good deal on Char Broil Smoker... wtf

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heliboydoesbbq

Meat Mopper
Original poster
May 22, 2009
150
21
Palmer Alaska
I saw this on Craigslist its about 1:30 hr from my house. looks like no mods.. is this too good to be real .. what should I look for so that I do not get burned...HAHA.. its gonna make it home regardless .. and I'll deal with it there.. YEAH I Found one.


ANy one know what model this is?







Char Broil Grill/Smoker - $50 (Laurel)

Reply to:XXXXXXXXX]
Date: 2009-05-28, 10:37AM MDT


Moving, rust on the outside but cooks very well. XXX-5641
  • Location: Laurel
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Nice find! For 50 bucks, I believe I'd be cleaning that one up myself.
 
Yep, that is an un-modified Silver Smoker. I paid $150 for a new one, did all the mods that were suggested, and some of my own, and now it is a rib cooking machine. For $50 and a little work it is surely worth it.
 
I would say the only difference between what you bought and what Char-Broil is selling now is the warming plate that's on the firebox. Yours has the therm in the chamber door, the new ones don't come with it.
 
You can find lots of info on mods for those type smokers. Anything for a CG (char-griller) or SNP (Brinkman) would work. For $50 you can't go wrong.

I have had an SNP & now have a CG. IMHO, I would start with some kind of charcoal basket. Just be sure you have some way to raise it up off the bottom of the SFB so the ash won't smother your fire.

You also need some kind of baffle to keep for having a hot spot on the SFB end. One quick & inexpensive ways are to place a pan of hot water at the SFB end to moderate temps. Another is to get a couple of disposable oven liners & place them at an angle over the SFB opening to force the heat down & across the chamber.

Finally, get at least one digital probe therm so you can monitor temps at grate level. A dual probe or two separate therms are better so you can place a probe at each end of the MC to see the temp difference.

You will find info on lots of other mods -- chimney extensions, tuning plates, heat seals, etc. I suggest you do the one above & see how it works then add other mods as needed.
 
So last week end I made it to Laural MT and picked up the Silver smoker. It had some surface rust , which was in the original Photos no surprise. I brought it home after a relaxing drive in the rare green montana. Yesterday I worked on it and made two of a few mods that I'll undertake .

Looks better after I got rid of the rust and gave it a new coat of heat resistant black



Fabricated a charcoal basket with a divider so that I can burn following the minion method...


And Fabricated a Baffle out of Chicago steel baking tray (steel) with added little flanges out of Stainless to fit the shape of the Silver Smoker. also included a longer baffle (tuning plate) that will get some kind of mod in the future.



Costs:

Char grill Silver Smoker = 50.00
High Heat Paint (2 Cans)= 15.99
Grinder Rental 24hrs = 12.00
Sheet of expanded steel = 24.00
Sheet of Stainless steel = FREE!
Stainless hardwear = 20.00? I lost count but it was all SS. and $$
2 Steel Baking Trays = 12.00 (org.$ 15.99 ea.) Cost plus sale


SO that was all done in one day ! Grinded all the rust off and painted and built today after I get the grinder back to the rental place I'm going to Test fire the thing and see what else I need to do .. It came with a new brunfels therm in the door.. I know that in the furture I 'm going to want a real digital therm.. so I 'm keeping my eye out for one.. and some real wood..

Other things to do ...

Bigger Wheels of the front and aft.
Refinish or replace the wood handles and shelf
buy charcoal tower starter.

Its time to start smoking!
 
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