Old Country BBQ Pits "Pecos Coal Smoker" newbie question

marvjamie56

Newbie

Original poster

Mar 6, 2014

10

10

Houston, TX

• May 31, 2014

• #1

I have the "Pecos Coal Smoker" and like it a lot. I have some questions though for you "seasoned" veterans in here. I would like to add some tuning plates to the pit, but I am no welder, nor do I have access to that kind of stuff. How would someone like me create some tuning plates and exactly how do you "tune" the pit correctly. I know it sounds cheap or stupid, but I want to make the temperature in the cooking chamber more manageable without having to be constantly fretting with it. I appreciate any help you fine folks could give me with this. I contacted Old Country and they stated that they might start making the plates for this model in June, but there was no guarantee about it.

Thanks,

 

marvjamie56

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Mar 6, 2014

10

10

Houston, TX

• Jun 5, 2014

• #2

I thought for sure after 30 views someone might have a couple of answers for me. Just looking for some simple advice, nothing really technical and I thought a lot of you folks had way more experience than me, so thought I could find an answer here.

 

dewetha

Smoking Fanatic

Aug 21, 2011

737

16

Chicago - south Burbs

• Jun 5, 2014

• #3

i'd just google them and make your own or go to a fab shop and have one done. most lok like some decent size gage metal 1/8 inch thick? drill smaller holes near the firebox side, smaller hole on the vent side. seams about it.

 

fisher6688

Meat Mopper

May 20, 2014

205

16

Dallas, Texas

• Jun 8, 2014

• #4

marv, i have the old country wrangler. my dimensions were 4 inch by 15.75 inch on my tuning plates. i got 5 of them to  tune my wrangler. i have them at 1/4 inch thickness. you have to measure how long you need your plates to sit about half inch or so above the lowest point of your deflector baffle. the baffle is that piece of metal that deflects the heat from the firebox into the main smoking chamber. so for the wrangler it is about 15.75 inches to sit right above that mark. i am still playing around with the plates to find the good balance of heat. i will take a pic and place it here in a little when i go outside. 

 

fisher6688

Meat Mopper

May 20, 2014

205

16

Dallas, Texas

• Jun 8, 2014

• #5

you want to start with smaller spacing between your plates near the firebox and gradually get larger spacing towards your exhaust. for my wrangler and your pecos our exhaust stack is so wide in diameter that i feel it sucks a lot of heat towards that side quickly so in my wrangler being shorter than your pecos it makes it hotter by the exhaust so i actually spaced it out more near the firebox and smaller towards the exhaust. (backwards) and it has proven to hold more even temps. but of course you can play with how open your exhaust is too which means you have to move your tuning plates around again. i like the 1/4 inch thickness because it holds heat well too. 

 

marvjamie56

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Mar 6, 2014

10

10

Houston, TX

• Jun 9, 2014

• #6

Fisher6688 (couldn't find a name to actually call you), your info helps out a lot and is what I was looking for. Now I need to take some measurements and see if I can find a place to actually buy the plates. Would love to see a picture of yours if you get the chance to post one. I may yet be calling on you for more help with this.

Thanks,

 

fisher6688

Meat Mopper

May 20, 2014

205

16

Dallas, Texas

• Jun 9, 2014

• #7

image.jpg

• fisher6688
• Jun 9, 2014
• 1

Found this image online. But this is basically what it is like

 

• 

Reactions: marvjamie56

marvjamie56

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Mar 6, 2014

10

10

Houston, TX

• Jun 9, 2014

• #8

Thanks for the picture. Now I know what to work with, I just have to find someplace in Houston where I can get the plates. Many thanks again.

 

fisher6688

Meat Mopper

May 20, 2014

205

16

Dallas, Texas

• Jun 9, 2014

• #9

no worries!

 

libertyff

Newbie

Jul 11, 2014

8

10

Houston Texas

• Jul 11, 2014

• #10

Pitts and spits off of 59 north will make what you want if you bring them exact measurements. There labor rate is $95 an hour.
2nd option is rose steel off of pinemont, aprox 3 to 4 miles from 290. They have a large selection of "scrap" pieces. Less than a dollar a pound. You can look through and find something that should work.
Good luck.