Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition

[amper]

Another question I have isabout the heat risistant silicone. If I sprwad it all along the edges of the firepitand cooking chamber doors, wouldn't that seal them shut? Please forgive my inexperience with caulking.

 

[piaconis]

Amper, lay some strips of wax paper on the caulk bead and close the lid. Leave it sit for a day or two. The silicon normally sets in a couple of hours, but the wax paper seems to slow the rate at which it sets (not sure if it's because it's a moisture barrier or because of the lack of oxygen), so make sure you give it more time than what the tube says. After it cures, peel off the wax paper, and you should have a perfect form fit seal.

 

[amper]

Ok. So caulk the door and the area that the door closes on to, but have wax paper sitting between them. Is this right?

 

[amper]

since Iit is going to be my best friend, I ordered The Rutland silicone. Just want to make sure I do it right. Wish there was a youtube video showing me how to. Do I need a caulking gun?

 

[bruno994]

I think the Rutland comes in a squeeze tube, no gun needed.  I have done the same thing on another smoker, but used saran wrap instead of wax paper. 

 

[amper]

Last inquiry everyone. Seems like I need deflectors at the bottom for retaining heat. I don't know what I can get other than the convection pkate from horizon. A few people on here ordered the 16 size but didn't reporton how it fits in the trailmaster. I am not very handy so I'd like to just get something to stick on the lower grates in the cooking chamber just to turn my trailmaster into a more solid smoker. What exactly is a deflector and why do I even want this for my tmle?

 

[amper]

Also, do I need a baffle?

 

[amper]

20130217_094239.jpg

• amper
• Feb 20, 2013

20130217_094300.jpg

• amper
• Feb 20, 2013

 

[dabeve]

Last inquiry everyone. Seems like I need deflectors at the bottom for retaining heat. I don't know what I can get other than the convection pkate from horizon. A few people on here ordered the 16 size but didn't reporton how it fits in the trailmaster. I am not very handy so I'd like to just get something to stick on the lower grates in the cooking chamber just to turn my trailmaster into a more solid smoker. What exactly is a deflector and why do I even want this for my tmle?

a deflector can be anything that helps to deflect the heat and smoke coming into the cooking chamber.  You want to deflect it down and toward the left side since without assistance as heat enters the cooking chamber from the firebox it rises and goes straight to the top of the cooking chamber and is drawn across the top of the chamber to the draw from the smoke stack on the left which is also at the top.  That is all good and fine if you are cooking at the top of the chamber....but you are not.... you are cooking at grate level. So the idea is the deflector helps to force the heat and smoke down and to the left to give you better temp and smoke distribution in the chamber. Same idea with lowering the draw for the smoke stack...helps pull the heat and smoke down toward the grate.  I used an old broiler plate that I bolted to a piece of steel and bent up at a 45 degree angle. works for me and was almost free.

IMG_0991.JPG

• dabeve
• Feb 11, 2013

 

[amper]

Thanks dabeve. Looks like I need to get a piece of steel to prop up from the charcoal grates to the top of the hole from firebox. Any chance you could tell me what specific size steel worked for you so I know what to hunt for?

 

[amper]

Nevermind. I measured. I will get a plate soon. My neighbor gas some galvanized sheet metal. Would that work?

 

[water3man]

I don't know what I was expecting from an $89 smoker in the first place. 

 

[piaconis]

Do not use galvanized. It releases toxic stuff when heated,

I just purchased a small piece of sheet metal from Home Depot and cut it to fit. The idea is to deflect the radiant heat, so you don't end up cooking one side of our meat unevenly, and it helps deflect some of that direct heat energy close to the firebox. You'll still have a little hot spot for the right 6" or so, but it's much more even with the deflector.

 

[dabeve]

  You sure about this galvanized thing? I thought you only had to look out for these fumes when dealing with high heats...i.e. welding the stuff.  Like 1000+ degrees?? I very much doubt 225 degrees is enough to melt the zinc. I suppose it's better safe than sorry tho....but I am just curious.

 

[amper]

Yea. I'd rather be safe than sorry. If I didn't have two little kids that like my bbq I wouldn't worry about it.

 

[bruno994]

Yea. I'd rather be safe than sorry. If I didn't have two little kids that like my bbq I wouldn't worry about it.

X2 on the above.  Just not worth the risk.  We know that at a certain point of being heated up, there will be gases present and sickness is caused by those gases, so, not worth the risk.

 

[piaconis]

Your cooking chamber will be 225, but the fire in the firebox burns much hotter. When my smoker runs full tilt, the outside of the firebox itself runs higher than 400 when measured by laser thermo.

 

[paul1283]

Hi, I'm new to the forums and was just doing research and a lot of reading. I think I'm going with the trail master. I seen the mods for this smoker and was looking at the deflector plate I had a quick question and was wondering what size holes are on the horizon plate I can make this for a lot cheaper then $60 so any help would be much appreciated. Also is it better if the plate is above the firebox opening with an angle or no angle. Thanks

 

[amper]

from my understanding baffle goes above firebox at a 45 degree angle

Hi, I'm new to the forums and was just doing research and a lot of reading. I think I'm going with the trail master. I seen the mods for this smoker and was looking at the deflector plate I had a quick question and was wondering what size holes are on the horizon plate I can make this for a lot cheaper then $60 so any help would be much appreciated. Also is it better if the plate is above the firebox opening with an angle or no angle. Thanks

 

[paul1283]

from my understanding baffle goes above firebox at a 45 degree angle

Ok thank you so just like on the picture that's was posted earlier in the thread.