# Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition



## realtorterry

So I finally made up my mind & went with the Brinkmann horizontal smoker. I just like the horizontals. Unforunatley it's not as well built as I had hoped!! It is a good gauge but there are so MANY leaks in the firebox it smokes more than the stack!! The stock gauge is off by almost 50. Then I have to keep the firebox damper all the way close just to try & keep it at 300:( not happy at all:(


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## realtorterry

Did I also mention that after putting it together it's also lopsided!!


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## cabin fever

Sorry to hear that man. The last offset smoker I owned was a tiny $89.00 piece of junk Char-Broil that I bought from Lowes and I pretty much had the same experience. I took the thing to the landfill after just one cook. Words can't describe what a hunk of junk that cooker was. I only have myself to blame though. I don't know what I was expecting from an $89 smoker in the first place.


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## mossymo

Not sure if you have seen this thread - http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/58778/char-griller-smokin-pro-with-firebox-mods but it is filled with many modifications from past and present SMF members that will also work with your Brinkman I believe.

Also, my CGSP was full of leaks with factory holes and I used Rutlands 500º high heat silicone sealant to seal many of these leaks. For me it is a must have in stock product; some place, some where I think I have used it on each smoker and on bbq grills.


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## SmokinAl

Sorry your disappointed with the Brinkmann. As Mossy said there are a lot of mods you can do to make it better.


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## scandall

SmokinAl,

Became a member today! Yea! I got the same 89 dollar smoker Cabin Fever got, Should I not even waste my time?

sounds like it to me...Scandall

I can afford a better smoker, any input on which ones are good?


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## scarbelly

Hey Terry - you are really starting to get serious here LOL - Try the sealant Mossy suggested and it should help a lot


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## turfguy

Thanks for the tip on the caulk. I got my TMLE this past weekend and my son & I put it together Sunday. We used the caulk whereever tow parts went together with a hole as we assembled it and the results were very good when we lit the curing fire. Fairly easy to assemble and a big step up from my little Char-Grill $99 side box smoker. While it was always too small and took a lot of baby sitting to keep the temps even, we used it for 7 years and put a lot of butts and ribs through it. We put it out on the swale Sunday afternoon as Monday was bulk trash pickup up day and it didn't last an hour. Someone claimed it and I'm kinda glad it will still be getting some use from someone. I've got a nice 11 pound butt in the fridge that was just dry-rubbed and it'll go on the new grill Friday morning to do the first test run.

The curing fire was a good lesson on how much better it holds heat than that little CG, looking forward to Friday.

E


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## smokerowe

TurfGuy, how did it do????

I'm looking at moving on up to the BTLE from my Kenmore wet smoker. The Home Depot's discontinued it, so I have to make a decision soon.

Tom in MD


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## fife




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## turfguy

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


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## smokerowe

Thanks for the info, AND the mouth-watering photo!  It's a beautiful thing.

And thanks MossyMo for the scoop on the high-heat sealant.  Looks like that makes all the difference.


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## smoknhot

Hey TurfGuy,

I was wondering if you've had luck finding a good quality cover for your smoker - I recently bought this smoker as a gift for the man in my life.... but wanted to get a cover to go with it.... figured I'd ask.

Thanks!


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## jonny

Turfguy, when you unpacked you're Brinkmann Trailmaster was the lid a little bent?  Just picked one up at home depot and the barrel and lid were bent a little bit.  Wondering if I should take that back...


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## realtorterry

Hey smonkinhot. I use to have the same smoker ( I started the thread ) the guys from brinkmann said this it the cover number?

The cover to order is item number 812-2100-0 and can be ordered on line through our website.  

I never got it so I can't swear to it?  There were MANY things wrong with mine even after doing some mods to it? I was going through a bag of charcoal every 2-3 hours with all the vents completely closed? There were numerous air leaks between the door & smoking chamber. I tried the sealant but it wasn't near thick enough? I was able to keep it for 2 months & smoked alot in it but it never got better for me? Looks like Jonny's having good luck though?

O well at least I was able to get my money back. I'll be using it to get WSM 18.5 hopfully this weekend


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## turfguy

I have not searched for one yet. I may make one myself using green canvas to match some other covers I have on my patio.

E


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## turfguy

Jonny said:


> Turfguy, when you unpacked you're Brinkmann Trailmaster was the lid a little bent?  Just picked one up at home depot and the barrel and lid were bent a little bit.  Wondering if I should take that back...


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## realtorterry

I'm not turfguy, but yes mine was exactly the same. The floor model was also the same. That's why I opted for a new in the box one. I thought it wouldn't be bent. I was wrong!


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## smoknhot

Thanks realtorterry, I appreciate the help. 

I've been searching for for the last few days and hadn't had much luck. 

I'll definitely check it out! :)


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## turfguy

I thought I had replied to this, but it didn't take for some reason. Mine was not bent, purchased in the box.


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## yllib 137

Hi:

Where I can buy the Brinkmannn Traailmaster Limited Edition?

Please let me know?

Thanks


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## jonny

Finally found one in the KC area that wasn't bent, had to go to 3 different Home Depot stores.  The first one was really bent, must have been damaged in shipping.


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## chadvikescali

I smoked on this BTLE once and am a rookie! My Pork butt came out tasting like creosote!!! What did I do wrong?!?!?!?!!?


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## venture

Sorry you are disappointed.  Having said that, there are very few smokers out there that are good to go out of the box.  Tinkering with them to get them working right is not only half the fun, but it is also where we learn a lot about smoking.  Work with it a bit and consider it a fun experiment.  I bet you can get some good smokes from that unit.  Like with any hobby, each new toy just seems to be the first step to the next and more expensive one, though.  LOL

Good luck and good smoking.


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## socalbbq

I just purchased the Trailmaster LE and finally the weather broke and I was able to assemble yesterday.  I didn't have any issues with bent parts except for the ash drawer for the firebox is a little bent, no big deal though.  The curing process was really good to understand heat control.  I did discover small smoke leaks from the lid.  I read where someone did a gasket mod on the lid which I am going to check into.  I think the cover listed above is for the SnP, which is what comes up every time I do a search for that part number.  I am going to call Brinkmann this morning and I'll post the results.  Well here is a pic of my baby all together.


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## socalbbq

Yllib 137 said:


> Hi:
> 
> Where I can buy the Brinkmannn Traailmaster Limited Edition?
> 
> Please let me know?
> 
> Thanks




I just picked mine up at a local Home Depot.  Only 1 store of 10 in the area had it in stock.


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## smokerowe

Yllib 137 said:


> Hi:
> 
> Where I can buy the Brinkmannn Traailmaster Limited Edition?
> 
> Please let me know?
> 
> Thanks


Home Depot has it online with free delivery.


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## tiny-g-n-kc

She's purdy! My oldest son just helped me put mine (BTLE) together today. I can't wait to get some time to break her in.


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## mintee

TurfGuy said:


> Thanks for the tip on the caulk. I got my TMLE this past weekend and my son & I put it together Sunday. We used the caulk whereever tow parts went together with a hole as we assembled it and the results were very good when we lit the curing fire. Fairly easy to assemble and a big step up from my little Char-Grill $99 side box smoker. While it was always too small and took a lot of baby sitting to keep the temps even, we used it for 7 years and put a lot of butts and ribs through it. We put it out on the swale Sunday afternoon as Monday was bulk trash pickup up day and it didn't last an hour. Someone claimed it and I'm kinda glad it will still be getting some use from someone. I've got a nice 11 pound butt in the fridge that was just dry-rubbed and it'll go on the new grill Friday morning to do the first test run.
> 
> The curing fire was a good lesson on how much better it holds heat than that little CG, looking forward to Friday.
> 
> E


I hope one day I can have a patio filled with the awesomeness that you have.  Hope you get you problem resolved!


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## tiny-g-n-kc

I just bought the TMLE. I was wodering, when not smoking, does anyone ever grill burgers etc. over the firebox grates, or would you still use the grates in the cooking chamber? I just sold my Brinkmann Smoke King & it was really only good for smoking even though it said it could grill as well. This question is for anyone who cares to reply.


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## percent20

I just got mine setup and curing it right now.  I am curios about this too.


