Franklin Pit

[pjtexas1]

Agreed on price being out of range of most. Im surprised more people done build there own out of 120 or 250 tanks. Its rather easy teach yourself to weld and a pretty straight forward process overall to build. You can build $8k pit for 1/3 cost


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But will it look like $8k? Not if I built it!

The same goes for almost anything. I've painted a truck or 2 but they don't look as good as my buddy who owns a body shop. I've replaced engines and transmissions too but I ain't doing that these days (too old) . I paid for 2 shirley's and a bunch of others. All very much worth the price, in my opinion, as I don't have the talent these guys do. I'll give anyone the respect they deserve for building their own. I know it ain't easy.

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[SmoothBoarBBQ]

Some of y'all know my story. I saved up for 5 years to buy my Klose in 2011. I paid $1900 for a 20"x48" back then (This was before barbeque was cool, most YouTubers, and before "Pit Masters" on TV). In 2017 I moved, and the movers tried to lift my pit with a forklift. They dropped it and pretty much ruined it. I went to Klose to get a quote on a replacement and the cost was $4300 for the same pit.
After a protracted fight with the movers and insurance, they settled for the replacement cost. At the time, I could get a Shirley 24"x60" on a trailer for that price. I did, and I love it. However, If I am truly being honest, it is way more pit than I need 99.999% of the time. I'd never get rid of it, but it is very rare that I am cooking anywhere near capacity.
That said, I don't see how most folks could justify the cost of most pits today. Mobergs, Franklins, Fat Stacks, even Shirley's are just beyond the reach of most folks today.
I was in Houston two weeks ago and got to see some Old Country pits at Academy Sporting Goods. Were I pitless, I would give those pits a long, hard look for the price.

BBQ Pitmasters came out in 2009, so you were right there with everyone else buying a Klose pit because you saw it on BBQ Pitmasters. ; )
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BBQ_Pitmasters

That being said the quality of pits has increased dramatically since this time, so while the costs are indeed much higher you are also getting better bang for your buck. Pits have gone from "redneck cookers" to well researched and designed cooking machines. Not to mention the cost of steel spiked in 2019-2020, and even though the price has come down quite a bit I doubt any pitbuilder is going to lower their prices in turn. This is especially true when they still have 9-12 month lead times and people are willing to wait.

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

The Franklin Pit seems overpriced in my opinion, but this is primarily because I'm always looking at offset smokers, their prices, and the builders. I graduated college in 2015 and for my graduation present my parents offered to buy me a cooker. At that time, with my limited knowledge, I thought Yoder Smokers was by far and away the most amazing pits on the market. I ended up with a Yoder Cheyenne and while it sure was pretty it was nothing but frustration...poor draft, leaky welds, and both thermometers were jacked up.

My point in discussing this is because with Franklin you're getting a guaranteed good pit. Sure, it's pricey, and it really should be a bit bigger, but it's going to be a perfect back yard cooker. It's built well, obviously it cooks well, and it's setup for "ease of use" with the lack of an intake damper. Put wood in the firebox and the Franklin Pit will put out some good grub; no frustration or aggravation like I experienced with my Yoder. So I can see it being worth the high cost.

Of course I feel like there's better bang for the buck elsewhere, but not everyone knows of all these amazing builders out there. I'm still extremely happy with my Johnson Smokers pits as they flat out work. If Shirley didn't have such a large wait time I would have jumped all over them. I got to mess around with Tuffy Stone's Jambo Pit (Double Pit on a trailer) and those are incredibly beautiful and EFFICIENT! Workhorse is out there making some well priced pits, and then you've got Meadow Creek making nice stuff but it's way overpriced. So many choices but I can see why people are more comfortable going with a pit with a name like Franklin on it.

 

[16Adams]

https://www.academy.com/p/old-country-bbq-pits-wrangler-smoker

Link will provide Old County Wrangler price, specs and reviews at Academy.com

The Franklin sales tax here would be close to $400. Again, they're really not
comparable IMHO. However, I bet I can cook the same somewhat average to above average food on either cooker. Heat, meat and spices.

Klose has a backyard patio traditional offset believe $2600. Wasn't it AF in his PBS series cooking on an OC?

 

[Back9Q]

But will it look like $8k? Not if I built it!

