Time to get serious about a new smoker.

[ERCougar]

If you can use a drill and a screwdriver you can make one of these in a couple of hours. One of the simplest DIY projects I've ever done. The only part that was at all challenging was bending the expanded steel to make the thing to hold the charcoal. And you could buy something for that if you wanted to.

Or you could buy a kit.

OK...now I'm intrigued.
How easy are these to use (for a beginner like me)? The capacity seems really nice. And where did you get your drum?

Back to the kamado discussion--I've been doing a lot of reading on forums and these things seem a little...fiddly?...for low temps. Like you have to be so careful to not overshoot your temp that it takes you a while to get there and you risk not lighting enough charcoal. Has anyone done both the WSM and kamado to compare this aspect?

[HuskyFreeNorthwest]

I seem to have lost all temp control. A couple of weeks ago I had random fluctuations in temp while smoking, then tonight after a through clean and following some advice from Google I thought I had things going, wrong! On the smoke setting I am jumping instantly to about 290-310 degrees and it won't cool down. Very frustrating. I am at a loss, I love the results from the smoker but I've had about 4 bad experiences in a row, starting to wonder if this is worth it.

[FN Phat]

I seem to have lost all temp control. A couple of weeks ago I had random fluctuations in temp while smoking, then tonight after a through clean and following some advice from Google I thought I had things going, wrong! On the smoke setting I am jumping instantly to about 290-310 degrees and it won't cool down. Very frustrating. I am at a loss, I love the results from the smoker but I've had about 4 bad experiences in a row, starting to wonder if this is worth it.

My dads was having the same type of problems. He went with a separate controller from Smokin Brothers. You can dial it in within 5degrees. There has been zero problems since.

[Drunk Tank]

I seem to have lost all temp control. A couple of weeks ago I had random fluctuations in temp while smoking, then tonight after a through clean and following some advice from Google I thought I had things going, wrong! On the smoke setting I am jumping instantly to about 290-310 degrees and it won't cool down. Very frustrating. I am at a loss, I love the results from the smoker but I've had about 4 bad experiences in a row, starting to wonder if this is worth it.

Something is broke. Either call Traeger and get a new controller ( should be free as it is pretty new) or get an aftermarket one ( I think they are around $100). Either your controller is bad, or your rtd is bad.

[lambdacoug]

With my ECB I managed some pretty damn good ribs today. This only my 4th attempt. The first was great, the next two were unmitigated disasters. This one turned out great.

[San Juan Sun]

With my ECB I managed some pretty damn good ribs today. This only my 4th attempt. The first was great, the next two were unmitigated disasters. This one turned out great.

Looks good.

[Coach McGuirk]

Thermapens are on sale for $74


http://www.thermoworks.com/products/...tw=AMAZINGRIBS

[ERCougar]

Thermapens are on sale for $74


http://www.thermoworks.com/products/...tw=AMAZINGRIBS

Ha...I was just a lot to post this. They're open box, but it sounds like they're still fine.

Also on kamadoguru.com, there are rumors of the Vision kamado at $399 at Costco, which is a crazy good price for a ceramic. Kind of makes me wish I had held off on the akorn.

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[ERCougar]

Smoking at 8000 feet:
uploadfromtaptalk1376237836102.jpguploadfromtaptalk1376237854947.jpguploadfromtaptalk1376237876347.jpguploadfromtaptalk1376237894978.jpg

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[kccougar]

How do you keep the wolves away?

[ERCougar]

How do you keep the wolves away?

Ha...I was more worried about bear (uintahs). No problems, obviously, but I probably wouldn't try this overnight.

I did run up on a bull moose on my trail run. That got my heart rate up.

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[FN Phat]

That is awesome. I wonder how far the odor wafted through the air. I never thought of the animals.

[Surfah]

I need to get my Traeger fixed. I am itching to smoke something. I got a new hot rod from Traeger but I lost it in our move and have no clue where it ended up.

[Drunk Tank]

Time to get serious about a new smoker.

I need to get my Traeger fixed. I am itching to smoke something. I got a new hot rod from Traeger but I lost it in our move and have no clue where it ended up.

Why don't you light it manually? Dump a 1/4 cup of pellets into the fire pot and squirt a couple tablespoons of fire starting gel in there, light and voila! I have also used a mapp gas torch to light them when I didn't have fire gel. My first Traeger didn't have auto ignition, you had to light it manually.

[smokymountainrain]

Alright, smoker geeks, talk me out of a WSM. All the reviews online are ridiculously positive. I have to think it's a result of low expectations due to the low price and perhaps the possibility that these guys simply haven't ever owned some of the better smokers out there.

The price is just so attractive and after reading all those positive reviews, I can't see why I wouldn't go down that road.