Master Forge????
- Thread starter willygm
- Start date
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jayj123
Fire Starter
I've had mine for two seasons now. For the price, I don't think you can beat it. I didn't make any mods such as sealing doors, etc. I can get it up to ~300 easily for higher temps and it holds pretty well at other temps. I do have mine in a side enclosed area so not a problem with wind/heat loss. I would definitely go this route again if this one ever gives up on me. One thing I have been looking for are some stainless steel grates to replace the originals, getting a little rusty.
smoke jenson
Smoke Blower
Had mine for 3 years and love it. The temp gauge is not correct so I would invest on in a Maverick thermometer. FYI
theshrimppimp
Fire Starter
Not sure how much they have changed over the years? Mine has turned out really good with a few mods. Basically a "set it and forget it" smoker if you like that kind of thing. The only time I open mine is to check meat temp's. or add water to the pan. With the mods, I can get mine down to as low as 150 and as high as 500. I also have it set up for cold smoking. The door thermometer is accurate on mine. It is just very slow to react. I use a digital thermometer through the chimney and I also have an analog one hanging on the rack. The one on the door is good for catching temperature spikes if you are using the stock wood chip pan.
The air leaks and water pan were the 2 biggest problems with mine. Sealing it during assembly and installing the rope gaskets fixes the air leaks. Cutting the water pan solves the lack of heat issue.
Mods I did include:
1. Sealing all screws and chimney to the smoker upon assembly with high temp. sealant.
2. Installing fiberglass rope to both doors with high temp. sealant.
3. Flattening the tabs on both bottom dampers and keeping them "completely shut" (always).
4. Modifying, cutting and bending the water pan on all 4 sides.
5. Installing a thermometer in the middle of the cook chamber.
6. Making a "wind skirt" for the bottom of the smoker.
7. Building and Installing a Cold Smoke Generator.
The only mod I have not done and I wanted to do from day one is put the folding shelf on the "correct side" of the smoker! Why they put it on the left side, I will never know? The wind skirt makes a massive difference. You can basically smoke anywhere and anytime. I always put the back to the wind. Pics below:
The air leaks and water pan were the 2 biggest problems with mine. Sealing it during assembly and installing the rope gaskets fixes the air leaks. Cutting the water pan solves the lack of heat issue.
Mods I did include:
1. Sealing all screws and chimney to the smoker upon assembly with high temp. sealant.
2. Installing fiberglass rope to both doors with high temp. sealant.
3. Flattening the tabs on both bottom dampers and keeping them "completely shut" (always).
4. Modifying, cutting and bending the water pan on all 4 sides.
5. Installing a thermometer in the middle of the cook chamber.
6. Making a "wind skirt" for the bottom of the smoker.
7. Building and Installing a Cold Smoke Generator.
The only mod I have not done and I wanted to do from day one is put the folding shelf on the "correct side" of the smoker! Why they put it on the left side, I will never know? The wind skirt makes a massive difference. You can basically smoke anywhere and anytime. I always put the back to the wind. Pics below:
smoke jenson
Smoke Blower
Wow that is awesome. And Im jealous that yours has wheels and a side table. I might have to upgrade. Where did you get the rope?
Last edited:
theshrimppimp
Fire Starter
Nah... Just get a set of casters and you can make a little side table. I goggled where to buy the rope a few years back. I'll see if I can find it. If I remember correctly, I got it off of Amazon. If you have a good local appliance shop or fireplace store, they should have it. I did not have one around me, so I got it online.
It does make a difference having all the air leaks sealed and having the heat and smoke come out the top instead of all over the place!
smoke jenson
Smoke Blower
Yea we have a fireplace shop here and I started thinking about that after I posted. I have been thinking about getting another one anyway so that will definatley be on my list of extra things to get. Just going to have a hell of a time cleaning the other one to get the sealant to stick to it.
theshrimppimp
Fire Starter
Yea.. That crud will really be caked on there. Especially if you use it a lot. I would definitely check out your local store if you have one (for the rope seal). They can probably sell it to you by the foot. Then just use high temp RTV to install it to the door. Some of the stuff is "sticky backed". Stay away from that. I have read where people had to go back and re-attach it with RTV anyway because it fell off after only a few uses.
I got mine off Amazon and it was made by a company called Imperial. If you Google "Imperial Rope Gasket", it will show up. It was prepackaged in a box and came with its own adhesive. Pretty sure it was the 1/2 inch stuff. Each package contained one 6 foot piece of fiberglass rope. It took 2 packages to do the job. I paid less than $14 for both boxes shipped to my door.
