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Recent content by Drum&Que
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There ya go! I wasn’t in the business if adding a collector to even out the temp at the stack end so I just removed the extension. Once I took out the baffle I was convinced that my setup was correct. Fuel efficiency and GREAT bark with no crispy bottoms.
Retired Spook, what you just explained is EXACTLY why I cut my baffle out. Way too hot on the bottom. Our stacks are actually pretty close to what they are supposed to be according to Aaron Franklin‘s model. But I found that if I extended it when I cut off the baffle it actually draws too well...
This was exactly my experience. My fires (and my splits) are way smaller now and way more efficient. I can almost cook with the firebox door closed sometimes.
I I do have a “baffle” of sorts but it doesn’t deflect heat down. It sticks straight up so the heat has to flow UP into the cook chamber. Then I have the water pan sitting on top of a grate my buddy welded in the gap that was created by cutting out the original baffle. Heat and smoke flows WAY...
I cut my baffle out because it was burning the bottom of my meat on long cooks. Because it diverts heat under the meat instead of Up and over. Baffle never gave me temp issues, just connection issues.
I think the cook chamber wouldn’t stand a chance if the opening was as big as “suggested”. You could never get a clean fire with a tiny firebox (if burning wood exclusively), and your draw would suck without a stack as long as ours.
You can bend it until it breaks at the welds once you grind them down a little bit. And you can DEFINITELY use a smaller fire lol. You won’t have a choice once you remove the baffle.
I love it. I can finally get it (and maintain) hot enough temps to cook good chicken. You gotta be careful though because the temps will definitely soar on you if you use too big of splits or the wrong kind of charcoal. You’ve also got to be patient and let the temp come down when you first put...
Awesome pics! Ya the coal basket is definitely where it’s at. I just control my temp with the door. Like I said, I use WAY less fuel since I cut the baffle out. I don’t like using only charcoal because it lacks the flavor I desire. So I just start with a full chimneys of coals.
This will help a lot with maintaining a coal bed in our small fireboxes. Anything we can do for more air in that thing is super important. More air and smaller amounts of fuel are perks to the coal basket in my opinion.