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Not sure what model, think it's around 20 years old.... serial number, wheels, racks, vent, woodbox, and the back/bottom all gone lol.  It takes a 14x14 rack more or less.  Anyway it still works somewhat and I'm thinking of insulating it again because it doesn't really hold heat that well.  Has a hard time getting above 180 in 90 degree weather so I'm thinking that's probably the issue unless the thermostat doesn't work very well.  Anyone that can provide some materials that will work I'd appreciate it.  I guess thickness and temp rating would also help.

I already repaired the back and bottom with some thin stainless sheet from an old ice machine but I didn't have any insulation available so I just put it together.  I didn't really pay attention to the rest of the cabinet to know if I can put insulation in it.  Didn't want to spend a bunch of time on it if it didn't work.

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Check tour heating coil by turning it on at night and then see if it glows a solid red. If it is even, then it probably the thermostat.  They are easy to replace.

Another possibility since you opened it up, you may have kinked the capillary tube  on the thermostat.  If so, a replacement will be required.  You can find one in the spare parts section.

As far as insulation, any high temp will work.  I prefer a fiberglass or ceramic kiln insulation.

And if you want to make it a super smoker, you can get an Auber PID that has wifi to replace the analog thermostat so you can control the smoker with your phone, change temps on the fly etc.  (I like my analog, so haven't done this.)

Another expense is to change the grates to stainless steel from the nickel plated originals.  That is one thing I did do.

Last edited by LonzinomakerCS

So, today I took the smoker apart myself, well as far as I could get anyway.  Doesn't look like the front comes off (at least not easily) but I have enough space to get the new insulation in there by bending the sides out a bit.  The insulation was about 1/2 gone I assume due to rodents.  Gonna pressure wash it tomorrow.

Ordered a chunk 316 stainless square tube to put new casters on it.  Looks like I will need a new vent, new thermostat, new thermostat knob, possibly a new heating element (grinding the screws off tomorrow to see if I can salvage it, but can't get the big nuts off either)

Inside the smoker I'm not exactly sure how it was set up around the heating element, there are two small pieces of rusty metal that came off from that area somewhere, maybe something to align it with the smokebox...

@oldsarge posted:

Enjoy your new hobby!  Too ambitious for me.

I don't want to throw it out for no reason, all of the parts are a couple hundred bucks total but the smoker would probably be around 2000+ these days.  I recently ordered all new stainless steel racks for it so I'm already somewhat invested in it.  Plus it's an all stainless or it is now that I've replaced the back with a stainless panel. The only thing that isn't stainless is that part in the picture and some support tubing in the door. 

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