Is this smoker worth it?

[frosty91]

I found a backwoods cabinet style smoker close by on Craigslist. Price tag is $850, it's used but looks to be in decent shape from pictures. I've been considering gettin a cabinet style anyways, I do a lot of backyard cooking and 2-3 kcbs comps in the summer. And for my comps I have a 6x12 enclosed trailer so a cabinet style would be beneficial to roll in and out. I'm thinking for comps this summer of using one cabinet style along with a couple uds.. so any opinions on this backwoods? Or different ideas?

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• frosty91
• Jan 24, 2017

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• frosty91
• Jan 24, 2017

 

[seenred]

I'd buy it before someone else beats you to it!

Hard to say for sure from the pics...do yo know which model it is? Looks like it could be a Fatboy (a new one starts at $2200) or a Party (starts at $1600).

Whichever model, that's a great price. Those are awesome cookers. I looked at them pretty hard before I bought my gravity fed cooker.

Red

 

[ab canuck]

  I am think jump on it as well. If I were closer I would be if you were not interested.

 

[frosty91]

I'd buy it before someone else beats you to it!

Hard to say for sure from the pics...do yo know which model it is? Looks like it could be a Fatboy (a new one starts at $2200) or a Party (starts at $1600).

Whichever model, that's a great price. Those are awesome cookers. I looked at them pretty hard before I bought my gravity fed cooker.

Red

He said he bought it from the person who started backwoods, before they really had all the diff models, but it's comparable to the fat boy. Either way i also thought it was a good deal. And going to try to buy it this weekend.. just have to get it pass the budget committee [emoji]128514[/emoji]

 

[seenred]

And going to try to buy it this weekend.. just have to get it pass the budget committee [emoji]128514[/emoji]

LOL...understood.  Those budget committees can be a real bear sometimes!  You might sell her with the fact that a new Fatboy with comparable upgrades to that rig has would cost, minimum, 3 times what your guy is asking.  I mean, honestly...has she ever told you how much money she's saving you after she bought something on sale??

Good luck!  Let us know if you get it...that'd be a great cooker for you!  

Red

 

[smokin peachey]

Sometimes it is easier to ask for forgiveness than it is to ask permission! Good luck

 

[gr0uch0]

My father-in-law claims that his budget committee has saved him so much money over the years on her "great deals" that he can now afford to file bankruptcy. 

 

[frosty91]

Well luckily my budget committee is pretty lenient, lol just as long as I cook some good BBQ for her. So I ended up getting the smoker today. And wow is this thing heavy! I don't know what model it is as far as fatboy/party. But he said he bought it about 5 years ago. It is still in really good shape and I can't wait to try it. Any options on charcoal method on these? The outside dimensions on this are 3 foot tall not including the wheels, and 26in wide. Has a water pan and heat deflector pan. I am new to both of those. Not sure if I will use the water pan. I am use to smoking on my brinkman trail master offset. And got good at using it for both competition and backyard. So this will be a step up I think!

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• frosty91
• Jan 28, 2017

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• frosty91
• Jan 28, 2017

 

[ab canuck]

Good buy, I doubt you will regret it at all, and I  am sure resale would be fairly easy if you were not happy. Congrats.

 

[seenred]

Hey Frosty,

Congrats!  I think you made a great buy...those Backwoods smokers are awesome!  Your question about charcoal methods:  I believe that most folks who cook in those reverse flow cabinet pits use some variation of the Minion method...just fill the coal basket with unlit coal, leaving a "hole" in one corner, then dump part of a chimney of lit coal in the hole.  

I've also seen guys put dividers in the coal basket to make a kind of "snake" or maze pattern with the charcoal, then dump a partial chimney of lit coal in one corner and let 'er go.  

Red

 

[frosty91]

Hey Frosty,

Congrats!  I think you made a great buy...those Backwoods smokers are awesome!  Your question about charcoal methods:  I believe that most folks who cook in those reverse flow cabinet pits use some variation of the Minion method...just fill the coal basket with unlit coal, leaving a "hole" in one corner, then dump part of a chimney of lit coal in the hole.  

I've also seen guys put dividers in the coal basket to make a kind of "snake" or maze pattern with the charcoal, then dump a partial chimney of lit coal in one corner and let 'er go.  

Red

Thanks red, I did my first smoke yesterday to try it out. And did a variation of the minion method and worked out very well. I ended up getting over 7 hours of 250 temps on half the charcoal I would have used before.

Go to the sausage page and check out the cook! I think this is gonna be a game changer for competitions

 

[a075923]

Congratulations, looks like a nice one!

Mike