# Original Oklahoma Joe's Offset with 1/4" steel for $50 - Did I just hit the jackpot???



## meatsweats86 (May 1, 2017)

http://I think I hit the jackpot in smokers this weekend. Picked up an original Oklahoma Joe's with ¼” thick steel this weekend for $50.

This is my first offset smoker which I have been holding off until I found the right deal and I believe this was it. I spent more money on the cart needed to haul this heavy SOB away. Dude bought a house 2 years ago and this was sitting in the backyard. He never used it and didn’t even know what it was.

The tag is missing, but you can faintly see “Oklahoma Joe'

s, Perry, OK”

It had 1” of ash, grease and sludge coating the inside which was probably good to keep it from rusting. The wheels were rusted solid and needed a 5 ton puller to remove. The outside has minimal surface rust.

I scraped away majority of the stuff inside, but the walls are still coated with sludge. What will be my best method to remove the remaining sludge and bring it down to bare metal so I can I heat and re-season to make it look new. Wire wheel, Pressure washer, degreaser?

When re-seasoning, should I treat the firebox the same as the cooking chamber?

Regarding painting the outside. Should I wire wheel the entire outside and then re paint with high temp. Any recommendations on high temp black paint that will give it a shine vs. the dull flat black look?

Thanks for any advice in this matter!













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## dabigbozman (May 1, 2017)

Nice score


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## SmokinAl (May 1, 2017)

Nice score!

That's gonna be a beauty when you get it cleaned up!

Al


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## dave schiller (May 2, 2017)

You got a great deal.  Heck, there's $50 worth of scrap iron there if it fails you.  Lots of elbow grease, wire brushes, sandpaper, and maybe some high temp caulking around the lids (if necessary).  After getting it clean and in working order, fire it up to see if you need to seal any leaks and practice maintaining the desired temp.  Then cook something.  After you're satisfied all is well, clean and paint with VHT paint.


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## meatsweats86 (May 2, 2017)

Dave Schiller said:


> You got a great deal.  Heck, there's $50 worth of scrap iron there if it fails you.  Lots of elbow grease, wire brushes, sandpaper, and maybe some high temp caulking around the lids (if necessary).  After getting it clean and in working order, fire it up to see if you need to seal any leaks and practice maintaining the desired temp.  Then cook something.  After you're satisfied all is well, clean and paint with VHT paint.


Thanks for the advice. I told my wife it was worth it just in scrap, but I'm pretty sure I could turn around and sell for profit as is if needed. I think ribs are in order for the weekend!


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## 3montes (May 2, 2017)

Wire wheel the crap out of it. You can purchase high temp primer and I would use that before the actual color coat. You can get a rainbow of colors in high temp paint these days if you want to get creative and have something different. If it's 1/4" steel you shouldn't have any issues with warping over time. Doors will seal or leak just as they did new. I buy the spray oil like Crisco or Pam and lightly spray the interior of the smoke chamber and firebox if you want but I don't recall coating my firebox with oil. Don't over do it with the spray oil it needs just a light mist on everything.

You got a steal on that cooker. !/4" steel makes all the difference between this and the other smokers of similar size that you will buy at the home improvement stores and you will pay a good deal more than $50!


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## jokensmoken (May 2, 2017)

What a deal...
Got my first offset over the winter for $50 also but it's no Joe.


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## lemans (May 2, 2017)

What a great smoker. Awesome


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## meatsweats86 (May 3, 2017)

3montes said:


> Wire wheel the crap out of it. You can purchase high temp primer and I would use that before the actual color coat. You can get a rainbow of colors in high temp paint these days if you want to get creative and have something different. If it's 1/4" steel you shouldn't have any issues with warping over time. Doors will seal or leak just as they did new. I buy the spray oil like Crisco or Pam and lightly spray the interior of the smoke chamber and firebox if you want but I don't recall coating my firebox with oil. Don't over do it with the spray oil it needs just a light mist on everything.
> 
> You got a steal on that cooker. !/4" steel makes all the difference between this and the other smokers of similar size that you will buy at the home improvement stores and you will pay a good deal more than $50!


Thanks for the info!  I saw the different colors in high temp paint, but I think I will stick with the original black on this one. Maybe if I can find another I will go that route.

4 weeks ago I came across an original Oklahoma Joe that looks like the new Horizon Ranger below for $200 obo. My wife was having a sh*t fit about it when I told her I was going to buy it and then finally said yes. Well it was gone within 4 hours and boy was I pissed! I showed her the price and picture if you were to buy it new and she felt bad!

I've learned with anything smoker related - Better to ask for forgiveness than permission.

 













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## remsr (May 5, 2017)

Sand blast or have it sand blasted.
You might be able to burn the sludge out of it with brackets.

Randy,


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## kam59 (May 5, 2017)

Clean it up sand down the rough areas and use a wire wheel where needed. Rustoleum BBQ black is flat. They have a BBQ black that is satin it is also a DTM paint (Direct to metal) which means no primer is needed if the area is clean.

No need in seasoning the inside of the firebox just the chamber itself.

Congrats on a great buy.


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## notorious q u e (May 10, 2017)

Score!  As you may already know, spray in a swirling pattern so you don't get the linear run marks that show up in direct sun.  I've used rustoleum 1200 degree engine block paint and swear by it.  Looks good and takes a lot of punishment.


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## lemans (May 10, 2017)

What a great smoker. Awesome. After you paint it.  Spray it with cooking spray. Keep it oiled. It will keep the rust away..


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