Hello

[garym78]

Thanks mate, just need to get the stack on and make my fire basket for the Fb, and wait for my temp gauges to arrive, then I can get it fired up. Hopefully I can get it to temp and maintain, however, I've done some thinking and I can get an extra 8" Sq out of the hole into the Cc if needed. Will be a pain but it needs to be right.

 

[wade]

You may also want to drill a small hole in the main cooking chamber about half way up to take the temperature probes. It can be covered with a flap when not in use. Accurate temperature control is what you need to be aiming for.

 

[kc5tpy]

When mounting keep in mind the grease.  You will be AMAZED at the amount of fat that comes off 15 or 20 chicken leg quarters.  Maybe tilt it to one corner and drill a drain hole.  You could build a removable drip pan that you have to clean after each smoke.  Yeah that is a pain but cleaning the whole smoker will be worse.

Danny

 

[garym78]

Cheers guys, the baffle plate has a return on it at the far end opposite the FB end. It's fully welded in to act like a drip tray and stop fat going back into the FB. I've then put a hole through the bottom of the CC and the baffle and fully welded a pipe with a bung to act as a drain from the baffle plate\drip tray.

 

[garym78]

Just another question, I've ordered 2 temp gauges, would it be better to place these 1 at either end of the CC, as to make sure I'm getting a consistent temperature across the chamber?  Jeez, I'm nervous about getting this up and running...lol!

 

[wade]

Hi Gary - what have you ordered? the dial type that fit through the wall or digital thermometers?

You will always get a temperature gradient within the cooking chamber and so you need to take the temperature at the level of the meat. If you have ordered the dial type thermometers then these will give you an indication of the temperature however they can also be fairly inaccurate. What I would recommend would be to buy a Maverick ET-732/733 digital thermometer (or similar) and this will allow you to clip the cooking chamber probe onto the cooking grate right beside the meat itself. This will give you a much better view of the actual cooking temperature.

 

[kiska95]

Hi Gary and welcome to SMF.

Very nice Job there it looks like it weighs a ton

Just wondering, where did you order you temp Dials from as the ones from Amazon/Ebay that I got were rubbish. I took Wades advice and got a 733 But I have tried to get better dials (Tel Tru) but I am struggling, Any one else know a decent dial gauge we can get here?

 

[garym78]

Hi Kiska, I ordered from Ebay too, too be honest I wasn't expecting much, so I won't be disappointed...suppose I was hoping to be pleasantly surprised...Yes Wade, I ordered dial type...will probably look at your recommendation of the digital probe type then.

 

[garym78]

Stove rope ordered, thanks for the suggestion Wade, doors are pretty tight anyway but won't do any harm.