Bandera 101 Document

I used JBWeld extreme heat between the boxes.

https://www.jbweld.com/collections/metal/products/j-b-extremeheat

We will see how it goes.

I'm also in the process of mortaring in firebrick.

Southstar Jeff said:

I used JBWeld extreme heat between the boxes.

https://www.jbweld.com/collections/metal/products/j-b-extremeheat

We will see how it goes.

I'm also in the process of mortaring in firebrick.

Click to expand...

I initially used that with my ash pans but I found them a bit crumbly.

Ok, my new OJB is sealed...well, not quite...Thought I had it, but there are quite a few spots that leak that I didn't think would...Gasket on the main door is all...My problem is the temps...I lit about 1/2 chimney and it didn't get the temps anywhere ...190+/-.....Added another bunch and some wood(new to me for heat) and removed the baffle and the temps rose nicely...BUT only to maybe 225...Now, I added wood, more charcoal, opened door/vent and it has come up to 288 right now..I may just need to use more fuel than I'm used to...All my other rigs run cheap?...

on the hook said:

Ok, my new OJB is sealed...well, not quite...Thought I had it, but there are quite a few spots that leak that I didn't think would...Gasket on the main door is all...My problem is the temps...I lit about 1/2 chimney and it didn't get the temps anywhere ...190+/-.....Added another bunch and some wood(new to me for heat) and removed the baffle and the temps rose nicely...BUT only to maybe 225...Now, I added wood, more charcoal, opened door/vent and it has come up to 288 right now..I may just need to use more fuel than I'm used to...All my other rigs run cheap?...

Click to expand...

Charcoal should only be your base. Get a nice bed of lit coals and throw in a split or two. Let that burn and throw a split on every 30-45 minutes or when your coal bed is dying out. You'll burn through charcoal if that's your main heat source.

This is a 275 F fire. I've found my smoke is nice and blue when I leave the door open so it stays open. What are your other rigs?

These plus a New Braunfels BD and another Weber PG Kettle...Just the shear volume is probably my culprit...Didn't expect a lot of fuel...Not practical to do small cooks on this...

Has anyone tried welding 1/4" sheets of metal in the firebox and just starting a fire right on the sheet with no grate? I might go that route...

OK Joe Bandera

Just got OK Joe Bandera at Academy. They had reduced it to 199 then included it in the 50% off sale. I was not looking for a smoker but at less than 100 how could I not get it.



Now for the fun. Making suggested mods, fire brick in fire box and smoke box. smoke box door gasket and rtv to seal up everything. Need to find inexpensive metal for new fire box etc but will get there in a while.


Have no access to welding so must bolt everything together.


Any suggestions are welcome.


I plan on attaching gasket to door, put in fire bricks, and sealing before building a fire.


If it needs to be heated first just tell me.

Thanks!

Seasoning it wont hurt. And it will run without the mods for the first few times to get your feet wet. no reason to wait to cook. I cooked on my bandera for a long time and did the mods one by one and noticed the improvements they made each time.



Get a few chickens, butterfly them, coad the inside of the smoke chamger with pan or crisco. Start a good size fire to get the chamber up to 450-500, then damper down and when it hits 375, put in the chickens.. ya get to season the pit and have dinner at the same time.

I have looked thru the thread and have a few questions.


1. I have installed firebrick in the firebox and smoke chamber.Should I have seasoned the smoker first, or OK to do after firebrick are installed?? What temp to season?

2. The firebrick make it so that the ash pan does not fit. Do I need the ash pan?
Make a disposable pan from tin foil? I have seen someone mention using the original ash pan in the smoke chamber.

3. How far above the firebridk should the charcoal basket be?

4. Does anyone have a pic of the baffle made from the drawing?

5. Should the charcoal basket be at or below the top of the firebox top opening?

So, slightly dumb newbie question, but is the document in the first post maintained/updated, or is it being maintained elsewhere? If the latter, can I request the updated version?

Glad I found this site!

Even though the posts on this thread are old they have been helpful. I hope someone still replies.

I bought a New Braunfels Bandera (vertical) smoker at an estate sale. Little rust. I cleaned it up a bit and tried it out. I've had some success and some not so successful smokes with it.

Based on the Bandera 101 document I just put the felt tape around the smoke chamber door. Problem is I had a heck of a time closing the door! I had to work hard to get it closed and latch it. No way I will be able to do that when its hot!

Did I do something wrong?

Mods I'm thinking of: Grommet for the probes and a basket for the charcoal and sticks. I found one on LavaLock 12x12x12 that I think should fix. Also fire bricks on the fire box bottom.

fatty7879 said:

I may be too dumb to find it but where can I find the so called files section for these mods?

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I’m in the same boat- did you ever figure it out?

Just got my Bandera two days ago from Ace hardware. When I looked online it was $650 on the OKJ website, $500 at Home Depot, and $650 at Ace. I walked into Ace and it was $350 brand new (here in California). I know many of you have gotten it much cheaper many years ago though. I'm looking to replace my Broil King Vertical Smoker and my Masterbuilt Gravity series 1050. Let me tell you, I've had the 1050 since soon after it first came out last spring (2020).After many many cooks and various tactics using charcoal and wood, I cannot get the smoke flavor out of that unit that I can get on my vertical charcoal smoker - that being an older Broil King Vertical Charcoal Smoker. I really want a gravity fed vertical charcoal smoker that isn't in the price range of a Myron Mixon or Lonestar grillz.As much as I like how versatile the MB 1050 is, it comes down to flavor and unanimously every mouth that has eaten from both of my smokers prefer the Broil King by a landslide. The MB 1050 isn't even close and is often questionable if there's smoke. I'm not new to smoking either, not an expert, but have been smoking for about 5 years so I've learned useful things from my father-in-law, YouTube university and various forums and books. I don't always feel safe grilling on the MB 1050 and I tend to keep mine cleaned on the bottom after each cook. After talking to several folks who are experienced smokers it seems there is just something fundamentally different about the way a vertical works and imparts smoke flavor. So I am giving the Bandera a try.

About to season it, but first impressions:

1. I do not like the door locking setups on this unit. May have to get some latches.
2. Love that you can grill (which I seldom do, but goo do have anyway)
3. Why did they make a side firebox door that doesn't seal that chamber off well?
4. Why put a rack shelf in the way of the door lock
   
   I'll definitely be looking into the mods.
5. I wish the racks didn't just slide out and possibly tip over.