Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition

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Re-Painting my Trailmaster

My Trailmaster LE is about 3 years old now. I keep it covered when not in use, but still some signs of rust has pitted through mostly in the firebox area.  I have rubbed these areas with steel wool and used a can of high temp spray paint which has worked ok.  Seeing the new units posted makes me want to have my look new, well maybe newer again.  Any suggestions on how I can repaint without taking the unit apart?

Many thanks for your suggestions in advance!

Greg
 
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The top of the firebox on my Lang 36 takes a beating from the heat. The sides do also but not as much. The rest of the cooker looks great. I don't think it matters what kind of a cooker you buy or what purchase price you pay -- they all have paint problems due to the heat. I've tried steel wool but what works best for me is to sand the box down to bare metal using metal sand paper and apply a couple of coats of ACE Heat Resistant Paint which is supposed to withstand heat up to 1000F but only if the heat is intermittent -- intermittent is the key word. The heat from the fire box is not intermittent.

Anyway, the cooker firebox looks good for a few months and I have to paint it again. I think the trick is using sandpaper instead of steel wool. It doesn't take long with an electric sander.That's just my opinion for what it's worth.

Don G   
 
 
The top of the firebox on my Lang 36 takes a beating from the heat. The sides do also but not as much. The rest of the cooker looks great. I don't think it matters what kind of a cooker you buy or what purchase price you pay -- they all have paint problems due to the heat. I've tried steel wool but what works best for me is to sand the box down to bare metal using metal sand paper and apply a couple of coats of ACE Heat Resistant Paint which is supposed to withstand heat up to 1000F but only if the heat is intermittent -- intermittent is the key word. The heat from the fire box is not intermittent.

Anyway, the cooker firebox looks good for a few months and I have to paint it again. I think the trick is using sandpaper instead of steel wool. It doesn't take long with an electric sander.That's just my opinion for what it's worth.

Don G   
Don,

Thank you for your reply.  I will try the metal sand paper down to bare metal, which should be a better solution than what I was doing.  I'll let you know how it works,

Best,

Greg
 
Hi all, I just picked up one of these Trailmaster LE's, and wanted to make some of the critical mods as I build it up. I'm in the UK, and looking to get some of the sealant - the usual ones I can find are fine up to 300 deg C. Wanted to ask those who've made the mod, was the sealant you used OK to 500 deg F, or was it Centigrade also?

Looking forward to getting started with my first Low and Slow cooking!

Thanks, Andy
 
 
It did awesome. I'm glad we got the heads up and caulked all the seams when putting it together as it only leaked a little smoke around the door lid. The 11 lb butt came out so great the following week we did a smaller 9.5 lb butt, 2 St Louis ribs and 3 baby backs. The photo was taken after the butt had been on for about 4.5 hours and the ribs were just put on. We love it.

E
fcdd582a_SmokerTMLE.jpg
I have a vertical WSM, with that offset do you have a hotspot towards the firebox? do you have to rotate the meat?
 
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Hi all, I just picked up one of these Trailmaster LE's, and wanted to make some of the critical mods as I build it up. I'm in the UK, and looking to get some of the sealant - the usual ones I can find are fine up to 300 deg C. Wanted to ask those who've made the mod, was the sealant you used OK to 500 deg F, or was it Centigrade also?

Looking forward to getting started with my first Low and Slow cooking!

Thanks, Andy
 
Sometimes I do, it depends on how close to the fire box I put the meat when I'm cooking a lot of stuff. I always put an aluminum pan full of water under the grates next to the firebox opening which I think helps keep that side a little cooler and moist.
 
Hey guys I have a problem... I bought these:

And watched this video...


And well I drilled 2 holes with a 1" hole saw...now my thermometers do not fit the hole is slightly too big... I'm not very handy and not sure what to do to fix it...
 
It's not the end of the world and you can fix this. Not sure how over size your hole is but I would use a custom made steel or copper gasket! Really it's just a washer. Maybe you can buy something at lowes or Home Depot. You need something with a outer dia greater than 2", so maybe 2 1/4 or 2 1/2 inches and a inner dia to fit your thermometer. Fit the gasket (washer) inside or outside, but first add some high temp sealant. Tighten with the nut that was to secure your thermometer.
 