Also, if you do go that route... Do Not Use the adhesive that comes in those kits! It does not stick to the painted surface on the smoker. I tried it and it did not work. I used some high temp RTV and have had no issues ever since.
Over the years, it has held up really good. I will need to replace the top door gasket soon as it is starting to "fray". The bottom door is fine? For what ever reason... Perhaps because the top door sees more use and "nastiness"?
I got mine off Amazon and it was made by a company called Imperial. If you Google "Imperial Rope Gasket", it will show up. It was prepackaged in a box and came with its own adhesive. Pretty sure it was the 1/2 inch stuff. Each package contained one 6 foot piece of fiberglass rope. It took 2 packages to do the job. I paid less than $14 for both boxes shipped to my door.
Also, if you do go that route... Do Not Use the adhesive that comes in those kits! It does not stick to the painted surface on the smoker. I tried it and it did not work. I used some high temp RTV and have had no issues ever since.
Over the years, it has held up really good. I will need to replace the top door gasket soon as it is starting to "fray". The bottom door is fine? For what ever reason... Perhaps because the top door sees more use and "nastiness"?
theshrimppimp
Fire Starter
You know what?? I'm out here sitting in my driveway smoking some Baby Backs today... As I'm looking at the door mounted Temp. Gauge, I think I just realized why so many people are having problems with this gauge not being accurate!
I remember when I put this thing together, the probe for that gauge was actually touching the door and I had to drill out the hole just a little larger so that the probe would pick up the Temp.'s in the cook chamber instead of reading the temperature of the door.
I wonder how many other people just "threw their smoker together" without realizing this? That would explain why so many people are having issuses with the door mounted thermometer.
I remember when I put this thing together, the probe for that gauge was actually touching the door and I had to drill out the hole just a little larger so that the probe would pick up the Temp.'s in the cook chamber instead of reading the temperature of the door.
I wonder how many other people just "threw their smoker together" without realizing this? That would explain why so many people are having issuses with the door mounted thermometer.
jaynh77
Newbie
- Sep 27, 2013
- 8
- 10
I did hear that this was an issue for others with this smoker. My thermo did not touch the door, but it was still off by 50 degrees. I took it off the door and placed it in boiling water. I turned the metal probe (adjustment screw at the end of the probe) using a flat head screwdriver to calibrate it. Now it is within a few degrees, but slow to react compared to others on the market. My continuing issue with the smoker is the safety valve- likes to trip sometimes during the smoke and causes some grief (smoker only gets to 200 degrees due to restriction of gas flow). Tried opening the gas slow and everything but it just trips. Also - I agree with using something other than the glue that comes with the rope gasket .. after about 5 smokes the glue let go and the rope fell off the unit. When everything is up and going it is real nice to set and forget for long periods of time.. get some yard work done and a good meal at the end of the day. I also cut the front and back lips off my water pan as well to get the heat up from the lower chamber a tad more efficiently.. after doing this I have been using much less gas.
smoke jenson
Smoke Blower
Yea I got rid of the water pan altogeather and just use a foil pan I get at the supermarket. It heats up alot quicker and is alot deeper also. Im gonna check my gauge when I get off work now and see. I dont need it but a good back up if the Maverick probe goes out.
theshrimppimp
Fire Starter
smoke jenson
Smoke Blower
ShrimpPimp - did you buy a food safe rtv? I bought some rope a month or two back and plan to install it soon but saw your note about using rtv instead of the adhesive that came with it. When I started looking around I noticed there was a food safe version and wondered if I should use that.
theshrimppimp
Fire Starter
Nope... I used some high heat permatex I had laying around from changing the intake gaskets on my pickup. Everything you are sealing is basically on the "outside" of the smoker, to include the rope gasket. This particular smoker was pretty tight, or at least mine is. I did not need to seal any seams or holes inside the smoker. Now, if I were sealing seams and holes "inside the cook chamber", I absolutely would have bought some food grade stuff.
When I assembled mine, I put a tiny dab of sealant on the threads up by the screw head of every screw that I installed into the outer assembly. I also sealed the chimney to the top with a thin bead around the chimney base. When I installed the door gaskets, I put a VERY THIN bead on the back of the rope, stretched it around the door and shut the doors over night.
It took hardly any sealant to do it all. Shame, because my door gaskets are needing replacement as they are starting to "fray". I'm sure it will be a major PITA to get them off and get the new ones on!
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