Dean,
The charbroils at Home Depot are cheap and they should be. They are thinner metal than the old NB. For example, I can pick mine up and put it in the bed of the truck without help. If I did that with one of my NB I'd blow out a nut. It also leaks like a sieve, the latch for the fire box is actually cut out of the fire box and bent to hold the latch. Had to cram with foil to seal.
I only use mine for chicken, burgers and brats.
Save yourself some time and sleep and wait for a WSM you can afford.
Then get Vince to help you put all the mods on it.