First time Aussie smoker

[ng71xy]

G'day guys, i'm from Australia, N.S.W.
I got a smoker for christmas and this site/forum is one of the first places i found.
I was pumped to do my first cook today but it has been a very frustrating first attempt, i can't seem to get any heat going, i'm struggling to get 100C/210F. what am i doing wrong??

 

[ng71xy]

IMG_4566.JPG

• ng71xy
• Dec 28, 2016

this is what i'm working with

 

[SmokinAl]

Welcome to SMF!

Glad to have you with us!

What is the outside temp where you are at?

Might have to build a bigger fire if it's cold outside.

Or wrap some insulation around your smoker.

Also if your using the factory gauge to measure your temp, it may be way off.

A cheap oven therm right on the grate will give you a better idea of the smoker temp.

Al

 

[ng71xy]

it's summer here and it hit 35c the other day (nearly 100f)...but here was a fairly strong wind, i did read some where that the thin metal of the unit won't hold the heat if it's windy, it did seem to be warmer at night when the wind died down :)

yeah i thought that about the built in thermo, i was poking the digital meat thermometer i got through the vents to get a reading, ya can see it in the pics

 

[gary s]

  Good afternoon and welcome to the forum from a cloudy cool day here in East Texas, and the best site on the web. Lots of                   great people with tons of information on just about everything.

        Gary