My bottom grate sits on top of the supports for the water bowl. IOW, as low as I can get it and still have room for a bowl or whatever you plan to use between coals and bottom grate. (I have cut the bottom out rather than drill holes.)
ok, i am also going to cut out the bottom. did you put a grate right on the very bottom of the pan where the cut out is made or up higher where the diffuser would sit in?
My top grate is just below the top edge of the cooker and is too high. I lack clearance under the lid. Some day when I'm a little more energetic I'm going to measure the distance between top grate and lid and between the grates, split the difference and remount the supports for the top grate.
thats what i was looking for there. id like to have equal cooking height available on both racks.
I only have 1 grate in mine it is 1" below the bottom of the handle rivets.
The center of the thermo is 1" below the grate
I drilled holes with a step bit. Bunch of them. One grate sits perfectly in the tamale steamer location. I put the top grate five inches down from the lip. Installed a thermometer 6 inches down for ease of grate removal. Make sure to use only three stainless screws for the top grate support about 15" apart. 4 support screws will inevitably be uneven.
I'll get a picture a little later. I'm smoking in it right now. :mrgreen:ok, i am also going to cut out the bottom. did you put a grate right on the very bottom of the pan where the cut out is made or up higher where the diffuser would sit in?
Yeah, don't make the same mistake I did.thats what i was looking for there. id like to have equal cooking height available on both racks.
I'll get a picture a little later. I'm smoking in it right now. :mrgreen:
Yeah, don't make the same mistake I did.
Couple firsts - sausage 'n eggs. (Would be known as fatties 'round here.) Here they are as they went on.Awesome Hank, Thanks! what you cooking?
Sorry to sidetrack a bid but would a 15 or 16 gallon drum fit on the Smokey Joe kettle?
I've been thinking of modding my Smokey Joe also but was wondering if the drum would work as well as the tamale pot. Thanks.
Couple firsts - sausage 'n eggs. (Would be known as fatties 'round here.) Here they are as they went on.
Eggs were off half an hour ago and the fatty is at 153° F now - be done soon.
ive seen it done with a drum (not sure 15 or 16 gallon) one thing to be mindful of is the height vs width (could be top heavy) but id like to see a drum cut down just a bit taller than the tamale pot to make it work. if you do it, id love to see the build!
That's a new water pan on it's first smoke. Two previous large SS water bowls I got at a local pet shop developed leaks so I ordered this "heavy duty" one of Amazon. I hope it lasts a little longer.that is awesome! thank you for posting. what is that pan under the grate?
Is that three cooking grates? How did you get the bottom one past the ridge in the pot? Did that require some flexing of the pot?Kind of hard to see, but I pushed the very bottom grate all the way to the bottom, past the ridge in the pot.
Is that three cooking grates? How did you get the bottom one past the ridge in the pot? Did that require some flexing of the pot?
Do you put something between the coals and the bottom grate?