Got a new master forge vertical smoker

[rgervasi]

Hey guys, I bought a new vertical smoker that has no vents because it was a cheap model. I'm just starting to smoke and the door to add charcoal is the only opening. If I open that will it make the fire hotter or make it loose heat?

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  Welcome.  I see this is your first post.  Please take some time and swing over to Roll Call and introduce yourself so that we may give you a proper "Hello".  All info you can provide us with such as smoker type, location and so on will help us answer any questions you may have.  As for your question:  I assume there is an exhaust of some type.  Opening the door SHOULD make the smoker hotter if there is an exhaust.

Danny

 

[handymanstan]

Is this the bullet smoker from master forge  If so then your air intake vent is in the very bottom pan and has no control and your top vent is around the top.  If you look the top does not sit down all the way on the smoker and it leaks or vents.  This smoker is made to use the water pan to control temps and that does not work real well.

I have one and drilled a 1 1/2" hole in the front of the bottom pan and use magnets to control the air in.

smoke 157.jpg

• handymanstan
• Jan 17, 2014

You must then block off the hole in the bottom pan.

If you use the minon method when building your fire and start with only 10-15 lit coals then open the vent till the heat gets close to what you want then close off the vent to maintain. The way the coal pan is made with all the vents going in the same direction and the pan seals at the top of the bottom pan the air goes in the front vent and gets pulled down under the coal pan and up into the coals so you need to rise the coal off the pan and what I did was went to Lowe's and bought a sheet of steel mesh for stucco and cut a piece with scissors and made it.

smoke 103.jpg

• handymanstan
• Jan 17, 2014

smoke 104.jpg

• handymanstan
• Jan 17, 2014

smoke 105.jpg

• handymanstan
• Jan 17, 2014

The mesh is like $6.00 a sheet and has lasted for over a year so far.  I also make pellet smokers out of it too.

Using it this way I can get 10-12 hrs of a pretty constant temp.

Hope this helps.

Stan