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## tiny-g-n-kc

Someone responded to me & I was told that I could use the firebox for direct heat grilling for smaller grilling needs or still use the cooking chamber (either way). So, their you go!


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## turfguy

Thanks, I really enjoy outdoor cooking.
 


mintee said:


> I hope one day I can have a patio filled with the awesomeness that you have.  Hope you get you problem resolved!


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## socalbbq

Tiny-G-n-KC said:


> Someone responded to me & I was told that I could use the firebox for direct heat grilling for smaller grilling needs or still use the cooking chamber (either way). So, their you go!


I use the Firebox grill quite often, works really well even though it's not that big.  I will sometimes use this part to sear chicken right before eating.  Sunday it used only the FB grate to grill up some Beef Tenderloins, turned out great.  The manual says you can use the main cooking area for grilling also by putting coals in the lower grates.  I have avoided that for now not wanting any ash in my smoking chamber.


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## turfguy

Got a 9 lb. butt rubbed along with 3 racks of baby backs and a store-bought pre-rubbed spare rib rack I'm throwin on the smoker tomorrow. I'll make some pics and upload as we go. Looking forward to eating well.


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## turfguy

OK, the butt went on at 6:30 AM, the ribs at 11:30 and out of the smoker at 2:30. Then wrapped in foil and into the oven for 3 hours at 240 degrees. They tasted really good. This is the butt after 3 hours.


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## turfguy

The ribs still wrapped coming out of the fridge.


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## turfguy

The Smoker Smoking, just right.


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## turfguy

The ribs go on.


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## turfguy

The meat coming off the smoker. Yes, I cut a couple of ribs off the left side of the spare ribs in the front.


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## turfguy

Here's the finished baby backs.


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## kirks

OK, I did it, after researching smokers till my eyes bled, I went with the Trailmaster LE.. I ordered it from Home Depot and they delivered it 8 days later.  The box was beat to S_ _t so I was concerned the smoker might be damaged, but upon unpacking i t everything was in perfect condition.  Assembled it in 2 1/2 hours the following day, using high temp silicon on every bolt, nut, and seam.  I also installed 2 additional temp gauges at the grate level while I had it in the shop.  Cured it that same day, and smoked my first chicken the following day.

I"ll have to work on the fuel loading as I had a hard time maintaining 220 degrees during the smoke.  I live in Colorado at 7500 feet and as soon as a little afternoon front moved in dropping the outside temps by 20 degrees,( 85-65 in 20 minutes is pretty standard weather around here), the temperature of the smoker dropped the same amount??  The chicken never did reach 165 degrees so I tossed it in the oven for 20 minutes and it turned out just right with great smoke flavor.  

I'll smoke a few more chickens for practice before moving on to more expensive meats, but I'm excited and can't wait for that learning curve to kick in.

 One question for you Ol' Pros out there...is there much difference in the brands on the wood charcoal?  Is Cowboy brand any better that a generic brand for maintaining heat and length of burning time??  I'm staying away from the "Briquette" style charcoal and just burning the real stuff, but it sure seems like I'm going through a lot of it on every cook.

Thanks, Kirk


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## socalbbq

Kirk,

Congrats on your new rig!  I love mine, smoke/BBQ every chance I get.  Here is link found on this forum for lump charcoal,

http://www.nakedwhiz.com/lump.htm.  You will find all kinds of lump and ratings from users as well as the website.  I understand that Cowboy has a lot of wood scraps, which is not conducive to a good smoke.  I use Lazzari, which is easily found in my area.  I tried another brand which Sam's Club carried and it was mostly waste and small particles.  The parts which useable, were so big I had to chop with an axe to fit in the firebox.

Good luck and post some Q-View on your upcoming smokes.


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## jonny

Hey Kirk, I've been extremely happy with this smoker.  I think the solution to your heat regulation is going to be found in the minion method of using charcoal.  I've had very good success with this method, which can be found here: http://www.homebbq.com/index.php/archives/82

My dad has a different brinkmann model smoker and has had problems keeping the heat constant and I made the same basket for him as well  and it works perfect in two installations so far.  I've been able to hold a constant 225-250 temp for 8-10 hours easy.  You can find the parts you need at Lowes or Home Depot.  I usually fill the basket up about half full, throw the lit charcoals on top and then some hickory wood chunks on top of that.


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## jonny

Minion method, part 2.  Coals mostly burnt and cleanup later seemed easier as well.


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## kirks

Thanks Johnny for the good suggestion and the photos.  I did build a basket for the coals, but I only went 3" up on the sides, not near as tall as yours.  I might need to re-think my engineering on that and build it deeper to hold more fuel.

I'm hoping to smoke all winter and I really need to get my heat dialed in and regulated before the snow blows, which it's doing in the mountains today already!

I'll give the Minion method a try and let you know what happened.

Thanks, Kirk


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## jklauk

Any one now when Depot puts their BBQ,s on sale for the winter? I was looking at the Trailmaster Limited this weekend, (Labor Day) And figured it might get marked down soon?


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## brick

Home Depot is where I'm getting mine. For the money this is a very good one! And, try using just enough charcoal or wood chuncks to get the fire going. Then use a log at a time. This way has worked for me.


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## laxinfish29

Any chance we could get a how to on the charcoal basket for dum dums like myself?  It would be much appreciated.


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## lovinspoonful

Laxin, expanded metal for charcoal baskets comes in several sizes. Ideally you want at least 24"x24" sheet which will allow you to build a 12"x12"x6" basket with a minimum of cutting like so:







You can secure the flaps to complete the basket assembly with anything that's fireproof, from baling wire to nuts and bolts and washers or whatever you have laying around in your workshop.

If you can only find 18"x24" you can still do something similar although the sides will be 3" lower on two sides.

Needless to say the higher the basket the longer your fuel will last before needing to be refilled. Just measure in advance to see how big you can go and still fit through the door of your firebox. A good idea is to mock up a basket out of cardboard and see what fits.


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## laxinfish29

Wow, that was awesome.  Thanks so much for taking the time to do that.  This is probably a stupid question but Im new to this and you have to start somewhere right?  How do you bend this without a press?


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## lovinspoonful

You can wrangle it to a 90 degree angle by folding it over a 2x4 and using a hammer to sharpen the fold. If you have some clamps and can clamp it to work bench that makes it easier. There are different weights of expanded steel. You don't want the flimbsey stuff that is sold for reinforcing floor leveling cement, but you don't want it too heavy either. The right weight you can flex a sheet to a 90 degree arc (across the whole sheet) without too much effort.

BTW, looking at Jonny's basket that seems like an optimal, and simple design for the trailmaster for a couple of reasons 1) it has a large capacity since it sits down on the stock coal grate and so is taller than a 12x12 basket, and 2) it's easier to construct as you don't need to cut the flaps and fold them. Doing it all over again I might use that design as the more charcoal you can hold the better.

I just finished a five hour cook and I had to refill a few times. Of course it was 55 degrees outside too.


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## laxinfish29

Johnny - did you just cut two strips from a 24x24 sheet the depth you want, bend them in half, and connect the two bent strips?

Also, where have you guys been running the wire in to the smoker for your wireless thermometer probes?

Sent from my ADR6400L using Tapatalk


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## lovinspoonful

I just run mine under the bottom lip of the door. For whatever reason my door does not seem to leak much heat or smoke either way.

I had thought about cutting a vertical slot or two in the lower door sill of the smoke chamber to accommodate the passage of probe wires but so far have not seen the need.


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## turfguy

LovinSpoonful said:


> I just run mine under the bottom lip of the door. For whatever reason my door does not seem to leak much heat or smoke either way.
> 
> I had thought about cutting a vertical slot or two in the lower door sill of the smoke chamber to accommodate the passage of probe wires but so far have not seen the need.




Yeah, I do the same on mine with no leakage around the door.


