Tuning plate trouble

I would call Chris and let him talk you though it.

^^^this or change your title to LSG tuning plate trouble and ssv or another member with this same cooker will chime in.

I just made tuning plates for my vertical offset. I have 4 4" steel plates as my tuning plates. Sure they aren't pretty, I didn't make them to look pretty, but they do work. It might be different having 2 tuning plates, but so far using mine I can get within 10 degree difference left and right across the board, but in order to do that I've had to move the tuning plates a little bit at a time.

If I'm running hot furthest away from the firebox, I would start closing the gap on that side of the cook chamber making a bigger opening in the middle. start with small changes, as I've found small changes can make pretty big differences.

but like I said it could be completely different with 2 tuning plates, and it also may be different with "professional" made tuning plate set up and cooker as my cooker is completely home grown

Vertical chamber heat flow is very different than a horizontal. The distance from the firebox to the stack side is 24" as opposed to 36", 48".etc. The heat from the firebox has a very short distance to travel to the stack side. Thus, tuning the smoker is going be different than with a horizontal. Rather than butting up the first plate next to the downward baffle in your cooker, you need to direct heat up at the firebox end by placing the first plate 1 3/4" to 2" away from the baffle. The next plate can be placed with a 1 1/2" gap. You need to tune the smoker with no meat in it and do not even look at the side to side temps until after a couple of hours. If needed, you can then adjust the gaps and wait another 45 minutes or so before checking the side to side temps. Believe me, you will get there......... it takes time just like all cookers to get them tuned. Mine is will be completely even or perhaps up to 10* higher on the stack side depending how much and where I place the meat in the cooker.

Tuning plates are flat? I think I'd try a piece of thin sheet (16g) and bend it like a louver directing heat back to the firebox side of the CC... works for ac /heat registers- might make some sense here too- might not. /gonna leave before the laughing starts

:doh: Why did I not think of that! However, since mine is tuned using those "flat" tuning plates, I think I will leave well enough alone. :-D

I agree your idea works great for ac/heat registers.