The same goes for almost anything. I've painted a truck or 2 but they don't look as good as my buddy who owns a body shop. I've replaced engines and transmissions too but I ain't doing that these days (too old) . I paid for 2 shirley's and a bunch of others. All very much worth the price, in my opinion, as I don't have the talent these guys do. I'll give anyone the respect they deserve for building their own. I know it ain't easy.

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Unless you waterjet/plasma all parts and good at welding no it wont look same but will perform same. Im fine with saving $4k and having welds not look perfect if pit runs well


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[ModelMaker]

Don't get me wrong...I would not mind having a Franklin smoker but they are the Harley-Davidsons of the smoker market. (I say that as someone thats owned 3 Harleys and still currently owns one)

Well that statement means different things to different folk.
To some the Hardley-David and sons are the chariots sent from the Gods to make the owner the bee's knees.
To others they represent a purchase of history of motor bikes and all the brain pictures that they produce.
Yet to many others they are over-priced, vibrating, noise makers.
Ed

 

[Swine Spectator]

@SmoothBoarBBQ - minor nit - I lost my El Dorado in Hurricane Katrina (2005) and started saving for my Klose in 2006.

 

[snadamo]

For me, it’s freight that kills me. Even the old country wrangler, it’s $599, but it’s over $1k to my door. OKJs are widely available here; but I feel like they’d be “too much work” to mod etc to get it to a place I’d be comfortable with. I’d be willing to spend the extra money on a pit that doesn’t need said mods.

Best place for me is Craigslist and fb marketplace and offer up. There are some local pit makers out here, but very few and very far between


Would love to have a Franklin, but the cost, AND FREIGHT, kill it for me

 

[ttkt57]

The Workhorse 1969 is similar in many ways to the Franklin but costs roughly half as much. If the 1969 doesn’t cook as well or is in some other way inferior I would like to see this shown in a direct comparison.

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

@SmoothBoarBBQ - minor nit - I lost my El Dorado in Hurricane Katrina (2005) and started saving for my Klose in 2006.

Sorry to hear that Katrina got your cooker. I'm hoping my post came off as kind of "jokey" though re-reading it may have been a bit more coarse than I intended.

 

[ttkt57]

I’m sure the Franklin is a fantastic pit. I just wonder if anything about it justifies twice the price of a workhorse 1969. Full disclosure: I ordered a 1969 a few weeks ago.

 

[Swine Spectator]

Sorry to hear that Katrina got your cooker. I'm hoping my post came off as kind of "jokey" though re-reading it may have been a bit more coarse than I intended.

No worries. TBH - I miss the El Dorado. I salvaged it from a curb on trash day in 2002 and refurbed it. It was my first "real" smoker (previously just a kettle guy). It was fun to cook on, but a week in saltwater finished it off.

 

[Erikg]

Big Phil’s blue smoke smoker deserves a consideration. I recently ordered one and have never laid hands on one but I hear great things. At $1700 it seems like one of the best values around.
I looked at the Franklin but for price and lack of options for customization it was a no for me.

 

[cdhbrad]

I’m sure the Franklin is a fantastic pit. I just wonder if anything about it justifies twice the price of a workhorse 1969. Full disclosure: I ordered a 1969 a few weeks ago.

If I wasn’t in the Shirley Fab camp, Paul is building my second one now, I would have a fully loaded 1975 on my back patio today. I think they make a great pit.

 

[snadamo]

Big Phil’s blue smoke smoker deserves a consideration. I recently ordered one and have never laid hands on one but I hear great things. At $1700 it seems like one of the best values around.
I looked at the Franklin but for price and lack of options for customization it was a no for me.

May I ask how much freight was for you? You're ~400miles further than I am, but it would be a decent gauge for me.

 

[oldgfbbq]

Agreed on price being out of range of most. Im surprised more people done build there own out of 120 or 250 tanks. Its rather easy teach yourself to weld and a pretty straight forward process overall to build. You can build $8k pit for 1/3 cost


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Had to leave a homemade pit in San Antonio when we moved to Mass, so that is exactly what I did. Spent $100 on various pieces of junk yard steel, $160 on Harbor Freight MIG welder, "saws all", and blades, probably another $200 on various other parts and expenses. Except for the weld between fire box and cook chamber, I did the rest. Used an old propane tank and air compressor tank. It's the only metal fab project I've ever done. It's not beautiful, but have had people offer to buy it. Mrs. G-man approved of my building a pit when she saw prices for backyard models. She about had a stroke when I bought the Southern Pride, but it paid for itself.

