# Brinkman Smoker Mod



## oldognewtrick (May 10, 2013)

I have one of those little el cheapo brinkman smokers that has seen its fair share of use. After reading on some smoking sites about mods you can do, I've bitten the bullet and started an upgrade to this handy and inexpensive little smoker. I found a pan to use on the bottom that the legs will attach to so I can control air intake. I cut out a damper for the top to regulate exhaust. I also have an old grill frame that will be its new home, once the mods are complete and the old grill is removed. Oh well, nothing ventured, nothing gained 

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## Chris (May 13, 2013)

I am curious of this. I have the same one.


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## oldognewtrick (May 13, 2013)

Didn't get anything done over the weekend, thought I would. Back on it tonite.


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## oldognewtrick (May 13, 2013)

Almost have my top damper ready for some grill paint and a pic of the new bottom pan that will hold the characol pan. 

View attachment Smoke damper.jpg


View attachment Bottom pan.jpg


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## Chris (May 14, 2013)

Where did you get the parts and what did it cost you to do?


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## oldognewtrick (May 14, 2013)

The bottom pan was 12 bucks, I fab'd the top damper out of some flat sheet stock, I bought a weber smokey joe charcoal grate to use in the bottom for 9. That's all ill have in it plus a lil grill paint.


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## Chris (May 14, 2013)

Where did you find the pan?


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## oldognewtrick (May 14, 2013)

http://cspoutdoors.com/relaropanfor.html

Shipped quick, got it in 3 days.


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## oldognewtrick (May 14, 2013)

Oh yeah, I'm looking for a stove gasket to fit arond the lid to keep the smoke in.


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## oldognewtrick (May 14, 2013)

Stripped out the old grill cart, fab'd up the characol pan and then it was time for one of these. 

View attachment Grill Cart.jpg


View attachment Characol Pan.jpg


View attachment Corona.jpg


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## Chris (May 14, 2013)

Looking good!


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## oldognewtrick (May 15, 2013)

Cut down the top frame and moved the shelves over closer to the smoker. Mounted the legs upside down to raise it up a little so the oldog don't have to bend over so much. Fab'd up a shelf support that I'll put a piece of something on to have a platform for the lil Brinkman. 

View attachment Smoker1.jpg


View attachment Smoker2.jpg


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## Chris (May 15, 2013)

Looks good but your pics are the size of a pencil eraser.


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## oldognewtrick (May 15, 2013)

Chris said:


> Looks good but your pics are the size of a pencil eraser.



Hell, a lot of things I have are small like that, like they say, use it or loose it...


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## oldognewtrick (May 15, 2013)

OK, I got the viagra out, lets see if it really works... 

View attachment Smoker 3.jpg


View attachment Smoker 4.jpg


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## Chris (May 15, 2013)

Looking good, can't wait til you try it out and see if it is better.


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## oldognewtrick (May 15, 2013)

Sunday I'm gonna try a butt.


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## Chris (May 15, 2013)

Wish I didn't melt half my smoker away last time I smoked. It needs some love now.


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## oldognewtrick (May 16, 2013)

Chris said:


> Wish I didn't melt half my smoker away last time I smoked. It needs some love now.



Well, go show it some love, or just buy a new one...they're cheap.


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## Chris (May 16, 2013)

I'm cheap too.


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## oldognewtrick (May 18, 2013)

Well, the 1st generation mods are done, my butts rubbed and waiting for a early morning sauna. Kinda anxious to see if I've made any improvement to the Lil El Cheapo Brinkman.


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## Chris (May 19, 2013)

I can't wait to hear about it.


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## oldognewtrick (May 19, 2013)

My butt went on at 3:30. Used my chimney starter for the first time and it works a LOT better than lighter fluid. Didn't take long to get the ECB up to temp. So far I'm loving the mods. A stove gasket around the lid is next on the list, for now I have aluminum foil packed in the gap. I love the smell of hardwood burning in the morning.


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## oldognewtrick (May 19, 2013)

Well, 4 1/2 hours in to my smoke and haven't had to do anything to it. Holding 230. Just looked at the charaol pan and no ash on the grate. So far I'm really happy.


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## Chris (May 19, 2013)

Thats awesome, it will probably save you loads in wood and consistently monitoring it.


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## oldognewtrick (May 19, 2013)

All done, wrapped in a blanket and sitting in the cooler for a couple hours. Falling apart tender when I pulled it off and, yes I taste tested it. Turned out great. All in all I'm really pleased with the mods and I didn't get the temperature variations I did before. For a cheap lil smoker, this things is now awesome. I do believe I can get a cook on ribs without having to re-load it.


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## oldognewtrick (Jun 4, 2013)

I think I want to try a brisket this weekend if the Mrs. gets over the cold she's been playing around with. I've got a receipe around here somewhere...


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## Chris (Jun 4, 2013)

MMMmmmm Brisket...........


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## oldognewtrick (Jun 12, 2013)

Got over ruled on the brisket last weekend, she wanted beer can chicken so we compromised and had beer can chicken. This Sunday is rib Sunday though. 

Just cemented the stove gasket on the lid and this thing is done.  

View attachment image.jpg


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## Chris (Jun 12, 2013)

Think I may have to do the same mods to mine. Either that or I will build a new one from scratch.

I really want some brisket.


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## MarkWood (Jun 13, 2013)

Nice smoker but, I couldnt help but notice the super duty in the background im sure it has a bigger engine than the baby 5.4 like I have. Wanna trade?


