Dunno how to make a poll - what kind of smoker do you want to see or would buy?

[realdocBBQ]

I've got a couple of builds coming up, not sure which to focus on, but I think a smallish build on a trailer is next. Just curious what you guys would like to see, and sort of... checking the market on smoke-heads like myself to see what you'd be most interested in PURCHASING? Not like your dream cooker, but what would be more feasible in terms of something built, i.e., not a commercial unit. I guess I'd call it market research. lol

So pick as many or few of these as you would be interested in.

So for sizes I'm thinking:

Large - 250-500 gallon

Medium - 120/150 gallon (around 24x60 to 30x60)

Small - 50-100 gallon (like 18x30 to around 24x48)

[realdocBBQ]

Feel free to make suggestions. And how in-depth would you like me to go on build process - I've gone pretty in-depth in the past, I know some like that, some may find it tedious and just want to see the major stages instead of the frequent updates (and failures! lol).

[realdocBBQ]

Ok, it was set for only one choice - I've fixed that now

[Smoker_Boy]

I like how you document your builds.

I have no room or money for another smoker grill, so I'll just continue to follow what you build.

[Huskee]

Fun post, and great info will surely be shared.

My Yoder Wichita is 20" x 42.5" (cooking chamber only), which computes to about 58 gallons if the online calculator I used is correct (no I don't remember that part of high school math class). Sounds tiny in a world where folks talk about 250-500 gallon propane pig smokers, but it's not tiny. It would be considered small by the choices you offer above.

Here she is, a 58 gal offset loaded up with 9 pork butts cut in half, and 9 racks ribs lying flat, both with a little room to spare:



That said, I do wish I'd gotten their Kingman, next size up, which is 102 gallons which sounds like it's nearly twice as big but it's deceiving, its cookbox is 4" deeper and 10" longer (so 24" x 52"), still relatively small by the options above but of course a bit larger than my current smoker. Anyway, realistically, how much cooking would I ever do at once? I've done wedding receptions and grad parties on my Wichita, so it serves me well. I wish I'd gotten the 102 gal Kingman so things wouldn't be as cramped when loaded is all.

Lastly in the world of Huskee musings, I've never been one to find standard flow to be bad or reverse flow to be necessary. I cooked ribs yesterday and I had a ~20 degree difference end to end. I put the thicker racks on the warmer side. 20 degrees in the world of 225-250 is nothing. DWCowles used to tell me he had the same in his reverse flow Lang. I'm just not sold that reverse flow tech and price tag is all its cracked up to be. Granted, this Yoder has tuning plates, you definitely NEED something to help cast and disperse the heat from the firebox, but it all works just fine if you have a well thought out cooker, whether reverse or standard flow.

[jfmorris]

I agree that you can use the temp difference across the grate (as well as vertically) to your advantage, as long as you know what it is in your particular cooker. Love those pics of the Wichita all loaded up! I rarely see anything from you with that cooker...

[Huskee]

jfmorris I know, I need to take more action shots when I'm running the Yoder. Thanks for the reminder.

[Draznnl]

I enjoy the detail you provide in your build threads. If people only want highlights, they can simply check out the thread occasionally and skim through it.

I can’t have a stickburner here, so I voted for the gravity fed charcoal burner.

[Michael_in_TX]

I'm kinda thinking about market saturation here.....so I'm leaning towards the vertical offset as there are few of those out there. Moreover, it would appear to those who don't have the room for a full horizontal offset?

[realdocBBQ]

A vertical offset is something I've been thinking about a lot lately. Definitely good for small footprint spots. Only problem I see is some temp variation from bottom to top, top often hotter, and one type of food dripping on another, and cooling of cuts lower in the chamber from dripping. But... still something I've got a definite interest in!

[Michael_in_TX]

realdocBBQ While pellet grill people can be a bit of fanboys (and I am surely one of them), I think the success of the Grilla Mammoth is instructive. They can’t keep those things in stock.

[STEbbq]

The other option is to simply advertise yourself as a custom smoker builder and build what they want versus guessing at what they need.

[realdocBBQ]

Nah. I don't particularly want to take 'orders' so to speak. I'll never be a big builder, and I like doing what I like, then see who wants to buy it. I don't want to deal with, "I want this, can you change that? What about if we tweak this?" etc. Nothing wrong with custom orders in some folks' business, but this is just a fun thing for me on the side, so I don't want it to turn into something onerous.

[klflowers]

Small backyard traditional flow. Years ago I had a OK Joe that I never learned to use and I regret it. I let it rust out and got rid of it. Not that I could afford it or have room for it though.

[Jerod Broussard]

I would prefer all measurements be done metrically. A 946 liter would do.

[Smoker_Boy]

More is better.

[realdocBBQ]

Metric. Boooooo... I'm out. lol

[realdocBBQ]

Interestingly, an opportunity opened up to me this week to solve my always-a-problem sourcing of raw materials. I'll post a topic about that in a bit.

[Jerod Broussard]

If there is complimentary copper tubing involved I'd shy away. Congrats on a source, period!!

[STEbbq]

I’d vote for gravity feed cooker. Mainly because I feel like the designs haven’t been optimized via the realdocBBQ treatment.

[realdocBBQ]

Haha! Well, I know Frank Cox, aka SmokerBuilder has a number of gravity feed plans, I would probably use one of his if I built one.

[realdocBBQ]

Working on finishing up a trailer right now, so I can start the next smoker build.

[GolfGeezer]

Outta my league size wise and, well, desire. But I love seeing what you build! Now if you could make it medically necessary so that Medicare pays for it, well that could be a game changer!

[realdocBBQ]

Well, interesting results. The reverse flow and traditional backyard models are not such a shock, but right now 50% of people are wanting to see a gravity feed build... that's cool. I've been wanting to do one, it just takes a lot of plate and they can be pretty heavy for a compact space. I may need to wait until we get some things moved out of the shop, as it likely won't be as mobile, so it may need to reside inside most/all the time I am working on it.

We'll see, though. Thanks to all whom have provided their input!