My mods, and other suggestions

[mes0970]

I have a NB Bandera with the following mods, smoke chamber baffle, silicon around the door ( still leaks smoke ). Ceramic bricks under the ash trey and upgraded grate in the firebox for fuel ( charcoal or wood). I am about to: install the drain, either try more silicon on the door or use the track and gasket, and buy Al's charcoal basket. Any other suggestions? I have one temp guage in the center of the door and was thinking of adding a couple more. If so, where should I put them? I am in my first competition in September and could use some expert opinions!!! THANKS!!!

 

[BBQchef33]

If i were going to add thermos to the door i would just evenbly space them top to bottom. Bottom being the lowest shelf i would cook on, not the bottom of the chamber. But .. PROBE THERMOMETERS! why drill holes? Just get a load of probes and drop them down the chimney.

as far as the gasket goes, I still have my original gasket from 2 years ago when i developed the mod. I replace the gasket with 3/8 gasket at the beginning of each season. The track and gasket are a little more of a hassle than the silicon mod but it has held up for me.

sounds like you got it iunder control. I would just make up a heat shield to have for when you need it.

 

[stlmike]

How much/how did you install the silicon gasket? I checked with the guy I sold my bandera to and found out that the silicon door gasket I installed two years ago is still holding up for him. If you can identify your leaks, you should be able to add more silicon in order to make a better seal.
Mike

 

[mes0970]

Mike,

Mine leaks as you are facing the door; to the right, around the latch area. The silican has done fine everywhere else. My problem is; as you may know, when you close the latch the door shifts and I don't know if I can get enough silicon in there to make up for the door shift.

Matt

 

[stlmike]

Matt,
I guess that I was lucky. When I did the silicon mod, I put enough around the door latch to make sure that as the door shifts enough silicon filled in the gap.
Mike