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Old 09-19-2021, 03:35 AM   #1
Cheech and Chong
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Default Temp control/blue smoke control on new stick burner

Hello all,

I am seasoning my new smoker today and I am having some trouble with temp and smoke.

The smoke chamber is 33 x 18 and it's 1/4 steel. I wiped the chamber down with cooking oil, lit some charcoal and brought it up to 250. I preheated some logs and then threw them on. My problem is if I close the intake vent to keep the temp down, the smoke is the bad cloudy smoke. When I open the intake more I get clearer blue smoke but the temps jump up to 300. I cant seem to get the temp down to 225-275 AND get the clear blue smoke. Could the wood be to moist? I really don't want to cook next weekend and have that crap thick smoke coming out. Any advice?
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Old 09-19-2021, 04:06 AM   #2
Crakaveli
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too much wood? splits too big?
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Old 09-19-2021, 06:10 AM   #3
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Originally Posted by Crakaveli View Post
too much wood? splits too big?
Yes I agree. The splits are 8 inches long and I think I need to cut them in half and try and make chunks out of them. Also, I think the ones with bark create the bad smoke. Any truth to that?

I think the coals are spreading out too much so I think I will have a small metal basket made to keep the coals together and then I can just throw heated chunks on there. I went with the 1/4 inch steel even though it never gets below 70 degrees here. This thing holds the heat very well.
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Old 09-19-2021, 07:05 AM   #4
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cleanest smoke is going to happen when you just let an offset breath and control the temp with the size of the fire. It will take a cook or 2 to learn what size fire your pit likes to run, don't worry about temp so much, in the summer here where its about *100 every day my pits are at *150-*175 with no fire in them.

*275 is the new *225
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Old 09-19-2021, 08:18 AM   #5
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8" is a pretty short split. Try splitting them lengthwise, to make them smaller in diameter. Cutting in half, across the width, will just give you chunks that won't expose more of the wood. My Shirley needs splits about 15" long and about the diameter of a soft drink/beer can. I take a split from my wood supplier and split it once or twice more lengthwise to get the sizes I need.
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Old 09-19-2021, 09:17 AM   #6
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8" is a pretty short split. Try splitting them lengthwise, to make them smaller in diameter. Cutting in half, across the width, will just give you chunks that won't expose more of the wood. My Shirley needs splits about 15" long and about the diameter of a soft drink/beer can. I take a split from my wood supplier and split it once or twice more lengthwise to get the sizes I need.
OK, I will try splitting the long way too. I think this smoker will be very fuel efficient. Even though it's never cold here, I am glad I upgraded to 1/4 steel.
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Old 09-19-2021, 10:10 AM   #7
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- splits too wide and/or long for the firebox. What size is it? My firebox is 16x21" and I use 8 to 9" long, Red Bull to Coke can-wide splits
- don't choke the fire down, leave the door open 2" at minimum
- same as above, keep the exhaust vent wide open on the stack
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Old 09-19-2021, 06:11 PM   #8
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Quote:
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- splits too wide and/or long for the firebox. What size is it? My firebox is 16x21" and I use 8 to 9" long, Red Bull to Coke can-wide splits
- don't choke the fire down, leave the door open 2" at minimum
- same as above, keep the exhaust vent wide open on the stack
The firebox is 16 x 16. Also 1/4 steel. I kept the exhaust wide open. Are you saying leave the firebox door open 2 inches or open the intake door 3 inches?





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Old 09-19-2021, 06:42 PM   #9
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leave the firebox door (on the side) open 2 inches
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Old 09-19-2021, 07:03 PM   #10
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You have a vent in the Door…..leave the door closed and control the temp by opening the vent. My Shirley is at 275 in this photo…..it doesn’t take much air once you have that coal bed going.
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Old 09-19-2021, 07:11 PM   #11
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Use smaller wood. Cut splits or split your splits.

275* is Best BBQ temp - so bounce between 250*-325*
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Old 09-19-2021, 07:54 PM   #12
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https://www.northerntool.com/shop/to...7343_200647343
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Old 09-19-2021, 08:15 PM   #13
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Quote:
Originally Posted by cdhbrad View Post
You have a vent in the Door…..leave the door closed and control the temp by opening the vent. My Shirley is at 275 in this photo…..it doesn’t take much air once you have that coal bed going.
I started out with a nice coal bed to get the smoker up to temp, but from then on, I only added wood. Should I keep adding some new coals also during the long cook?

Thanks,

Daves not here man
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Old 09-19-2021, 08:26 PM   #14
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No, the splits you add will make coals. If the wood in your photos are typical size you have, try splitting them again lengthwise. Kindling Cracker works great. Get the XL if you buy one. That is what most of us use.
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Old 09-19-2021, 08:28 PM   #15
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Cheech and Chong View Post
I started out with a nice coal bed to get the smoker up to temp, but from then on, I only added wood. Should I keep adding some new coals also during the long cook?

Thanks,

Daves not here man
Yes. if your wood is too dry it'll burn to Ash and not good red coals.... if so light up half a chimney of charcoal and when it's ashed over add to firebox as needed during a cook - but if your firewood provides nice red coals to add splitts on top of - don't worry about it.
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