Vertical Smoker Conversion

[Blutch]

Ok.. I'v read a ton of the threads related to the homemade and ordered BDS style cookers - most recently, Norcoredneck's and BigMistas.

Since I have an Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn - offset, horizontal cooker, I am of course jonesin' now for a barrel-type smoker.

I also own a Smokey Mountain Series vertical gas-powered setup that I used for years before getting the stick burner. It is a water pan type smoker with a propane element in the bottom under a small chip firebox.

I'm thinking that rather than trying to get a barrel and making my own BDS, that I could perhaps convert the propane thing into one.

I do not have welding capabilities and am not a brilliant engineer like Norcor seems to be, but i can do ok I think with fairly simple stuff.

Here's a link to a picture.. http://www.basspro.com/servlet/catalog.TextId?hvarTextId=52170&hvarTarget=search

The door is the whole lenght of the cooker and you lose every ounce of heat when you open it. plus, the guage of steel isn't that thick.. it does have good legs and is way up off the ground.. I just don't know how it will work to drip juices down on the charcoal without the water pan. ideas?

I would need to fabricate a charcoal ring and something to catch ash - right? I'm kind of feeling my way in the dark here, so please let me know if I'm barking up the wrong tree entirely.

Thanks!
B

 

[Q_Egg]

just my current thoughts after some similar checking .... 1) vertcial distance from grate to fire is likely not enough to accomplish true BDS results. There is some magic in the extra distance allowing the grease to drop 'directly' and burn, but the product is far enough away to smoke and not grill. 2) Advice when I asked Spice about this was 'cooker is designed to operate properly with water pan in place'. He did not advise removing it to attempt a 'BDS' style cook.

 

[swamprb]

Why not convert it to an offset and attatch a Char-Griller side firebox to it? The barrel smokers cook with a direct heat over the coals, no water pan. GOSM has a charcoal burner, but from what I understand the coals tend to smother themselves in the small tray and has air flow issues. You don't need a welder to make drum smoker,you can go low tech and get a step drill and some nuts and bolts to do the job.

 

[Blutch]

Why not convert it to an offset and attatch a Char-Griller side firebox to it? The barrel smokers cook with a direct heat over the coals, no water pan. GOSM has a charcoal burner, but from what I understand the coals tend to smother themselves in the small tray and has air flow issues. You don't need a welder to make drum smoker,you can go low tech and get a step drill and some nuts and bolts to do the job.

There's an idea.. you mean convert it to a "dera" type cooker? I'm not familiar with a "char-griller" side firebox.. is that a brand you can just buy, or do you need to fabricate one?

Thanks for the advice.. I have seen the GOSM charcoal burner - it is very cheap - and Im' not surprised it doesn't work well...

I'm really interested in the magic of drippings into fire and using the minion method when I don't have the time to tend the smoker. I know I can do this with my horizontal offset as well if I just ad a charcoal basket and seal up the leaky parts.. I am working on that also.

B

 

[swamprb]

The CG firebox is an add on for some models, I've seen them at Lowes for $59

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

I have the same smokey mountain series that I wanted to do the same thing with. I got a few suggestions from others on here, but it basically came down to buy the CG firebox. Been so busy lately that i haven't had the chance to do it yet, but there is a yahoo group on smokey mountain smokers, and there are some pics of the conversion there.

Chris

 

[swamprb]

I would want to do the firebox mod on a Big Block. Are you going to keep it a gasser also?

 

[Blutch]

I don't know what you mean about Big Block.. would it be possible to keep it as a gasser then and what would be the motivation to do so?

Thanks

B

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

Big block just means the larger of the two models they offered. They had one that was about 15 inches wide or so, and another model that was about twice as wide. Same design, parts etc, just one was wider. I have the big block model and as soon as I get time will be doing the CG firebox mod to it.

Chris

 

[Blutch]

I can't find the yahoo users group for the GOSM. Anyone got a link?

B

 

[dodgeramsst2003]

Here is the link to the yahoo group.

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/smokeymountain/



Chris