This is my first smoker, I have the dual door model and I am pretty satisfied with it after a few mods.
After my first attempt cooking with it I noticed that alot of smoke was being lost from the doors and the very top, which is like a lid tac/spot welded at a few points; allowing smoke to escape between the top and the main body of the smoker. I also relized that the thermometer was off by like 25*f. Also the smoker box and water pan were to small.
This is what I have done so far:
To address the smoke lost I got some oven door gaskets and used the original push clips to mount them, so all I had to do is drill some holes and cut one of the gaskets to length for the bottom door.
For the top I just got some high-temp silicon gasket maker to seal the gaps.
I replaced the thermometer with a tel-tru thermometer due to their history with such products.
As for the chip and water pan I modified two half hotel/steam pans, one for a water pan and one for the chip pan; by cutting up some square tubing and mounting extension on the pans so that I can use the existing racking. I also got a hotel pan lid a drilled some holes in it for the new chip pan.
I install the water pan first. Then second, is the old chip pan which I put char-daimond briquettes in it to maintain the heat bellow the water pan when I open the lower door to add chunks to the lower pan, which is installed last.
After a second attempt, I noticed that it was hotter in the lower portion of the smoker then the top.
So I just got a steam baffle from an old temale pot and drilled some holes in it and mounted it on some existing bolts from the smoke stack. The baffle has preexisting slits in it and slows down the smoke a little to help maintain a more even temp in the upper portion. There is about a 1/4 inch gap between the baffle and smoke stack opening. The baffle is sandwiched between the existing nuts and some new ones.
I also didn't like the tempeture control knob it has to much wiggle in it when I adjust the temp a little it looked like I didn't. So I installed a needle valve on the gas line. I just put the factory knob on high and adjust my temp from the valve.
__________________
Here are smoe pics tell me what you think you guys.
After my first attempt cooking with it I noticed that alot of smoke was being lost from the doors and the very top, which is like a lid tac/spot welded at a few points; allowing smoke to escape between the top and the main body of the smoker. I also relized that the thermometer was off by like 25*f. Also the smoker box and water pan were to small.
This is what I have done so far:
To address the smoke lost I got some oven door gaskets and used the original push clips to mount them, so all I had to do is drill some holes and cut one of the gaskets to length for the bottom door.
For the top I just got some high-temp silicon gasket maker to seal the gaps.
I replaced the thermometer with a tel-tru thermometer due to their history with such products.
As for the chip and water pan I modified two half hotel/steam pans, one for a water pan and one for the chip pan; by cutting up some square tubing and mounting extension on the pans so that I can use the existing racking. I also got a hotel pan lid a drilled some holes in it for the new chip pan.
I install the water pan first. Then second, is the old chip pan which I put char-daimond briquettes in it to maintain the heat bellow the water pan when I open the lower door to add chunks to the lower pan, which is installed last.
After a second attempt, I noticed that it was hotter in the lower portion of the smoker then the top.
So I just got a steam baffle from an old temale pot and drilled some holes in it and mounted it on some existing bolts from the smoke stack. The baffle has preexisting slits in it and slows down the smoke a little to help maintain a more even temp in the upper portion. There is about a 1/4 inch gap between the baffle and smoke stack opening. The baffle is sandwiched between the existing nuts and some new ones.
I also didn't like the tempeture control knob it has to much wiggle in it when I adjust the temp a little it looked like I didn't. So I installed a needle valve on the gas line. I just put the factory knob on high and adjust my temp from the valve.
__________________
Here are smoe pics tell me what you think you guys.