New to Smoking

[phillipwd]

My wife blessed me with a new COS for my birthday and ok it isn't the one I would have picked but you don't look a gift horse in the mouth.  It is an Oklahoma Joe and, of course, my first attempt was almost a failure due to the fact I had to constantly keep adding more sticks and charcoal to keep my temps. up. So I started to do research and found this site. My first attempt at sealing the leaks with RTV was a failure because I had done some research and I had seasoned it with peanut oil and the RTV didn't stick.  So I peeled it all off and went to the garage and brought out some steel wool and brake cleaner.  Scrubbed the areas where I wanted to put the RTV really well, reapplied it and this time stuck like a charm. Now it is so sealed that I did a 5 hr. test smoke with one load and the temp stayed right about 235 and am now confident that I will be able to control it without any problems.  Going to go with ribs this next weekend again before attempting a pork butt.

Thanks for all your help.

 

[sota d]

Welcome to the forum and congrats on your new smoker. This is the best smoking site anywhere- lots of experienced smokers who all love helping others. Good luck with your ribs, if you have any ?s use the search bar at the top of the page. If you can't find the answer there(not likely), post your ? and you'll get plenty of good advice. Happy smokin', David.

 

[gary s]

  Good afternoon and welcome to the forum, from a wet, rainy and chilly day here in East Texas. Lots of great people with tons of information on just about  everything.

Gary

 

[phillipwd]

Thanks Sota D and Gary S I am sure I will be doing a lot of research as I move through the smoking process.  It has finally warmed up enough here is Richmond, Virginia to smoke every weekend. Hard to believe it is 70 degress here today and I am still looking at a snow bank out my window.

 

[phillipwd]

Thanks for the welcome I am sure I will be asking a lot of questions as i am new to smoking.  The biggest problem I have right now is finding the wood here in Richmond Virginia.  Only been able to buy the expensive stuff at Bass Pro. I will keep looking.

 

[gary s]

Need help someone is always around

Gary

 

[one eyed jack]

Welcome to the site Philip and congratulations on your birthday gift smoker, and your successful modifications.

I would think that you wouldn't have to get very far out of Richmond to find fire wood.  I see lots of dead-fall wood in the woods along the highways when I travel that area.  (Got a brother in Harrissonberg).

 

[gary s]

Maybe you will find some good smoking wood

Gary

 

[masonman1345]

 

[phillipwd]

Thanks all I think I found enough hhickory and oak to last at least season.

 

[one eyed jack]

Thanks all I think I found enough hhickory and oak to last at least season.

That is an enviable position to be in. 

 

[phillipwd]

Got lucky and found a guy that had dropped some oak and hickory trees last fall and he offered to let me come in and take whatever limbs I wanted. I guess most people wouldn't think about using limbs but I got two loads of pretty good sized wood that I am going to spend the weekend splitting now.

 

[gary s]

Sounds like you hit a home run  Congrats

gary

 

[one eyed jack]

 
Got lucky and found a guy that had dropped some oak and hickory trees last fall and he offered to let me come in and take whatever limbs I wanted. I guess most people wouldn't think about using limbs but I got two loads of pretty good sized wood that I am going to spend the weekend splitting now.

Yup,  That sounds great.  Wood is wood, whether from limbs or trunk's. 

   As long as it's sound, (Not rotten), your good to go.

 

[joe black]

Welcome Philip. I'm sure you will find this site to be very rewarding. Lots of folks with lots of knowledge and always ready to help. If all of that oak and hickory proves to be too much for your smokes, just let me know. SC is not too far fron Va. Just bring a load down here and I can dispose of it at no charge. See how great this site is?