Sandblasting A Smoker Question

WeberWho

pgprescott said:

WeberWho said:

pgprescott said:

WeberWho said:

minniemoh said:

I don't have any blasting advice but I'm really curious to see what you think of that smoker. Their design has me interested in trying one. Just wondering if it actually does a better job than the egg.

@minniemoh I don't think it will be replacing the egg anytime soon but more less wanting to see what an offset smoker is like. Pgprescott mentioned it's a lump hog. Which is mostly true. It's takes a bag of lump every 10 hours or so. Than again I'm not feeding it sticks every 30-45 minutes so it might be an even tradeoff. Chris Marks 8 time American Royal Champion uses The Good One smokers. So I'd assume they have something figured out with these smokers. I'm hoping to make it my dedicated rib smoker. Half a bag of lump for ribs isn't bad. (If doing multiple racks) I'm also thinking I can start a cook and get a descent smoke profile and maybe finish it on the egg the 2nd half to save on lump for briskets, etc. It will be interesting to see how it works out. I maybe should have tested it out first before trying to restore it.

They're telling me they use about 1# per hour now, but they have changed some things in order to get to that level of efficiency. Your older one won't likely achieve those numbers. Like you said, they must produce a great product. 

I'm hoping mine will do something around that. I drool over the The Good One Marshall. I even found a super good deal on a used one. I just couldn't push myself to buy one going through a bag of lump every 5-6 hours. Probably not a bad deal if you were to maximize the cooking chamber every time. Hard to justify it with the two of us. I still want one though! Hopefully this Open Range is a little more rational. The previous owner had 5 or 6 different pit smokers and did competitions. He sold all his other smokers but kept this one. I believe he passed on and his grandson wasn't interested in it. So hopefully I can get this thing cleaned up and start a new chapter with it. 

I've been wanting to add them on our floor for nearly ten years now, but for one reason or another we never did. I'm not sure the level of interest we will get, but I'm doing it this spring. I've been around them in action many times at the shows with Chris at the helm and was pretty impressed. It fills the gap for those who want offset type cookers, but it's a more even dispersion of heat and easier to manage and control i.e. sleep.

One of the Goodwin's told me they eliminated the ash drawer to get better burn times and I think they went to a thicker gauge steel at least in the firebox, but I'm not sure. The new ones have a basket that you remove for clean out as opposed to the ash drawer that used to pull out the side.

That unit is bigger than it looks, there are two levels of cooking and I'm confident you will love it.

I hope they are a hit at your shop. I don't believe the gauge has changed. What I've read on the other forums is that some of the ealier models with the firebox trays had warping issues. I don't know if there was a rhyme or reason but some earlier ones did warp causing alignment issues. I think that was the main reason why they eliminated the tray.

Can you still grill in the firebox chamber with having to take a basket out? That was another benefit with this smoker. You can use it as a grill while smoking up top. I do like how you can flip the upper lid around backwards if needed on the new models. 

pgprescott

Little Steven said:

WeberWho said:

Sorry for such an off the wall post. I know, asking about sandblasting a steel smoker on a ceramic grill site isn't the best approach. I just singed up over on the BBQ Brethren forum but not sure when I'll get accepted. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's here in Minnesota and hoping to get started restoring the smoker I picked up a few months ago. Here's a little more information:

It's The Good One Smoker - Open Range

I had intentions of taking the angle grinder to it and removing as much paint and rust off it as possible. The more I look at the smoker the less chance I see myself using the angle grinder with a wire brush. I'm thinking I'll need to sandblast it. Which brings me to a couple questions. If I do decide to sandblast, do I have to sandblast the inside? It would be nice to sandblast inside/outside of the smoker but the fire grate is welded to a couple cross bars in the firebox. It would be almost impossible to sandblast with the grate in place and not looking to cut out and re-weld back into place.


Here's a picture of the firebox. The grate is welded to the cross bar.

Here's a picture of the cooking chamber. It's seems to be in good shape.

Can I just sandblast and paint the outside and not worry about anything internally? I'd clean up and season the grates but do I need to worry about the rust/paint inside the smoker?

Thanks for any help!

Looks to be close to 12 gauge steel. You should be able to sandblast or even shot blast it.

The new ones are ten gauge, but not sure on the vintage ones. I would bet they are 12 or better.

WeberWho

Little Steven said:

WeberWho said:

Sorry for such an off the wall post. I know, asking about sandblasting a steel smoker on a ceramic grill site isn't the best approach. I just singed up over on the BBQ Brethren forum but not sure when I'll get accepted. Tomorrow is supposed to be in the 60's here in Minnesota and hoping to get started restoring the smoker I picked up a few months ago. Here's a little more information:

It's The Good One Smoker - Open Range

I had intentions of taking the angle grinder to it and removing as much paint and rust off it as possible. The more I look at the smoker the less chance I see myself using the angle grinder with a wire brush. I'm thinking I'll need to sandblast it. Which brings me to a couple questions. If I do decide to sandblast, do I have to sandblast the inside? It would be nice to sandblast inside/outside of the smoker but the fire grate is welded to a couple cross bars in the firebox. It would be almost impossible to sandblast with the grate in place and not looking to cut out and re-weld back into place.


Here's a picture of the firebox. The grate is welded to the cross bar.

Here's a picture of the cooking chamber. It's seems to be in good shape.

Can I just sandblast and paint the outside and not worry about anything internally? I'd clean up and season the grates but do I need to worry about the rust/paint inside the smoker?

Thanks for any help!

Looks to be close to 12 gauge steel. You should be able to sandblast or even shot blast it.

