Had him put the smoke stack exactly where I wanted it...and I asked that it be removable for travel in enclosed trailer once in a while. So you can see where the break is - he fabbed a metal collar, with a two nut/bold assembly to connect it.
THIS is the ash dump. Not only does it work great for cleaning, but WOW - need a little boost of air to stop a stick from smoldering and get it burning? Try a nice air inlet right underneath the grate! Awesome...
Cook chamber drain and can hook...Everything on this is heavy duty.
Good look at the welds, and the hinges. All openings have the nice, thick metal insets so that everything fits flush...hardly a lick of a smoke leak ANYWHERE on this:
OK, here is the only bummer
I specifically told the guy the exact dimensions that I wanted the internal baffle made to, as far as length as it protrudes into the smoking chamber and also the pitch or angle downward that I wanted it to go. I said a 6" baffle...this is twice that and maybe then some. I think it extends almost 1/3 way into the smoking chamber, at least. So - the result is that (as you are looking inside) the left side of the main grate and upper left area (upper grate) doesn't get much heat at all. I know this seems strange because that is the side closest to the firebox, but that baffle is thick. So - I'm gonna experiment a few more smaller cooks, and then I'll probably have someone come over and cutting torch that baffle in half...then I can add a tuning plate or two if needed.
Overall, I love her! She holds temps well, and the draw or air movement is sublime...a slight tweak of the inlet and I have a noticable difference in all the right ways. After my seasoning last weekend (7 pm to 1 am) I did a cookout the next day! I know...dumb on a new cooker but I pulled it off...no food left! 4 huge slabs of St. Louis cut ribs and 5 big bone-in split chicken breasts.
Anywhoo - I hope you enjoyed the look here. So far, I would STRONLY recoommend this guy...what he does for the money is insane. The Klose patio model that is slightly smaller than this is EXATLY three times the cost. I'm not knocking D. Klose at all...never used one and I'm sure they are awesome...but this has a thicker firebox, a bigger chamber and it's NOT $1350...it was $450 plus $150 to ship it to my warehouse...Sa' Weet!
Thanks for checking it out. Tomorrow's que view will be 3 more split breasts, a huge shoulder, a fattie, and 3 lbs. of beef short ribs! Gotta go grind up the rubs now...Happy smoking everyone.
THIS is the ash dump. Not only does it work great for cleaning, but WOW - need a little boost of air to stop a stick from smoldering and get it burning? Try a nice air inlet right underneath the grate! Awesome...
Cook chamber drain and can hook...Everything on this is heavy duty.
Good look at the welds, and the hinges. All openings have the nice, thick metal insets so that everything fits flush...hardly a lick of a smoke leak ANYWHERE on this:
OK, here is the only bummer
Overall, I love her! She holds temps well, and the draw or air movement is sublime...a slight tweak of the inlet and I have a noticable difference in all the right ways. After my seasoning last weekend (7 pm to 1 am) I did a cookout the next day! I know...dumb on a new cooker but I pulled it off...no food left! 4 huge slabs of St. Louis cut ribs and 5 big bone-in split chicken breasts.
Anywhoo - I hope you enjoyed the look here. So far, I would STRONLY recoommend this guy...what he does for the money is insane. The Klose patio model that is slightly smaller than this is EXATLY three times the cost. I'm not knocking D. Klose at all...never used one and I'm sure they are awesome...but this has a thicker firebox, a bigger chamber and it's NOT $1350...it was $450 plus $150 to ship it to my warehouse...Sa' Weet!
Thanks for checking it out. Tomorrow's que view will be 3 more split breasts, a huge shoulder, a fattie, and 3 lbs. of beef short ribs! Gotta go grind up the rubs now...Happy smoking everyone.
