Jacks Old South?

[LuckyB's BBQ]

Anyone here ever cloned a Jack's Old South indirect water cooker? Thoughts? I have a design in mind that is very similar with a few of my own personal improvements. Just looking for feedback on the design aspect. Heres a link.....http://www.jacksoldsouthsmokers.com/

Thanks for your time!

[Mettle]

Don't buy in to the hype. A backwoods is a better cooker. And you don't have to fuss about with a backwoods.

(Both cook with the water pan)

[Gizmo]

I have to agree with Fred here - I too would give backwoods a serious look-see before picking a direction to go... they have a solid design. If I didn't have a workshop I would have their "Party" size cooker in a heartbeat.

[LuckyB's BBQ]

Thanks guys! Your opinions are greatly appreciated. What troubles do you see with the JOS cookers? I have to say I do like the Backwoods better after some more research.....

[Gizmo]

I don't think there is any trouble with the JOS. I don't think Myron would have any of that.
I just think the backwoods will take less "babysitting" to get the desired result. .... won't cut into your drinking time as much...

[Frank_Cox]

The only problem I have ever had with the water cookers is the water....
If memory serves me right on the JOS and the JNS they have a fairly large water pan in them. the thing about water is as long as it is at atmospheric pressure and it is in it's liquid state the water will never get above 212*F. this being said it takes 1 btu/ pound of water to raise the temperature of it 1*F. so getting from 60* to 212* is easy (That's only 152*F), BUT, once it is there it will take 970 BTU's per pound of water to change it's state from liquid to vapor (Steam) so you have a huge heat sync there.
so to make my point, if you have a large water volume in the smoker you will spend all your BTU's trying to change the state of the water from liquid to vapor and less of your BTU's to keep the cooker at temp... Hence the Babysitting as Rick said. As the volume of water continues to decrease, a temp swing is created. less water volume more BTU's for the rest of the smoker so you add water and drop the temp of the water, now we start all over again.
So take a Reverse Flow for example. you have a baffle plate , with no water on it, which is a consistent thermal mass that does not change every hour like the water volume does. this aids in more consistent temps in the cook chamber.
Almost Done....
The Backwoods style smoker and others like it have a much smaller water pan. less water volume to suck up your heat. more water level maintenance tho since it decreases in volume faster. I don't think it is an official Backwoods add on, but the competition cooks I know that use them with great success have a water bottle style "auto fill" system which uses a culligan water bottle to maintain the water volume during the cook. the water volume in the pan is kept more even in water level and temp since it is added at a controlled rate. the con is the water still is sucking up a lot of BTU's tho trying to reach it's boiling point and trying to change state to a vapor.
Wow, You really read all that hahaha

[Gizmo]

I DID read all that ... now I have to go lay down ...

I always thought a drip-oiler design to constantly drip water onto a hot plate would be one heck of a good idea for a water cooker - water vapor WITHOUT the water volume to speak of... or I could just be full of it ... most people tell me I am ...

[The Czar]

I think my brain just fell out....

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[maccas66]

Just how moist do they want their meat!, take what a RFOS can turn out without water, now thats moist, do they want soup!

[alleyrat58]

I don't think the water pan really adds that much moisture to the meat personally. By the time I start thinking about the meat drying out I am wrapping it in foil to keep the juices in anyway. I personally don't care for smokers with a water pan in general, but I do know some comp cooks that do quite well with them. Myron Mixon for example...

haha - I'm not even gonna start with Frank's post about lbs of water and BTUs and atmospheric pressure...

[Frank_Cox]

haha - I'm not even gonna start with Frank's post about lbs of water and BTUs and atmospheric pressure...

haha, what are you tryin to say?

[DUAYNE B]

wow, that is some good information Frank, I have never really thought about a water smoker so i know that i will keep doin what i,m doin, good info when someone asks me why i dont use water

[Smokeone]

What Frank Said!

Oh wait maybe Frank is wrong. Heck I dont know. That was...................um......................technical, yeah thats it.

All BS aside I am not a fan of the water pan. Have had cheap smokers with them, and cant tell a moisture difference in my food cooked over the pan versus without. I can say I dint notice the rapid temp changes when the pan went dry, and when I refilled the pan.

[Blazer]

Ok gota get in on this, I know Myron Mixon has won like close too a million in comp's and has forgot more about bbq than I will ever know, But why does he have to be such an well you know what I mean. That's just my opinion. I would hope that If someday that I were famous that I would remember where my bread was buttered. Hope I didn't step on any toe's here, I know this thread was started on the cookers that he represents.

[Frank_Cox]

I hear ya bro! Never forget who got ya there!

[TuscaloosaQ]

I would hope that If someday that I were famous that I would remember where my bread was buttered.

Amen to that!!!!!!!! humility is what I like "Whosoever exalts himself will be humbled" and whosoever humbles himself will be exalted" and that is a fact!!!!!!! Take that to tha bank

[alleyrat58]

But why does he have to be such an well you know what I mean.

I've heard he's very social and an all around nice guy. My take on him is that he's a trash talker, but means it all in fun. I think Pitmasters may have put a slant on him. There were episodes in the first season of Pitmasters that showed him talking to newbies around him and offering solid, friendly advice.

I've also heard that he is really not very nice on a comp Saturday morning, but then, neither am I.

That's my .02...

[Gizmo]

Oh! Where's my soapbox? ...

The following is not a paid announcement and represents the opinion of the person typing only - but I'm gonna feel better if I say it.

I got a hundred bucks says it's all an act ... encouraged by the producers of the programs he's been on. One thing I'm sure of - he's all about the winning and the cash.... that means ratings and being a "character" to get them.

Myron's prolly a decent sort of fellow if you're just chatting over the fence... OFF CAMERA (or so I've heard).

But then again - I'm in the business where ratings put food on my table ... and if I see him at the gas station I'm going to say Hi Myron! and keep walking - he's already heard it all and just that is enough to let him know his "Q" talent is appreciated because I aint his closest friend that would know anything else about him or probably ever will.

now ... somebody help me put this soapbox away...

[alleyrat58]

I got a hundred bucks says it's all an act ... encouraged by the producers of the programs he's been on.

You don't mean that you think reality TV isn't 100% real???? This is my shocked face

[Gizmo]

[Blazer]

Alleyrat58, I'm sure right about the show twisting things. The show seems to be a ( reality) show in a way. It seem's something always has to happen to make it interesting, so they tell him to be himself. Aww heck , he's welcome at my house anytime. We could throw some stick's in my cooker and empty a cooler..... or two.

[LuckyB's BBQ]

Thanks guys for all of your input. The constant attention that the water pan needs and the amount of fuel "wasted" on heating that water is an excellent point. I personally have never cooked on a water pan to this point, but these are some very interesting points. I also just wanna throw this out there too....THANK YOU! You guys are a huge help! Plus the emoticons make me laugh...... Priceless!

[LuckyB's BBQ]

The smoker design I have is based off of JOS but with several mods. The steel was just ordered yesterday, so I will try to post pics when it begins. For example, the water pan has been cut way down in size and volume it will hold. It does sit directly above the firebox with a 3" gap all the way around the cooker. I am thinking too now, that if the water does prove to be an issue with baby sitting, it could serve as just a baffle from the firebox below to keep temps steady....agree? Thanks again gents!

[Gizmo]

Yep! - no water - no problem.

[Frank_Cox]

I got a hundred bucks says it's all an act ... encouraged by the producers of the programs he's been on.

You don't mean that you think reality TV isn't 100% real???? This is my shocked face

And this is my shocked face.....

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