Clearance time and a new ok joe!

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thesmokist

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Oct 5, 2014
305
71
Lafayette IN
I've been eyeing the ok joe offset cookers for a while and I picked up one yesterday on clearance. These things are heavy duty and with the right mods and care it should last for a long time. I sealed the two pieces of the fire box together and then sealed it to the CC. If this sealer breaks down or leaks im going to weld the seams together on the inside so it still looks good on the outside. One thing I did notice was the big gaps around the ash door on the firebox which will suck quite a bit of air so I plan to tack welding some 1/8" x 1/2" wide flat stock on the inside of the firebox to block these gaps. I'll do all the other mods like the tuning plate and such also and I'll post up some picks. I may even build a removable small second rack to give me a little more space. Im pretty excited to use it and it will get it first run on turkey day!
 

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Good that you're taking the time to do the mods/fixes before it gets all crusted up!
Where are they on clearance?

Bill
 
I got it at Wal-Mart. $175 normally $268. I just picked up a gasket for a green egg for the CC door and a 3"8 rope gasket for the FB. I was looking at the baffle plate online but man they are $100 bucks or more! That's just way too much so I found 2 double wall cookie sheets for 10 bucks that were perfect size im gonna put in.
 
I did most of the mods I wanted to do to the how and the only one left being the weber grommet for my therm wires. I put the pieces of flat stock around the inside of the ash door, moved dampner door to the outside, made the baffle plate and I put a gasket around the CC door. I used a gasket for the green egg and it was so wide I was able to cut it in two so I have alot leftover. I noticed the nut on the ash door has the nylon insert so I'm gonna put a stainless bolt with a nut and a jam nut so it won't come loose. Since that's all done today's the day to oil it and fire it up!
 

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I finally got it fired up today. When I went to wipe it down inside with oil I realized there was a lot of paint on the inside so I cleaned that off cuz man that stuff stinks when it gets hot and I don't want it to contaminate my rig. It's working great, sealed up real good and is holding temp side to within 10 degrees. I'm gonna reverse sear some thick chops I have tonight and then do a turkey tomorrow.
 
Thanks! I got some small water pans on the fire box side that seem to helping keep it even. Dampner is barely cracked open.
 

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Question....if you can weld, why the hell are you not making a really good smoker? As for the welding on the OKJ....When I had this smoker, I had it welded together. Bottom part of the cook chamber had to be careful. The outer end caps peices on the cook chamber are glued on like a jbweld type substance.
 
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