WHAT TO DO

[mjack1957]

As a new Bradley user, I've been devouring the information on this forum.  I'm a firm believer in the more you know the better decision you can make.  I'm awaiting the shipping of a DBS from Barbeques.com.  The total cost with chips and shipping is $594 (no cover included).  What has really peaked my interest is the OBS with a PID.  This seems to be a much cheaper alternative with even more precise temp control.  Since I'm not an electronics geek, the option of plug and play with the Auber is very appealing.  Amazon has the OBS plus chips and cover for $363.  If I add the Auber PID, I still come out better and have more precise temp control than the DBS.

Now these are the view of a newbie to the Bradley family of smokers.  I would really like to hear the opinions of others who've tried various other set-ups.  I just want to make the wisest decision when it comes to spending my money.  I won't be smoking everyday; more of a weekend enthusiast.  More than likely my main meats will be turkey, chicken, brisket, ribs and fish (love smoked mahi mahi); maybe an occasional butt if I get ambitious.

Please give your views on the options available.  :-\

[Mr Walleye]

Mjack, welcome to the forum. If you haven't already been to the recipe site just click on the smoker in bottom of my post, tons of tried and true recipes from all the members here on the forum.

Anyway, back to your question. I currently have a DBS and have added a PID and circulation fan. I also have a large smoker I built that uses the Bradley Smoke Generator. Certainly adding the PID to a DBS eliminates most of the advantage to going with the DBS in the first place. The only time the DBS temp swings is a problem is when doing things like sausage or salmon, etc. For most other things the temp swings will have limited or no impact.

Having said all that, if I was doing it over again I would probably go with the OBS and the PID especially if you plan to do salmon, sausage or jerky. JMHO

Mike

[mjack1957]

Mjack, welcome to the forum. If you haven't already been to the recipe site just click on the smoker in bottom of my post, tons of tried and true recipes from all the members here on the forum.

Anyway, back to your question. I currently have a DBS and have added a PID and circulation fan. I also have a large smoker I built that uses the Bradley Smoke Generator. Certainly adding the PID to a DBS eliminates most of the advantage to going with the DBS in the first place. The only time the DBS temp swings is a problem is when doing things like sausage or salmon, etc. For most other things the temp swings will have limited or no impact.

Having said all that, if I was doing it over again I would probably go with the OBS and the PID especially if you plan to do salmon, sausage or jerky. JMHO

Mike

Thanks Mike for the reply.  A very interesting observation.  Can you please provide a little more detail about your choice?

[Mr Walleye]

Again, this is just my opinion...

If cost is not a factor the DBS does have some advantages over the OBS even if adding the PID to it. These advantages are...
- no electronics in the bottom of the tower to be concerned with getting wet and failling, although if running a PID you can bypass these.
- on the OBS the slide control on the bottom of the tower is intergrated into the front legs and is subject to cracking, allowing moisture into the slide control circuitboard. Again this can be resolved by adding different front feet to the tower.
- by having the DBS smoke generator it has a built in timer. This allows you to automatically shut down the smoke generator when it's done it's job. Although a lot of people keep it on the whole time they have the unit running for the extra heat it provides.

So... if price is not a factor there are a few advantages to the DBS even when adding the PID. Is it worth the extra cost??? Personally, like I said in my previous post, I would go with the OBS and get the Auber PID and you set. The limited advantages for the most part all have solutions.

If you are like me... God help us  ::) ... I'm a little annal when it come to temp control. I like to set it exactly to a temp or at least within a degree or two and the only way you are going to make that happen is with a PID regardless weather it's a OBS or a DBS. That's why I would go OBS and the Auber PID. Buy a bunch of meat with the extra money and get smokin'!  ;)

Mike

[FLBentRider]

My $0.02:

Since I bought my PID, I don't see a need for the Digital smoker, unless I wanted six racks.

Having said that, I also turned out some pretty good food without a PID, it is my no means a necessity unless you are doing sausage or other items where you need precise temp control.

Pork butts, brisket, bacon... all good sans PID. It does make temp adjustments a no-brainer.

I was considering a DBS6, but I would probably make it an OBS/PID to add to my OBS/PID that makes it an eight racker.... Or build a cabinet and use a BSG.

[KyNola]

MJ,
I have owned a BDS 4-rack without a PID for nearly 2 years.  While there are times I have considered purchasing a PID, especially on those really cold windy days, I have turned out some pretty darn good food if I do say so myself without the benefit of the PID, smoking something nearly every weekend.  As others have said, unless you're going to turn out a lot of sausage the PID is a luxury and not a necessity.

