Bandera vertical smoker fire pit access door mod?

Folk seem to get a bit anal when it comes to "sealing up a smoker" completely.

Doing that with an insulated charcoal cooker or UDS/WSM makes sense.

Not so much with a stick burner- I'd seal the cook chamber doors (maybe- if that) and move on. Gaps in your firebox door could better be called "extra intake"-and if the fit is even close, you are OK. 50 degree swing on sticks being added is pretty common for thin metaled cookers. My vertical is 3/16 and I run a curve from 275 to 325 -and it works very well. Small hot fires are the way to go, IMO.

I'm not saying a temp controller is a waste of time and bother. To me, they are better suited to charcoal cookers but have been slung on all types of stick burners. You don't hear a slew of success stories from those who have done it- I'd think there'd be more news if it was a game changer for stick burners but /shrug.

Get after it-experiment- it might just be what you are looking for. There are several Bandera owners here. One of them is bound to chime in with their thoughts.
Good luck.

There's a YouTube video somewhere, where a guy mounted an air intake regulator, but he attached it on the opposite side, under the smoke box.

Regarding the firebox door fit, mine was similarly jacked up. It probably didn't matter really, but it irritated the hell out of me. First step was to add a couple washers to the handle, forcing a tighter lock. Second was to wedge some scrap cedar under the firebox - the door misalignment was due to the center of the smoker sagging and twisting. That was a balancing act, because as the firebox door came into proper alignment, the smokebox door started to fit a little less snug. There's a happy medium. I'll take some photos once its light outside.

Mudded said:

Anyone ever modified the door to the fire pit that has the vent? Curious as to a better method to control the fire with a regulated air intake and temperature controller with fan.

I see the horizontal Oklahoma Joe offset smoker has a mod kit for it but don't see any pictures of mods nor kits for the Bandera in this area other than a charcoal basket,

My door alignment was garbage when I got mine leaving a slight opening between the door and fire pit itself at the top left when closed not to mention isn't snug tight. Have to battle 50~70F variations every time I replenish the sticks for fuel and want to control it better.

Have every mod from the 101 doc done with the fire bricks, the down baffle between the fire pit and main chamber came with it as-is, high temp gasket and silicone to cover the gaps and a snug fit on the main door.

Click to expand...

Pics? For a short term fix, some foil should help fill the gap.

I run mine with the door cracked open a bit anyway, so it wouldn't matter at all.

Propping up the front of the firebox significantly improved the firebox door alignment. Unsupported, the weight was twisting the firebox out of square.

Finishing touch was a couple fender washers on the handle, which made it lock closed much more snugly.

Thanks for the idea Tcaton, I just assembled my Bandera and with firebricks in the firebox plus pavers in the cook chamber I noticed a bit of sag in the middle and slight gap on front left of firebox lid.
Haven't fired it up to season it yet so not sure how much the slight gap is going to matter. Here in the almost-arctic however I need all the heat going where it's supposed to.

Stickburners cook in a temp range - target temp +/- 25-30* on cheaper to mid grade pits and can be +/- 10* on Nice Pits. 50-60* swing is Normal. You will average your target temp. All a Bandera needs is decent firegrate, flat top on firebox or flat plate put in the stock lid, washers on door handles to snug them up and deflector/baffle ( which they now come with). I don’t see any benefit in firebricks or door gaskets. I did run a water pan in floor of the cook chamber to help even temps from bottom grate to top grate.

If you want steady temps get a charcoal smoker - WSM, UDS, Insulated Cabinet smoker.......

I got rid of the domed lid on the firebox because I can't foresee "grilling" over my firebox... ever. I made a flat lid with some angle iron on top to warm up my splits. Seals it well and I just leave my firebox door open instead. The fire dies down pretty quickly if I close the door and just use the vents. Maybe it's just me.

My unit is new, but the handful of times I have used it, I've finished the cook with a CI skillet or dutch oven of veggies or beans, in the firebox. Works great, much better than the gentle heat of the smoke chamber. So I'd personally never want to lose that option. I do wish I had an easy, temporary way to close off the firebox's headspace. I've got a couple ideas, just need to befriend someone with a basic metal workshop....

tcaton said:

My unit is new, but the handful of times I have used it, I've finished the cook with a CI skillet or dutch oven of veggies or beans, in the firebox. Works great, much better than the gentle heat of the smoke chamber. So I'd personally never want to lose that option. I do wish I had an easy, temporary way to close off the firebox's headspace. I've got a couple ideas, just need to befriend someone with a basic metal workshop....

Click to expand...

You can just weld some bullet hinges to a piece of flat steel and you’re good. That’s all I did and inserted it in.

Right, i believe your headspace is permanently gone? If so, you have no option of putting a dutch oven in there.

I've tried putting a foil-wrapped grate in the firebox, which worked pretty fabulously *and* is reversible, but at the end of the cook some the foil had vaporized. Don't want that anywhere near my food. I think I've accidentally hijacked this thread now...

Still need to fix door but love my lid mod

Can even use it as a griddle.
great for warming wood



cost me 14$ 2 welding hammers from Harbor Freight for handles

Brother had the rest of the 1/4" steel in his scrap pile and welded it all up for me.