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## kirks

Well boys,  I've now used the Minion Method (as recommended by Johny, thx Johny!!)  in my Trailmaster LE twice and I have to say it works, very well in fact.  I'm still using the original basket I made with 3" sides, but I was able to hold 220-230 for three hours.  I did re-load the basket at two hours with an unlit load of Cowboy from a Weber chimney, and it brought the temp right back up within 10 minutes, and with minimal smoke.  I need to build a taller basket with at least 6 " sides and I think I'll be good to go for longer smokes.  I'm lovin' the Brinkman Trailmaster  and with every smoke I'm getting smoother and better.  Thanks for all the GREAT advise, you guys rock!  Kirk


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## jonny

Kirk, glad to see that's working out for you!

LovinSpoonful and LaxinFish:  I don't recall the exact size of the expanded metal sheet but I think it was 18 x24 and I ended up buying two of them.   I cut each sheet so that it would be just high enough to barely fit into the firebox when the lid shut.  Then I measured the width and depth of bottom of the firebox where the grate is and bent it into an "L" shape and cut one of the sheets to match one side (depth) and the front (width).  Took that piece and trimmed it down to fit in just perfect and then performed the same steps with the other piece.  At that point you end up with two opposing "L" shapes that you marry up and use some steel wire to sort of sew them together.  It doesn't have to look pretty, just as long as it doesn't melt and holds form.  In mine it's such a perfect fit that I have to just slightly wiggle it to get it in out out of the firebox opening. I took the KISS approach, which so far has worked out really well.  I took some pics with a tape measure so you could see the exact size.  As you can see, it's roughly 10.5 x 9.5 inches and almost 10 inches tall.  If I fill this with about 7 -8 inches of charcoal and pour the lit charcoal on top this will easily go 8-10 hours if not more.  I have filled it up about 6 inches and it burned for 6 hours for my pulled pork and still had some left burning when I pulled the butt off and stuck it in the oven.


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## newmc

Hi all, good info here.  I have had my BTLE for a couple months, moved into a new house, and school started up so haven't had a lot of time to smoke.  I've smoked a couple goose breasts that turned out great and grilled a few meals (if I'm going to eat steaks I can't stand using propane when I've got the option of charcoal).  I'm looking at doing the expanded metal box in the next month but my question is whether or not anyone has found a cover that will fit our smokers?  The model number listed earlier in this topic does not appear to be correct.  I spoke with someone at Brinkmann a couple months ago and they told me that they do not make this cover yet...even though the owner's/assembly manual tells us to order from them.  I need to find a cover so I'm not pulling mine in and out of the garage all the time.  Thanks


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## smokerowe

I grabbed a Brinkmann 82” Grill Cover # 812-9097-S right off the shelf at Home Depot to try it out, and as luck would have it, it fit perfectly.  See?







Love my Trailmaster!

Tom in MD


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## laxinfish29

That will have to do the trick.  I was told that they are working on a cover but it wont be out until Spring of 12.


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## newmc

Thanks guys, that's good enough for me!


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## newmc

Thanks guys, that's good enough for me!


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## brick

Thanks for sharing this. I bought the smoker today and will add the firebox that you guys have made. What a great Idea. Also, somewhere on here I belive that I heard someone put a metal plate on top of the wood grill. Any feedback on that?

Brick


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## brick

I bought one today and got 10% off with a veterans discount at Home Depot.


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## akdcwl

Hi all, I had been looking to purchase my first smoker and a week ago I picked up the Trailmaster from the Home Depot. Fortunately my local HD had there last one assembled so I got to take my time and look over it.

I decided that for the money it seemed to be a decent unit but opted to drive the 20 or so miles to collect one unassembled. As it turns out, this was the last unit in at least a 100 mile radius! And they actually gave me 10% off!!  

I set it up and did a few of the standard modification (Thanks to you tube) and have my very first pork butt EVER in it as I type this.

I do have a question for you more experienced Trailmaster’s. I’m having trouble keeping the temp down…  I have a charcoal basket and really only have a dozen or so bricks in there to maintain a temp of 200.   When I did the seasoning, I followed the minion method and the temp rocketed to 450 with the vents closed!  Right now during cooking I’m adding just a few coals every hour and I seem to be averaging 200 and check on it every ten mins or so. Is this typically what everyone else is doing or is it that my technique needs a lot of work?

Oh by the way, Thanks everyone for all the great advice on here!!


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## megachunk

Yes, great advice!

I recently bought my Trailmaster LE and used a furnace cement rated at 2000F to seal the box and stack. Did my first butt over maple and it was great! But like you ADKCWL, I've had trouble keeping temp down and maintaining it for a while. Seems to jump around, up and down. Going to make a charcoal cage today and hit the Woodshed in Orange to pick up some red oak. But any tips on keeping temp down and steady would be great. Also, any tips on sealing the lid? Thats where most of the smoke gets out. I've head of a liquid gasket make and was going to try that.

Thanks in advance.

Megachunk


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## brick

Leave the stack completely open and control the air flow/temp with the vent on the firebox. You'll get it down!


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## snookdawg

After alot of research I have decided to purchase the TMLE.  I had my heart set on a Lang but I can not justify the price RIGHT NOW.  This site has some great info on mods and I can't wait to cook on the TMLE this weekend.


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## brick

Congrats! You'll be pleased!


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## snookdawg

So I got me tmle today and got it assembled right before I had leave and go to work. Tomorrow I will season it and get it ready for the first cook this weekend. I sealed everything with high temp rtv and bought the expanded metal for the fire box.


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## akdcwl

I did a lot of my modifications to my TMLE before firing it up for the first time but I’m pretty sure I would have had as much smoke leaking out around the door as out the stack!

I used some RTV high temp gasket to seal the door with great results. I masked off around the edge of the cooking chamber before applying the RTV (Last thing I wanted was liquid gasket messing up my shinny new smoker).

 I also applied some peanut oil to the edge of the door so when I closed the lid it would not stick to the wet RTV. I shut the lid and left it for about ten minutes.  Before the gasket had time to fully cure, I opened the door and trimmed back the excess from the inside and removing the masking tape. It left me with a nice clean rubber seal that works great!  

I also did this to the firebox door before my last smoke and it helped tremendously with the temp control. I guess I had way too much air sneaking in to be able to effectively use the fire box vent.


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## bbq md

I got my TMLE about 6 months ago,after my son in law bought his about a year ago.

Watching my son in law cook on his I right away noticed design flaws. so when I got mine I already had ideas. first like almost all here has said  use high heat silicone everywhere, second, while the ash drawer is nice, there is so much unwanted air you can not keep temps down. so i took a piece of thin sheet metal and rolled it to cover the hole. third, was to remove the stack plug the hole, I used a stack from an old walmart char griller cut a hole and installed at the same end as the original stack. but then removed it and welded an extension to put it about an inch or so off the grate. Then last thing was to add a deflector inside the pit at the opening from the fire box and line the lower grate with 6" ceramic tiles. Temps are now easy to control and heat is more even from end to end.


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## akdcwl

After two months of waiting, the convention plate I ordered from Horizon BBQ has turned up. I have to build a baffle to accommodate the plate but I’m looking forward to testing it out and perhaps evening out the end temps a little.

 I also like BBQ MD’s idea of removing and sealing the ash draw to prevent and air leakage. That’s now on the list of modification to be done.

By the way, I love this smoker! But I also like to tinker with stuff…..


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## boardpuller

My horizon convection plate  came in about a month ago. ordered it before Xmas had to call to find out what was going on. They had them in stock and shipped that day.   I am still tinkering but so far in several test burns I have maintain even heat all the way across the cooking chamber once It got up to temp. Thermos at firebox bout 6 " in ( I use a loaf pan full of water ), 1 in the middle tip even with the stock thermo, and 1 at the chimney extension. I have the plate sitting on 1 of the fire grates, I tried raising it with 1" square tubes, but didn't work for me. I also built a fire grate keeps the charcoal from falling through and helps to maintain heat longer.


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## akdcwl

Hey great pics Boardpuller. The plate is not an exact fit and the fire grate you used seems to do the trick.  I’m not sure why my plate took so long to receive. I looked back at the original order and it was placed early November! I phoned four or five times and got the same answer “It should be here next week” Any case, its here now and I’m happy to have it!!

I'll be sure to post some pictures when i'm finished.