Smoking is not an exact science.  Maintaining an exact temp throughout is not necessary as long as you stay in a "food safe" zone.

KyNola

[Gizmo]

Some good advice already stated here MJack,
To add to what Walleye posted, the DBS also has an advantage with a digital control on the puck advance that allows you to set the time of the puck advance or interupt the current cycle timer and restart it by changing the time and then setting it.
The disadvantage to the DBS is the 9 hour 40 minute max set time on the oven timer.  Not a problem if you reset it before going to bed or after the smoke, use the house oven.

[pensrock]

I could not agree more than what Mike, (Mr. Walleye) has said. I also have a DBS and made my own PID control. If I had to do it again I would most likely get the OBS with a PID, simply a cost issue. As Mike said the OBS does have a couple issues as well, the cracking of the panel and the electronics being below the tower which can allow moisture to enter. But there are fixes for those also. If money is not an issue, get the DBS, try it out for a few months and if you feel you need more control, add a PID. If money is tight and you need to conserve then get the OBS plus a PID, make the modification to the front legs of the tower and smoke away. I'm sure there will be more suggestions to follow.

Welcome to the forum.
pens

[mjack1957]

I could not agree more than what Mike, (Mr. Walleye) has said. I also have a DBS and made my own PID control. If I had to do it again I would most likely get the OBS with a PID, simply a cost issue. As Mike said the OBS does have a couple issues as well, the cracking of the panel and the electronics being below the tower which can allow moisture to enter. But there are fixes for those also. If money is not an issue, get the DBS, try it out for a few months and if you feel you need more control, add a PID. If money is tight and you need to conserve then get the OBS plus a PID, make the modification to the front legs of the tower and smoke away. I'm sure there will be more suggestions to follow.

Welcome to the forum.
pens

What are the modifications to the front legs and is there a detailed post on the forum i.e. photos, parts, instructions?

[pensrock]

I'll allow Habs to answer that. From what I understand you can do it a couple ways.
1) Cut a piece of wood a little higher than the front legs and as wide as the smoker. Put this under the front so the smoker rests on the wood instead of the legs. The problem with the cracking is because the legs are part of the plactic cover and all the weight rests on the legs.
2) I think Bryan at Yard & Pool carries replacement legs that you can put on which accomplishes the same thing, allows the weight to rest on the metal frame vs the plastic housing.

I'm not sure if the OBS owners make any other modifications or not. I'm sure some of them will be able to explain better than I.

[mjack1957]

I'll allow Habs to answer that. From what I understand you can do it a couple ways.
1) Cut a piece of wood a little higher than the front legs and as wide as the smoker. Put this under the front so the smoker rests on the wood instead of the legs. The problem with the cracking is because the legs are part of the plactic cover and all the weight rests on the legs.
2) I think Bryan at Yard & Pool carries replacement legs that you can put on which accomplishes the same thing, allows the weight to rest on the metal frame vs the plastic housing.

I'm not sure if the OBS owners make any other modifications or not. I'm sure some of them will be able to explain better than I.

Joy, joy Amazon shipped my OSB today and it should be here by Jan 3rd.  I checked the site at Yard and Pool and they do have replacement parts but I did not see repl legs.  But I can easily place a piece of wood under the front of the smoker to relieve any stress.

[Mr Walleye]

MJack

There is a post on the forum that someone did with photos. They added new feet to the front of an OBS. I'll try to have a look for it and post it here for you.

Mike

[Mr Walleye]

Here ya go MJack. It was "Love the Smoke" that did the mod. Make sure you read the whole post.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=8536.msg88591#msg88591

Mike

[Stargazer]

I can't rate the DBS, but I'm sure its pretty awesome. What I can say is I love my OBS to pieces. I was leaning towards the DBS at first but settled on the OBS being I do make alot of sausage and will be wanting to smoke them up.

As for legs, I just used some thick wide patio bricks to raise off the ground about 2.3 to 3 inches for now until I can find or build something to raise alittle more and still be sturdy and stable.

Either way, you can't go wrong. Their both Bradley's  ;D

[mjack1957]

Here ya go MJack. It was "Love the Smoke" that did the mod. Make sure you read the whole post.

http://forum.bradleysmoker.com/index.php?topic=8536.msg88591#msg88591

Mike

Thanks... outstanding. I'll get the part from Yard and Pool.  This forum is a tremendous source of information.