Adding 8"+ ht. to my smoker

javajoe · Aug 11, 2007

I have a fairly new but well broke-in Pellet Muncher. It's pretty large but I want it taller inside for Turkeys. I was thinking of taking it to my Structural Steel Subcontractor and have him plasma cut it in half then add a 8" band around it then reweld the top half back on. I'll cut the legs down 8" also most likely. Will any heating issues be affected by this?

deejaydebi · Aug 11, 2007

I would have to say yes. You increasing the volume of your smoker but not the heat source. How much this will be affected I can't say without know much about this smoker. 8" may not seem like much but think about how much area you will be adding in relation to the size of the existing smoker and heat source.

Do you have any problems getting up to temperatures with it now? How about during cold weather?

bbq bubba · Aug 11, 2007

Whatever you decide to do, don't cut 8" off the legs, the grate will set to low and would ruin your back!!

pigcicles · Aug 11, 2007

I've never used a Traeger, but have looked at how they are built. Solid machine. Definitely there will be some effect to adding area to the smoker. But as Debi said, it's hard to say how much. It should take longer to come up to temp.

I don't think I'd cut the legs unless you are a vertically challenged person. I don't think it will be a problem.

triple b · Aug 11, 2007

I just had a thought:Wouldn't it be easier and maybe cheaper to buy an ECB for doing turkeys? Unless you're planning on doing 2 or more at a time.
Just my .02 worth.

deejaydebi · Aug 12, 2007

Gee why didn't I think of that! I always do my turkeys in my ECB!

gypsyseagod · Aug 12, 2007

my only question is... is the cost of the mod more than the cost of the pit ??? and as i'm 6'0, i'd leave the legs alone. i gotta bend over the brink s-n-p as it is...

ihsfab · Aug 12, 2007

I think it would be kind of hard to cut up a $1000 smoker? What if you had a vertical box and tie your smoke stack into the box.

gofish · Aug 12, 2007

I'm with the majority ....... Don't cut that thing up ...... or down!

How big are your turkeys?

javajoe · Aug 12, 2007

GoFish;75002 said:
I'm with the majority ....... Don't cut that thing up ...... or down!

How big are your turkeys?[/quote

Normally above 20 lbs. I already have 3 q's in my backyard I use all the time and am going to replace my propane soon with another one. Maybe I'll look into an ECB or equivalent. OK, the legs stay. DAMN! Well, I have to modify something. I'm actually working on improving the Traeger electrical temp controls. Make it control the heat more like a water heater does

ihsfab · Aug 12, 2007

Javajoe you could install a digital control from Traeger for less than $200. Here is there outlet store http://traegeroutlet.com/traeger_parts.

chadpole · Aug 12, 2007

That Treager is a darn good unit and I'm with the rest of the crowd also. Leave it along and use the ECB like they said. I get (2) 18 to 20 lb turkeys in my ECB. Water pan in the middle,turkey on bottom level over the water,then the top turkey on top rack and they turn out fantastic,IMHO.

javajoe · Aug 13, 2007

I already installed one but it does not work the way you think it does. It just sets the auger to rotate at a certain interval from on and then off for different periods of time depending what click you have set it to. It does not sense the temp and then adjust the auger feed which I feel it should do. If it did then the temp. digital readout would always stay at the selected temperature. Don't get me wrong, I love the Traeger, there is just room for improvement. In cold weather you have to turn it up to let's say 300 to just get it to 225. Now when I change it around it will work like a waterheater does and keep it at whatever temp you set it at by constantly sensing the temp and adjusting the auger.

ihsfab · Aug 13, 2007

Doesn't a electric water heater control the temp by turning the heating coil on and off to reg. the temp? Won't it work the same way as the digital by just turning the auger on and off?

javajoe · Aug 13, 2007

I believe the digital dial just set the auger at one speed and sets the intervals for it to turn on and off and never changes even though the temp is not reading what you set it at. I'd like it to always keep it at whatever temp I set it at regardless of the weather. Kinda like cruise control works.

ihsfab · Aug 13, 2007

I see the digital control is more like a timer and turns on the auger at set times for a certian length of time. With the water heater switch you might get heat spikes since you have to wait for the extra pellets to burn. What if you did some type of rheostat on the auger where you could speed up or slow down the auger?

javajoe · Aug 13, 2007

I going to talk to my dad about it tomorrow. He is a mechanical engineer and will be all over it. I was not going to use a water heater device, just in theory. I'll keep you posted

Adding 8"+ ht. to my smoker

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