Insulating the Landman 38" wide

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lamar

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Sep 17, 2013
486
95
Bridgton Me
Decided to insulate my Landman 38" wide body  and get ready for Maine winters.

  Picked up a sheet of Fiberduct board at a refrigeration supply and a roll of aluminum tape.  The ductboard is rated R 4.3.  It is compressed fiberglass with an aluminum face.  Cuts easy with a knife.

Taping the lower vent opening.


One side and back


Side view showing vent cutout


Rack for thermometers


Rack for thermometers

The job took about four hours and materials cost 55 bucks.  I fired it up at the 225 setting I used last and it gained 30+ degrees!   I only insulated the sides,  back, and top.  May do the door sometime,  but right now,  it don't need it.  Very satisfied with the mod.  Gas savings alone should pay for it in a few months.

Ready for cold weather smoking.
 
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That looks pretty great!

Mainly interested in that thermometer rack, how'd you do that? Is the rack something you made yourself or a modified something from the store? How did you mount that?

I'm in central Va. and while it gets plenty cold from time to time, I'm not sure it's insulation worthy cold. Even when it drops it can often be for only a few days.
 
The thermometer rack is simply a sheet  of steel attached to a small angle iron with bolts.  It is then bolted into the sides of the smoker through the insulation.  I used a steel sheet so the thermometers magnets would work.
 
Great job and your Craftsmanship is superb.
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After using this mod a few months now,  I am very  pleased with it.  I have used it at temps from 10F to 65F  and never have to change the needle valve setting to maintain 230F.  I put one chunk of hickory in the pan and it usually lasts 4-5 hours. 

Works for me.
 
Looks like a smoker fit for the international space station now!
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 Nice job. I may do this to the back and sides of mine. thanks.
 
Is there any issue with that insulation if the smoker is outdoors and semi exposed to the elements (rain & snow)?  Mine is on my deck and has a caver but I still get some moisture inside at times.
 
Mine is in a open porch and is not in the rain at all. The insulation is foil backed and seams sealed with aluminum tape so none of the actual insulation is exposed.

Lamar
 
I did not see any change in the burner with the addition of the skirt. I only put them on the sides and back. I left the front of the base open.
 
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Very helpful and thanks for posting.
I have a small DynaGlo propane double door and will do the same.

I found this below at Zoro.com cheap and rated to 1,200F:
1" x 48" x 24" Mineral Wool/Foil Backing High Temperature Insulation

I’ll likely insulate the doors also. Thin the insulation board a little, apply it to the Inside of the doors. Then use small (countersunk?) pop rivets to attach a sheet metal panel over the insulation (sealed with high temp sealant).
 
this mod has been working six years now and no problems. I can smoke at zero degrees as easily as 60. I really like this smoker.

lamar
 
I insulted my DynaGlo smoker, thanks to Lamar’s tip.

- 1” foil faced mineral wool insulation board for sides and backs. I taped the backside to protect it better from errant smoke, etc.
- Doors insulated with the same (no taping of back here) but with a galvanized sheet making a double wall. I didn’t end up riveting the sheet- I used 600F silicone to glue it in (the slightly compressed insulation behind keeps the panel pretty firmly in place). Easy. I’ll likely drill a small drain hole in case any moisture gets between the walls.
-Roof edging attached around the outside perimeter to hold the board tight to the smoker
-Added a silicone grommet to feed probes for my Bluetooth thermometer through the side.
-Sealed the drippings deflector inside where it is spot welded to the sides and back. This 2” angled piece guides the grease from the sides into the drip/water pans. Gaps between it and the sides allowed grease to run down the sides and onto the ground.
-Added door gaskets

Results: Excellent! For a 250F smoke on a 30F day, I went from almost all the way high, to almost all the way low. (And I still need to insulate and gasket the bottom door).
Now, I’ll need to research how to best throttle down the heat when summer comes as low won’t be low enough for hot weather.

Now, a modestly priced thermostatic control and I’d really be set. Currently, it holds temperature pretty well, but getting that to that setting takes a little fine tuning. And, as the day warms up 30F + degrees....
 

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that looks good CBD.
Controlling the temps in warmer weather is as simple as adding a needle valve in the supply line. I turn the gas on with the smoker knob set on high, set the flame with the needle valve and it stays amazingly stable once up to temp. Very seldom have to change the needle valve due to outside temperature. Enjoy your handywork.

Lamar
 
"I just curious of you using a galvanized sheet on the interior of the wall? Won't the galvanizing give off a bad gas?"

That's a great point and why I didn't do the lower door (by the burner and wood box).
The Continuous rating seems well above my max temps. I'm looking for an ungalvanized piece for the lower door, and will likely replace the top, just for piece of mind.

In long-term, continuous exposure, the recommended maximum temperature for hot-dip galvanized steel is 392 F (200 C),
 
Needle valve- OK, I just bought the Bayou Classics Needle Valve (valve only). It has M&F NPT connections.
But, I see that my gas hose is Crimped at both the regulator and burner end. It appears to be one integrated unit from burner to propane tank attachment.

How have others with a crimped hose attached the needle valve?
Barbed fittings are not idiot proof, so you would never see them OEM. But, at 1/2psi on the hose vs 150psi working pressure on an air hose, are they really unsafe (practically speaking) for someone with some technical skills?
Searching, I found some talk of crimping, but we are pretty light on businesses here- not sure that we have access to that.
 
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