Title: Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd - freem

URL Source: https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd

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_This conversation was exported from ChatGPT_[[1]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-1)

## gpt-5-2[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=1 "Edit section: gpt-5-2") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=1 "Edit section's source code: gpt-5-2")]

### User: Is this quarter inch steel or are new ones like this made with thinner steel.[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=2 "Edit section: User: Is this quarter inch steel or are new ones like this made with thinner steel.") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=2 "Edit section's source code: User: Is this quarter inch steel or are new ones like this made with thinner steel.")]

Is this quarter inch steel or are new ones like this made with thinner steel. I have one I bought in 2016 that's pretty heavy

### Assistant: Short answer: no—this is not ¼-inch steel, and the new ones are thinner than the older ones like your 2016 unit.[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=3 "Edit section: Assistant: Short answer: no—this is not ¼-inch steel, and the new ones are thinner than the older ones like your 2016 unit.") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=3 "Edit section's source code: Assistant: Short answer: no—this is not ¼-inch steel, and the new ones are thinner than the older ones like your 2016 unit.")]

Short answer: no—this is not ¼-inch steel, and the new ones are thinner than the older ones like your 2016 unit.

##### What that smoker is[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=4 "Edit section: What that smoker is") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=4 "Edit section's source code: What that smoker is")]

That looks like an Oklahoma Joe’s offset (Highland / Longhorn–style) sold through Home Depot.

##### Steel thickness reality[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=5 "Edit section: Steel thickness reality") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=5 "Edit section's source code: Steel thickness reality")]

*   ¼-inch steel (0.250") is extremely heavy and is found on custom or competition pits, not mass-market smokers under $500.
*   Even the old “heavy” Oklahoma Joe’s were never ¼-inch.

##### Older (pre-2017-ish) Oklahoma Joe’s[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=6 "Edit section: Older (pre-2017-ish) Oklahoma Joe’s") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=6 "Edit section's source code: Older (pre-2017-ish) Oklahoma Joe’s")]

*   Typically 12-gauge steel → about 0.105" thick
*   Much heavier
*   Better heat retention
*   Less warping
*   This is why your 2016 unit feels noticeably heavy

##### Newer Oklahoma Joe’s (current production)[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=7 "Edit section: Newer Oklahoma Joe’s (current production)") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=7 "Edit section's source code: Newer Oklahoma Joe’s (current production)")]

*   Mostly 14-gauge steel → about 0.075" thick
*   Around 30% thinner
*   Lighter
*   Loses heat faster
*   More prone to lid leakage and temp swings

##### Why people think the old ones were ¼-inch[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=8 "Edit section: Why people think the old ones were ¼-inch") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=8 "Edit section's source code: Why people think the old ones were ¼-inch")]

Because:

*   They weigh a lot compared to modern box-store smokers
*   They hold heat better
*   The steel sounds and feels thicker …but true ¼-inch pits usually:
*   Cost $1,500–$4,000+
*   Weigh several hundred pounds
*   Often need a trailer or multiple people to move

##### Bottom line[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=9 "Edit section: Bottom line") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=9 "Edit section's source code: Bottom line")]

*   ❌ Not ¼-inch steel
*   ✅ Your 2016 smoker is thicker and better built than the new ones
*   ⚠️ The current ~$397 version is thinner steel and not the same quality

If you want, I can:

*   Help you measure your existing steel thickness
*   Suggest mods to make the newer ones perform closer to the old models
*   Compare your 2016 unit to true ¼-inch pits so you can feel the difference on paper

Just tell me 👍

### User: When did they start making it with thinner steel[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=10 "Edit section: User: When did they start making it with thinner steel") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=10 "Edit section's source code: User: When did they start making it with thinner steel")]

When did they start making it with thinner steel

### Assistant: Here’s what I could find about when Oklahoma Joe’s smokers shifted to thinner steel construction:[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=11 "Edit section: Assistant: Here’s what I could find about when Oklahoma Joe’s smokers shifted to thinner steel construction:") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=11 "Edit section's source code: Assistant: Here’s what I could find about when Oklahoma Joe’s smokers shifted to thinner steel construction:")]

Here’s what I could find about when Oklahoma Joe’s smokers shifted to thinner steel construction:

##### 🕰️ Timeline of steel thickness changes[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=12 "Edit section: 🕰️ Timeline of steel thickness changes") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=12 "Edit section's source code: 🕰️ Timeline of steel thickness changes")]

