Is this smoker worth $100?

[walt408]

As several of you know, I am new to smoking and am in search of a smoker. I had about decided to get an 18.5" WSM. However, I found an offset smoker on craigslist:

http://tricities.craigslist.org/gms/1624736807.html

He claims the person he bought it from paid $1200. It is 16" by 36-40" and weighs about 175 pounds. I don't think it is 1/4 inch steel; maybe 3/16. I can look at it tomorrow. What do you think?

Thanks - Walt

 

[bcfishman]

Looks like a Brinkmann SFB. Ive purchased three of them used in the past couple of years.

I paid 50, 50 and 25.

New they were about 300 when they were built out of decent metal.

I'd say 50 bucks...

 

[kaiser]

Looks pretty great to me for $100 - but I'm a n00b... so some of the more experienced guys might have a better opinion.

Do you have a truck or a trailer to move it with? Those suckers can be heavy.

 

[grampyskids]

I went and saw a smoker that looks just like that. Does it have a New Braunfels plate on it? If it does, he is right about the price. If you need a smoker that large, offer $75 (that's what the guy wanted that I looked at and it had a propane burner in the fire box). With a few mods, you will have a great smoking machine.

 

[meateater]

If it's not rusted out I would give a bill for it.

 

[fire it up]

Long as it is in good condition I would say $100 is OK but I would try to get it for $75 since it is pretty weather worn from the looks of the shelf.
Not so sure the original $1200 is accurate, seems a bit high to me, kinda really high.

 

[walt408]

That's what I thought.

 

[jdunlap65]

i'm like meateater. I would probably throw down a bill for it.

 

[dirt guy]

Looks like an older NB Hondo to me.

http://tinyurl.com/NB-Hondo

$150.00 brand new at Academy.

If you look at the bottom pic of the CL ad, you can see a similar rack to the Hondo.

It's a decent smoker, but the original owner probably bought ten at once to have paid $1200.

 

[dirt guy]

I lied, it's the Brinkman Pitmaster Deluxe.

http://tinyurl.com/pitmaster-deluxe

$380 from the Brinkman site. IMO, WAAAAAAYYYYY too much money for it. Again, nowhere near $1200. You're a victim of false advertising.

 

[ddave]

Well . . . being the owner of a thin walled Walmart SnP, IF it is 1/4" or 3/16" steel and is not too rusty, I'd offer $75 as well. I might go $100 if it was in pretty good shape.

Dave

 

[dirt guy]

Most Brinkmanns I've been around haven't been that thick. I'm not sure it's even 1/8".

 

[badfrog]

I believe Dirt Guy is correct...it is the Brinkman...I have the exact same rig, although I have made several mods to mine. I can tell you that I would not sell mine for $100!
check it out good; the bottom of the fire box is where you will find rust and rot if it hasn't been cared for properly - look for rust and/or heavy pitting (inside and out)...If its not rusted out, I would offer $75 and see what happens..
On your way home pick up 3 cans of high temp paint and a wire brush, stop by the local car wash and blast it clean inside and out, then when you get home wire brush everything and give it a good paint job (especially the outside bottom around the fire box).
Good mods for the Brinkman:
Tuning; tuning means adding steel plates inside the cooking chamber to route the heat and smoke so that, when "tuned" you have even heat distribution. Without tuning, the fire box end will be as much as 30 or even 40 degrees hotter than the other end.
Chimney; The brinkman chimney from the factory comes out the top of the cooking chamber just behind the door, taking the smoke with it. by lowering point where the smoke enters the chimney by either extending the chimney from the inside almost to the cooking grate, the smoke will spend more quality time with your meat! I took it a step further on mine and welded a 5" chrome stack coming out of the end at the bottom

Thermal Stabalizer; How about that for a high tech sounding term??!! I put bricks in the bottom of my cooking chamber...the theory is that the bricks will get hot and retain heat, so if by chance I do need to open the door for some reason, once closed, the temp will return quicker.
firebox grate; The stock grate will not last! ( you can see in the pic on the bottom shelf the remnants of the wire rack that was the original!) IF it has one, plan on replacing it... expanded metal works great!
Cooking racks; I had to replace the little sheetmetal tabs at the from edge of the firebox and cooking chamber that holds the cooking racks; a piece of 3/4 angle worked great...
Thermometer; Replace it or ignore it! get a good thermometer... find a good digital dual probe... one probe in the meat, one in the cooking chamber - 'nough said!

Future mods;
ball valve drain
new work table
bigger tires (for moving around the yard as I see fit!)

Buy it! its a great little cooker!

 

[beer-b-q]

I bought my older heavy New Braunfels off Craig's list several years back for $45.00 and it had hardly been used, The outside was dirtier than the inside, they just left it out to weather.

I would offer $50.00 you can always go up but not come down...

 

[chef jeff tx]

Gotta agree with the above posts. Looks like the Brinkman or an older NB Hondo. Good started pits both but I'd offer around $50 and settle @ about $75 for it as you can buy a brand new Hondo for about $150.

Think the guy is way off on the original $1200 price, the weight and on the ability to do 6 20Lb turkeys at one time.

EDIT: After looking at the pics again I'd say Brinkman, not NB due to the lack of a heating plate on top of the firebox and the placement of the Thermo bung. Older NB could be had without the plate but as far as I know always had the bung mid door, above the handle.