Old Original Oklahoma Joe smoker tuning plate question

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jwcnj4502

Fire Starter
Original poster
Jan 11, 2014
46
10
Jersey Shore
I recently got an old Oklahoma Joe smoker. It's not the big Longhorn model. Its got about a 30 " long cook chamber and has a16" round body. I would like to add tuner plates. My question is how much below the grate should the plates be? There is an angled baffle that covers part of the firebox opening. If I build off this baffle I will be about 2 1/2" below the grate. I can raise the grate another inch if I have to. Is that enough clearance? I don't want to put the plates any lower in the chamber because I don't want to resrict the heat flow under it too much. There would be about 3 3/4" at the lowest part of the chamber clearance this way. Any advice would be appreciated
 
4502, welcome . I have a 16" smoker the same design as yours . A  Newbraunsfals RedRiver , went to the Scrap yard and found a piece of Stainless for $5 . Went home , made a pattern of card board to the size and shape of the chamber I wanted to

plate. Here you can decide your height to grill . I am at 4" and seems to be right.

Weld 1/2" angle to the level you chose and tack in several spots for your plates . This is what you will slide the plates on to tune - in the Smoker. I didn't make a lock system like Klose does , but after a cook they tend to stick anyway.

Be ever patient when tuning , it's a new 'bell curve' for you.  Take a whole day making ABT's or Fatties  and get the feel of how to place them . Every time you clean it , you'll see why , you move the plates. Practice will help you know where they should

be for best results.  They get staggered . No reason to say how much , as each pit is it's own character...

plated one is the big one , the little one is reversed , planned , patterne and placed the same as the other.

Have fun and . . .
 
Thank you. I already have the metal and before I started messing with things I thought it a good idea to seek others help .Hope to make the plates this weekend and am shooting for them to be about 4" below the grate when I elevate the grates about an inch.This will leave adequate room under the plates for good heat flow I think.This type of smoker is new to me so it will take me a while to learn it. Happy Smoking.

                       Jim
 
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