# New smoker coming



## ofelles (Jan 28, 2020)

After doing a lot of research I decided a charcoal cabinet smoker would work better for me than a stick burner.  I pulled the trigger yesterday on a LSG large insulated cabinet.  Now comes the hard part about 10 weeks wait!  Really looking forward to getting and cooking on this beast.


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## Will Squared (Jan 28, 2020)

Those are some heavy duty castors.


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## oldsmokerdude (Jan 28, 2020)

Congratulations. Checked them out on the web and looks like a really nice smoker. I particularly liked that each one is hand made (hence the 10-week wait). I'll be interested in following up to see how it cooks. Do let us know.


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## ofelles (Jan 28, 2020)

will do


oldsmokerdude said:


> Congratulations. Checked them out on the web and looks like a really nice smoker. I particularly liked that each one is hand made (hence the 10-week wait). I'll be interested in following up to see how it cooks. Do let us know.



definitely will do

Will Squared and 73saint thanks for the likes


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## tx smoker (Jan 28, 2020)

Wow!! I'll take one please    I just don't have the patience to go through that again. It took about that long to get my T-Pit built and I about went out of my mind waiting. Great looking smoker though!! Congrats.

Robert


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 28, 2020)

Nice looking unit do some studying and getting recipes together.

Warren


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## jcam222 (Jan 28, 2020)

Looks an lbs sounds like a beast! Around 2500 sq inches of cooking space with 4 racks?  I am curious what led you to this brand over others? Looks nice, I added them to my bookmarks on smoker builders. Holds 40 lbs of charcoal? Wowza that’s a load too!


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## tx smoker (Jan 28, 2020)

Damn!! 40# of charcoal? I have no idea how long that'll last in this smoker but in the BGE doing low and slow, that would burn for about 2 months    My Rec Tec holds 40# of pellets and averages about 1# per hour. I'm glad too because I'm putting a brisket on Friday evening for dinner Saturday. Been waiting a LONG time to do a brisket on the Bull, and a Certified Piedmontese brisket no less. Gonna be fun but I plan to take a look at your smoker. I may have another purchase in my future. That looks like an amazing cooker!!

Robert


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## jcam222 (Jan 28, 2020)

tx smoker said:


> Damn!! 40# of charcoal? I have no idea how long that'll last in this smoker but in the BGE doing low and slow, that would burn for about 2 months    My Rec Tec holds 40# of pellets and averages about 1# per hour. I'm glad too because I'm putting a brisket on Friday evening for dinner Saturday. Been waiting a LONG time to do a brisket on the Bull, and a Certified Piedmontese brisket no less. Gonna be fun but I plan to take a look at your smoker. I may have another purchase in my future. That looks like an amazing cooker!!
> 
> Robert


I think LSG says it will roll around 36 hours!


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## bacon_crazy510 (Jan 28, 2020)

Damn! Thats a sexy smoker!! Hopefully your wait flies by.


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## civilsmoker (Jan 28, 2020)

It will be a good day when it shows up for sure!


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## ofelles (Jan 29, 2020)

jcam222 said:


> Looks an lbs sounds like a beast! Around 2500 sq inches of cooking space with 4 racks?  I am curious what led you to this brand over others? Looks nice, I added them to my bookmarks on smoker builders. Holds 40 lbs of charcoal? Wowza that’s a load too!



I wanted the charcoal/wood profile so that ruled out electric and gas.  I want quality and efficiency so that ruled out non-insulated and cheap.   Spent some time reading people's reviews of different cabinets.  I looked at the websites and asked some questions of the builders.    Some of the builders didn't make a model in the size I wanted or the cost was very high for that size.  The gravity feed  units require you to add the wood separately and a few people said the flavor profile was not as good.  In some of the units you must use water to cook.   Having spent 40 years as a sheet metal guy I looked closely as the gauges of the materials,  the welding and overall construction.   

After looking a quite a few builders I was able to narrow it down to Pitmaker, TK Smokers and Lone Star Grillz, with Pitmaker running a close third. Both Pitmaker and LSG offered carts with shelves.  Tk did not but it's construction was up there with LSG.

In the end I went with LSG because the fit and finish is exceptional and the fact that I had not heard a bad review of their offset smokers.   I will be able to run up to 50/50 charcoal and wood.  The grates are not expanded metal but nickel plated bars.  The water pan, though built in, is 1/4" steel.  Plus I heard their customer service was outstanding.  They were very response to my questions, answering them completely with reasons why they build it the way they do.


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## HalfSmoked (Jan 29, 2020)

Thanks for the like ofellas it is greatly appreciated.

Warren


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## jcam222 (Jan 29, 2020)

ofelles said:


> I wanted the charcoal/wood profile so that ruled out electric and gas.  I want quality and efficiency so that ruled out non-insulated and cheap.   Spent some time reading people's reviews of different cabinets.  I looked at the websites and asked some questions of the builders.    Some of the builders didn't make a model in the size I wanted or the cost was very high for that size.  The gravity feed  units require you to add the wood separately and a few people said the flavor profile was not as good.  In some of the units you must use water to cook.   Having spent 40 years as a sheet metal guy I looked closely as the gauges of the materials,  the welding and overall construction.
> 
> After looking a quite a few builders I was able to narrow it down to Pitmaker, TK Smokers and Lone Star Grillz, with Pitmaker running a close third. Both Pitmaker and LSG offered carts with shelves.  Tk did not but it's construction was up there with LSG.
> 
> In the end I went with LSG because the fit and finish is exceptional and the fact that I had not heard a bad review of their offset smokers.   I will be able to run up to 50/50 charcoal and wood.  The grates are not expanded metal but nickel plated bars.  The water pan, though built in, is 1/4" steel.  Plus I heard their customer service was outstanding.  They were very response to my questions, answering them completely with reasons why they build it the way they do.


