Mistake or disaster

[Nefarious]

I am mostly finished with my mailbox mod on my smoke vault gas smoker. I have the mailbox off while I mounted the new stack. I am in the process of attempting to deburr the air input holes and left the door open at the front of my garage door stall. It looks like this.


My wife happened to walk by and asked what all the grease was and I told her it is creosote. This is from 6 hrs of smoke at most.

We had the discussion over dinner, isn't creosote carcinogenic? ... I said I will get some steel wool and put in the tubes to see how much makes it into the smoke chamber.

Anyway, the consequence is, no more food from that smoker until it has less creosote.

I might be looking for a new smoker soon, is there any way to know how much creosote is being generated?

It seems, I asked but it seems unavailable, that if one knew what smoker was used by the OTBS members when they were awarded induction into the order, one would have a better chance of getting a good device.

I only have one real, not counting price, constraint. I cannot have a stick burner, because of neighborhood ordinance. I am going to check on this next week.

 

[pineywoods]

As for what smoker OTBS members use or used when they became an OTBS member I don't know we don't consider the type smoker they use. My guess would be that about every type smoker has been used by a member when they became an OTBS member. A few I can think of off the top of my head Bearcarver used an MES as did RonP, Mballi3011 (RIP) had a Smoke Vault 24" propane. I used a GOSM propane smoker and my stick burner but mostly the GOSM when I became an OTBS member. I know some had WSM's and stick burners I think it would be shocking if we could figure out how many different brands and types smokers were used by OTBS members when they became members or what they use now. The OTBS committee doesn't look at what type smoker only that the person being considered can produce TBS (thin blue smoke) using it.
As for creosote in your smoker leave the mail box off and cover the burner and igniter with heavy plastic bags and pressure wash the inside scrap if needed to get all the crap off then season it again as if it were new.
As for how to measure how much creosote it may or may not produce I'm not sure how you would measure that. I know you doing the mailbox mod but had you ever tried an amazen some tube placed on the bottom rack?

 

[forktender]

I am mostly finished with my mailbox mod on my smoke vault gas smoker. I have the mailbox off while I mounted the new stack. I am in the process of attempting to deburr the air input holes and left the door open at the front of my garage door stall. It looks like this.
View attachment 527720

My wife happened to walk by and asked what all the grease was and I told her it is creosote. This is from 6 hrs of smoke at most.

We had the discussion over dinner, isn't creosote carcinogenic? ... I said I will get some steel wool and put in the tubes to see how much makes it into the smoke chamber.

Anyway, the consequence is, no more food from that smoker until it has less creosote.

I might be looking for a new smoker soon, is there any way to know how much creosote is being generated?

It seems, I asked but it seems unavailable, that if one knew what smoker was used by the OTBS members when they were awarded induction into the order, one would have a better chance of getting a good device.

I only have one real, not counting price, constraint. I cannot have a stick burner, because of neighborhood ordinance. I am going to check on this next week.

Your fire isn't getting nearly enough o2!!!
Clean it with food grade TSP and a pot scrubber and a little elbow grease.

 

[Nefarious]

Your fire isn't getting nearly enough o2!!!
Clean it with food grade TSP and a pot scrubber and a little elbow grease.

a lot of elbow grease.

I think the problem is, i can't get enough draw through the mailbox because of how the gas fire draws oxygen from the large open area around the flame. How do I think this? If I have it running and gold a smoke tube under it, smoke is not drawn into holes in the bottom of the mailbox.

There are 8 holes in the bottom, each are 3/8 inch. I just got the stack installed yesterday. I get more smoke when I block off 2 of the holes, it is always gray never blue. The color of the smoke is my only indicator of getting better or worse in the short term. Thats why I thought it would be nice to see OTBS smoke pics.

 

[Sowsage]

I think for me I would be hard pressed to get a good picture of clean smoke. Sometimes I'll see some thin blue smoke..other times you cant see anything at all.. I know when I have a clean burn even if I cant see any smoke because i can smell the wood.. And it should smell like the wood you are using and not "smoke"..if that makes since at all. You definitely need to get more oxigen...if your closing off intakes and see smoke that is white/grey you need more air coming in. Dont get caught up on if your seeing smoke or not.. If you know is burning and you can smell the wood your on the right track....you dont necessarily need to visually see smoke to get the smoked flavor.

 

[Nefarious]

I think for me I would be hard pressed to get a good picture of clean smoke. Sometimes I'll see some thin blue smoke..other times you cant see anything at all.. I know when I have a clean burn even if I cant see any smoke because i can smell the wood.. And it should smell like the wood you are using and not "smoke"..if that makes since at all. You definitely need to get more oxigen...if your closing off intakes and see smoke that is white/grey you need more air coming in. Dont get caught up on if your seeing smoke or not.. If you know is burning and you can smell the wood your on the right track....you dont necessarily need to visually see smoke to get the smoked flavor.

Thank you for that. I am so far off that color of the smoke is all I have to work with to see if i'm in the right direction. At this point I'm just looking for making a small improvement. Some of it is out of my control, at least at.this point. The first thing i am going to work on today, after I clean the mailbox, is seeing if I can get a noticeable draw through the mailbox.

 

[smokerjim]

not familiar with your smoker so not much help there, i was using a mes 30 when i was surprised with being inducted.

 

[Brokenhandle]

That's about what my mes looks like when I open the door.
My charcoal kettle, probably wouldn't be as visible as this is except for the fact of the sun shining in through the garage door

My commercial fridge smoker

Not sure if that helps or not. Part of the reason for doing a mailbox mod is to get the pellets to burn and stay lit, the second is to have a gap between the mailbox and smoker to clean up the smoke and collect it in mailbox and pipe leading to it ( in your case you're not using a pipe).

