The Texas BBQ Forum

Billgran wrote:

Old Smokey wrote: With those two mods you don't need a tuning plate as the temp is less than 10 degrees difference across the pit.

Do you have some sort of baffle at the firebox to cooking chamber opening or do you still have it completely stock where the top of the opening is just above the grates?

Left it stock. Of course it is hotter right above the opening but the difference is less than 10 degrees from one temperature gauge position to the other. Not worth the price of a tuning plate to get the last 6" of cooking chamber. I imagine the temp is higher in that area with the tuning plate.

ChilleFarmer
I also have a longhorn and am trying to modify it. Right now I have a temperature difference of about 50 from one end to the other. I was wondering if you would mind telling me what you use to extend your smoke stack to the grill level.

Thank you
Gary

Gary, that is a 3" 90° elbow for a gas hot water heater vent pipe. I burnt the galvanize off with a torch. Just to be safe. Some times you can find them in aluminum. CF

Back when I played with these baby offsets I went to a muffler shop. Guy gave me a piece of Stainless Steel tailpipe left over from a custom exhaust job in exchange for the promise that the next muffler repair I needed that I'd call him first.

Thanks
ChiliFarmer

Here is a pick of my OK Joe in action. Notice how close the chicken is to the opening of the fire pit. I can use everything but the last couple of inches. The reason it is not overly hot there is because of the WSM 18" fire ring and grate elevated by bricks. By elevating the fire, you get less radiant heat in the pit. A couple of other advantages of the WSM ring are the fire doesn't touch the pit so it will last longer, I can do an 18 hour burn without clearing the ash from the pit, and it only takes about 2 bags of charcoal for an 18 hour burn. It is also very easy to maintain a 250 degree temp because you have a smaller fire.

So I am heading the opposite direction on my Brinkman Mod.
Smoke & Heat forced to the top of the chamber a la this Jambo & the exhaust outlet below the cooking grate.

If this is to far off subject (even heat in main chamber) I am happy to remove??

Very interesting ideas. I also have an Oklahoma Joe's pit that is yearning for mods.

Very nice mods CF!

I would really like to know how you stop all the smoke from leaking around the smoking chamber door and from the fire box door, also from between the fire box and smoke chamber.

odb1967 wrote:I would really like to know how you stop all the smoke from leaking around the smoking chamber door and from the fire box door, also from between the fire box and smoke chamber.

First off Howdy & welcome! Now lets tighten up that pit

The chamber door is an easy fix all you need is a 1 Yankee dollar and a Crescent hammer. Lay the dollar in the door and close it. Grab the end with your thumb and index finger and gently apply tension if it slips through the opening take the crescent Hammer and open the jaw slip it over the edge of the chamber not the door and bend it out just a little work your way around the opening until the dollar wont pull out. Light a small smokey fire 2-3 briquette and a few wet chips is all you'll need. choke down the stack and check for leaks make what additional adjustments you need to.

By the Firebox door I assume you're speaking of the clean out on the end of the box. if you have a Welder you can double flange the door and opening with 1" flat stock. I have done two that way for friends. baring that get the BBQ'ers Fix all: Aluminum foil. tear off a piece and fold in to a long 1" wide strip and form the strip around the door to form a seal.

Now for the fire box/oven connection again if you have a Welder if not go to your favorite auto parts store and get a tube of the RED Permatex High temp silicone. Unbolt the box from the body and lay a bead around each bolt hole then connect the holes with a bead and bolt the box back up it takes 24 hrs to cure.

If you check my pics earlier in the thread, I used high temp silicone to seal the main door. Just get some 1" wide strips of waxed paper, run a bead of silicone around the edge of the door, cover it with the waxed paper, close the door firmly, let it dry over night, remove the waxed paper, and you are ready to go. As for the fire door, just fold a strip of aluminum foil about an inch wide around the edge of the door to seal it up. I have no problem maintaining a temp of 180 degrees for hours with these mods. Before I did them I had trouble keeping it below 350 degrees.