My offset smoker cracked right down the middle mid-cook last Saturday

I was about 4 hours into a 12-hour brisket smoke in Austin when I heard this loud ping sound. Looked over and saw a hairline crack running from the firebox straight through the cooking chamber. I had to finish that brisket in my neighbor's kettle grill since mine was done for. Has anyone else had a welder fix a cracked smoker body or is it usually cheaper to just get a new one?

3 comments

3 Comments

thompson.nathan22d ago

Had a welder fix mine last year after it cracked near the firebox during a party. Cost me about $60 and it's been solid ever since for the price of a new cheap smoker.

lucashart2d ago

Lol $60 fix beats explaining to your buddies why you're smoking brisket with oven mitts on a foil-wrapped tank. Gotta respect the mid-cobble approach though.

martin.felix22d ago

Question whether it's really that serious though. I've seen guys run smokers with cracks for years just using some high-temp sealant or wrapping it with aluminum foil. Unless it's a huge gap letting all your smoke out, that brisket probably would have been fine if you just patched it up mid-cook.