 

[oldgfbbq]

Adams - sounds like you are one yellow tag away from a new smoker! At one time in college, my gpa and handicap were both 2.:grin:


Just kidding on the handicap, but golf definitely played a role in the gpa.

 

[Speeed]

Well that statement means different things to different folk.
To some the Hardley-David and sons are the chariots sent from the Gods to make the owner the bee's knees.
To others they represent a purchase of history of motor bikes and all the brain pictures that they produce.
Yet to many others they are over-priced, vibrating, noise makers.
Ed

Thats kinda my point. I've owned 3 of them. I think they get a bad rap BUT Harley is just as good, and maybe even better at marketing than they are at building motorcycles.
I stopped drinking the Harley Kool-Aid years ago.

My point was the premium you pay for a Franklin is a kin to the Harley tax you pay just because it says Harley Davidson on it.

Is it worth it?... That's completely subjective.

There are other products out there that are built better and do just as well, if not better, of a job without the premium "tax".

 

[SmokinAussie]

Why the Franklin Pit's are so pricey? Many good reasons.

First and foremost Aaron Franklin is an astute businessman and he's as OCD as all get out.

The R&D on that pit would have been totally tested right through like an A380. Imagine the prototypes they went through. The attention to detail. How long did it take to get them to market? Ages. Only when ready. That kind of diligence costs money. Lots of it.

Then there is the plant and equipment. All on finance most likely as it get's amortized into the product cost of the smokers.

The labour. The fit and finish and quality of these smokers is top gun. He's hiring experts in a tight labour market and he's probably paying them well. Shoddy work is simply not going to happen in this factory. Labour is expensive, but re-do's are worse.

The reputation. As it stands he can charge what the market will bear. He's better off with a higher margin and a controlled volume of orders rather than cutting corners on quality to meet demand from people not prepared to pay the premium.

He keeps it all real with the BBQ Restaurant where quality is consistent and prices are not like fine dinining at Alinea. From that, comes everything else. The books. The condiments etc etc... and the smokers.

The smokers have to be the best and they are the size they are to cater for the largest buying demographic. Why build commercial size jobs that take up 5 times the working space and far more time to turn around?

Nope. Aaron has done his homework.

His pits are the worth it if you've got the money. That's what you are paying for. I'll be lucky if I ever see one in the real.

B

 

[ttkt57]

Why the Franklin Pit's are so pricey? Many good reasons.

First and foremost Aaron Franklin is an astute businessman and he's as OCD as all get out.

The R&D on that pit would have been totally tested right through like an A380. Imagine the prototypes they went through. The attention to detail. How long did it take to get them to market? Ages. Only when ready. That kind of diligence costs money. Lots of it.

Then there is the plant and equipment. All on finance most likely as it get's amortized into the product cost of the smokers.

The labour. The fit and finish and quality of these smokers is top gun. He's hiring experts in a tight labour market and he's probably paying them well. Shoddy work is simply not going to happen in this factory. Labour is expensive, but re-do's are worse.

The reputation. As it stands he can charge what the market will bear. He's better off with a higher margin and a controlled volume of orders rather than cutting corners on quality to meet demand from people not prepared to pay the premium.

He keeps it all real with the BBQ Restaurant where quality is consistent and prices are not like fine dinining at Alinea. From that, comes everything else. The books. The condiments etc etc... and the smokers.

The smokers have to be the best and they are the size they are to cater for the largest buying demographic. Why build commercial size jobs that take up 5 times the working space and far more time to turn around?

Nope. Aaron has done his homework.

His pits are the worth it if you've got the money. That's what you are paying for. I'll be lucky if I ever see one in the real.

B

All of these claims about the Franklin pit are exactly why I wish someone would do a head to head comparison of it and the Workhorse 1969, its direct 20-inch pipe competitor at least as I see it. Is the engineering twice as good? Is the quality of construction twice as good? Are the materials twice as good? Is the food produced on it twice as good? And so on.

What I do know is that for about half the price the 1969 gives you much thicker steel, a bigger firebox, a smokestack damper, and with the configuration I chose and a little bit more money a lid on the firebox and grates there for searing steaks, etc.

On the other hand, the Franklin gives you a snazzy retro looking owners manual, a serial number badge with the brand prominently displayed, more potent name dropping cred when your friends come over . . .

I haven’t seen either of these pits in person but I’ve looked at lots of photos, read countless posts, watched many videos, and compared every spec I can find. For me, it was an easy decision to go with the 1969.