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## socalbbq

boardpuller said:


> My horizon convection plate  came in about a month ago. ordered it before Xmas had to call to find out what was going on. They had them in stock and shipped that day.   I am still tinkering but so far in several test burns I have maintain even heat all the way across the cooking chamber once It got up to temp. Thermos at firebox bout 6 " in ( I use a loaf pan full of water ), 1 in the middle tip even with the stock thermo, and 1 at the chimney extension. I have the plate sitting on 1 of the fire grates, I tried raising it with 1" square tubes, but didn't work for me. I also built a fire grate keeps the charcoal from falling through and helps to maintain heat longer.


Great add.  I have emailed Horizon many times trying to see if  theirs would fit the TMLE.  Can you let me know exactly which one you ordered so I can pick one up as well?

thanks,

Greg


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## boardpuller

I got the one for the 16 they will do custom ones also. I' still tweaking I took out the fire grate and added Flat bar stock 1/4 and 3/16 still working dont know if I have toextend the front or just block the open part.


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## hoosiergrill

Picked up my new Trail Master LE Saturday. Home Depot is apparently phasing it out, had to search to find one within 100 miles. Did not mind the drive, sunny and one of the boys along. We put it together and ready to fire up in an hour and 10 minutes. No issues, everything fit, no missing parts. I had read all of the comments here regrading bent doors, leaks, etc. With that in mind  I was going to use high heat sealant putting it  together but then me being me, I wanted to see for myself, figuring that if there were issues perhaps I might find a different way of dealing with them. Not a single complaint. Everything seals up nicely. Get a few wisps from the firebox door, a wisp or two from the big door, and no leaks at the stack (which my son tells me needs to be chrome, so off to truck pro we'll go). Not a wisp from the joint between the firebox and smoker box.  Have had 2 or 3 of the smaller econ chargrill styles over the past 20 years, they worked fine for what they were. Fired this thing up to get it seasoned and do the test drive: ran temp up to 350 - 375 then closed down the inlet and stack. Held 250f for 4 hours. Used about 7-8lbs of charcoal with a few small pieces of hickory. Test run will be a picnic shoulder which takes time and more consistent temp then other cuts. Will post results from the ham test.


----------



## hoosiergrill

Love this smoker / grill/ bbq. After some  test driving I will be making a couple of mods: expanded metal over the lower grate in the fire box, not going to build nest for the fuel, but a three sided expanded metal basket. There is some leakage around the top of the firebox door, does not seal up 100%. The simple fix is a gasket of sorts, but I will cut the two hinges off , place the door so it is closed properly, then weld the hinges back in the position they should be in. Also, an adjustable baffle at the stack end that will extend from the top of the opening down to the cook grate at about a 45 degree angle to keep the heat in a bit longer....I think this will be simpler and more effective than other mods I have seen. 

The ham turned out great...and man can you put one heck of a pile of meat on this thing.


----------



## socalbbq

Trailmaster LE Cover

Hey for those interested, I contacted Brinkmann a couple weeks ago to see if they have a cover for the Trailmaster LE yet.  I think most of us are using the oversized 82".  Here is their response,


		Code:
	

I apologize for the delay.  That cover is now available, and you can order it over the phone at 1-800-527-0717.If you have any other questions, please let us know.Sincerely,

The cover is not listed on the website, but according to the email above they are now available,

Best,


----------



## dreadnought

SoCalBBQ said:


> Trailmaster LE Cover
> 
> Hey for those interested, I contacted Brinkmann a couple weeks ago to see if they have a cover for the Trailmaster LE yet.  I think most of us are using the oversized 82".  Here is their response,
> 
> 
> Code:
> 
> 
> I apologize for the delay.  That cover is now available, and you can order it over the phone at 1-800-527-0717.If you have any other questions, please let us know.Sincerely,
> 
> The cover is not listed on the website, but according to the email above they are now available,
> 
> Best,


Awesome.

Been looking for one since I got my Trailmaster last Fathers Day.

Love my smoker; Now, I  need to do some mods...

Great thread!


----------



## pvillecomp

Father's Day came early for me this year. I have a Trailmaster LE on the way! I have been reading the forums like a madman and I have already gotten the expanded metal to make the fire box and two extra high quality thermometers to install before burn in.

The only other Mod I want to make out of the box is to extend the chimney down to the grate. Unfortunately, I can't find anywhere where the dimension of the chimny hole is listed.

So... What size flex pipe/90 degree angle did you all use?

Thanks! I'm really looking forward to participating in these forums. I've been smoking on my Webber Genisis with makeshift chip boxes and water pans for several years now and my wife got sick of watching me drool over having a "real" smoker! I'm looking forward to a great summer.


----------



## tallon713

PvilleComp said:


> Father's Day came early for me this year. I have a Trailmaster LE on the way! I have been reading the forums like a madman and I have already gotten the expanded metal to make the fire box and two extra high quality thermometers to install before burn in.
> 
> The only other Mod I want to make out of the box is to extend the chimney down to the grate. Unfortunately, I can't find anywhere where the dimension of the chimney hole is listed.
> 
> So... What size flex pipe/90 degree angle did you all use?
> 
> Thanks! I'm really looking forward to participating in these forums. I've been smoking on my Webber Genisis with makeshift chip boxes and water pans for several years now and my wife got sick of watching me drool over having a "real" smoker! I'm looking forward to a great summer.


I used a 4' to 3' adapter and a 3' elbow. The hole on the cooking chamber to the chimney is oblong so that's why I used the 4' adapter. I put it through the hole from the out side, cut slits about 1' or so all the way around it, bent it flat against the end and then used Rutland high temp silicone between the cooking chamber and chimney. Sealed it just fine.

  The fire box is a must, I made mine for my old smoker so it is12" x 12" x 6",  have to snake it around to get it in, might wanna make yours a little smaller. Maybe a inch or so smaller.I might have got lucky but with the extended chimney I have only 3 degree difference from side to side.

  You will want to use the Rutland on the seams around the fire box, I had 1/8 gap between the top and bottom where it bolts together.

 Congrats on it! I enjoy mine, did a few practice burns to learn it first, now smoking on it and loving life!


----------



## pvillecomp

Thanks tallon - I already bought a tube of high heat mill-pac black from our local chimney/wood stove guy. It's supposed to withstand 1050 degrees. I plan on sealing that bad boy up good! ;)


----------



## pvillecomp

Thanks tallon - I already bought a tube of high heat mill-pac black from our local chimney/wood stove guy. It's supposed to withstand 1050 degrees. I plan on sealing that bad boy up good! ;)


----------



## boardpuller

I used a 4" dryer flex hose for mine. almost have the firebox sealed completely, have to seal the ash drawer, I bought a horizon convection plate and some flat stock to hold it up and about 1 3/8" from the fire box. Chimney side runs al ittle cooler than the firebox side.


----------



## pvillecomp

This is killing me. I have the Firebox built and all the Mods ready to go, and the Trailmaster is in the back of a truck in Charlotte! Only a day or so more. ;) <<breathe in... breath out... breath in... breath out>> That's better.

In anticipation of the Trailmaster I did one last smoke on the Webber Genesis before it's reconciled to being a straight griller again. I smoked my first shoulder with some Stubbs Pork Rub, misted with apple juice and smoked with cherry chips and Sam Adams in a water box. (Sorry I forgot to take pics.) It was good, and now I'm even more impatient.

For those interested - I ordered the cover, I'll take pics and post them so you can see what it looks like.


----------



## chemicalguy

just got mine put it together using wood stove caulk , going to gasket the door and add toggle clamps to sea the door.


----------



## chemicalguy




----------



## pvillecomp

It finally came in and my Son and I put it together today and did a seasoning run on it.







I tried to seal up everything I could but the Mill Pac I got was very thick and broke my caulk gun (I did not know that it was even possible to break a caulk gun!) Apparently I still have work to do. I had a real hard time getting temps down to 250 after the high heat burn time. 

The Chimney extension and extra thermometers were definitely the right move. My temps were dead on left and right through out the seasoning burn. The top thermo though read about 50 - 100 degrees higher than grill level? I tested all the thermometer's in boiling water and they tested out OK, so I'm not sure if this is normal or if it's just a lower grade thermometer.













I'm going to try some Spare Ribs tomorrow. I'll post some Qview.


