Well thanks to the subliminal thought implant from CMD2213 I ended up going to Costco last night and brought home a Louisiana LG900. Cost was less than half what I was going to put into the Yoder and if I don't like it I can roll it back. 14g steel, side smoke box, sliding grate with access to direct flame and enough left over to go buy a new Apex controller.
BTW Moon Doggy, how do you like your Hasty Bake? I was really looking hard at those and the M1, I'd prefer a machine that ran lump and chunk or sticks but I was reminded that other people in the house may want to use it too so I was regulated to the pellet machines.