Smokey Joe Tall Boy Smoker Mod ~ Brethren Comments

thirdeye · 08-02-2011, 11:32 AM

Well, the mod is nearing completion and it's far enough along to get some comments or ideas from all of you. This has been a fun build, and so far I've done 5 test cooks. The characteristics of this cooker have really changed for the better. Because I also will be using this for my camping/fishing trips I'm thinking a canvas stuff sack would be the ticket for transporting. I still need to install a thermometer, and maybe a larger ash pan.

The plant stand I used when this was still a grill does not work now that it's a smoker. The original legs are much more stable considering the height of the Tall Boy.

I'm still using the clips for the grate, I made two sets for different heights. Right now I'm cooking about 9" from the charcoal.

My first charcoal basket will work fine for short or low temp cooks, but I've made a larger basket. The mini-basket is loose and can just sit inside the larger one when needed.

I For my drip pan/heat shield, I built a rack to sit in the lower ledge, but added some risers to split the distance between the charcoal basket and the cooking grate. I am using a standard pie pan (this one is stainless) for this. It sits 5" from the charcoal basket, and 4" below my cooking grate.

I did document all of the steps in the build with about 10 photos, mostly involving the layout and cutting of the tamale pot, and will most likely devote an entire page on my cookin' site to this build.

FamilyManBBQ · 08-02-2011, 11:42 AM

Sweet!! I like the rack for your pie pan VERY much!!

Have used a clay saucer for my heat sheild. Has served me well. I did buy a second tamale pot...want to play around with drip/water pan this time around. May just have to "borrow" your idea!!

colonel00 · 08-02-2011, 11:47 AM

Lookin good

Now I want one.

Fishawn · 08-02-2011, 12:05 PM

Love it! ...... Very cool

bigabyte · 08-02-2011, 12:55 PM

Looks like a really good setup!

HB-BBQ · 08-02-2011, 03:00 PM

Looks awesome Wayne! I use an inner basket like that in my UDS for smaller cooks and can see the value of one in this size smoker. I think this is going to be my next project once I finish the stick burner i am working on.

I have to ask did you modify the shroud/guard on your angle grinder for extra clearance?

If you did it's a great idea that I am going to use. I keep one of my grinders with the shroud off for general cutting since it always got in the way. It's rather sketchy using it since your hand is a only a few inches from the wheel...

thirdeye · 08-02-2011, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by HB-BBQ

Looks awesome Wayne! I use an inner basket like that in my UDS for smaller cooks and can see the value of one in this size smoker. I think this is going to be my next project once I finish the stick burner i am working on.

I have to ask did you modify the shroud/guard on your angle grinder for extra clearance?

If you did it's a great idea that I am going to use. I keep one of my grinders with the shroud off for general cutting since it always got in the way. It's rather sketchy using it since your hand is a only a few inches from the wheel...

That is a Milwaukee grinder and that model has a "tool free" guard. There is just a little tab you press and then you can rotate the guard where you want it, it's kind of cool because it's so fast and easy when it comes to directing the spark path.

JMSetzler · 08-02-2011, 03:16 PM

That's probably the best looking conversion I have seen so far on one of these... nice work!

Boshizzle · 08-02-2011, 04:00 PM

Nice work! I picked up a Smokey Joe last week to make one of those too.

swamprb · 08-02-2011, 09:33 PM

I'm not feeling the grate supports.
The welded ring is nice cuz you got skillz and I would expect nothing less from team thirdeye. Sturdier legs would drive me wild.

What will the first cook be??

Durzil · 08-02-2011, 09:42 PM

Im going to be doing this soon I really dig the water pan mod. Wish I had the skills to make one.

thirdeye · 08-02-2011, 10:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by swamprb

I'm not feeling the grate supports.
The welded ring is nice cuz you got skillz and I would expect nothing less from team thirdeye. Sturdier legs would drive me wild.

What will the first cook be??

Brian, the grate clips are a temporary deal, just until I play with different heights..... however they work much better than I could have imagined. What height is your grate (how far down from the rim)?