----------



## socalbbq

Congrats!!! I love mine, have had it for a little over a year now.  I find it hard to keep temps below 250* also unless I have very little lump in the firebox but then I am feeding it quite often.  I am trying different brands of lump to see which one will burn the longest with the most even heat.

Have a great time tuning in your new "toy"  I am sure your family and friends will love it.


----------



## pvillecomp

A little Qview... Spareribs after 2 hours on the smoker.







I had a much better time managing heat today. I used a full chimney stacked to the far right of the firebox/cage with 3 or 4 pieces of Cherry mixes in. Then I lit 1/2 a chimney in the charcoal starter and added it to the left hand side of the box. I left the vent fully closed on the firebox and it ramped up to 200 nicely. I've been able to keep it between 200 and 250 throughout the smoke.

I'll add some pics of the finished product.

Edit: I also used a small aluminum pan filled with Sam Adams to act as a heat sink/steamer. I think this helped a lot. I don't know if using good beer instead of water really makes a difference, but I figure if the ribs pick up a little Sam flavor along the way that can't hurt.


----------



## pvillecomp

Finished product...

Not the best ribs I've ever made, but I'm learning this thing. I thought my temps were good, but apparently the ribs closest to the firebox got WAY more direct heat then I wanted. 

As they say, bad Q is better than no Q!







For what it's worth - they would not win for Presentation, but only the first 5 ribs or so were completely crisped. The rest was great!


----------



## pvillecomp

For those who were interested in the Brinkmann cover for the Trailmaster - here's a pic of the grill with the cover on.


----------



## pvillecomp

Quick question for those who have gasketed your smoke chamber door. Did you use plain gasket rope or the graphite gasket rope? I guess my real question is... is the graphite impregnated rope bad for the meat or the eater of the meat?


----------



## bill jr

hey guys , quick question about the brinkman trailmaster limited edition . I bought one a couple weeks ago from home depot , I did some of the modifications that i seen on here like heat sealer/fire basket . Now I'm looking to get a convection plate , so my question is what size convection plate should i go with 16,20,24 ???


----------



## bill jr

Bill Jr said:


> hey guys , quick question about the brinkman trailmaster limited edition . I bought one a couple weeks ago from home depot , I did some of the modifications that i seen on here like heat sealer/fire basket . Now I'm looking to get a convection plate , so my question is what size convection plate should i go with 16,20,24 ???


I'm going with the 16 , can't wait to get it !!!


----------



## pvillecomp

Is that the one from Horizon?


----------



## bill jr

yea , i bought a 16


----------



## pvillecomp

Let us know how it works - I'm still tinkering with my tuning plate configuration.


----------



## bill jr

I will let you know when I get it/use it , plus I'll take some pics too !


----------



## bill jr

I did add 2 more temp gauges but i wasn't thinking and didn't put them at grate level ... As of right now I'm getting about a 25/30 degree difference from end to end .


----------



## bill jr

Still waiting on my convection plate but I smoked a pork shoulder here's some pics of the goods !!!


----------



## pvillecomp

Yummy - I did extra thermos as well as the stack extension. I also raised up the bottom grill with some 2" steel cut to 16 1/4" to raise the tuning plate and baffle above the firebox hole. That made a big difference. Looking forward to how the Horizon works.


----------



## bill jr

Thanks , I like what you did with ur smoker ! I'm still waiting here so as soon as i get the horizon i will post a update .


----------



## buckysgt

Ihave my  Trailmaster Limited Edition getting delivered tomorrow. I am planning on doing the mod's that I found on this site. I have a couple of questions though.

1. I am planning on adding some thermometers near the grate. I am planning on mounting these through the door. What are some good thermometers for this?  Also, what size or length should I get?

2. I am also planning on getting or making a convection plate. If I buy a convection plate, where is a good place to get one from?  Also, are there any good instructions on how to make one?

3. Has anyone put a seal or gasket around the door?  If so what exactly did you use?

I'm planning on getting some high heat sealant to seal up all the bolts, screws and any other place that may leak. Is there anything else I should be looking at doing to make this a very sound smoker?

Thanks in advance for your help.


----------



## pvillecomp

For the fire box I would recommend you get some rope gasket for the join between the 2 halves in addition to the sealant. I just used sealant but some of the gaps would work better with some rope gasket in there.

For the cook door I used the Rutland RTV Silicone gasket to seal it. Check to see if you have leaks before doing it though. You may be OK without it.

For tuning plates - I finally went to Home Depot and bought a bunch of 2" x 1/8" steel flats and a cheap ($30) angle grinder with cutting blades.

I measured and found that 16 3/4" lengths fit very nicely in the cook chamber and the curve of the tank held them in place. Then I put the lower grate on these supports (3 per grate) and put my tuning plates on that. The supports raised the tuning plate/baffle above the top of the firebox inlet and worked much better then angling a baffle in and trying to force the heat under the plates.

Good luck and be patient your first few cooks. It takes some breaking in and getting used to but each smoke I've done has gone better than the last.

For Thermo - look at Tru-Tmp's but they are pricy. I went with a decent adjustable on Amazon 2" dial with a 2" sensor and they work great.

Hope this helps.


----------



## piaconis

Hey guys,

Got my TMLE on Monday as an early Father's Day present (newly married this year with two teenage stepkids, and they and my wife couldn't wait to give it to me).  Assembled Monday, cured Tuesday, Q'd up some pork on Wednesday.  I added two thermos on the lid at grill level, which was an absolute must, given the temp zone variance between top of chamber and grill level.  I also filled the charcoal grate in the cooking chamber with lava rock, which helped stabilize the cooking temps and speed up the rebound from the chamber door being opened.

I was wondering if anyone had tried using the lava rock instead of a convection plate.  My thought was that I could lean a steel plate at a 45 degree angle on the charcoal grate resting at the top lip of the firebox opening to force the smoke down under the charcoal grate, and then use the lava rock spread across the grate to both retain/distribute the heat and balance the smoke distribution from right to left (using the gaps between the lava rock kinda like the holes in the convection plate).

Has anyone else tried this?  I think I'm going to try a test burn with that configuration tonight.


----------



## pvillecomp

Lava rock should work as a diffuser. You will probably want to cook them off every once and a while to burn off the drippings.


----------



## bencluever

I am considering purchasing the Brinkman Trailmaster. I am excited about smoking with this grill, but I have a question for you seasoned veterans. Would it be sacrilege to put coals in the main chamber for say burgers and steaks? How does this grill perform when cooking with this method? Will it ruin future smoking with the ash in the main chamber? Any thoughts would be appreciated.


----------



## piaconis

Ben, I'm hopefully going to try that with mine this weekend, and I'll let you know.  My guess is that the ash is nothing that a shop vac can't fix.


----------



## pvillecomp

I have never used mine as a grill I've used it solely as a smoker, but I would imagine that the ash would be dificult to get out once you have a good layer of seasoning on there.


----------



## piaconis

So I tried using charcoal on the firebox side of the cooking chamber.  The answer is that it works...sorta.  Air flow control is difficult, because the damper is meant to feed the firebox, so it doesn't exactly roll through the coals like you would like.  As far as cleaning, after scooping the ash, you're left with no more residue than you would be when running it without a baffle plate.  However, I fired up the firebox and gave it a good old fashioned steam clean, and noticed a "sludge" left behind in the bottom that results from the ash.  Bottom line, I'd rather use my Weber for charcoal grilling, or use the grate in the side firebox for direct flame.


----------



## dabeve

I wanted to stop on and say thanks to all who have posted in this thread.  I picked up a TMLE on Monday and on Tuesday made the expanded metal coal box, the smoke stack extension from 4" dryer vent and a heat deflector from an old Broiling pan bolted to a piece of 1 1/2 x 1/8 steel cut to the width of the coal rack in the cooking chamber.  I also lined the coal racks in the cooking chamber with Charbroil pyramids and sealed the whole thing (except the two doors) with high temp sealant.  I have ordered two Thermos on amazon and will install them left and right on the door at grill level when they get here.  I seasoned it last night and today it is getting a load of salmon.  I used a 1/2 chimney of hot coals on top of a bed of about 6 inches of charcoal.  I am a few hours in and it is running like a champ.  Holding about 225 on the left and 235 on the right while the stock thermo shows 250.  Thanks for sharing all your great ideas and know how!

