Finally found the time and figured out how to post pics. Here is what I did to my Char-Grill.
I attached the unused legs from the side fire box to the charcoal grate in the main chamber. Notice the right side, I bent the legs to fit directly over the bolts that are holding the side fire box on to the main unit. This also makes the side of the baffle closest to the fire lower than the far side which will allow heat to rise and evenly distribute.
Here you can see the slight evevation from right to left
This shows the pattern I chose to drill 1/4" holes in the baffle. Fewer holes on the fire side, more on the cool side.
This is what the baffle looks like when in place. Fits flush on the fire side, just above the bolts.
I fill in the spaces that are left with foil, forcing the heat through the matrix of holes in the baffle
This shows what I used to seal the smoker better. My biggest compaint about this model is that it is not sealed well at all. I went to Ace Hardware and purchased 12' of "stove gasket" and the cement shown in the pics. I attached it to the front and sides in one continous piece on the outside. The back I attached to the inside of the top. I used a bunch of those black office alligator clips to hold it on overnight and then fired the grill really hot to set the cement. Make sure that you sand all the surfaces that the cement will touch on the smoker or it will not hold.
Here is what I did to the stack.
Added two more thermometers which I found at home depot for $7 each
I could not find a charcoal basket for a reasonable price so I went to home depot and this is what I ended up with.
And here she is in action!
And all my hard work was well worth it.
I attached the unused legs from the side fire box to the charcoal grate in the main chamber. Notice the right side, I bent the legs to fit directly over the bolts that are holding the side fire box on to the main unit. This also makes the side of the baffle closest to the fire lower than the far side which will allow heat to rise and evenly distribute.
Here you can see the slight evevation from right to left
This shows the pattern I chose to drill 1/4" holes in the baffle. Fewer holes on the fire side, more on the cool side.
This is what the baffle looks like when in place. Fits flush on the fire side, just above the bolts.
I fill in the spaces that are left with foil, forcing the heat through the matrix of holes in the baffle
This shows what I used to seal the smoker better. My biggest compaint about this model is that it is not sealed well at all. I went to Ace Hardware and purchased 12' of "stove gasket" and the cement shown in the pics. I attached it to the front and sides in one continous piece on the outside. The back I attached to the inside of the top. I used a bunch of those black office alligator clips to hold it on overnight and then fired the grill really hot to set the cement. Make sure that you sand all the surfaces that the cement will touch on the smoker or it will not hold.
Here is what I did to the stack.
Added two more thermometers which I found at home depot for $7 each
I could not find a charcoal basket for a reasonable price so I went to home depot and this is what I ended up with.
And here she is in action!
And all my hard work was well worth it.