That ring was really a lucky break, it came from the bone pile. A year ago I was working on a vertical skewer idea and never completed it. I had 3 of the "L"'s make but only one tacked in place. I reversed the "L"s and they were a good fit to the larger ring.

I've thought about different legs, and aluminum would be a good material as it's easy to form and drill. Modifying a plant stand is also an option.

My first cook was pork loin steaks (two batches) then I did sausages, nuts, and today I made a buffalo burger.

Hoss · 08-02-2011, 10:54 PM

I would have expected NOTHING less!

I have been waiting on you to post your build before I made the WallyWorld trek.

thirdeye · 08-02-2011, 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hoss

I would have expected NOTHING less!

I have been waiting on you to post your build before I made the WallyWorld trek.

The full blown procedure I used in on the home page of my cookin' site. Once I get it finalized I'll make it a thread here.

Old Dave · 08-03-2011, 01:05 AM

Wayne,

Great job!!

Dave

08-02-2011, 11:32 AM	#1
thirdeye somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-14-06 Location: At home on the range in Wyoming	Smokey Joe Tall Boy Smoker Mod ~ Brethren Comments Well, the mod is nearing completion and it's far enough along to get some comments or ideas from all of you. This has been a fun build, and so far I've done 5 test cooks. The characteristics of this cooker have really changed for the better. Because I also will be using this for my camping/fishing trips I'm thinking a canvas stuff sack would be the ticket for transporting. I still need to install a thermometer, and maybe a larger ash pan. The plant stand I used when this was still a grill does not work now that it's a smoker. The original legs are much more stable considering the height of the Tall Boy. I'm still using the clips for the grate, I made two sets for different heights. Right now I'm cooking about 9" from the charcoal. My first charcoal basket will work fine for short or low temp cooks, but I've made a larger basket. The mini-basket is loose and can just sit inside the larger one when needed. I For my drip pan/heat shield, I built a rack to sit in the lower ledge, but added some risers to split the distance between the charcoal basket and the cooking grate. I am using a standard pie pan (this one is stainless) for this. It sits 5" from the charcoal basket, and 4" below my cooking grate. I did document all of the steps in the build with about 10 photos, mostly involving the layout and cutting of the tamale pot, and will most likely devote an entire page on my cookin' site to this build. __________________ ~thirdeye~ I Play With Fire and Smoke *Barbecuist ~ Charcuterist ~ KCBS Master Judge & CTC* Big Green Eggs, Big Drum Smokers, Big Chiefs, Weber Smokey Joe "Custom Tall Boy" Oil Patch Horizontal, SnS Deluxe Kettle Visit my Cookin' Site by clicking HERE Barbecue is not rocket surgery “The problem with quotes on the Internet is that it's hard to verify their authenticity” ~ Abraham Lincoln

08-02-2011, 11:42 AM	#2
FamilyManBBQ is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-30-09 Location: Redmond, WA	Sweet!! I like the rack for your pie pan VERY much!! Have used a clay saucer for my heat sheild. Has served me well. I did buy a second tamale pot...want to play around with drip/water pan this time around. May just have to "borrow" your idea!! __________________ [FONT=Arial Black][FONT=Arial][B]Humphrey's Pint[/B][/FONT][/FONT], [FONT=Arial Black][FONT=Arial]Weber(Go Anywhere, Smokey Joe, "Smoker Joe", 22.5" Kettles, Gasser, Q100, Q200, (2)22.5" WSM, (1)18.5" WSM (1) 14.5" WSM, UDS (Weber lid), Rib-O-Lator. [/FONT][/FONT][FONT=Arial Black][FONT=Arial][B][COLOR=black]BLACK[/COLOR][/B] thermapen...and a [B][COLOR=yellow]YELLOW[/COLOR][/B] one too!! [/FONT][/FONT] [FONT=Arial Black][FONT=Arial][I][B]Everything I cook is judged by SIX!![/B][/I][/FONT][/FONT] [I][FONT=Arial][B]Daddy and Me BBQ[/B] Competition Cooking Team[/FONT][/I]