Thanks @Little Steven I was able to sandblast one of the lids yesterday without any issues with the smoker. Finding daylight and using a 10 gallon sand blaster is going to take some time. 

Little Steven

I thought you were taking it to a shop. Yea it'll be some work.

pgprescott

WeberWho said:

pgprescott said:

WeberWho said:

pgprescott said:

WeberWho said:

minniemoh said:

I don't have any blasting advice but I'm really curious to see what you think of that smoker. Their design has me interested in trying one. Just wondering if it actually does a better job than the egg.

@minniemoh I don't think it will be replacing the egg anytime soon but more less wanting to see what an offset smoker is like. Pgprescott mentioned it's a lump hog. Which is mostly true. It's takes a bag of lump every 10 hours or so. Than again I'm not feeding it sticks every 30-45 minutes so it might be an even tradeoff. Chris Marks 8 time American Royal Champion uses The Good One smokers. So I'd assume they have something figured out with these smokers. I'm hoping to make it my dedicated rib smoker. Half a bag of lump for ribs isn't bad. (If doing multiple racks) I'm also thinking I can start a cook and get a descent smoke profile and maybe finish it on the egg the 2nd half to save on lump for briskets, etc. It will be interesting to see how it works out. I maybe should have tested it out first before trying to restore it.

They're telling me they use about 1# per hour now, but they have changed some things in order to get to that level of efficiency. Your older one won't likely achieve those numbers. Like you said, they must produce a great product. 

I'm hoping mine will do something around that. I drool over the The Good One Marshall. I even found a super good deal on a used one. I just couldn't push myself to buy one going through a bag of lump every 5-6 hours. Probably not a bad deal if you were to maximize the cooking chamber every time. Hard to justify it with the two of us. I still want one though! Hopefully this Open Range is a little more rational. The previous owner had 5 or 6 different pit smokers and did competitions. He sold all his other smokers but kept this one. I believe he passed on and his grandson wasn't interested in it. So hopefully I can get this thing cleaned up and start a new chapter with it. 

I've been wanting to add them on our floor for nearly ten years now, but for one reason or another we never did. I'm not sure the level of interest we will get, but I'm doing it this spring. I've been around them in action many times at the shows with Chris at the helm and was pretty impressed. It fills the gap for those who want offset type cookers, but it's a more even dispersion of heat and easier to manage and control i.e. sleep.

One of the Goodwin's told me they eliminated the ash drawer to get better burn times and I think they went to a thicker gauge steel at least in the firebox, but I'm not sure. The new ones have a basket that you remove for clean out as opposed to the ash drawer that used to pull out the side.

That unit is bigger than it looks, there are two levels of cooking and I'm confident you will love it.

I hope they are a hit at your shop. I don't believe the gauge has changed. What I've read on the other forums is that some of the ealier models with the firebox trays had warping issues. I don't know if there was a rhyme or reason but some earlier ones did warp causing alignment issues. I think that was the main reason why they eliminated the tray.

Can you still grill in the firebox chamber with having to take a basket out? That was another benefit with this smoker. You can use it as a grill while smoking up top. I do like how you can flip the upper lid around backwards if needed on the new models. 

Yeah, you can still grill. It's like a double basket. The lower coal basket is steel and has a removable fire grate. The basket has handles that holds the cooking grid if I remember correctly. The owner said you get really high heat searing. Almost too hot for the old gasser guys who are used to 500. Catches them off guard. 

I'm really stoked for you to get this thing going. I probably won't get my hands on anything until May or so. We are looking seriously at getting a trailer model for parties etc. We have a couple Traeger trailers that are long in the tooth and need some TLC when we get time, which is never!

WeberWho

Little Steven said:

I thought you were taking it to a shop. Yea it'll be some work.

Too poor and too cheap. $25 in some silica sand and time should eventually get me there. 

sheetmetalpete

If you really wanted to get in the fire box & blast it I could weld it back together once you have it cleaned up if you needed to.  

I'm not sure I'd do that if it were mine.  But I probably would.  Who am I kidding?  Yes, I would.  But I'm being ridiculously meticulous with my current project.

Lots of cutting, grinding & sandblasting:

 

WeberWho

Wow! Thank you very much for the offer @sheetmetalpete I'd probably take you up on the offer if I had a few thousand dollars invested into a smoker restoration. At $200 I'm just looking for a little entertainment and learn a thing or two along the way. I really do appreciate the offer though. Thanks!

If I had your talent I'd be making my own smoker! 

What are you working on? Hard to tell with the angle. Charger?

sheetmetalpete

WeberWho said:

Wow! Thank you very much for the offer @sheetmetalpete I'd probably take you up on the offer if I had a few thousand dollars invested into a smoker restoration. At $200 I'm just looking for a little entertainment and learn a thing or two along the way. I really do appreciate the offer though. Thanks!

If I had your talent I'd be making my own smoker! 

What are you working on? Hard to tell with the angle. Charger?

1970 Road Runner.  My friend/body guy is doing most of the work but I dig in as time allows.  It's looking a bit better now:

WeberWho

sheetmetalpete said:

WeberWho said:

Wow! Thank you very much for the offer @sheetmetalpete I'd probably take you up on the offer if I had a few thousand dollars invested into a smoker restoration. At $200 I'm just looking for a little entertainment and learn a thing or two along the way. I really do appreciate the offer though. Thanks!

If I had your talent I'd be making my own smoker! 

What are you working on? Hard to tell with the angle. Charger?

1970 Road Runner.  My friend/body guy is doing most of the work but I dig in as time allows.  It's looking a bit better now:

Sweet! You don't see many Road Runners around. That's going to be one awesome ride!

YukonRon

Make sure you are grounded. Those can put up some static charge.
Don't ask how I know.