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My take on the Fat 50

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CarolinaQue

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Well, as per Mike's request, here is my assesment of the Fat 50 after using it every day for 2 weeks for 12 hours a day at a minimum. This is a completely unbiased assesment and solely my own personal opinion based on either other cookers that I have used, or the way that I build mine.

Here you go:

Fire box steel is to thin. I think that 1/4" would be better and last longer. Especially for the doors.

Better paint on the fire box. We had ours turning white in just a few days.

Grates for the charcoal in both the fire box and main cooking chamber need to have a reinforced frame acrossed it in atleast 2 spots. Not just a single square frame. We burned a hole through the grate in just 2 weeks.

Set the cooking grates a little lower. Larger pieces of meat sit against the top and block the exhaust on the top shelf.

Steel tubing for the propane system, no flex hose. Especially on the fore box line.

Bigger drain pipe on the side drains, and better placement on the one in the middle. Seemed like it didn't sit all the way at the bottom of the tank. More like a little up the tank.

More round stock tubing and angle iron and less solid round stock. Just from an experienced metal worker and welder, solid round stock gets weak easier than angle or tubing. Especially under the stress of pulling.

Better welds. The exhaust tube on the left of the one we had had a 1/4" gap form the begining and end of the weld.

Either counter balance the doors, or put side doors on them and have the shelves slide out side ways.

Put a heat plate with holes drilled in it just above the inlet tubes. This will give it better heat distribution and help retain the heat if it gets windy.

On a positive note:

The cooker came up to temp quickly and only required a few logs an hour to keep it steady.

You can feed a whole lot of people off of this cooker.

The sales distributor for the South West area is a real stand up guy!

Tim
#1 - April 13, 2007, 06:08:02 pm

Mike (AZBarbeque)

  • Karma: 171
Tim,

Thanks for the review, I will make sure the manufacuter gets it.  I do appreciate it.

Glad you were able to get it to work for all them people.  It does hold a lot of food.  ;)

Great review...
#2 - April 13, 2007, 06:10:31 pm
Michael J. Reimann
Realtor - Clients First Realty (Real Job) - www.TheReimannWay.com
Owner/President - AZBarbeque - #1 BBQ Club in Arizona
Owner/Pitmaster - AZBarbeque Catering - www.AZBarbequeCatering.com

If God wanted us to be Vegetarians, why did he make animals out of meat??

BBQCZAR

  • Karma: -7
I will also have to have the grate inside the firebox repaired as well.I will have 2 braces welded when I do, and new heavier steel grate material welded in.The grate material is too thin,and the middle sags because of no middle brace /s.That is the only real problem that I have had with mine.The rest of the unit has been great !
#3 - April 27, 2007, 09:19:30 am
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I have owned my FAT 50 for about two weeks now, and enjoy it very much.  I too am experiencing some welding inconsistancies, but they are minor.  I agree with the fire box being too thin.  My paint came off during the curing process.  But I have also witnessed this on Klose smokers as well.
#4 - October 22, 2007, 07:36:37 pm
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FAT 50 Ultra
A whole sleuth of homemade grills and smokers

Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting for dirty!

Thom Emery

  • Karma: 2
When one considers the price
These are fine units
Sure  Klose/Gator are wonderful  offsets
But They ask a wonderful price
#5 - October 22, 2007, 08:07:22 pm
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TOPS BBQ

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I couldn't have said it better Thom.  Believe me, my FAT 50 is worth the $. :)
#6 - October 22, 2007, 08:16:56 pm
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www.myspace.com/TOPSBBQ

FAT 50 Ultra
A whole sleuth of homemade grills and smokers

Anything worth fighting for is worth fighting for dirty!

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