Add a warming box or whole new smoker ???

[melem2007]

Hello everyone, I have a older OK Joe longhorn. It’s the older Fully welded smoker and I believe is 3/16 thick. I know “Big Black”holds temps great in Michigan Winters. I extend the height about 6 inches and added a side work shelf with utensil holders.

I have some other mods I have done to “ Big Black” I added 4 tuning plates and expanded metal grates. I have recently (7 months ago) also added a 2nd full length 14 inch deep top rack to the smoker.

I can’t decide on if I want add a warming / vertical smoker box and a larger square firebox to handle the added vertical smoke box or go with building and new 150 gallon pit. I am looking to start a small catering company?

The way the pit is currently I gan get 7 whole briskets pretty comfortably.

I am up in the air as to what to do

Thoughts please !!!!








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[McBroom]

Simply add a WC to what you have now. The Oklahoma Joe smokers are really good cookers. If your not happy with the way it cooks afterwards then I'd build a new one or keep modding the one you have.

Claud

[Big T]

Welcome aboard! What's the diameter of the cook chamber ? If it's under 24'' I would probably opt for the new pit because if you're like most of us, you want the thing to look good when you're finished. If you add a warming cabinet to your current cook chamber it would need to be pretty close to the same width as the CC for it to look right and a WC under 24'' gets really tight by the time that you add your slide rails and grates. My current WC is 24 X 24 X 30 tall and I think that the cooking grates are roughly 21 X 21 with the way that my door is framed and my rails are installed. While there is certainly noting wrong with a smaller WC I think it defeats the purpose of trying to get more cooking space for catering. This is just my thoughts on the matter and I'm sure some of the other guys may have a different view that could help you decide.

[McBroom]

Welcome aboard! What's the diameter of the cook chamber ? If it's under 24'' I would probably opt for the new pit because if you're like most of us, you want the thing to look good when you're finished. If you add a warming cabinet to your current cook chamber it would need to be pretty close to the same width as the CC for it to look right and a WC under 24'' gets really tight by the time that you add your slide rails and grates. My current WC is 24 X 24 X 30 tall and I think that the cooking grates are roughly 21 X 21 with the way that my door is framed and my rails are installed. While there is certainly noting wrong with a smaller WC I think it defeats the purpose of trying to get more cooking space for catering. This is just my thoughts on the matter and I'm sure some of the other guys may have a different view that could help you decide.

Excellent ideas and lots of facts.

Claud