They look to be the deal. I'm not sure what your grill ID and your thermometer OD actually is but if this closes the gap, yes. One on each side with silicon sealer between the washer and the grill. You might need another washer between the large washer and the thermometer shaft something for the securing nut to tighten against,,
 
Going to finally buy a Brinkman Trailmaster LE, been lurking for years and finally joined the forum today.  Couple questions I have

1.  Anyone think it is a good idea to Paint before first use?  I was thinking of getting some High Heat Automotive Spray Paint for at least the Firebox, but might just paint the whole thing.

2.  Placing fireplace bricks - should this be done and should they be wrapped with foil, or just use lava rock? 

I will be sealing everything up while assembling and going to order Smoker Toggle Latch & Gasket Kit and a couple other minor mods.  Hopefully in a couple weeks I will be smokin'
 
 
Going to finally buy a Brinkman Trailmaster LE, been lurking for years and finally joined the forum today.  Couple questions I have

1.  Anyone think it is a good idea to Paint before first use?  I was thinking of getting some High Heat Automotive Spray Paint for at least the Firebox, but might just paint the whole thing.

2.  Placing fireplace bricks - should this be done and should they be wrapped with foil, or just use lava rock? 

I will be sealing everything up while assembling and going to order Smoker Toggle Latch & Gasket Kit and a couple other minor mods.  Hopefully in a couple weeks I will be smokin'
I would definitely apply a coat or two of paint before the first use. I just assembled a new Brinkmann Trailmaster Verticle Smoker and put three coats of Rustoleum High Temp paint on as  my TrailMaster LE was getting a lot of rust, especially on the firebox side. I used the orange 600 degree RTV caulk to seal it when I assembled it, and the paint also covered the exposed orange making it look better too. My first smoke is this morning; an 11 pound Boston Butt and 4 Baby Backs, Should all be done by this afternoon. Now that I have had both models, I prefer the Vertical as it's so much easier to keep temps even through-out the smoking chamber.
 
sounds good, got the garage cleaned out today so I am ready

what would you paint it with? 


or the automotive 


since the price is good I am leaning to the automotive that can handle 2000 degrees.  Any advice would be appreciated
 
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I've had my BTLE for about a year and have had some good smokes on it.  After finding this forum, I've noticed leaks in the firebox I need to seal up.

I bought the Rutland RTV silicone sealant.  For parts in the firebox that fit together, is it okay to apply the sealant then bolt them back together?  Or, do I need to let it cure first, then bolt them back together?  Thanks for the help!
 
 
sounds good, got the garage cleaned out today so I am ready

what would you paint it with? 


or the automotive 


since the price is good I am leaning to the automotive that can handle 2000 degrees.  Any advice would be appreciated
I'd go with the 2000 degree stuff. It'll hold up better, longer. The temps on my fire box were approaching 500 degrees yesterday using an infrared thermometer.
 
So after about 3 weeks I finally got all my mods done and got to smoke a pork butt this weekend! Lemme say it came out amazing I was surprised and very proud my first bbq on a offset. None of my mods are original I found all on this forum. I'm just showing off :) Unfortunately we did not take a picture of the finished product...

My Mods:
Sealed Firebox with fiberglass rope.


In retrospect I wish I would have riveted down this fiberglass on the lid... after my seasoning process and the first cook it has lost it's shape and is pretty much held on from the weight of the lid.



Sealed cooking chamber with wool gaskets.



Toggle clamps come with the Brinkmann kit


Charcoal basket made out of perforated steel (it was free my dad had it in the garage(not sure how well it'll hold up))


 

Dryer vent extension to grate level.


My tuning plates. (1/4 inch steel(also free from dad))


There she is! (the thermometers I bought in a two pack off amazon...if you notice the one on the right is about 25 degrees low (I used oven thermometers inside and have almost even temps in the cooking chamber very happy and very surprised about that.)(Not happy about the 25 degree fault although it is on the ad may be +-25)


About to go in! I just used a common big chain pork rub.

After about 6 hours just before wrapping.

 
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