Ryan

 

[Nefarious]

Mostly clean, straight vinegar, 4 cheap tooth brushes, and a half roll of paper towels.

Good thing I can compost the paper towels.

Will mount and start figuring it out.

 

[Nefarious]

That's about what my mes looks like when I open the door.
My charcoal kettle, probably wouldn't be as visible as this is except for the fact of the sun shining in through the garage door

View attachment 527785

My commercial fridge smoker


View attachment 527786

Not sure if that helps or not. Part of the reason for doing a mailbox mod is to get the pellets to burn and stay lit, the second is to have a gap between the mailbox and smoker to clean up the smoke and collect it in mailbox and pipe leading to it ( in your case you're not using a pipe).

Ryan

I thought about putting a piece of steel wool to collect some of the creosote. I just think the burn is wrong and have to fix that.

 

[indaswamp]

Color of the smoke can be deceiving. If it is humid outside, the wood moisture content is high (above about 20%), not enough airflow, or the chamber is full and there is a lot of evaporation off the meat, the smoke will look white from the humidity. Best way I know as mentioned is to smell the smoke. It should be clean and nutty/buttery....it should not have an acid sting to your nose. You will know TBS when you smell it. Some white smoke at the start of the cook is normal as the wood gets going burning down into coals.

 

[tallbm]

Also keep in mind the further the smoke travels from the mailbox mod into the smoker the more creosote is collected and removed as it travels. This is why lots of guys put a long run of connection between the mailbox mod and the smoker.
Combine that with steel scrubbies in the tube and you should clear a ton up and get all the great smoke flavor :)

 

[mike243]

I have it build up in my 40” master built electric and my pellet smoker, smoke profile is thinner in the pellet smoker so would assume less creosote, you know what assume stands for though right

 

[mike243]

And it also built up in my gas smoker , anytime wood is burned it will build up somewhere to a certain degree that is dependent on a lot of factors

 

[Nefarious]

Some evidence:

If I use just the stack as it is, 4.5" above the height of the smoker, the smoke pushes itself out the bottom holes in the mailbox.

I add a 10" extension and smoke is no longer pushed out the holes, and very little smoke in the smoker. Not enough draw to keep the coals of the smoke tube glowing.

If I add another 12" extension then there is enough draw to keep the tube generating enough smoke to see any come out the stack.

Mind you, the extensions are just 4" drain pipe put over the stack. The stack is 3" diameter.

 

[Nefarious]

Further evidence, when the tank runs dry, smoke starts to come out of the stack because the reduced pressure in the smoker.

I now am convinced It's time to bail.

 

[Nefarious]

In case anyone needs to clean creosote, plain vinegar and a stiff tooth brush is all that is needed.

 

[bauchjw]

My wife happened to walk by and asked what all the grease was and I told her it is creosote. This is from 6 hrs of smoke at most.

We had the discussion over dinner, isn't creosote carcinogenic? ... I said I will get some steel wool and put in the tubes to see how much makes it into the smoke chamber.

Anyway, the consequence is, no more food from that smoker until it has less creosote.

I might be looking for a new smoker soon, is there any way to know how much creosote is being generated?

I’m offering this thought with respect and want to possibly save you some money, if your wife is very sensitive to potential carcinogens, you are going to get that build up in everything you cook on that uses wood and it may not be worth a lot of effort. TBS is a lot cleaner burn, but you’ll still have particles from combustion that will collect as a natural byproduct. The creosote talked about WRT smoking meat is not the same as the stuff they preserve telephone poles with, even if it tastes the same! I suppose there are studies on the dangers of grilling/smoking meats, but here when we discuss creosote it’s in relation to taste. Most on SMF are probably not in the BBQ causes cancer camp. So, even If you do a long run of 12 foot with a mailbox mod or create the perfect TBS through a cook, the “fire” chamber will still get build up and the cooking chamber eventually will too…as well as anywhere else the hot smoke touches and deposits particles. Others here may have the real science on how dangerous grilling/smoking food is, but being married myself, I get that it may not matter. Just be prepared, anytime you burn wood, no mater how clean, you’ll get some residue left that your wife may not like. I recommend telling her it’s seasoning next time!

 

[indaswamp]

If you remove all the creosote-you will inevitably remove the flavor molecules too... Smoke is unburned fuel from combustion and depending on how the fire burns, more or less creosote is created. You need good airflow and good oxygen and dry wood which makes a clean burn.

 

[Nefarious]

I’m offering this thought with respect and want to possibly save you some money, if your wife is very sensitive to potential carcinogens, you are going to get that build up in everything you cook on that uses wood and it may not be worth a lot of effort. TBS is a lot cleaner burn, but you’ll still have particles from combustion that will collect as a natural byproduct. The creosote talked about WRT smoking meat is not the same as the stuff they preserve telephone poles with, even if it tastes the same! I suppose there are studies on the dangers of grilling/smoking meats, but here when we discuss creosote it’s in relation to taste. Most on SMF are probably not in the BBQ causes cancer camp. So, even If you do a long run of 12 foot with a mailbox mod or create the perfect TBS through a cook, the “fire” chamber will still get build up and the cooking chamber eventually will too…as well as anywhere else the hot smoke touches and deposits particles. Others here may have the real science on how dangerous grilling/smoking food is, but being married myself, I get that it may not matter. Just be prepared, anytime you burn wood, no mater how clean, you’ll get some residue left that your wife may not like. I recommend telling her it’s seasoning next time!

It isn't that she thinks all of the creosote needs to be removed. Just the volume because of not enough oxygen makes it very bad. We are returning the smoker to before mailbox, with a better stack and am going to continue where I left off.

The smoker now has a needle valve so it is more adjustable and it has a solenoid so I can add a PID controller or even make one if I still have the urge.