Its not necessary but it helps keep a better coal bed and I use it to keep the fire as far away from cook chamber as possible. Again, neither of those are necessary. But don't use the fire grate that comes with it, build your fire in the bottom of the firebox.



My door to the cook chamber warped. Yours will probably do the same. Its a common problem with pipe smokers. Many here in this forum will tell you the leaks are no big deal, just more air flow. But I sealed mine up anyway. The door was leaking bad enough to impact temps on that side of the grate. I used two clamps on each end of door and rtv sealant.


PfchUpx.jpg
Click to expand...

where did you get those clamps? that steel is very thick. im surprised you could slam 2 screws in that lid to attach those clamps.
 
McMaster-Carr is a great source for those...if it turns out you need them. Look for toggle clamps-they come in a wide variety.

"slamming screws"? That's mild steel -easily drilled
 
mph33 said:
where did you get those clamps? that steel is very thick. im surprised you could slam 2 screws in that lid to attach those clamps.
Click to expand...


I found em on Amazon. It was just a matter of drilling four holes per clamp. Your's may not leak, but on pipe smokers the door will " spring " or warp , its pretty common. I had about a 1/4" opening on the lower left corner.



On Moberg's $4,000 backyard smoker, they welded three bars on the inside of the door to try to prevent warps. IDK if that's effective.


Moberg also uses this style of clamp on their large 500 and 1,000 gal smokers, when the customer asks for the door to be balanced by counter weights.


And I forgot to mention, I've also installed TelTru thermos at grate level on each end. But I'm wishing now I'd put them farther apart. I spaced them 9" from the door handle, but the one on stack end could easily be another 2" apart.
 
mph33 said:
Went to academy sports today to see what the big deal is with this smoker. I will say the build quality is about 60%. The steel is thick and the smoker is heavy as hell! I got 25% off with free shipping. if you want these smokers from academy sports you better get them while you can because according to corporate they're sick of having to deal with quality control issues. Lots of metal shavings and welding overspray. I'm thinking I'm going to have to get a sander and blast the whole smoker and then go back and respray it with high heat paint. I will say this, this smoker is heavy. It's got the way 700 lbs

ov1Fj7V.jpg


FY7yHxH.jpg


x6gBwyu.jpg


z3PAOcx.jpg


dvLjoTf.jpg


pWpWEkj.jpg


dPeQg9X.jpg
Click to expand...


Are they quality control issues with the Brazos or all Old Country Smokers?
The Pecos at $400 and a rebate might could help me figure out if I could handle a stick burner....dreaming...
 
Lynn Dollar said:
Here's what Moberg does , vid should start talking about smoke chamber ..



https://youtu.be/gBNX69hbWmM?t=336
Click to expand...

I just ordered those clamps off Amazon. Do you use the sealant tape and the high temp silicone along with those clamps? I'm also curious about the pop extension what did you do with the the damper cover? You just leave your exhaust wide open? I ordered me some weird Hammer chipping chisel that's used for getting rid of weld spatter I don't have to do it but I guess I'm a perfectionist and I want this thing to look I also ordered some tuning plates off eBay saw some video where a guy used seven tuning plates to get even cooking temperatures. Anyways, I can't wait to get this smoker! And... You've been a huge help. I also ordered a firebox from LSG
 
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