Happy Birthday USA!


----------



## pvillecomp

I remember when mine looked that clean! ;) - Nice looking Salmon!


----------



## hbt731

I have this smoker and love it. I have made most of the mods listed, except for the charcoal basket.  I usually use a chimney of lump to get a bed of coals then use split chunks and logs to cook with. It's a fine smoker for the money.


----------



## piaconis

I'm considering making the switch to chunks.  How often do you end up feeding it to maintain temp?


----------



## oldschoolbbq

And that's why I begged the Wifey for this :













Betty 003.JPG



__ oldschoolbbq
__ Oct 9, 2012


----------



## hbt731

piaconis said:


> I'm considering making the switch to chunks.  How often do you end up feeding it to maintain temp?


I add chunks about every hour and a half. Usually 2 to 3 softball size chunks to the bed of coals. When using split logs, it just depends.


----------



## brick

How does it draw through the chimney? It looks too low to me.


----------



## brick

This looks cool but how does the chimney draw? It looks too low to me. Also, I think if you leave a couple of inches open above the "heat deflector" it will be less sooty.


Dabeve said:


> I wanted to stop on and say thanks to all who have posted in this thread.  I picked up a TMLE on Monday and on Tuesday made the expanded metal coal box, the smoke stack extension from 4" dryer vent and a heat deflector from an old Broiling pan bolted to a piece of 1 1/2 x 1/8 steel cut to the width of the coal rack in the cooking chamber.  I also lined the coal racks in the cooking chamber with Charbroil pyramids and sealed the whole thing (except the two doors) with high temp sealant.  I have ordered two Thermos on amazon and will install them left and right on the door at grill level when they get here.  I seasoned it last night and today it is getting a load of salmon.  I used a 1/2 chimney of hot coals on top of a bed of about 6 inches of charcoal.  I am a few hours in and it is running like a champ.  Holding about 225 on the left and 235 on the right while the stock thermo shows 250.  Thanks for sharing all your great ideas and know how!
> 
> Happy Birthday USA!


----------



## brick

This looks cool but how does the chimney draw? It looks too low to me. Also, I think if you leave a couple of inches open above the "heat deflector" it will be less sooty.


Dabeve said:


> I wanted to stop on and say thanks to all who have posted in this thread.  I picked up a TMLE on Monday and on Tuesday made the expanded metal coal box, the smoke stack extension from 4" dryer vent and a heat deflector from an old Broiling pan bolted to a piece of 1 1/2 x 1/8 steel cut to the width of the coal rack in the cooking chamber.  I also lined the coal racks in the cooking chamber with Charbroil pyramids and sealed the whole thing (except the two doors) with high temp sealant.  I have ordered two Thermos on amazon and will install them left and right on the door at grill level when they get here.  I seasoned it last night and today it is getting a load of salmon.  I used a 1/2 chimney of hot coals on top of a bed of about 6 inches of charcoal.  I am a few hours in and it is running like a champ.  Holding about 225 on the left and 235 on the right while the stock thermo shows 250.  Thanks for sharing all your great ideas and know how!
> 
> Happy Birthday USA!


----------



## piaconis

Draws very well.  I have left the firebox lid open during warm up, and it draws even with it open.


----------



## edgar rollins

It's Dec 2012 but Home Depot has them . For 299.00


----------



## piaconis

That's a bummer.  That's the same amount that my wife and kids paid for mine for Father's Day.


----------



## gvillejeeper

Great tips on here from everyone!!! Glad I found this forum, just got my Brinkmann TMLE yesterday as an early Christams present from my wife. I have been wanting a smoker for a long time now. Really excited about getting started and have to say the wife did a good job in picking this out. Got it assembled yesterday, looks like I have a few mods and seasoning to do this week. Hope to do my 1st run at it next weekend!!













20121209_144249.jpg



__ gvillejeeper
__ Dec 10, 2012


----------



## robhatch

I just joined today and I just got a TMLE, arentherenany suggestions on sealing the cooking door better? I'm getting alot of,smoke from there, any things would help!


----------



## piney

Considering the replacement of my good old 1964 vintage GardenMark (Trivia question-- anyone remember what store sold them ..... ? )  grill.  Its finally rusting out too much to repair.

I use it for grilling and smoking.  I see the TMLE info states it can grill too.  Anyone use it for that ?  I'd be concerned that the ash in the cooking part would fly around when shoveling it out.  

Does it have a grease drain ?  Could one rinse out the firebox on occasion after grilling ?


----------



## piaconis

robhatch said:


> I just joined today and I just got a TMLE, arentherenany suggestions on sealing the cooking door better? I'm getting alot of,smoke from there, any things would help!


This stuff will be your best friend:


Apply it liberally around the lip of the smoking chamber, cover the bead with plastic wrap or wax paper, close the lid, and let it set overnight (longer in cold temperatures).  Should do the trick.


----------



## socalbbq

Piney said:


> Considering the replacement of my good old 1964 vintage GardenMark (Trivia question-- anyone remember what store sold them ..... ? )  grill.  Its finally rusting out too much to repair.
> 
> I use it for grilling and smoking.  I see the TMLE info states it can grill too.  Anyone use it for that ?  I'd be concerned that the ash in the cooking part would fly around when shoveling it out.
> 
> Does it have a grease drain ?  Could one rinse out the firebox on occasion after grilling ?


Piney,

The firebox has a couple grates that can be used for small grilling needs, 4-6 pieces chicken or steaks.  I use mine for that on occasion.  Although the manual says you can grill in the main cooking chamber, I don't because I don't want the ash in the smoking chamber.  I may this year invest in a charcoal grill for larger grilling needs.  It does have a grease weep hole on the side near the smoke stack.

Good luck,

Greg


----------



## piaconis

Piney said:


> Considering the replacement of my good old 1964 vintage GardenMark (Trivia question-- anyone remember what store sold them ..... ? )  grill.  Its finally rusting out too much to repair.
> 
> I use it for grilling and smoking.  I see the TMLE info states it can grill too.  Anyone use it for that ?  I'd be concerned that the ash in the cooking part would fly around when shoveling it out.
> 
> Does it have a grease drain ?  Could one rinse out the firebox on occasion after grilling ?


Well, short answer is that yes it can.  Should you is another question.

I have used my main smoking chamber as a grill and rinsed it afterward.  The grease hole is pretty small, so it takes a while to drain, and easily gets obstructed with grill fragments.  Personally, I found it difficult to control the flame when grilling in the main chamber, but I really didn't try it enough times to say that I made an honest effort.

However, one of the nice features of this smoker is that they include grates for use in the side firebox to turn it into a grill.  This works reasonably well, and I routinely use it to put a nice quick sear on skin-on poultry when I pull it out of the smoking chamber.

Personally, I decided against using the main chamber as a grill and kept my Weber 22.5" Gold for those tasks.  Instead, I filled the space below the intended charcoal racks with lava rock for more thermal mass, and use them for drip pans to catch fat for finishing sauces.

Hope that helps.


----------



## treknogeek

Hi all. I have had my TMLE for only a few cooks. It has grilled and smoked well for me, and I am looking forward to implementing many of the mods on this thread. I will say that after I seasoned it according to the manual the ash cleanup was horrible. I spent over a half an hour cleaning the ashes. Cleaning the grease from my first rib run wasn't much better. However, for my next grill and smoke I had 8x13 disposable cake pans lining the bottom of the firebox and main chamber (they fit right under the charcoal grates). Now cleanup is a breeze and I have had no ash issues. Although time will tell if this changes as I build up some character in my TMLE after many more cooks.


----------



## amper

I got a trailmas last month. Holds temp well. Doesn't leak much at all. Only thing I am suspicious of is the accuracy of the temp gauge in the middle.


----------



## dabeve

That stock thermo is off from the cooking surface by as much as 75 or 100 degrees.  It is WAY too high in the cooking chamber. Especially if you have not added a heat deflector of some kind or lowered the chimney to help pull more heat down toward the cooking surface.  Install a few thermos at the level of the surface, I used these....