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## oldognewtrick (Jun 14, 2013)

WoodRacing said:


> Nice smoker but, I couldnt help but notice the super duty in the background im sure it has a bigger engine than the baby 5.4 like I have. Wanna trade?



Thanks....uh, no trade. It's the 7.3 and I love it. I avg around 17-18, auto and 4X4.


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## MarkWood (Jun 14, 2013)

Yeah I figured that........


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## MarkWood (Jun 14, 2013)

I avg. 10 mpg with a load and 11-12 with nothin on it. I'm sure a load doesnt phase that 7.3 MPG


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## oldognewtrick (Jun 14, 2013)

I've put a pallet of shingles in the back and you don't even know it's there, ride or power wise.


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## oldognewtrick (Jun 24, 2013)

Went to Costco Friday nite and picked up 2 chuck roasts, thats how they're wrapped, and marinated one over nite in Italian dressing the other I rubbed down with rib rub. Saturday morning I fired my Lil ecb up at 7 and put the roasts on just before 8. Smoked them with pecan wood till they hit 160, foiled them with some ginger ale and cooked them till they reached 205, about 2:30pm. Wrapped em up in a big moving blanket, still foiled, and let them rest in a cooler till 5:30, then I sliced them like you would a regular chuck roast. My ever doubting Mrs raved about them. She was sure we'd be calling for pizza. The leftovers I diced up, and tonite we're having BBQ sandwiches. :rockin:


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## Chris (Jun 24, 2013)

Sounds tasty, sounds real close to my way of smoking meat. I can't wait til I build a new smoker.


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## oldognewtrick (Jun 24, 2013)

I've got a 60 and 20 gal air tanks down stairs that are going to the fab shop this week or next. Cooking ribs just isn't all that easy in my ecb. Then I'll have to learn all over again. I was going to buy a welder and do it myselt but I've been having trouble with my right eye and am worried welding wouldn't help it. I'd be pi$$ed if I couldn't see to hunt anymore.


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## Chris (Jun 25, 2013)

So I am picking up in the morning the beginnings to a cool smoker project........................... . . . . ..     .. . .    .    .. .


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## Chris (Jul 11, 2013)

Hows the smoker doing? Make anything good lately?


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## oldognewtrick (Jul 11, 2013)

The smoker mods were well worth the time it took to do them. Consistant temps, 4 plus hour burn on one load of characol, better ability to control air flow and being able to keep the coals out of the ash that use to choke off the fire. For a cheap little smoker these things (with mods ) rock.


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## Chris (Sep 7, 2013)

So have you been smoking lately?


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## oldognewtrick (Sep 7, 2013)

Yep, little bit here and there, ribs, pork shoulder, chuck roast, brisket, loving the mods I made. Holds constant temps over 4-1/2 hours when I fire it up. Well worth the effort.


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## oldognewtrick (Sep 22, 2013)

So, I put 2 nice chuck roasts on the smoker this morning with a little salt, pepper, garlic salt, onion powder and cooked them for a couple hours till they hit 160* then I put them in a foil pan, a can of beef broth, some banana peppers and covered them with aluminum foil. In about an hour into a cooler, still wrapped to sit till we get back from a funeral service. Then it's into the oven, warm up and eat with the kids. 

I really love the mods I did to this lil smoker. Set it and forget it for a couple hours. Even I can handle that...


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## ME87 (Sep 23, 2013)

Do any of you have a Traeger grill? Thoughts and do you think it was worth the money if so?


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## oldognewtrick (Sep 23, 2013)

From all the reviews I've read on other forums, seems like everyone loves Traegers. They may seem a little pricey, but they seem well constructed. Factor in the cost of the electrics and it looks like you get a whole lot more than you would buying a smoker from the big box stores. They are in the Green Egg price group, but you have more versatility with space in my opinion. I looked at them one day while we were at Costco and came close to pulling the trigger on one. I like the idea of setting it and not messing with it much after you start it.


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## Chris (Sep 23, 2013)

I have two buddies who have traegers and both love them. I say if you are going to get one go for the more expensive unit with the electronic temp control, the cheaper ones only have low, med, high.


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## Chris (Oct 3, 2013)

Hey Oldog, how is your fiberglass lid seal holding up? I used some on mine and the glue crapped out after a couple smokes.


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## oldognewtrick (Oct 3, 2013)

I used stove gasket cement and it lasted about 3 uses. I don't think I got the surface clean enough before I put the caulk on. I wire wheeled it and wiped it. Next time I'll wipe it with some cleaner after I wire wheel it again.


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## Chris (Oct 3, 2013)

Mine was raw metal and I cleaned the crap out of it. I used the same stuff. I think it is just junk.


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## oldognewtrick (Oct 3, 2013)

Chris said:


> Mine was raw metal and I cleaned the crap out of it. I used the same stuff. I think it is just junk.



There's a commercial supply house I use for caulking, I'll stop and see if they have a high temp caulk. If they do I'll send you a tube.


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## Chris (Oct 3, 2013)

Sounds good to me, I was disappointed.


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## oldognewtrick (Oct 3, 2013)

Chris said:


> Sounds good to me, I was disappointed.



Me too, I am happy with how the gasket seals the top to the barrel section though.


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## Chris (Oct 3, 2013)

Yeah when mine was attached it was great.


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