Started in 1977 with a Luhr Jenson that i still have. Still works and i use the pan with my Lil'Tex
(http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab242/nepas1/DSC01156-1.jpg)
So, you can blame it all on the Little Chief ;D
I was 2 years old at that time ::)
Quote from: muebe on June 02, 2011, 12:23:22 PM
I was 2 years old at that time ::)
Now I do feel old... :D
Great little smoker, I've got a front loader Little Chief that was my first .
Just started last year and now have the OBS and a old Char-Broil H2O that my 82 year old dad gave me.
I use a ProQ smoke generator to cold smoke in my Little Chief.
I had a Little Chief for years and years but upgraded to a front load Big Chief about 7-8 years ago (easier to load and more room). I now use the Big Chief and OBS for when I do a large jerky job.
Nothing wrong with the Chiefs, just gotta watch it a bit more than the OBS.
I got one Guarding over my garage on the top shelf too Rick, Got mine in 1993 and used it twice :) Got a picture if you wanna compare ;)
Quote from: Keymaster on June 02, 2011, 05:24:59 PM
I got one Guarding over my garage on the top shelf too Rick, Got mine in 1993 and used it twice :) Got a picture if you wanna compare ;)
Sure Aaron
Post lets see how they changed. I will take mine down and show the rack sometime this weekend.
I also started with a loading little chief, when I got my Bradley the Little Chief went into storage,
now my son has it and is using it 2-3 times a month, but every time he comes over to our place
I have to keep an eye on my Bradley to make sure it does not grow legs ;)
Ross
Quote from: NePaSmoKer on June 02, 2011, 05:43:32 PM
Quote from: Keymaster on June 02, 2011, 05:24:59 PM
I got one Guarding over my garage on the top shelf too Rick, Got mine in 1993 and used it twice :) Got a picture if you wanna compare ;)
Sure Aaron
Post lets see how they changed. I will take mine down and show the rack sometime this weekend.
Still pretty darn Shiny
(http://i995.photobucket.com/albums/af75/Keymaster_2010/001-76.jpg)
Thats cool Aaron
Here is the insides of mine. Last time i used it was like 30 years ago.
(http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab242/nepas1/new/DSC01167.jpg)
(http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab242/nepas1/new/DSC01168.jpg)
This is the small little chief i have had for awhile. Cut the top off and just use the element now.
(http://i868.photobucket.com/albums/ab242/nepas1/new/DSC01169.jpg)
I will try and get a picture of our first smoker, I think it's still standing.. :D
1972 was the year of my first smoke by myself in Alaska. Little chief it was I believe.
First salmon I caught (and burnt to heck) and the first smoker I ever saw go up in flames!!!
Had to go buy another one before my buddies got home so they wouldn't laugh to death.
Come to think of it I think that one burnt up too. :o
That's pretty COOL!!!
I woulda bought me a smoker in 1977...
If I hadn't run away with the circus in 1976...
Awrighten.
Quote from: iceman on June 03, 2011, 05:03:22 PM
1972 was the year of my first smoke by myself in Alaska. Little chief it was I believe.
First salmon I caught (and burnt to heck) and the first smoker I ever saw go up in flames!!!
Had to go buy another one before my buddies got home so they wouldn't laugh to death.
Come to think of it I think that one burnt up too. :o
I made jerky once and it sucked, made smoked salmon once and it sucked ;D They were good smokers at the time ,I just couldn't figure the thing out.
Rick, yours looks like you figured it out and made tons of stuff ;)
I guess we've all come a long way. Smoke had an entirely different meaning to me in the 60's and most of the 70's (Do any of you other Vietnam vets remember why dopers always wanted the Salems in the sundry packs?).
About '78 when I lived on the Big Island (Island of Hawaii), we had some kind of homemade upright POS (piece of sh!t) with a hot plate that someone left at the house I rented - used it mostly for smoking marlin we got cheap whenever there was a fishing tournament. When I moved back to Oahu in '80, I bought a water smoker but marlin was too expensive in the big city so I tried a few chickens and an occasional turkey. About 10 years later I finally bought a house and could do what I wanted to (more or less) so I used both grill and smoker a lot more and expanded to cow and pig parts. Nothing big, but got to play around with it all. The results were actually edible about half the time (got better as I understood a bit more of the "science.").
Now the technology (and lot of advice from this forum and maybe a bit of experience) makes it all more fun and the resulting food is better. I do spend more time prepping and such (and make a bigger mess) but at least I'm retired and usually have time to both make the mess and clean it up before SWMBO gets home. Her reaction to a smoke day mess is not pretty - you'd think she'd be a bit more tolerant since she likes the product. She also thinks it strange that I insist on taking out-of-focus photos of dinner. Oh well.
I started around 1979. My first smoker was a Meco water smoker. I loved that smoker, and I was able to use peach wood which went well with poultry and pork.
Nepas, I still use the same Luhr Jensen model that you have. I inherited it from my dad and have made it into a cold smoke adapter for my Bradley when I do Scotch smoked salmon or cheese. It makes me feel good to think about my dad and all the salmon he ran through that box every time I use it.
T2
I started off with the little chief as well. I got the bradley about 6 or 7 years ago. I have given the little chief to my dad who only smokes salmon once or twice a year. The old cardboard box is now held together with duct tape but the smoker is still going strong.
Mike