----------



## dabeve

piaconis said:


> This stuff will be your best friend:
> 
> 
> Apply it liberally around the lip of the smoking chamber, cover the bead with plastic wrap or wax paper, close the lid, and let it set overnight (longer in cold temperatures).  Should do the trick.


I have not installed it yet but I hear this works too around the cooking chamber door.  I just bought it and will add it when it warms up around here.....


----------



## amper

Thanks. Can it really be off by that much?


----------



## amper

I will get the thermometer you recommend.  Do I just place it on the cookjing chamber rack by where the food goes?


----------



## dabeve

amper said:


> I will get the thermometer you recommend. Do I just place it on the cookjing chamber rack by where the food goes?


Yeah it really can be off by that much without the mods.  The thermo I linked can be installed by drilling a 1/2" hole in the cooking chamber.  It comes with the hardware to install it.


----------



## amper

I overnighted a surface thermometer from amazon. It gave poor readings the first hour, showing the factory thermo off by 120 degrees. The next several hours were more consistent though.  
It showed factor thermo to be off about 50 degrees.factory being higher.  Pretty much the same from front to back, further away from firebox was about 55 degrees less


----------



## amper

55 less yhan facyory that is. However, up by the firebox the surface thermometer showed 75 degrees higher than factor thermometer.  Messed up and had the ribs too closeto the firebox because of the readings I got from the first hour. Oh well. It nice to learn this trailmaster's cooking attributes.


----------



## amper

Another question I have isabout the heat risistant silicone. If I sprwad it all along the edges of the firepitand cooking chamber doors, wouldn't that seal them shut? Please forgive my inexperience with caulking.


----------



## piaconis

Amper, lay some strips of wax paper on the caulk bead and close the lid.  Leave it sit for a day or two.  The silicon normally sets in a couple of hours, but the wax paper seems to slow the rate at which it sets (not sure if it's because it's a moisture barrier or because of the lack of oxygen), so make sure you give it more time than what the tube says.  After it cures, peel off the wax paper, and you should have a perfect form fit seal.


----------



## amper

Ok. So caulk the door and the area that the door closes on to, but have wax paper sitting between them. Is this right?


----------



## amper

since Iit is going to be my best friend, I ordered The Rutland silicone.  Just want to make sure I do it right. Wish there was a youtube video showing me how to. Do I need a caulking gun?


----------



## bruno994

I think the Rutland comes in a squeeze tube, no gun needed.  I have done the same thing on another smoker, but used saran wrap instead of wax paper.


----------



## amper

Last inquiry everyone. Seems like I need deflectors at the bottom for retaining heat. I don't know what I can get other than the convection pkate from horizon. A few people on here ordered the 16 size but didn't reporton how it fits in the trailmaster. I am not very handy so I'd like to just get something to stick on the lower grates in the cooking chamber just to turn my trailmaster into a more solid smoker. What exactly is a deflector and why do I even want this for my tmle?


----------



## amper

Also, do I need a baffle?


----------



## amper

20130217_094239.jpg



__ amper
__ Feb 20, 2013


















20130217_094300.jpg



__ amper
__ Feb 20, 2013


----------



## dabeve

amper said:


> Last inquiry everyone. Seems like I need deflectors at the bottom for retaining heat. I don't know what I can get other than the convection pkate from horizon. A few people on here ordered the 16 size but didn't reporton how it fits in the trailmaster. I am not very handy so I'd like to just get something to stick on the lower grates in the cooking chamber just to turn my trailmaster into a more solid smoker. What exactly is a deflector and why do I even want this for my tmle?


a deflector can be anything that helps to deflect the heat and smoke coming into the cooking chamber.  You want to deflect it down and toward the left side since without assistance as heat enters the cooking chamber from the firebox it rises and goes straight to the top of the cooking chamber and is drawn across the top of the chamber to the draw from the smoke stack on the left which is also at the top.  That is all good and fine if you are cooking at the top of the chamber....but you are not.... you are cooking at grate level. So the idea is the deflector helps to force the heat and smoke down and to the left to give you better temp and smoke distribution in the chamber. Same idea with lowering the draw for the smoke stack...helps pull the heat and smoke down toward the grate.  I used an old broiler plate that I bolted to a piece of steel and bent up at a 45 degree angle. works for me and was almost free.













IMG_0991.JPG



__ dabeve
__ Feb 11, 2013


----------



## amper

Thanks dabeve. Looks like I need to get a piece of steel to prop up from the charcoal grates to the top of the hole from firebox. Any chance you could tell me what specific size steel worked for you so I know what to hunt for?


----------



## amper

Nevermind. I measured.  I will get a plate soon. My neighbor gas some galvanized sheet metal. Would that work?


----------



## water3man

I don't know what I was expecting from an $89 smoker in the first place.


----------



## piaconis

Do not use galvanized.  It releases toxic stuff when heated,

I just purchased a small piece of sheet metal from Home Depot and cut it to fit.  The idea is to deflect the radiant heat, so you don't end up cooking one side of our meat unevenly, and it helps deflect some of that direct heat energy close to the firebox.  You'll still have a little hot spot for the right 6" or so, but it's much more even with the deflector.


----------



## dabeve

You sure about this galvanized thing? I thought you only had to look out for these fumes when dealing with high heats...i.e. welding the stuff.  Like 1000+ degrees?? I very much doubt 225 degrees is enough to melt the zinc. I suppose it's better safe than sorry tho....but I am just curious.


----------



## amper

Yea. I'd rather be safe than sorry.  If I didn't have two little kids that like my bbq I wouldn't worry about it.


----------



## bruno994

amper said:


> Yea. I'd rather be safe than sorry. If I didn't have two little kids that like my bbq I wouldn't worry about it.


X2 on the above.  Just not worth the risk.  We know that at a certain point of being heated up, there will be gases present and sickness is caused by those gases, so, not worth the risk.


----------



## piaconis

Your cooking chamber will be 225, but the fire in the firebox burns much hotter. When my smoker runs full tilt, the outside of the firebox itself runs higher than 400 when measured by laser thermo.


----------



## paul1283

Hi, I'm new to the forums and was just doing research and a lot of reading. I think I'm going with the trail master. I seen the mods for this smoker and was looking at the deflector plate I had a quick question and was wondering what size holes are on the horizon plate I can make this for a lot cheaper then $60 so any help would be much appreciated. Also is it better if the plate is above the firebox opening with an angle or no angle. Thanks


----------



## amper

from my understanding baffle goes above firebox at a 45 degree angle



Paul1283 said:


> Hi, I'm new to the forums and was just doing research and a lot of reading. I think I'm going with the trail master. I seen the mods for this smoker and was looking at the deflector plate I had a quick question and was wondering what size holes are on the horizon plate I can make this for a lot cheaper then $60 so any help would be much appreciated. Also is it better if the plate is above the firebox opening with an angle or no angle. Thanks


----------



## paul1283

amper said:


> from my understanding baffle goes above firebox at a 45 degree angle


Ok thank you so just like on the picture that's was posted earlier in the thread.


----------



## amper

That's my understanding.  I think if im wrong someone will correct me.


----------



## haus20

So, I have been lurking around this forum for a while now. After reading about the Trailmaster, I went out and bought one. I have made lot of mods (charcoal box, thermometers, Rutland’s, etc.). My question is this, who long will a full basket of lump coal will last? I am only getting 4.5 hours. I am only putting a 1/4 of a chimney on top of the lump. Also, will a deflector really keep my heat down? My temps are around 305. The first 1.5 I am at 250. Then it jumps up to 305, and stays there for the remainder of the time.


----------



## dabeve

305 is pretty high. I usually run 225-240 at the grate with the chimney open just to touch (maybe a 1/4 inch?) and the vent to the firebox almost all the way closed.  If your chimney and firebox vent are closed or almost closed and you are still getting that much heat then I am guessing air is getting into the firebox somehow.  Maybe check the seals around the box?  That coal drawer is not well built and sometimes gets askew and causes the fire to burn up faster. I don't use lump so i don;t know about time for lump but i get 6+ hours out of a coal basket.  I guess it may also depend on the height and width of the of the basket too....


----------



## haus20

Would getting a Convection Plate help also? How much will the temp drop with a Convection Plate? What is the recommended way of pouring lit charcoal on the non-lit charcoal?


