Looking for improvements to my smoker

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gadgetguy

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So I got this New Braunfels offset smoker , pictured here . I've cut my teeth on this bad boy over the last 3 or 4 years. Somewhere i read something about putting a baffel inside it to distribute the heat more evenly. I usually put a small aluminum foil pan of water right next to the firebox for some steam. Anybody here know of anything i can do to improve this thing??? It does work pretty damn good but i'm always open to suggestions. I'm a tool maker / sheet metal fabricator so i can build pretty much anything for this. Thanks
HarryC:biggrin1:
 

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Looking at your pic, You could add an accurate thermometer or two closer to grill level. One closer to the firebox and another about 1/3 of the way from the stack. Both being 2-3 inches from the grill surface.
 
The most common mods done to pits like those are the downdraft mod and lid sealing. Get yourself a good thermometer like the et732 or thermoworks
 
I understand the idea of lid sealing , but what do ya use for that? also whats the down draft mod???
Thanks
HarryC
 
gadgetguy said:
I understand the idea of lid sealing , but what do ya use for that? also whats the down draft mod???
Thanks
HarryC
Click to expand...

try some high temp gasket rope like this:
[ame="http://www.amazon.com/Rutland-Inc-Gasket-Rope-96-6/dp/B000KKICBY/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1359654736&sr=8-3&keywords=rutland+gasket+rope"]Amazon.com: Rutland Inc Gasket Kit Rope 7'x3/8" 96-6: Home Improvement[/ame]
 
Tuning plates is a mod i would recommend.. its just space plates in the bottom of the cooker.. to help even out the temp across the cook chamber
 
gadgetguy said:
I understand the idea of lid sealing , but what do ya use for that? also whats the down draft mod???
Thanks
HarryC
Click to expand...

Bring the exhaust stack down to grate level on the inside of the cooking chamber. You can easily do this with a piece of fexible dryer vent hose and a hose clamp.
 
1. add lining of ceramic.
buy pottery clay, mix with water to mud, add inside, thickness 1", natural dry, fill in charcoal in main body and fire box, burning for 3 days.

2. chang to reverse flow

3. add motorized spit rotisserie

4. power draft like stoker or CyberQ

5.iGrill

6. heat insulating blanket

7.a grease catching grill to avoid grease fire
 
I have that very same cooker and have learned a lot on it. Don't use it much anymore though, to many other cookers. Anyway, I modded the heck out of mine. 1st a charcoal basket which sits on the charcoal grate which I raised about 2"

PICT0017-4.jpg


Then a short baffle in the smoke chamber

PICT0037.jpg


5 tuning plates 5" x 16" x 1/4" thick, these help greatly to control the temps. Can actually get the end farthest from the firebox hotter than the firebox end. Sometimes I use all 5, sometimes fewer. Depends on what is cooking

PICT0031.jpg


Removed the factory 3" stack, plugged the hole and then put this 4" x 36" stack on the end and below grate level.

PICT0022-1.jpg


Bigger pneumatic tires all around and two thermometers mounted just above grate level on the quarter points of the door completes the transformation.

PICT0013-1.jpg


Oh yeah, this was taken before the addition of the 13" tires near the firebox and the shelf in now Mahogany.

Jeez, now I want to cook something!
 
Tuning plates are a plus for sure! Relocating the exhaust stack to at least grate level, charcoal basket, and sealing the lid will make a HUGE difference!
 
I don't know how to thank you guys, damn thats a lot of info . I printed out the links and this whole thread so i can get busy!!! looking forward to making some of these mods and givin her a test run!! Hell i didn't even know what model it was till now . I got it barely used at a garage sale fot $40.00........so far best 40 dollar bill i've ever spent!!
HarryC
 
Smokin'D how long is that "short baffel plate at the fire box??? going to do that seal the lid and the tuning plates this weekend when i do my brisquet for the super bowl....
move the thermomometer and add a second
HarryC
 
gadgetguy said:
Smokin'D how long is that "short baffel plate at the fire box???
HarryC
Click to expand...

That baffle is 6" long, just the right length so a tuning plate can fit tight under it. I simply bolted it to the angled flange that is protruding into the smoke chamber from the firebox. Have fun!
 
That also looks like you added expanded metal between the chambers , is that to keep the coal in the fire chamber???
HarryC
 
I used high temp silicone (red) to make a gasket around the door on mine. Made a huge difference, along with lowering the exhaust to grate level and the firebox end baffle plate. By the time I sold mine and bought a much bigger unti, it cooked pretty good, although it was still a fuel hog.
 
Here's some more. For charcoal in this unit I have found that Royal Oak lump works the best. Wicked Good, my normal fuel, burns way too hot for this cooker. I light the fuel with a half chimney of hot charcoal and dump that onto a chimney of unlit in the basket. Intake is half open and stack is fully open. Cooker gets up to temp, smoke clears up, meat goes on. Not sure about the timing of all that. After about 2 1/2 to 3 hours, I push all the hot and almost spent fuel over towards the smoke chamber and pour more unlit beside it on the vent side. Get at least another 3 hours of heat. Works for me.
 
I've been using lump till now, know what you fellers mean by a "fuel hog" but it's my first stick burner and i have learned a hell of a lot on that pit, made some damn tasty food in there!!!, sooner or later i'll find a design for something a little bigger and make my own, till then this is it!!! my masterbuilt electric smoker wannabe just isn't the same!!!!
HarryC
 
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