Some EZ/much needed mods to my Cheap Off set

[HumboldtSmokeBBQ]

Hey all, been about a month or 2 since my last post, sorry. I got married, and October and November are the busiest months ever for me. I have just been too busy to post. Anyway, here are some cheap mods I did today. I have alot of pron from the Santa Maria that i want to share as well.

Charcoal Basket...I have been needing one of these all summer long. I think it will work well.

I tied it together with Stainless Steel wire, I hope it holds.

Inserted in the fire box. I really think this is going to change the way my POS offset performes, I hope to do a test burn tomorrow.

Didnt finish, but this is my broken axe handle that I cut and sanded. Will make a great handle. I saw someone else do this on a thread a while back. Thanks to who ever it was who posted it. Cool idea.

New charcoal box, new grate. I also used woodstove rope to seal it. I had used BGE gasket material, but i could never get it to stick on the hot side. I hope this works.


Thanks for viewing and commenting...I hope to remove the chimney from the top and put it in the bottom below the grate, see how that works...and i have sheet steel that i line inside the top half to keep some heat. I am always into hearing new ideas...Thanks again, glad to be back.

 

[Chuckwagonbbqco]

Good to see you back around Devin. Missed you at "Oinktoberfest"---but then again we didn't want to destroy your honeymoon.

The basket looks great---How far did you drop the stack? It outta work great now----keep us posted.

 

[Skidder]

Those mods will sure help. Are you going to add a baffle and tuning plates? Those will help too. But you will always have a hot end it's just the nature of the beast. After a few burns you'll get to know the smoker better and you can use the hot end to your advantage. Mods should all work good together but an offset still needs tending just nowhere near as much with the mods. Good luck and don't stay away as long this time. Congrats on the wedding also.

 

[HumboldtSmokeBBQ]

Good to see you back around Devin. Missed you at "Oinktoberfest"---but then again we didn't want to destroy your honeymoon.

The basket looks great---How far did you drop the stack? It outta work great now----keep us posted.

Good to be back! I dropped the stack to the cooking surface...I am thinking of plugging that hole and cutting a hole in the side opposite the fire box, below the cooking grate. Does that sould good?

Sorry I missed Oinktoberfest...next year hopefully, right?

 

[HumboldtSmokeBBQ]

Those mods will sure help. Are you going to add a baffle and tuning plates? Those will help too.

If you look in the first photo, I have a baffle. this is my second baffle. I put a piece of steel all the way across, and I had no heat, but that was without my new charcoal box.

Maybe you all know of something better. It is HOT on that side of the smoker for sure. I had been putting my meat in the middle and turning clockwise to use the warm side. worked good, i hope it works better now.

 

[brer rabbit]

i had the big version of that (it got stolen about 3 months ago), and i tried to seal it up with the rope that way. it didnt stick at all once i fired it up. i had to get the D/A sander and really clean the metal with paint thinner for it to work. i welded in a sheet metal baffle from the top of the hot inlet across to the far side with a slight up slope toward the exhaust end. it had about 1 1/2" of space along both edges the whole length for the smoke to roll out. worked 100% better than factory. i only used apple/oak/maple with no charcoal, so i just used the heavy grates that came with it in the firebox. mine had a flapper on the stack to close it, and that really helped shut it down after i sealed it up. worked great. i wish i still had it. it was the biggest of the 3 of those they sell at walmart. it was cheap and thin, but if i find another one on sale for less than 140, ill buy it. being able to do a 1/2 pig is sure nice for only 140 bucks.

 

[Rookie'48]

Is that sand in the bottom of the cooking chamber?

 

[HumboldtSmokeBBQ]

i had the big version of that (it got stolen about 3 months ago), and i tried to seal it up with the rope that way. it didnt stick at all once i fired it up.

I hear you, it is already falling off. I used BGE gasket material, but it is expensive and it seemed to just get ruined, so i figured I would try this. I can adjust the lid so the gap is bigger on one side then the other, maybe i will push the lid all the way over. I need to sand the crap out it, and hope that helps.

Rookie'48, no it is not sand, it is ash. I lit some charcoal to cook off the crap that expandable metal is coated in before i cook with it.

 

[landarc]

I would give it a go and see how it goes. Make more adjustments as you go.

 

[brer rabbit]

I hear you, it is already falling off. I used BGE gasket material, but it is expensive and it seemed to just get ruined, so i figured I would try this. I can adjust the lid so the gap is bigger on one side then the other, maybe i will push the lid all the way over. I need to sand the crap out it, and hope that helps.

Rookie'48, no it is not sand, it is ash. I lit some charcoal to cook off the crap that expandable metal is coated in before i cook with it.

get some brake-kleen or paint thinner to wipe the metal real clean before you re-cement it.

and good luck