extending top rack height in Bradley 4 shelf: will hardwood work?

[hangmanli]

I've had my first smoker for about 4 years now. It is a Bradley 4 shelf digital smoker. I do a lot of smoked sausages. I don't use the Bradley pucks anymore since learning about the amazen smoke tubes. I place that on the bottom tray.

I realized a while ago that there is limited height inside to hang sausages. Has anyone every removed that V shaped drip tray with the slots in it? I am assuming that I would probably have to put something over the heating element to protect it from drippings?

I want to raise the height of the top shelf. Currently there is 3 1/2" of height above the shelf brackets which are attached to the side walls.


I was planning on using some flat material on top of those brackets. Then some round bars across (to hang the sausages over). I found an old thread from 2011 where someone used stainless steel flat bars. He had two pieces on top of the shelves and one piece across the back wall (welded at the seams). I have no welding equipment.

I wanted to know if it's okay to use a hardwood flat stock as a substitute? Typically I start smoking at 120 degrees and work up to @ 170-180 degrees. Will there be any problems using hardwood stock instead of steel or aluminum?

Thanks for any helpful advice.

 

[chopsaw]

Wood works just fine . tropics has a thread on making a hanger from wood . Alot of guys , myself included use wood dowels to hang from . Just talking about using wood this morning . Richie has a link to his thread in post 5 .

Which sausage hanger?

Ok dumb question. Should I use a hardwood dowel rod in my mes 40 to hang sausage or is a softwood do well ok? All I can find locally are softwood. Or should I only use a metal rod? Thanks

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[hangmanli]

Wood works just fine . tropics has a thread on making a hanger from wood . Alot of guys , myself included use wood dowels to hang from . Just talking about using wood this morning . Richie has a link to his thread in post 5 .

Which sausage hanger?

Ok dumb question. Should I use a hardwood dowel rod in my mes 40 to hang sausage or is a softwood do well ok? All I can find locally are softwood. Or should I only use a metal rod? Thanks

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Thanks! I just wasn't sure if all that wood would be a problem? It would be for the rack extenders and then the dowels as well. Is there any specific temperature where wood could be a problem in a smoker?

 

[cmayna]

The only reason I've kept my welder is for such home projects. Have modifed the racks in both my Masterbuilt gasser and MES40 Gen 1.

 

[Winterrider]

I also copied tropics wood hanger , works very well.

 

[hangmanli]

I bought some L shaped aluminum (1 1/4” x 1 1/4”). I cut them and used some self drilling screws (1/2” long). Also some 5/8” oak dowels.

right now I have a new shelf with the oak dowels. There is only about 3/8 of an inch between the top of the dowels and the top of the smoker.

I have yet to use the racks because I primarily use it to smoke sausage in 20” long fibrous casings.

I don’t use the Bradley pucks once I learned about the Amazen smoke tube.

has anyone else removed that V-shaped drip tray in order to have more room to hang sausage?

I also put a piece of L shaped aluminum just above the heating element. I did this to prevent any drippings from hitting the heating element while smoking sausages. I have yet to run the smoker without that V-shaped drip tray.



once again has anyone use the smoker by removing that tray?