GOSM mods

[smokewatcher]

My GOSM charcoal model I bought at WM a few years back didn't cook well as it was, but it was alright because I didn't know how to cook with it either. However, it did get me going down the path of "True Blue"...and for that I am greatful! Since then I've learned a lot about making great 'Q and of what make a smoker perform. Here are a few pics of my GOSM transformation in the hopes of helping others find ways to improve their cookers.

I added a SFB to the vertical smoker, because the original design had the coals inside the "meat box", which made temperatures harder to control and also took up valuable shelf space. I also added a 3' stack to help draw the smoke, and to get it above my eyes, but I've since dropped it back down to just a cap, since it didn't seem to affect the draw much. I also have since replaced the temerature gauge with one from SpiceWine Ironworks. Here are the pics...

 

[smokewatcher]

Here are a few more pics.....I had to resize them...

 

[vlap]

That looks great and will probably be a great mod for my brinkman vertical. Did you notice better heat control? I had a hard time getting any good heat in that vertical as well.
Did you have to cut a big chunk of metal off of the side to provide ample room for the heat to pass through?
Mounting? (screws/glue?)
Thanks for the info!!!!

 

[richtee]

Nice job Smoke! Let us know how she works, eh?

 

[vlap]

I plan on making this mod to my brinkman asap! Do you need the water pan still?

 

[smokewatcher]

Yea I did....I forgot that pic. The problem I had was too much heat, and this helped me lower it. I was able to lower the water pan (filled with sand) and make room for more food. The hole is the same size as the SFB opening. I used hi-temp RTV sealer between the SFB and the smoke chamber and used the provided mounting screws. You can see where the original vents were, and where I notched the legs to get the SFB to sit flush. I wanted to place it lower, but that would mean removing even more metal from the legs, and I didn't want it to fold-up on me. With the sand bowl in place, it keeps the balance pretty good, otherwise the weight of the SFB wants to tip it over. It cooks decent, as long as the wind isn't too bad. I can get about 10lbs of coals in the basket and it'll go about 6 hrs.

 

[fireguy]

Looks good dude.

 

[chadtower]

Nice!  I got into smoking last summer and did quite a few batches.  My family loves the pulled pork but not a lot of other things.  That leads to my challenge:  I never seem to have 12 straight hours at home to run the smoker!  I don't want to leave the house with a propane fueled flame, obviously.  I was thinking of building a drum smoker to fuel with charcoal but this solution is perfect for me!

I understand everything you did but the one thing I don't know is where I could get the SFB? 

  I've never seen a firebox alone in a store.

 

[chadtower]

Nice!

 

[marty catka]

ChadTower, You can usually find the side fire boxes sold by themselves at Lowes.  It is a CharGriller. 

 

[chadtower]

Just found one yesterday for $60.    I'm going to give a shot to adding that on this weekend.  The added challenge here is that my GOSM is a propane widebody and I'm not going to remove the burner.  :)