Just bought this about 2 months ago. Just assembled yesterday.
I was running a New Braunfels offset that i had converted to propane with a
turkey fryer burner due to my city burn ban restrictions, No wood, charcoal for fuel. My Brother needed a stick burner, so I broke out the welder and converted it back, gave it a new paint job and he's HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY!
I got this new Smoker! HAPPY HAPPY HAPPY>
I've read all through here several times over the last couple months and thought WOW, I got some work to do on this thing.
Threw it together yesterday, had a BUNCH of extras in the box; thermometer x2, side handles x2, door spring handle x2, screw kit x2, an extra cooking rack!! The handles already went on another project! Never have too many screws & the extra cooking rack well, White bass season is upon us, so that'll come in handy smoking 50 fillets!!
Put it together-easy. Carried it upstairs from the garage-glad my brother was here or I'd have removed the legs and used my dolly. Had taken my 100lb propane tank to be refilled=$56 (still had 10lbs of propane in it and I've been smoking off of it for 2 or 3 years)!!! Paid $95 originally for the tank!! WELL WORTH THE MONEY, not to fight with those little grill tanks!! Also got a 4' hose extension for my 0-40 psi adjustable regulator with needle valve, that was on the old stick burner to run on this!
Hooked it up, fired it up and couldn't get steady adjustments??? HMM??? Soapy water test revealed a line leak, did a little R&R, more soapy water, NO LEAKS!!
Threw my big cast iron skillet (12") on top of the original chip pan, threw in a fist size chunk of mesquite that I get from the local firewood guy on the cheap (He's another Brother that does logging, free oak, pecan and mesquite)!
Turned the valve on the smoker to high, played with the adjustable regulator and needle vale and my maverick 732 read a consistent 500*! Never need to smoke something that hot, but I could put a sear on something!!!
Turned the valve on the smoker to low, played with the regulator and needle valve again and got down to 175* on the Maverick! I can definitely slow smoke with that!
Found I'm going to use the needle valve which is up on the tank for adjustment instead of bending over to reach the one on the smoker. Played with the valve and had any consistent temp that I can desire, between the 175*-500*! Even had some wind going on, didn't seem to matter. Maybe it's because I can dial the pressure up a little.
For all the naysayers, I took the front panel and burner when I went to the propane store. The tech said, "Nope not a problem with the adjustable regulator just don't crank it up to high". Well, what's too high? I asked. He told me "Ever heard a
turkey fryer or mudbug boil going on by a cajun?" Yuup sure have. "Well, that's about as high as you want to go with the pressure!!"
The door was leaking a lot on the hinge side, took a look and there was a little too much gap, so I used a handheld sledge and a block of wood to massage it into alignment where it should be, also tapped on the hinges a little to get the gap down!! No dents and solved the problem!
Thermometer seems to be close, plenty of draft, no need for an exhaust stack or additional intake.
Yeah the door still leaks a little, SO WHAT!! It's a smoker, it's supposed to smoke!! I'm in Texas I see and know all kinds of folks with small to huge smokers! Been to Rudy's, Ruby's, Smitty's, Kreuz, Salt Lick, Aaron Franklin's, Mueller's, etc.... Know what? ALL THEIR SMOKERS LEAK SMOKE!!! No gaskets, no silicone, no wedging the door, etc..... Let the crust build up a little, it'll leak less.
The thing works great, holds consistent heat and if it gets a little cold in the winter, I'll throw my old wool army blanket over it!!!
Here's a picture of my setup!
Yes, it's smoking right there out the original back exhaust! No you can't see it.
We here in Texas love good barbque!
Don't over power your meat!!! With Coverup sauce, spices or smoke!!
Olive oil or mustard with S&P is the ticket!!! Maybe a little sauce on the side to compliment the meat, but I don't want to have to go down to the boat to get my Personal Floatation Device, for my meat, because it's swimming or drowning!
A lot of sauce around here, means you're just bad barbque'r and covering up a lack of skills! Kind of like My Cherokee Brother says a Vegetarian is just a sad Hunter or Fisherman!