08-02-2011, 11:47 AM	#3
colonel00 Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 06-03-10 Location: Shawnee, KS	Lookin good Now I want one. __________________ Brad [URL="https://www.instagram.com/bradsimmons00/"]Some of my photos on Instagram [/URL] [SIZE=1][I][COLOR=red]Proud owner of the PentaZero[/COLOR][/I][/SIZE] :whoo: [B][COLOR=red]WWWWFBBQADD[/COLOR][/B] [B]0 out of 1 members found this post helpful[/B] :thumb: “I dream of a better tomorrow, where chickens can cross the road and not be questioned about their motives.” ― Ralph Waldo Emerson

08-02-2011, 12:05 PM	#4
Fishawn is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-09-10 Location: Olympia, WA	Love it! ...... Very cool __________________ 22 & 2-18 WSM's-3 Weber Kettles-Smokey Joe-Silver C -Weber Q-CookShack Smokette

08-02-2011, 12:55 PM	#5
bigabyte somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 05-10-06 Location: Overland Fark, KS	Looks like a really good setup! __________________ Asshattatron Farkanaut, CGCFO Chief Galactic Crockpot Foil Officer *Certified MOINK Baller & IMBAS Certified MOINK Ball Judge #0003 - Are you MOINK Certified?* *Sole recipient of the Silverfinger and fingerlickin Awards!* Don't forget about the Throwdown Thingies! The Secret Squirrel Society doesn't exist - Zero Club Duh.

08-02-2011, 03:00 PM	#6
HB-BBQ is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 06-14-07 Location: Huntington Beach, CA	Looks awesome Wayne! I use an inner basket like that in my UDS for smaller cooks and can see the value of one in this size smoker. I think this is going to be my next project once I finish the stick burner i am working on. I have to ask did you modify the shroud/guard on your angle grinder for extra clearance? If you did it's a great idea that I am going to use. I keep one of my grinders with the shroud off for general cutting since it always got in the way. It's rather sketchy using it since your hand is a only a few inches from the wheel...

08-02-2011, 03:16 PM	#8
JMSetzler Babbling Farker Join Date: 04-25-11 Location: Valdese, NC Name/Nickname : John	That's probably the best looking conversion I have seen so far on one of these... nice work! __________________ [URL="http://facebook.com/mancavemeals"]http://facebook.com/mancavemeals[/URL]

08-02-2011, 04:00 PM	#9
Boshizzle somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 01-26-10 Location: Virginia	Nice work! I picked up a Smokey Joe last week to make one of those too. __________________ Operation BBQ Relief Founding Member - I am Obsessive Compulsive about BBQ. Google it.

08-02-2011, 09:33 PM	#10
swamprb somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 10-27-06 Location: Bothell WA	I'm not feeling the grate supports. The welded ring is nice cuz you got skillz and I would expect nothing less from team thirdeye. Sturdier legs would drive me wild. What will the first cook be?? __________________ Brian - Left Hand Smoke BBQ PNWBA 2010 Team of the Year BGE's/WSM's/Pellet Pro WSM/BWS Gater/BDS Clones/Cookshack 008/Weber Performer w EZ-Que/Cajun Bandit/Rib-O-Lator Test Pilot/La Caja China/BBQ Guru/Weber 1000 RK Drum Coffee Roaster Follow Left Hand Smoke on Facebook!http://www.facebook.com/pages/Left-H...462391?sk=wall KCBS CBJ/PNWBA CBJ www.pnwba.com

08-02-2011, 09:42 PM	#11
Durzil Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 09-06-10 Location: Oregon	Im going to be doing this soon I really dig the water pan mod. Wish I had the skills to make one. __________________ Oregon Ducks Ugly Drum Smoker! - Smokey Joe Gold with Mini U.D.S. mod

08-02-2011, 10:54 PM	#13
Hoss Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-31-09 Location: Hernando,MS	I would have expected NOTHING less! I have been waiting on you to post your build before I made the WallyWorld trek.

08-03-2011, 01:05 AM	#15
Old Dave Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 02-22-11 Location: Coatesville, Indiana	Wayne, Great job!! Dave

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