Smoker's Done!

[nocheepgas]

sweet rig!!! how do ya get sm tickets??

Send me a PM

[nocheepgas]

I was wondering...

What is the finish used overall?
Does it require heating to set?

Have you heated it up yet and checked the temperature across the length?

The overall finish is a Dupont industrial coating. The fire box is sprayed with POR 15 silk, which has a temp rating of 1200 degrees. The POR 15 has only 1 coat and can be recoated after heating to 400 degrees.

Not going to fire it up, that's up to the winner. Couldn't raffle off a used product....

[Kamikaze]

nocheepgas,

Thank you for the reply.

I understand about not firing it up and leaving it up the the winner.

I have been watching your progress with great interest since I am assisting a friend with re-building his smoker that did not function well.

I am curious if you have created other smokers in a similar fashion and how the temperatures were across the grilles from the firebox to the stack area. This is one of the problems we are addressing with my friends unit since he had such a severe temperature drop from one end to the other.

Also, even though you lined the firebox with firebricks, I was concerned with the fact that you have an open face grille above and how that would affect the ability of the heat and smoke transfer into the actual smoker itself. I see this as a point where the needed heat escapes upwards instead of into the actual smoker.

Please don't misunderstand my questions, as I am not cutting up on your design or build. IT IS EXCELLENT!!!

I'm just trying to understand how you have built and overcome the problems that we see are happening with a similar (albet, Backyard), construction that is not working for us.

Any of your expertise and knowledge you are willing to share would be appreciated!

Again! AWESOME BUILD!!!

[davedarragh]

nocheep: That is an awesome job you did!

Hey, is that parked along Buffalo Soldier Trail? Looks pretty familiar

Dave

[nocheepgas]

nocheepgas,

Thank you for the reply.

I understand about not firing it up and leaving it up the the winner.

I have been watching your progress with great interest since I am assisting a friend with re-building his smoker that did not function well.

I am curious if you have created other smokers in a similar fashion and how the temperatures were across the grilles from the firebox to the stack area. This is one of the problems we are addressing with my friends unit since he had such a severe temperature drop from one end to the other.

Also, even though you lined the firebox with firebricks, I was concerned with the fact that you have an open face grille above and how that would affect the ability of the heat and smoke transfer into the actual smoker itself. I see this as a point where the needed heat escapes upwards instead of into the actual smoker.

Please don't misunderstand my questions, as I am not cutting up on your design or build. IT IS EXCELLENT!!!

I'm just trying to understand how you have built and overcome the problems that we see are happening with a similar (albet, Backyard), construction that is not working for us.

Any of your expertise and knowledge you are willing to share would be appreciated!

Again! AWESOME BUILD!!!

I'm no expert, but did a fair amount of research and some discussion about smokers before taking this project on. As far as uneven heat, that will always be a problem if your smoke stacks are at or above cooking level. Ours were placed below the level of the cooking grates. As far as the fire brick, that was to help properly size the fire box as well as make it last longer. The fire box is always the first thing to burn out on these things, and lining it was to give it some additional longevity. As far as the grill, the lid on it seals pretty well and is intended to be used seperately from the smoker. You could close all the dampers to capture heat in the smoke box, fire off some steaks or burgers on the grill, then continue smoking in the smoke box. Or alternately when the rest of the meat is done, go ahead and grill at will.
The damper control between the fire and smoke boxes (unique to our build, as far as I know) should allow for some serious control of the heat issue.
Hope this helps.

[nocheepgas]

nocheep: That is an awesome job you did!

Hey, is that parked along Buffalo Soldier Trail? Looks pretty familiar

Dave

No Dave, that's in front of our office on Wilcox Dr.
Should have it out in front of Aztec for a day or 2 next week if you get down here then. At any rate they will have tickets available for you to get a chance at winning this.

[Nickos]

thats a nice rig man!

[Kamikaze]

I'm no expert, but did a fair amount of research and some discussion about smokers before taking this project on. As far as uneven heat, that will always be a problem if your smoke stacks are at or above cooking level. Ours were placed below the level of the cooking grates. As far as the fire brick, that was to help properly size the fire box as well as make it last longer. The fire box is always the first thing to burn out on these things, and lining it was to give it some additional longevity. As far as the grill, the lid on it seals pretty well and is intended to be used seperately from the smoker. You could close all the dampers to capture heat in the smoke box, fire off some steaks or burgers on the grill, then continue smoking in the smoke box. Or alternately when the rest of the meat is done, go ahead and grill at will.
The damper control between the fire and smoke boxes (unique to our build, as far as I know) should allow for some serious control of the heat issue.
Hope this helps.

YES!!!

Very good and excellent information!
You actually confirmed much of what basic physics I understood and why my friend was having so much problem with his!

I really think the key to what would make your unit much more efficient is the custom damper between the firebox and the smoker itself. I really like the dual stack exhaust design but was wondering if duals are overkill since you have a fairly good size pipe diameter already. But, since you can also control the outflow of both stacks, I don't really think it matters... Heck! It's really ***y Anyways!!!

Thanks again for the info and for sharing the build up!
Now please tell us again where we can buy the tickets???

[Leons2003]

Outstanding job on the pit and a wise choice of using fire brick in the firebox, when we replaced the firebox on our old pit we came up w/recycled fire brick, now the pit uses less wood to maintain the same cooking temp. and helps save the firebox from an early death.
Thanks again for sharing your project, good job
L*S

[davedarragh]

No Dave, that's in front of our office on Wilcox Dr.
Should have it out in front of Aztec for a day or 2 next week if you get down here then. At any rate they will have tickets available for you to get a chance at winning this.

I knew I'd seen your office, couldn't remember which street Wilcox runs behind the "plaza" there at Coronado and Fry.

Hopefully, I'll be down that way this week or next, and get to see it.

Great job you did!

Dave