Gas assist for smoker

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Springram
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Gas assist for smoker

Postby Springram » Sat Sep 26, 2015 10:32 pm

I am tempted to add a gas assist accessory for my newly ordered Lone Star Grills horizontal smoker. Anyone have any thoughts...pro or con?

Not much to add it. Only $125.

Also thinking about adding a stainless steel cover for the front shelf.....

Thanks for your thoughts and help.

Springram
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby Okie Sawbones » Sun Sep 27, 2015 8:28 am

I added a gas assist for my Jambo clone. I regret it. Just another source of rust. It is just as easy to add a chimney of charcoal to the smoker to get the wood going. My two cents worth.
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby k.a.m. » Sun Sep 27, 2015 8:34 am

The SS shelf would be my only choice. I do not even put gas assist on my own cookers. I have a small weed burner I built to start my fire with.
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby Okie Sawbones » Sun Sep 27, 2015 9:06 am

k.a.m. wrote:The SS shelf would be my only choice. I do not even put gas assist on my own cookers. I have a small weed burner I built to start my fire with.


I've seen some of the teams use a weed burner. It seemed to work well. I use a torch to start my lump charcoal, but have not tried a weed burner.
KCBS - CBJ
PNWBA - CBJ
Jambo Clone, Primo Oval XL, Blaz'n Grills Pellet Stove, Weber 22.5", Lynx SS Grill, The Big Easy
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby k.a.m. » Sun Sep 27, 2015 10:05 am

My comp trailer "Bahama Mama" is piped to the back with a quick coupling. I just hook up and put the burner in my intake I start her with about 10 lbs. of charcoal and two logs. I run the propane till she gets to about 250° and then shut it off. It takes about 45 minutes to get her there.
That is my wife holding the torch when I built it to test fire it.
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Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



My Hybrid cooker.
Competition trailer #2.
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby Okie Sawbones » Sun Sep 27, 2015 10:51 am

She looks like she knows how to use it -- better not get too lippy. :shock:
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PNWBA - CBJ
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby txsmkmstr » Sun Sep 27, 2015 11:46 am

I had gas assist on my trailer pit and loved it. I had gas assist on my Tejas 1630 and loved it. I did end up putting electronic ignition on the trailer pit because the fire box was hard to reach when turning on the valve.

The weedburner would be a good option to have but you still have to stand there. I would do gas assist on my next pit as well. Now mind you, there's a proper way of using gas assist and big consequences to pay if you mess up - so get a procedure and follow it. Or, simply don't get it at all.
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby k.a.m. » Sun Sep 27, 2015 12:05 pm

txsmkmstr wrote:I had gas assist on my trailer pit and loved it. I had gas assist on my Tejas 1630 and loved it. I did end up putting electronic ignition on the trailer pit because the fire box was hard to reach when turning on the valve.

The weedburner would be a good option to have but you still have to stand there. I would do gas assist on my next pit as well. Now mind you, there's a proper way of using gas assist and big consequences to pay if you mess up - so get a procedure and follow it. Or, simply don't get it at all.

Nope no standing there with my little one. I stick it through the expanded metal covering my intake and it rests on the trailer deck. :D
I agree totally on the safety issues with using gas assist. There have been folks lose their lives using propane in smokers. Loaning the cooker out is a big issue as folks not accustomed to using gas assist simply do not know the consequences if a mistake is made.
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



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Competition trailer #2.
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby GRailsback » Sun Sep 27, 2015 6:19 pm

I had gas starters installed on my pit when I had it built, They are very efficient. Only need to run them about 15-20 minutes or so and the wood is up and going. Then I let the wood fire come up to temp and level off. For my steak cooker I had a auxillary line plumbed up to use a week burner like K.A.M's to start the charcoal in it.
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby txsmkmstr » Mon Sep 28, 2015 9:03 am

k.a.m. wrote:Nope no standing there with my little one. I stick it through the expanded metal covering my intake and it rests on the trailer deck. :D


Ah... that makes sense. I was thinking about my little Harbor Freight weedburner that I use to preheat my cabinet smoker.
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby k.a.m. » Tue Sep 29, 2015 6:05 am

The one I built has a 1" tube on the end. I made the hole in the expanded metal slightly larger to accept the torch. :D
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



My Hybrid cooker.
Competition trailer #2.
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Re: Gas assist for smoker

Postby sparctek » Wed Sep 30, 2015 2:22 pm

For what it's worth, I got the stainless steel folding shelf option on my LSG cooker. if I had the choice of the SS shelf or the gas assist, I would chose the SS shelf. I asked Chris to make mine a 12 inch shelf instead of 10. For me that is working out well as it gives me a little more room when opening the cook chamber doors. I use a weed burner to start my fires as well.

Jesse

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