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I've done some searches -here and other sites- on the "best" build for a small patio offset. Some advice conflicts with other advice- yeah... who could have guessed? Bear with me- and know that I honestly appreciate any responses. I have a Dayton 60 gallon compressor tank- A couple of grinders, a 12...

I came into a 60 gallon compressor tank. not real thick but I like the size (ok-that sounded wrong) I plug that into the calculator and it spits out a number for a "square" FB - 4620 -great I was thinking 18 long x 17 w x 17 high- gives 5202 (112%- not too bad) But are these the right /best dimensio...

I'm certainly no expert having only just built my first, but the CC was half the size of the one you're thinking is too small at just over 10 gallons! I can still get 2 full chickens in it if I wanted to, or a good size rack of ribs. Never say never. :) Edited to add - one chap suggested a vertical...

Silly question time (again, I guess). If I did this-and went standard offset, what can be done about the first 6" next to the firebox basically being unusable because of of the heat? Having to give up 6 + inches of a 25" cooking chamber would make this a no go proposition. Are shadow plates only for...

Guy at work had a burned out air compressor- asked me if I wanted the tank for a smoker. I walked back and there it was....a shiny, blue...20 gallon Kobalt. I smiled - told him "thanks, but it's too small for a real smoker? But is it? Stood there thinking: Cabinet doors would give it some cook chamb...

I prefer a smoked rib- sauced or not. But I have done them on a santa maria grill- started off -seasoned, wrapped in foil with just a bit of white vinegar, beer, apple juice etc.... check for pull back and tenderness. Pull from foil- meat side down to get color - while this is happening, paint with ...

cab1.JPG cab2.JPG cab3.JPG Mr. Frank hit my in box with a request for pictures of my first smoker. Not doing it- was a boring UDS. Cooked great but a bit vanilla. Decided to do a vertical with doors (tired of getting my shirts all greasy from reaching down into a 55 gallon barrel) Did not realize w...

I started this thread as an exercise in "is this possible given these constraints" more than anything. Like I said (I think)- anyone with a full shop, welders, steel, time, plasma cutters, cnc tables and a good plan can whip out a smoker. I was just feeling out if a "mere mortal/working guy/limited ...

I have pondered on and weighed all the much welcomed advice. While I'd sure like to be able to run this like my UDS- it's not gonna happen. Even if it ate three times as much fuel, I could be happy- but 5 hours on 18lb of KB is just sad. No, it won't break me to run it 20 times a year- it's just the...

/snip Even an ez-up with side walls might help. Another thought, a bit off on the silly side, but could you have it sprayed in bedliner like a truck bed? The material is thick so would offer some insulation and the texture might slow down the wind (on the surface) to decrease heat loss. It would lo...

just a thought but why couldn't you insulate the outside and add another skin to the outside? Could- and it'd be WAY easier than gutting and trying to fit panels inside with insulation sandwiched between. I don' t know how well insulating/ skinning the outside with the 3/16 steel *inside* would wor...

well - the weather has warmed up since December (duh) and I have made about 8 cooks on it. Verdict is - sucker cooks good. Running only charcoal- it is a pleasure to cook on- holds any temp I like butttt It will beggar me to run it for every little cook- getting 6 hours of cooking time (not counting...

Clean up the inside welds? angle grinder with flexible pad or just cook in it as normal- a few good smokes and you won't notice them much. Looking good sir.

Meat temp after 4 hours? I can't say with any certainty - as silly as it sounds. I was doing brisket- I pull at about 4-4.5 hours in at the 290/300 I was running. I don't even look at the thermo until it hits about 190/195. Then I pull the thermo and probe it every 15 until done. being a new cooker,...

@Brisket Envy Definitely fuel for thought... and I did consider throwing some drop ceiling tiles on him (yes-my cooker is a "him" :) ) just to see if it would be worth "moving up". Have to do it when it's cold but not rainy- those tiles do not handle wet very well. (would not be permanent- might not...

I guess I could skin it on 5 of the 6 sides. But even if the steel was free, I'd not want to pull the door and rework it. Sides/top and bottom would be enuff I'm thinking to get that coal usage down. Maybe for my birthday

good ideas- will definitely look into it. I have the windblock ready to go. Will likely NOT try it this weekend (down to my last back of charcoal) I have a 30 gallon drum"hook and cook" rig that I think I will put some yardbird on today. I've had chicken off my smokers and it's good but that "pbc cl...

I don't have a clue how BTUs and volumes work together. If you took the time and figured it out, I salute you! I will take your findings and recommendations - and be happy with them. I work at a printing company- we use some fluted polypropylene (basically plastic cardboard) that is about 1/4" thick...

You've got the equivalent of a 120 gal tank. Charcoal outputs about 9000 Btu/hour. I could see that cooker using 27000 Btu to keep temp at ~300 in 30 degree weather. I can find that charcoal briquettes have about 9000btu/pound. I tried to find a way to link the 27000 btu/hour for cooking in that si...

3 lbs/hour at that size at that temp sounds about right. Really? Oh dear God- what have I done to myself? me: "Honey, I'm gonna need another C note for Charcoal this week." Honey: "But if you buy the charcoal, you won't have any meat to put on the smoker- so I will go buy more shoes instead- thanks...

I'm thinking the thickness of the steel is holding the cold from the outside so the charcoal has to overcome that before it can run the temp you want. Agreed . But in your case, I bet the steel is not even 100* when the meat is in 225* on the inside. top 180, sides 140, near firebox 160 (all at 32 ...

Sorry did not want to throw up too many pictures. I can post more if there are specific aspects you need to see. There is a flat ash pan with a 1" lip in bottom. On legs giving 3" clearance -sitting on/inside that is a 16 x 16 x 5 coal holder with a 3/4 x9 expando bottom. The air intake comes in bel...

Drew up and built (helped build more accurately) a cabinet smoker: 3/16 steel 4ft tallx24wide x24deep. Equipped with 2 gasketed doors with nice latches, 2" ball valve feeding air - and a 4" square pipe (w/damper) to let the smoke out. Not insulated, not reverse flow- I wanted a "Square UDS" with 3 p...

still getting my materials together- wife's "need" for a hardwood floor is seriously cramping my style... and my back, shoulders, knees... Looking at doing it sort of like a BoatHouse style smoker - I like the boxy look trimmed in angle iron all black, bad a$$. Not doing a water pan (hoping to combi...

So- fully insulated is out- as is the reverse flow. I don't think it's a gimmick- but I don't think it's worth the extra steel in my case. I was gifted (by the power of friendship, bbq and beer) 5 shear cut pieces of 2' x 4' x 3/16" steel -and I'm trying not to screw this up. I'm now leaning toward ...