Excellent homework you did. It certainly looks like a beauty. I love my charcoal cabinet.


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## ofelles (Apr 2, 2020)

Just received an email From Lone Star Grillz.  They have started fabrication of my unit!  They said 10 to 14 business days to fab and then ship from Texas to California.  Waiting, waiting, waiting.  Excited!


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## ofelles (May 1, 2020)

It's suppose to be here Friday next week.  It was in  El Paso, TX this morning. 
 Waiting, waiting,  waiting!


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## ofelles (May 7, 2020)

Just hit my driveway.










Will uncrate tomorrow.  In back yard this weekend and then start seasoning.  So excited!


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## yankee2bbq (May 7, 2020)

Awesome!!!!!


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## one eyed jack (May 7, 2020)

Oh man!   Congratulations!  How you gonna sleep tonight?


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## ofelles (May 7, 2020)

yankee2bbq said:


> Awesome!!!!!





one eyed jack said:


> Oh man!   Congratulations!  How you gonna sleep tonight?


Thank you.  And I probably won't sleep much tonight for sure


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## ofelles (May 7, 2020)

Thanks for the like One Eyed Jack


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## ofelles (May 8, 2020)

Uncrateing




















Need to get a couples of friends to help get it in the back yard (850#)
Will post more when I season it.


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## ofelles (May 9, 2020)

Opps!  almost duplicated previous post.  Man getting old sucks.


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## noboundaries (May 9, 2020)

What a GREAT looking smoker! Can't wait to see the inaugural smoke.

Ray


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## HalfSmoked (May 10, 2020)

Awesome lets see the smoke roll.

Warren


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## HalfSmoked (May 11, 2020)

Thanks for the like ofelles it is greatly appreciated.

Warren


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## ofelles (May 12, 2020)

I have a fireboard and fan but I’m intending to learn to control this thing manually first.  So, in my vast wisdom I thought, which is never a good thing, I got this.  This is charcoal not a stick burner so just build the fire. What’s the big deal?  So, I set up the dividers way wider than the pictures show. (pictures have it divided into quarters.  (I had it in thirds) Load about 20# of KB briquettes to the top of the dividers, per instructions, then light a full chimney of coals.  Once they’re all glowing dump them in, open the ball valve and top vent wide and close the doors easy peasey.  Shooting for 250°F to 275°F for 3 to 6 hours.

Everything going well, up to 150 °F in 15 minutes, 200°F in 45 minutes so it’s time to close the top vent and ball valve ½ way.  At about 1 hour it hits 250°F so I close the valve to about ⅛ open, per instructions.  Still climbing, okay.   275°F 15 minutes later, okay……..wait it’s still climbing slower but still climbing.  Damn 300°F, now what?  Shut ball valve 99% and top vent to just a crack open and………..still climbing 325°F!  Damn it all to heck.

I* DON’T* got this!  Close valve, open door to lower temp and it goes right back up when I shut the door.  Pour some water in the pan to cool it down, didn’t help.  And so it went for the next 4 hours.  Is THIS what you all mean when you say “then I spent the rest of the time chasing temperature”?  I think I used way too much fuel.  About 8 hours in, valve and top still shut, it finally cooled down to 250°F!  Tomorrow, smaller fire and try again he says embarrassed as all get out.

Okay here goes the 2nd try, vast wisdom acknowledged as definitely questionable at best and possibly not useful at all.  Dividers set like pictures.  Much less charcoal this time, ½ chimney lit.  Valve and top vent as before.  It’s on, as before 150°F in 15 minutes, 200°F in 45 minutes.  I close the top vent about ½ way and ball valve so it’s ¼ open.  Playing it more cautious this time.  Slowly climbing then it seems to have stalled at 230°F.  Opened top full and temp climbed to 240°F, it’s been 1½ hours.  Opened ball valve to ½.  At 2¼ hours temp is 285°F closed valve to ⅛ and top to ½ and it seems to have settled at 280°F which I can live with and my face is not as red as yesterday. 

I have come a lot closer this time.  So, my “bigger is always better axiom” has proven not to be true this time.  Smoking on the YS640 is a no brainer.  Grilling and searing steaks and chicken or cooking some hot dogs and hamburgers requires some control abilities.  But I’m looking at learning a whole new level here.   I am developing a new RESPECT for you offset guys.


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## joetee (Sep 21, 2020)

ofelles said:


> Just received an email From Lone Star Grillz.  They have started fabrication of my unit!  They said 10 to 14 business days to fab and then ship from Texas to California.  Waiting, waiting, waiting.  Excited!


I'm still waiting for my LSG, 20x36 offset. The waiting game sucks but I think it will be well worth the wait.


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## hoity toit (Sep 21, 2020)

Nice.. I see it is from Willis TX, I grew up real close to there. When is the party??


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## joetee (Sep 21, 2020)

hoity toit said:


> Nice.. I see it is from Willis TX, I grew up real close to there. When is the party??


Probably won't get it until December so who knows. LOL


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## ofelles (Sep 21, 2020)

joetee said
"I'm still waiting for my LSG, 20x36 offset. The waiting game sucks but I think it will be well worth the wait."
Yes the wait seems forever.  But once you get it then happy begins!
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