Basic smoker modifications

[simon1]

Has anyone done any mods. to their smokers?

I thought I'd try and improve the function of my smoker a bit, so I did some basic mods. to it.

First, I plugged all of the open screw holes with small bolts. Then I made a baffle for over the firebox opening with some aluminum flashing (not galvanized...that will release arsenic when heated. Hmmm, what did you flavor the meat with? ) and attached it to a couple of the open screw holes.

I then lowered the chimney with a rolled up length of the flashing, putting it into the chimney for a friction fit, and put an aluminum pop rivet at the lower end to help hold it a bit. It sets about an inch above the grates.

Then I made a temporary gasket for the lid and the firebox door from some rolled up aluminum foil...until I can pick up a stove gasket kit.

I haven't made a charcoal basket yet, and I'll probably just use wood, but if I do use charcoal I may just place an old piece of grill grate by the damper to the firebox to keep the charcoal corralled. Hopefully it will get enough air flow.

Maybe this will help keep the temperature in the smoking chamber evened out and give some better heat control.

I still need to get a couple of thermometers and put at grate level, but that's for later. I think I also may need to paint the firebox.

 

[eightysixCJ]

Looks good Mike. Putting a wool blanket over the smoke chamber on breezy days will help stabilize the the temp and cut the fuel needs.

Tom

 

[The Nid Hog]

Excellent job! I've done about the same thing you have. I made a charcoal basket too, which has been through a couple of modifications to get it to work the way I want it to. I'm thinking about putting some higher speed gasket around the edges and fully insulating it, but that's all in the realm of daydreams until I have time to fool around with it more.

 

[Jim]

Looks great!

The only suggestion I can make is to raise the firebox grate up so you get good airflow and plenty of room for ash.

 

[The Nid Hog]

Looks great!

The only suggestion I can make is to raise the firebox grate up so you get good airflow and plenty of room for ash.

That's exactly the problem i had with the charcoal basket I added. The "weave" of the basket was so fine that the ash wouldn't fall out, and it was too low. I raised the mounting brackets for the basket and used a pair of tin snips to cut out the bottom of the basket itself. Then I wired the original grate into the bottom. Works like a charm, and it's easy to clean out the ash without any serious interruption.

 

[simon1]

Thanks guys.

Looks great!

The only suggestion I can make is to raise the firebox grate up so you get good airflow and plenty of room for ash.

I did that yesterday when I put in a new grate for the firebox.

Fired it up to test it, and put on some brats. Started the fire with lump charcoal, then added a bit of hickory branch that had fell from one of my trees and a stick of seasoned pecan.

Wow! Those mods. really made a difference. It will now behave when I adjust the inlet damper.

I picked up a Rutland rope gasket yesterday and am going to put it on the outside of the lower part of the barrel to seal the lid better.

I'm guessing that I really need to sand it down to bare metal to get the cement to stick well???

Getting ready to thaw out a couple of slabs of baby backs and a couple of chicken breasts to do tomorrow. I think I'll wait until after that to put the gasket on.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Looks great Mike! I bought two of the charcoal baskets from Char-Griller that sets on the grid that goes in the firebox http://chargriller.com/store/produc...id=57&osCsid=903145013fb7f58c9ab7b30b733c80d2
They work great. And I extended the exhaust down to the grate level which really seemed to help. The CG is a brisket cooking machine, which is about all I use it for anymore, everything else is done on one of the WSM's.

 

[simon1]

Looks great Mike! I bought two of the charcoal baskets from Char-Griller that sets on the grid that goes in the firebox http://chargriller.com/store/produc...id=57&osCsid=903145013fb7f58c9ab7b30b733c80d2
They work great. And I extended the exhaust down to the grate level which really seemed to help. The CG is a brisket cooking machine, which is about all I use it for anymore, everything else is done on one of the WSM's.

Thanks Tom.

I was looking at baskets, but I have an old grid that's still good from a charcoal grill that is worn out...I think I'll make one out of that. I just spent $15 on a Weber chimney starter and another $10 on the firebox grid. I think SWMBO may give me some dirty looks if I spend anything else. I also made the mistake of telling her how much expanded metal is.

The WSM looks good, and I'd like to have one, but when I got finished with the mods. on the CG I said something to the SWMBO about the smokers we looked at before we got the CG. They were so heavy that it took 2 people to lift the lid.

After I said that...there was nothing but silence.

I think that I may modify the old butane tank smoker that is mounted out back. It came with the house, but it's not real great on the design...I think. But, I don't know that much.

Guess I just have to work with what I've got!

I can cook with an old gym locker, with a clothes dryer vent or something as the intake that is put onto some kinda fire source, if I need to. Just need to get used to the set-up that I'm using at the time.

Peeled willow poles, fashioned into a dome shape, buffalo skins covering it, meat over a slow burning hardwood fire.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

I can cook with an old gym locker, with a clothes dryer vent or something as the intake that is put onto some kinda fire source, if I need to. Just need to get used to the set-up that I'm using at the time.

Peeled willow poles, fashioned into a dome shape, buffalo skins covering it, meat over a slow burning hardwood fire.

Dang, I am impressed!

 

[simon1]

Dang, I am impressed!

Huh???

What’s to be impressed about?

When I was a kid I used to go out for a few days with a sleeping bag, or some blankets and a tarp for ground cover…and a bit of fishing line and hooks. Used dead piece of wood for the cork on the fishing line. Don’t forget the .22 pistol!!! I hate tying to get a squirrel or rabbit with a sharp stick.

And I also cheated…I’d take some taters and some cans of beans, and a small grill grid.

Once you get your meat…fish, squirrel, rabbit, or other food, build a fire ring with some native rocks (dang there aren’t any where I’m living now, just have to use the greenest wood that I can find for the fire ring, and put it on bare ground a bit further away than I would with the rocks…and sometimes now I have to dig a hole for the fire) and get a good fire going.

When the wood burns down to good coals, rake the hot coals over to the side, dig a hole big enough to bury your food (I like to grill the meat, and bake the taters or fish), and wrap the taters/fish with foil (another cheat), then cover with a couple of inches or so of dirt.

Cover that up with the hot coals and let bake till done, adding wood as needed. Bout a couple of hours or so.

Then eat.

Nothing impressive about that…as long as the weather is good.

Smokey the Bear thing...always watch your fires.

 

[HoosierTrooper]

Huh???

What’s to be impressed about?

Cooking with a gym locker and some dryer vent? You're like the professor from Gilligans Island. Or McGuyver!