OK Joe gets a Hat

[ski-freak]

It keeps raining on my smoking, so I finally picked up a Chimney Cap:

OK Joe Hat.JPG

• ski-freak
• Aug 15, 2013

It's a standard 3 inch Chimney Cap that I simply "adjusted" with my thumb, and now I can jam it in the top of my Oklahoma Joe Longhorn Exhaust Stack whenever I'm cooking in the rain to keep the rain out. This should work for most offset sideburners with a 3 inch Exhaust Stack - and larger sizes and different styles are also available right off the shelf.

Just flip open your exhaust valve plate all the way (as it should be positioned whenever you're cooking) and then note that on the side where the rivet/pin holds the swinging valve plate there will be some interference to the fit of the chimney cap. No worries, just push your thumb against the bottom edge of the chimney cap's sleeve until it will fit into the chimney with enough clearance for the rivet/pin. Basically the bottom edge of the tubing will be a circle with an indent on one side. Remember that you're just jamming this into the exhaust stack when it's raining and otherwise storing it until you need it, so it doesn't have to be perfect. You might be able to find one in stainless steel, but galvanized is cheaper and durable enough - and shouldn't be a hazard at the low temperature of the exhaust stack. Zinc galvanizing melts at 900 degrees F, and vaporizes at 1650 degrees F. I bought a galvanized one.

Hope this helps with smoking in the rain!

 

[fwismoker]

I avoid smoking in the rain at all cost, if it's raining I'm smoking under cover. You're fine with a galvanized cap though.

 

[daveomak]

Chris, evening.......  Looks good......  So hows the smoker doing with the mods you made.....   I would guess you are very happy with the way it smoke now....    Dave

 

[ski-freak]

Good evening Dave! Yes, my OK Joe works very reliably for low and slow smoking in the main food chamber, and quick hot searing/grilling in the firebox (often I do both at the same time). I do cook on it a lot, and do go through a lot of wood and charcoal on this big rig (20 X 40 main food cooking grate AND 20 X 20 firebox cooking grate). 

Sometimes the weather forecast looks reasonably good, and then an hour or two into a cook it changes. Up here in RI the weather is just very changeable, and I guess that's generally good - since there's no need to get bummed out if you don't like the weather, as it's about to change.

 

[ski-freak]

Even a hat doesn't help when it's winter. Apart from the cold temperatures, the snow makes even walking around a challenge:

Snowy OK Joe.JPG

• ski-freak
• Feb 11, 2014

This picture also shows the relevance of using a cover over your grill when it isn't being used. There is even a Lodge Cast Iron Hibachi Style Grill totally under the snow on the slate table (with it's cover)!