I'm new here, and hoping to receive some priceless (free) advice.
I bought an offset smoker at an auction a few weeks ago - thought it would be cool to have one, and I also really liked the rotisserie feature which is pretty unusual.
Anyway, I have cooked with this thing about half a dozen times, with red oak pieces, and I simply cannot get it hot enough.
The thermometer in the center gets up to about 250 when the fire is the hottest, and it's almost impossible to keep it there.
Full firebox, half firebox, lots of air, little air, I have tried many variables.
I'm beginning to think that the smoker is just poorly designed.
Dimensions are:
Cooking chamber (round) = 24" round x 48" wide.
Fire Box (square) = 23" w x 18" h x 14" d (back to front)
Chimney (round) is 4" diameter x 31" tall
The opening between the Fire Box and the Cooking Chamber is 7" round.
I put these numbers into the calculator, but I don't know how to READ the calculator.
Is this thing just a mess that I should tow to the dump ?

Pictures attached, and thanks in advance for the advice.