Hondo Jr. with baffle picture

[cayenne]

Hi all,

All I've got is a camera phone....so, pics aren't that great, but, one is image of the smoker, and the other is with the grate nearest the firebox off showing the vent/heat shield.

I almost seem to now have the problem of getting the temp up high enough....but, right now I'm still not loading the fire box up too heavily,a nd keeping the fuel near the side of the fb opposite of the cook box.

I've added a bit more charcoal and 2 more small sticks of hickory. Got white smoke...fairly heavy...but, not too bad I don't think at this point...

My 'assistant' in the first pic, is Bailey...a chocolate, tan and white cocker spaniel....and when we finish a smoking session....she smells like a hickory stick for about a week afterwards.

She is good for helping clean up any spills or stray pieces of meat that get away from me. I do have to be careful though, where I set my drink....she tends to try to 'help' me with that too.

:-O

cayenne

 

[BBQchef33]

nice job on the baffle.

If temps by the firebox are low, a few 1/4 inch holes drilled in it will help that out.

but the galvanizewd metal is bad.. gives off noxious fumes, can make u sick.

use the search button and look up all the discussions on galvanized metal. Scientifically, there are claims that the metal needs to exceed temperatures that we dont attain in order to cause the plating to deterioate.

but.. if it were me, I'd be burning that stuff off.

 

[cayenne]

Hope it worked..

nice job on the baffle.

If temps by the firebox are low, a few 1/4 inch holes drilled in it will help that out.

but the galvanizewd metal is bad.. gives off noxious fumes, can make u sick.

use the search button and look up all the discussions on galvanized metal. Scientifically, there are claims that the metal needs to exceed temperatures that we dont attain in order to cause the plating to deterioate.

but.. if it were me, I'd be burning that stuff off.

I did a burn in last night....350+F till fire burned out last night...hoping that 'cured' the vent I put in.

Dang...hope I'm not doing somehting that will hurt me...I think I burned everything off.

To be honest, I dunno if it was galvanized steel or not....I'm not sure what it was honestly....

:-(

I only once today noticed any kind of 'off' odor...but, that was when I put in a log of hickory earlier...but, smells like good "Q" since then.

Do you think I need to toss everything I've cooked???

C

 

[Azinine]

I think you'll be fine. Most of the finish seems to be burned off. There is a little bit left on the end of the baffle but, if it didn't get hot enough to burn last night, it won't get hot enough to burn while cooking. I sure as heck wouldn't toss everything.

 

[cayenne]

So far...still alive...

I think you'll be fine. Most of the finish seems to be burned off. There is a little bit left on the end of the baffle but, if it didn't get hot enough to burn last night, it won't get hot enough to burn while cooking. I sure as heck wouldn't toss everything.

Howdy!!

Thanks for the replies. Well, eating the ribs now....butt is foiled and coolered. I'm running outta steam now...may just get up early in the morning to deal with the butt.

So far...ribs came out fantastic.

I think my first real mod came out GREAT. I'd read about horrible temp. problems with this little unit...due to size. But, I burned mostly sticks as fuel...charcoal mostly just to start...with a few more in as it went.

Meat...had a very very slight over cook on ends near firebox...but, not that much. Temp gauge stayed at about 200F the whole time...which I guess was near 220 meat level....so, the mod seemed to block the heat and distribute quite evenly.

I think with this being so small...running the vent to halfway intot he cook chamber...really helped level temp out throughout the cook chamber.

I must say...I thought this thing would just be a temp. fix till I get to a real house again, and get my 'dera out of storage. But, I think I may keep and take this with me even with the old smoker. For just a quickie bath of a rack or two of ribs...this would be good...fast, low fuel consumption, etc.

I'll use my regular smoker for regular cooks...but, for a quick cook of small batches...this would come in quite handy. And with the ease of keeping low temps in it...would be good for delicate stuff like salmon, etc.

But anyway...so far, so good...good taste...and haven't died yet...



Thanks!!

cayenne

 

[Norcoredneck]

Congrats on the sucess.