Kingfisher Mods

[The Pickled Pig]

I purchased a DigiQ this week but before I install it I wanted to correct a few problems with the cooker. So, I put the Kingfisher in the shop today for some modification work. I admit to being a little nervous. I've developed a love hate relationship with that cooker over the last 2 years. I hate some of the design flaws but really do like the cooker. And, it's my first and only stick burner so there is some sort of strange sentimental value.

The work is being done by someone familiar with cookers, but not experienced with Kingfishers. He is semi-blindly following my instructions so if it's farked up, it's all on me. I kind of figured it won't be too hard to undo any of the changes.

When I purchased the unit, I had a few mods done by the dealer. He installed the warming oven, mounted a 4 burner propane stove on the back, converted a work surface into a reversible direct heat grill, and made a fire basket and pull-out tray for the firebox. Here are some pictures from back when it was new and clean.

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfisher/frontprofile.jpg

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfisher/backprofile.jpg

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfisher/rotisserie.jpg

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfisher/grill.jpg


The mods I'm now having done are:

Adding a sheet between the firebox and warming oven with a slide damper
Adding dampers to the 2 bottom vents between the firebox and the pit
Cutting a series of holes in the pit pull-out grate to improve airflow
Raising the tail end of the pull out grate 1/2"
Repairing the original fuel basket
Creating a new "S" shaped slow-burn basket
Installing fiberglass gasket chord around the door seals to make everything airtightI'm hoping that these changes will improve the heat transfer efficiency from the firebox to the pit and make the DigiQ even more effective. The new basket will hopefully give me some sleep or additional drinking time on overnight cooks.

If anyone's mounted a DigiQ or PitMinder on a Kingfisher, I'd love to hear where you mounted it and how it worked.

[jestridge]

Nice looking smoker

[KC_Bobby]

Yes say yes to more drinking time! That way you don't have to do both at the same time.

[The Pickled Pig]

Damn. That's just not nice...taking advantage of a brother when he's clearly overworked and tired like that. I was obviously so "tired" that I did not want to partake in the cocktail being offered. At least the cup is covering up the drool.

As a side note, I'm using that same cup right now.8-)

[HoDeDo]

Paul, you should swing back down by Bobby's and look at some of the mods he did to the backyard and the gator I used to use for comps. We added a stack, and changed the air intakes. We set it up to run a BBQ Guru. The larger one we actually set up to have a Pit Slave 25 CFM fan running in parallel to the 25 CFM that came with it.

[The Pickled Pig]

I tried but Bobby is a little tough to work with during winter. I called him a few weeks back and he suggested I call him back when it's warmer. I truly appreciate the flexibility his business offers him but my own constraints right now really require working with someone with regular, consistent hours.

Don't get me wrong, there is no one I would rather have working on my pit than he as his creativity and Kingfisher experience is unmatched and his craftsmanship is fantastic. But he just didn't seem that interested in this project right now.

[HoDeDo]

Don't get me wrong, there is no one I would rather have working on my pit than he as his creativity and Kingfisher experience is unmatched and his craftsmanship is fantastic. But he just didn't seem that interested in this project right now.

Yea, good point -He has been up to his ears in other cookers right now... crating and shipping. And since his other welder flaked out on him; he's a one man show on the fabrication stuff. And I've got him working on mine - so sorry to hose you up on that man!!! I am thinking that I will be lucky to have them done by Kookers Kare - unless I go down and do them myself.

He might be a little more amenable now -- he didnt have heat in the back shop where his plasma gear and welder is; He now has the gas run back there and a heater installed.

If you want to steal some ideas on mounting the guru, or some of the more radical changes (got rid of the factory diffuser, and put in a tray... to hold water/juice etc.... with an additional drain valve. ) That let me do away with the water jacket... and get that oven hopping.

[The Pickled Pig]

I picked up the smoker from the shop today. Everything requested was done. Hopefully the DigiQ will come this week and I can install it prior to a test cook this weekend.



Adding a sheet between the firebox and warming oven with a slide damper

Done.

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfishermods/2.jpg

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfishermods/3.jpg



Adding dampers to the 2 bottom vents between the firebox and the pit

Done. Nice handy slide pull to open or close both vents.

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfishermods/4.jpg



Cutting a series of holes in the pit pull-out grate to improve airflow

Done. Hope it works.

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfishermods/5.jpg



Raising the tail end of the pull out grate 1/2"

Done.

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfishermods/6.jpg



Creating a new "S" shaped slow-burn basket

I really hope this combined with a DigiQ will mean more drinking time at contests.

http://www.thepickledpig.com/ppforumimages/kingfishermods/1.jpg

[SP]

You might cross over burn on you charcoal basket. You need to have a gap between the baffles. But try it out it might work great.