I'll probably take some heat for this...

[Jaxon]

All right...time to pile on...I have gone to Academic Sports and brought home an offset smoker - The Old Country Pecos(google it...).  I got it home last night about 8:30 and it was too late to season.  Today, it rained until about noon.  It never cleared up, but it stopped raining.  I got out there pretty quick and fired it up...got it up to 190* for awhile, and then added a few more sticks and opened the damper.  I had a thermometer stuck thru a potato (learned that trick right here) so I could read temp at grate level.  After awhile the temp was reading close to 390*.  Stayed up there quite awhile and the smoke thinned out real good.  At about the 4 hour mark, I sprayed all sides, the top and bottom, and the rack with P_m (can we name that brand online?) and let it go until all the wood was ash.  Before dark, I went out to check it and the rack is beautiful.

I will cook a rack of ribs and a chicken tomorrow and report back.

Ever since I watched Aaron Franklin work his magic on the same grill, I have wanted to try my hand at it.  Besides, I love pokin' around in the fire and this one has a firebox that can handle 16 inch sticks.  B T W, a guy delivered a huge truckload of split pecan (16 inch) and it is workin' fine.

I KNOW what ya'll said about offsets, but the lure of the flame offset all that. 

Check with ya later...

[muebe]

Jack I think you have enough experience and knowledge to not be turned off by an up-set umm I mean off-set

You know there is a learning curve and seem to be up for a challenge. I am rooting for you!

[teesquare]

You will have fun with it Jack. After all....even those of us that have moved on to pellet grills used off-sets at one time....

Seriously - there is nothing wrong with an offset smoker. It simply requires more of your time to learn it's personality, and how to manage it. Changes in wind, temperature, and even humidity will impact how you "tune" it for a cook.

I recommend you keep a journal  for your cooks including the weather conditions and pit temp. it may help you build a database you can refer to    that helps shorten the learning curve.
T

[Jaxon]

The idea of a journal is a good one.

I picked up a couple of 'em at The Gathering # 1 in Augusta and that has helped me a lot. I still have my barrel smoker and THE MES for "backup".

I'll do a "practice" first to see what to do to maintain the temp in the 250 neighborhood.

[Hub]

No pile-on, no flames     Tim is right, there are lots of folks on this forum who either started with an offset or had one or still use one.  You can do some mighty fine cookin on one.  I had a Yoder years back and it was a fine cooker.  I might consider using an offset again now that the technology of electronically controlled stokers has replaced the constant tending most of them require.  I haven't seen it personally, but I've heard of folks using an electronic stoker on their offset or UDS and getting relatively constant temperatures for six to eight hours.

Hub

[sliding_billy]

No heat from me.  You might get some flare-ups from the smoker though... 

[smokeasaurus]

My off-set adventures are just a memory these days but there was a time where that sucker was fired up Friday afternoon and didn't cool down till some time early Monday morning.

Congratulations and have fun 

[muebe]

Well Jack this would be cheating but here is a reasonably priced air controller that will allow you to maintain almost solid temps...

http://www.amazon.com/IQ110-Kit-Standard-Pit-Adapter/dp/B00A7F1B60/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1368969090&sr=8-3&keywords=bbq+guru

Just pop that controller onto the air vent opening for the hot box and set the temp. It will feed air into the coals to create heat and stop it to allow cooler temps.

[smokeasaurus]

Cool gizmo, but ya still gotta add the charcoal and wood splits every so often........

[Keymaster]

Well Jack this would be cheating but here is a reasonably priced air controller that will allow you to maintain almost solid temps...

http://www.amazon.com/IQ110-Kit-Standard-Pit-Adapter/dp/B00A7F1B60/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1368969090&sr=8-3&keywords=bbq+guru

Just pop that controller onto the air vent opening for the hot box and set the temp. It will feed air into the coals to create heat and stop it to allow cooler temps.

That's what I use on my Primo Grill for long cooks and it works great.

[TwoPockets]

Good for you Jack! That is a great havy duty smoker that can be passed down to your grandkids. Like any new cooker there is a learning curve but temp control on this heavy gauge steel smoker will be easier than it is on the flimsy steel cookers.

Muebe, I see those type controllers on most of the big wood smokers used in BBQ comps. I may need to look into one for my Weber.

[deestafford]

Jack,  Since y'all seem to be getting more rain in Middle Georgia than we are, I think you need to go ahead and built a cover over the entire deck you have and that way there will be no excuse for delaying a cook. 
Looking forward to your report on the ribs.

Dee

[Old Hickory]

Jack, I have had and use this off-set for over 15 years and still love it.  For a large cook, it does a great job.  This is the only cooker I over smoked anything.  I used all split red oak that I cut from here on the ranch.  Too much smoke for a long cook.  Lump charcoal with the split wood tones it down.  I use a Auber controller that inserts into the air vent and this controls my set temp to + or - 8*, good enough for me.  Have fun and do keep a journal.

[teesquare]

Jack...I think you found a "mentor" in Old Hickory ....Looks like he can coach on the Auber Instrument use on a unit similar to yours too.

Are you gonna bring your smoker to the Fall Gathering?

T

[Jaxon]

All right folks, here it is...the much anticipated report from my first cook on the smoker. 
It started of with a chimney full of charcoal and added some small pieces of wood to get a good fire going.  I added a few lager pieces and soon had a good fire in the box.  I left it open to get the wood burnin' real good and left it for quite awhile to let the fire burn down to a good bed of hot coals.  Then, I put in a couple of medium sized pieces of seasoned pecan, closed the door and adjusted the draft.  In a while the temp was up to 220 and climbing slowly.  I put on a spatchcocked chicken and a rack of ribs- the ribs in the middle and the chicken on the exhaust end.  I had a probe thermometer pushed thru a potato to hold it at rib level right next to the ribs.
Short version is this.  The temps held pretty steady throughout the 3 hour cook, even with gusty winds.  I was VERY pleased with how solid this smoker is...that's what made it so easy to regulate.  The firebox holds a generous supply of 16" logs so I didn't have to add many after I put the meat on.

Now for the money shot...