# Help Me Learn to Use This Custom Smoker



## Preacher Man (Jul 1, 2019)

I posted a while back about some smokers my dad surprised me with. I finally made it to Texas to pick them up and put my eyes and hands on them.

I'm asking for help with learning how to smoke with this one. It's made out of 20" well casing that is thick and hefty. Here's the dimensions:
20" inside diameter
52" tall
Smoke stack is 14" tall and 5.5" in diameter

Would my best bet be using it like a WSM?

Here's a video to give you a look.


_ANY_ tips are welcome! Thanks y'all!


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jul 1, 2019)

Looks like a super thick UDS. I might consider buying a vortex basket to hold the coals. Fire it up and test the temps for the different grates. Consider figuring out how to hang meat in there.


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## Preacher Man (Jul 1, 2019)

drunkenmeatfist said:


> Looks like a super thick UDS. I might consider buying a vortex basket to hold the coals. Fire it up and test the temps for the different grates. Consider figuring out how to hang meat in there.


That's what I was thinking with the UDS. I plan to fire it up the next couple of days and test the temperature zones with my Maverick.

I didn't even think about hanging meat. That's a great idea!

Which vortex basket are you suggesting? This one or that one?


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## SecondHandSmoker (Jul 1, 2019)

Preacher Man said:


> Would my best bet be using it like a WSM?



That's what I'm thinking too.

Pretty cool looking smoker.


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## pc farmer (Jul 1, 2019)

https://www.owensbbq.com/vortex.html   Use the original vortex if you go this route


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## noboundaries (Jul 1, 2019)

Yep, use it like a WSM. 

That smoker design brings back decades old GREAT memories of a little bar in Kingsville, TX on Friday nights. They had a smoker designed exactly like that in a corner of their lot, but the pit master needed a ladder to reach the top racks. It was full of briskets. A sandwich and slaw was $5.


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jul 1, 2019)

I was referencing the Hunsaker basket. It is heavy duty and the vortex plate supposedly aids in providing even temps throughout the cooking chamber. It is designed to fit a 55 gallon drum so I don't know if it would fit in that smoker. 

It does seem like it would be a good cooker for hanging ribs and chickens. Just have to figure out if you like the taste of fat dripping directly on the coals or if you want to run it with a diffuser like the vortex plate.


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## Preacher Man (Jul 1, 2019)

Water pan or not?


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## drunkenmeatfist (Jul 1, 2019)

I'd keep it simple and go without one at first. You can always add one later if you feel the need.


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## SmokinVOLfan (Jul 1, 2019)

Awesome looking smoker preacher! Lots of space should be able to do a lot of good Q at once. Try it with and without the water pan on something cheap first maybe a couple butts or chickens on different smokes and see what you prefer.


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## forktender (Jul 2, 2019)

Nice rig brother, you're gonna love it.

$99 for a charcoal basket, that is ridiculous.
Any old fire basket will work fine in that type of smoker. and a tin pizza pan on the lowest rack will disperse heat just fine.

I'm a retired union plumber/fitter and I took in two travelers from TX in as roommates off one of our big jobs. They laughed when they saw my little cheap'o smoker that I had back then. So the next day they pull up to the house with a smoker they built me on the job site  it was made out of 36'' sch 40  steel pipe and it was almost 5' tall. It looked almost identical to the smoker you got. They were experts on that grill, we made eight briskets for the whole job site for a top out party on a 45 story building in SF and they were a big hit. I used that smoker for almost 15 yrs before I got married. I ended up giving it to my old roommates when I left the house. (mainly because it was to heavy to move).
I'd do a dry run or an all chicken run until you figure it out. They run exactly the same as a UDS but they hold temp much better on long smokes.
We used lump with chunks or small splits.




PS, I never used a water pan, the beauty of that design is the fat dripping onto the coals makes for some very tasty vittles, you're gonna love it.


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## gmc2003 (Jul 2, 2019)

The Hunsaker, if you decide to go that route. The Owens is made for Kettle type grills. I will say I've read varying opinions on the hunsaker if they're really worth the money spent. As others have stated fire it up and see how easy it is to control the temps. You may not need a water bowl, but will need some type of deflector. 

Chris


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## SecondHandSmoker (Jul 2, 2019)

Of course you will be posting a vid when you fire her up for the test run?!


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## Preacher Man (Jul 3, 2019)

SecondHandSmoker said:


> Of course you will be posting a vid when you fire her up for the test run?!


I'd sure like to!

I've been playing for 2 days and I'm having a heck of a time figuring out how to keep the temps where I want them on this thing. It's a master at getting hot and staying hot.

On this last run, I used 1/4 chimney worth of Royal oak lump to start and have the bottom vent completely closed and I'm still running 240° at the very top and 280° in the middle. Probably over 300° down low (only have 2 probes, so I'm guessing).

I really prefer to smoke at the 225°-250° range.

Would a water pan bring temps down a bit?

Will adding meat suck out some of that hot energy?


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## noboundaries (Jul 3, 2019)

Yes to all of the above, but smoking water is a waste. Just load it up with meat. Over time though, as the meat warms, the chamber temp will rise. Then you could add water if needed.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Jul 3, 2019)

Preacher Man said:


> I'd sure like to!
> 
> I've been playing for 2 days and I'm having a heck of a time figuring out how to keep the temps where I want them on this thing. It's a master at getting hot and staying hot.
> 
> ...



noboundaries pretty much covered it.

You might be able to get a cooler running fire by using briquettes instead of lump.


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## forktender (Jul 4, 2019)

It has to be sucking air through the charcoal door/ hatch. 
Take a drop light and drop it down the exhaust on a dark night and try to find where it's leaking from then figure out a way to seal it up. Man, it has to be leaking pretty bad to be running that hot with closed vents.


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## Preacher Man (Jul 6, 2019)

SecondHandSmoker said:


> Of course you will be posting a vid when you fire her up for the test run?!


I started putting a video together, but as things got crazier I kept forgetting to film. I have a thread put together of what it turned out though.


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## SecondHandSmoker (Jul 6, 2019)

Preacher Man said:


> I started putting a video together, but as things got crazier I kept forgetting to film. I have a thread put together of what it turned out though.



Thanks.


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