Luhr Jensen Little Chief - Add smoke generator?

[OTB]

I have been using a Luhr Jensen Little Chief for the last few years and love it.  I am intrigued by the idea of adding the smoke generator to the side of my smoker which would automate it and make for less sleepless nights of changing the wood chips.

Has anyone done this or have any thoughts.

Thanks,
OTB

[whitetailfan]

OTB,
I'm glad you like your smoker.  I have a couple friends with Little Chiefs.  I would seriously consider the price between a smoke gen and a whole smoker.  In my opinion if you are putting up the bucks for the smoke gen, the entire original Bradley would not be significantly more money and you will enjoy it so much more.  The insulation factor, size difference, convenience, and especially not having to mod your smoker to work will be worth the money.

It took me a long time to spend the $$$ on the Bradley, you can buy 3 or 4 little chiefs, but when I did, I sure was glad.  All the dishes that can be cooked in the bradley that can't be done in a chief is just too much to pass up.

You thinking is good, but I don't recommend it.

[iceman]

By the time you buy the generator and mess around figuring out a way to control your heat you'd be better off just buying the older style Bradley. The generator is going to run you up in the $200.00 range and incidentals for getting your heating element changed around and controlled properly will put you right up there in the price range of a Bradley smoker. Buying the Bradley also gets rid of the headache of fabricating. You could be sitting on the porch having a cold one watching your food smoking instead of being in the garage slaving away. Just my opinion from past experiances. ;D What ever you decide make dang sure to have some fun at it :D

[gary_CO]

I agree with everything the above posters said. I'd be afraid with adding the heat the generator produces, you'd  have a tough time keeping the range down to where the LJ's perform well. I ended up getting something called a "smoke pistol". Try googling it. They're for sale on the net. Don't have quite the automation times as the smoke generator (i.e. you might have to restock the smoke once on a long smoke), but hey they are pretty inexpensive. The company that makes them stands behind them pretty well. The little smoke cartridges you have to use are proprietary, just like the Bradley. Not stock by as many resellers either, but available over the net.

I made a spreadsheet that compared the costs of the smoking supplies between the two (Bradley and Smoke Pistol) and they were close enough to call it even. The smoke pistol is small and easily transportable between devices. It's a must have on a water smoker... Good luck with whatever you do.

[manxman]

By the time you buy the generator and mess around figuring out a way to control your heat you'd be better off just buying the older style Bradley. The generator is going to run you up in the $200.00 range and incidentals for getting your heating element changed around and controlled properly will put you right up there in the price range of a Bradley smoker. Buying the Bradley also gets rid of the headache of fabricating. You could be sitting on the porch having a cold one watching your food smoking instead of being in the garage slaving away.

I agree with Iceman and now that the new digital Bradley's are on the market (new smoke generators not available separately)perhaps there will be some good deals to be had on the older models making buying a complete unit even more attractive!?

[OTB]

thanks for all the replys.  I guess I will look for sales on the original bradley now that the next generation is out.  the weather here in CA is finally nice, just set up my 5 burner Turbo Elite grill from BBG, and I got outdoor cooking on the brain.

Again, Thanks

[Oldman]

I like that grill kicker! It beats that metal bread pan I have used over a gas grill.   ;D

If it was me I would purchase a scratch and dent from Chez Bubba. Shoot you can get one with a 60 pack of pucks for only  $280.00 (U.S. dollars.)  I've talk with Chez and some of these units are hardly what you would call scratch and dent.

Chez's Scratch And Dent.
Olds