Lost 2007 Stoker Failure Video

I had to give a eulogy for my grandmother in the middle of a stupid family fued between my sisters (twins). It was shameful. I have been doing some reflection lately as to my role here at the forum (many of you have seen me pretty much make a case I should have a second persona and screenname) and well... this all kind of got me thinking about things, this forum, and my experience with other forums.

I was going through some things at the house AND I found a cd marked "biz" I had seen this disc many times but thought it was about the car biz. It had my old Stoker Video that the other National bbq forum forced me to actually remove from youtube (the balls huh?) in return for allowing me to stay a member. This was a long time ago. They had Rocks as a vendor and were very upset that I posted a video about a third failure of the system even though I did not link it there. Thats right, they had an issue with a video I posted in youtube outside of their forum about one of their vendors... quite a reach huh?

As the story goes Rocks refused to replace the control box and kept saying it was fine. Mostly because the sensors and fans would come back screwed up. I spent 3 months or so until I had a working unit. At that time the company was abysmal at returning calls or emails and so I went on to the other forum to ask about what I should do. The thread created interest, some simular complaints would arise (mostly about contact) and the thread would be scrubbed. So... I created a video, which was never linked in their forum, as proof to the owner of the process we went through when the unit failed.

I received a series of emails in which I was given two ultimatums. The other forum's mother hen wrote "remove the video or leave the forum." The owner of Rocks said "remove the video of I will not fix your unit."

I tried to explain that if we kept the videos and add them to the ones I showed after it was fixed ( Stoker Test IV has over 49,000 hits eclipsing Rocks own Web Channell ) it would show the company to be good to its customers but Rocks wanted it gone.
I complied.

As you can see I am giving props in the video to the owner for trying so hard (i had to twist his arm to give me all new stuff but eventually after all the shipping back and forth I got it) but the real goings on were less than diplomatic, being yelled at over the phone by him at one point.

In any case, as I reflect and a somewhat satisfied stoker owner... (it still cannot use extenders with a 25cfm fan but works fine with extentions with my 10CFM fan) I realize... this was no way to run a business or a forum. I am so glad that incident led me to this forum and well, and maybe I should respect it a little more. No.. strike maybe.

I will never forget my discussion with the last forums owner, to which I still retain the emails... their position was to "not allow complaints on our forum until a vendor has a pattern of problems... until then we will be deleting any complaint postings from you or others (and there were others) until a pattern can be proven on the forum." A self fufilling prophecy if I ever saw one.

And now here are those old Videos from Connecticut... the first shows the unit working fine... the second was the failure.

There is some good detailed footage also how the unit works.

God Bless this forum.

Pitmaster Donnie T

YouTube - 3rd Rocks BBQ Stoker Failure - Lost 2007 Video - Part 1

Part One - Some Good Details and video of the parts close up

YouTube - 3rd Rocks BBQ Stoker Failure - Lost 2007 Video - Part 2
Part Two - The Unit worked fine in Part one, which was originally to show the unit working, then the unit did the same thing again.

YouTube - STOKER TEST III a - ON STICK BURNER

Part Three is the Video I did to Appease the Owner of Rocks at the request of Saiko I just posted it. This has been online for a few years and depicts me waiting for something to go wrong. I never got a thanks either. There was another problem with the stoker right as it came out which caused it to foul up if the connectors were like under 30 degrees or something like that. Test IIIb shows that was fixed. So my vids sort of despelled old rumors Rocks product still had problems.

Saiko said:

I remember seeing another video you did on the Stoker that was funny as hell, as you were trying to kill time while waiting for your temps to adjust. Don't remember where I saw it, although I'm sure it was here.
I would think wood fires would be a lot harder for a Stoker or Guru, do most people use them with charcoal smokers only or are a lot of stick burners using them also?

Glad you found this forum though, I'd still suck at briskys if it wasn't for you!!

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I posted it for you Saiko... Its the third video now

I really liked (all) your vids Donnie. There were objective and gave me some good practical info that I used to chose a new stoking unit. I think its a disservice to only be allowed to publish the *good* and not the whole story.

When you gonna make another video anyway?

btcg said:

I saw that one too, and enjoyed it. I will not buy a Stoker until that satisfy you. Wait.... that doesn't sound right... well you know what I mean.

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well he did fix it ... just wasn't that gracious about it. I got a working stoker BECAUSE i made the videon I am convinced because even though he looked at the control box he never replaced it until after the "failed" video was made... in fact... in the second video there you can tell I was simply filming what I thought would be a success.

the truely bad behaivior was with the other forum. and now that i reflect, and think about this forum... I came here sort of gilted on forums... with baggage... maybe I am like the wife you get that has all the baggage from the last guy... then after a long tulmutous marraige... finally realizes your not the doofus her last husband was...

This one...

YouTube - Popdaddys - Fried Chicken for Half Assed Friends
MY Wife...

I would not say my marriage is "tumultous" but there have been times I have had to pay for the transgressions of her ex.

Mister Bob said:

:clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2::clap2:

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so u sayin u know what i mean, huh

CBQ said:

Rock's set me up with a relay unit and dedicated power supply for my 25cfm fan, and it works fine with extensions. You are right that an out of the box 25cfm won't.

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I wonder if I still have that phone message from the owner saying Amir did not design the Stoker, he did and "I say there is no need for a separate power supply for your fan." I begged for this solution. I got some explanation that the sensors in the fan plug would go batty. grrrrr