Before 1997–1998

*   Original Oklahoma Joe’s smokers (the ones made by founder Joe Davidson in Oklahoma) were built with much thicker steel, often from heavy pipe and sometimes close to ¼-inch in places, and were all welded. Reiko Allen[[2]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-2)

~1998 (after Char-Broil purchase)

*   Char-Broil bought the Oklahoma Joe’s brand in 1998 and moved manufacturing overseas to China. Oklahoma Joe's BBQ[[3]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-3)
*   Around this time the construction shifted away from heavy pipe and fully welded bodies toward bolted components and thinner gauge stamped/rolled steel to hit lower price points. THE BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS[[4]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-4)

##### 🧱 What this means for the “thick vs thin” change[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=13 "Edit section: 🧱 What this means for the “thick vs thin” change") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=13 "Edit section's source code: 🧱 What this means for the “thick vs thin” change")]

*   The heavy old USA-made units were basically phased out after 1998, with the steel getting thinner pretty much once Char-Broil began mass production for big-box retailers. Flavor365[[5]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-5)
*   Your 2016 model was already part of that later, thinner era relative to the originals — but many people still think pre-Char-Broil / early Char-Broil models (2000s–early 2010s) had heavier gauge than more recent ones. User reports suggest that even since the mid-2010s, the metal gauge and overall build got a bit lighter/cheaper compared to older Char-Broil era models. Reddit[[6]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-6)

##### 📌 More detail from online chatter[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=14 "Edit section: 📌 More detail from online chatter") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=14 "Edit section's source code: 📌 More detail from online chatter")]

*   Some enthusiasts claim that when the company lost its original all-welded, heavy pipe construction and went to bolted panels under Char-Broil, the build quality dropped — meaning thinner steel and joints rather than thick welded barrels. THE BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS[[7]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-7)

##### 💡 Summary[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=15 "Edit section: 💡 Summary") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=15 "Edit section's source code: 💡 Summary")]

*   Before ~1998: Thicker steel (often heavy pipe/closer to original design) — much heavier smokers. Reiko Allen[[8]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-8)
*   1998 onward: Transition to thinner steel and mass manufacturing overseas — this is where the construction got lighter. Flavor365[[9]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-9)
*   Mid-2010s to today: Continued trend toward lighter gauge steel in the current retail models compared to even older Char-Broil era units (but still heavier than many super-cheap smokers). Reddit[[10]](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_note-10)

If you want, I can help you identify your smoker’s approximate year based on markings/serial details, which can clue you in on how heavy its steel should be. Just let me know!

## References[[edit](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&veaction=edit&section=16 "Edit section: References") | [edit source](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?title=Openai/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd&action=edit&section=16 "Edit section's source code: References")]

1.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-1 "Jump up")["Steel thickness comparison"](https://chatgpt.com/share/6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd). ChatGPT. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
2.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-2 "Jump up")["Reiko Allen"](https://reikoallen.com/wrought-iron/how-much-is-an-original-oklahoma-joe-smoker-worth). Reiko Allen. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
3.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-3 "Jump up")["Oklahoma Joe's BBQ"](https://okjoes.com/about-us). Oklahoma Joe's BBQ. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
4.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-4 "Jump up")["THE BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS"](https://www.bbq-brethren.com/threads/oklahoma-joes-smoker-original.230333/). THE BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
5.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-5 "Jump up")["Flavor365"](https://eathealthy365.com/the-truth-about-where-oklahoma-joe-s-grills-are-made/). eathealthy365.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
6.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-6 "Jump up")["Reddit"](https://www.reddit.com/r/smoking/comments/1c4tjrw). reddit.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
7.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-7 "Jump up")["THE BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS"](https://www.bbq-brethren.com/threads/oklahoma-joes-smoker-original.230333/). THE BBQ BRETHREN FORUMS. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
8.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-8 "Jump up")["Reiko Allen"](https://reikoallen.com/wrought-iron/how-much-is-an-original-oklahoma-joe-smoker-worth). Reiko Allen. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
9.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-9 "Jump up")["Flavor365"](https://eathealthy365.com/the-truth-about-where-oklahoma-joe-s-grills-are-made/). eathealthy365.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.
10.   [↑](https://freemwiki.com/index.php?oldid=594701&title=Openai%2F6946f01f-44c4-800e-8d76-ed6d3fe04fdd#cite_ref-10 "Jump up")["Reddit"](https://www.reddit.com/r/smoking/comments/1c4tjrw). reddit.com. Retrieved 2025-12-21.