----------



## piaconis

Some people like the convection plate.  Personally, I just put in a baffle and added lava rock to the bottom of mine for thermal mass.  I found that the lava rock helped act as a kind of "heat capacitor" for times when opening the door was necessary, and helped balance some of the spikes and sags in temperature.

I would check the seals on your unit if your temps are out of control.  Check the firebox lid, the points where the flanges that hold the ash drawer mate with the firebox, and the seal between the firebox and cooking chamber.  That's where most of the air gets in.  Make sure the ash drawer closes tight against the box as well.

As far as loading and lighting the firebox, when I'm using pure charcoal instead of wood splits, I usually line the bottom of my charcoal basket with briquettes to "catch" the lump when it burns down.  I then fill the basket with lump charcoal.  Finally, I load my chimney starter with enough briquettes to fully line the bottom of it to an even level (so the briquettes are level and the grille on the bottom is completely covered), or I load it half full of lump charcoal.  I actually start it sitting on top of my charcoal pile in the basket, and dump it in when the charcoal in the starter turns ash color.  I run with my chimney wide open, unless I run into a problem with the firebox burning WAY too hot.  I dont usually put any food past the right-hand edge of the door, since it usualy burns too hot that close to the firebox (unless I'm putting a little extra crisp on something at the end).

A stack extension is important to getting even heat across the cooking chamber.  A little dryer mated into the stack on the inside and extended down to grate level helps draw the heat horizontally, rather than vertically.

Hope this helps.


----------



## comosmoker

I have a question.  I just bought the TLE and I am going to make the mods while assembling it.  My question is:  What is the best way to attach the stack extension to get the best seal?  Thanks in advance!


----------



## dabeve

I made six or eight "V: shaped cuts with nippers about 1 or 1 1/2 in each the dryer vent (perpendicular to the end - so into the length of the hose - with the open end of the "V" toward the end I'm using).  Then the "V" cut outs allow you to sort of downsize the vent hose at the end so it fits thru the hole in the smoker.  Once you have the end thru bend the tabs outward on the exterior of the smoker and pull to get as snug a fit as possible.  Cover the whole thing with sealant (on both sides of the tabs) and then attached the stack on the outside over the whole hole and bent out tabs thus securing the vent in place.  

I don't know if that makes any sense but it is kind of hard to explain in words I think.

Good luck.


----------



## piaconis

The seal doesn't need to be perfect for the stack extension.  The natural draw of the heat rising will pull air through the extension, even if it isn't sealed perfectly.  You can just cram some foil dryer hose in and it will work fine.  Just make sure it doesn't obstruct it too much.


----------



## comosmoker

Dabeve, Piaconis, thank you for the advice.  I am beginning assembly tonight and hope to get the curing done tomorrow.  I will post pictures during the assembly and of the mods.  I plan on doing some dry runs next week and hope to be putting out some Q next weekend!  Thanks, again, for the advice and thanks to everyone on this thread for their suggestions, ideas, and pictures.  I believe this site will save me from wondering what the heck I was doing wrong!


----------



## piaconis

CoMoSmoker, best of luck with it!  With a little practice and patience, this will be a really nice smoker for you.  My family loves everything that comes out of it.  Be sure to snap some Q-view and post it for all to see.  Let us know how It goes.


----------



## cvbowlr

Just bought a TMLE yesterday after quite a bit of research and reading through this forum. I've looked at what others have said and I  plan to get the listed items to make the following modifications:

1. Lowering the chimney closer to the grill.

4 in. Aluminum 90-Degree Elbow

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100089...toreId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=100089524#.UUZqTVf2biJ

2. Baffle between firebox and main chamber

Got a 22 gauge 12x18" piece of stainless steel sheet metal

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202183...toreId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=202183493#.UUZsB1f2biI

The sticker on this didn't say it was zinc coated or anything but looking on the web link there it says zinc plated. Not sure if that will work then.

3. Sealant for firebox/main chamber connection and other areas if necessary

Rutland 500°RTV High Heat Silicone - Clear

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202218...toreId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=202218156#.UUZthFf2biI

4. Charcoal Box

2 pieces of Everbilt 24 in. x 1/2 in. x 12 in. Plain Metal Expanded Sheet

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202183...toreId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=202183496#.UUZs2lf2biI

To connect the peices for the box, bot some OOK 50 lbs. 9 ft. Durasteel Stainless Steel Hanging Wire

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/100032...toreId=10051&N=5yc1v&R=100032968#.UUZtX1f2biI

I know I need to add some thermometers at the cooking level, but I will probably wait to do those so I can order a couple off amazon. I'm not sure if I will need to use the sealant (or some other measure) on the main chamber door or firebox door. Was planning to wait and see if it was leaking during the curing to see if it is necessary.

My questions are will what I have listed work and have I missed anything? Thank you for any help/feedback.


----------



## buttburner

I would not use that for a baffle. Might as well use a double walled cookie sheet

I think thats material is too thin but I have read where guys used cookie sheets

I made mine out of 1/4" plate. I have an OK Joe so its a little different but same idea


----------



## piaconis

I used 22ga steel for my baffle.  Heavier steel really doesn't make much of a difference for me, as the baffle really only serves to reflect back radiant heat.


----------



## dabeve

I wouldn't use the wire to hold the coal basket together.  I recall I tried and it was a pain.  I ended up using nuts and bolts.  I made 4 pieces from the expanded metal.  Two were made only to secure the corners.  I did not seal the door to the main chamber and don't think I* need *to....but of course since I have been bored all winter I purchased this....


and will add it in a few weeks here when it warms up....













IMG_0985.JPG



__ dabeve
__ Mar 18, 2013


















IMG_0987.JPG



__ dabeve
__ Mar 18, 2013


----------



## dabeve

Ha! In the first pic you can even see the wire uncoiled up there on the top left corner.  took me about 3 mins to give up on that plan....


----------



## comosmoker

Here are some pics during the assembly.  I think I have got this thing sealed up pretty good!!  More pics to come...













2013-03-15 17.58.25.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 19, 2013


















2013-03-15 17.58.44.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 19, 2013


















2013-03-15 18.00.08.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 19, 2013


















2013-03-15 18.00.36.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 19, 2013


















2013-03-15 18.25.50.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 19, 2013


















2013-03-16 14.10.50.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 19, 2013


















2013-03-16 14.14.10.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 19, 2013


----------



## comosmoker

More mods to my TLE...













2013-03-21 16.28.51.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 22, 2013






Loaded the bottom with lava rocks...













2013-03-21 16.30.37.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 22, 2013






Took 4 inch vent elbow and cut out tabs to insert into smoke stack  hole.  I cut some of the "V" shaped tabs too long, but I think I sealed them up pretty well.  We"ll see on the dry run...













2013-03-21 16.29.09.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 22, 2013






Vent installed...













2013-03-21 16.30.07.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 22, 2013






About 1/2" above cooking grate in the front, 1/8" to 1/4"  in the back...













2013-03-21 17.03.29.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 22, 2013






Filled all holes and sealed smoke stack flange with high heat silicone and installed smoke stack.  There it is fully assembled...













Convection plates.jpeg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 22, 2013






Waiting my neighbor to finish the convection plates, baffle, and charcoal basket.  We're supposed to get snow this weekend.  Hope to get the curing and dry runs done next week.  Next steps are to install thermos at grate level on both sides.  In the meantime, I have 2 oven thermos I will use to set on grates to check the temp.  What do you guys think?  Any other suggestions?  I will post Qviews as much as I can.


----------



## buttburner

hey your convection plates look just like mine LOL

I think your mods look fine


----------



## comosmoker

Thank you for letting me use the pic.  Should have asked first.  I actually used it to show my neighbor what I wanted done.  Hope he gets them done quick!


----------



## dabeve

I think it looks great!  Add those extra thermos and I am sure you will be very happy with that rig.  Well done.


----------



## paul1283

Comosmoker can you please let me know what size plates those are thanks!


----------



## comosmoker

Paul1283 said:


> Comosmoker can you please let me know what size plates those are thanks!


I will as soon as my neighbor completes them.


----------



## comosmoker

2013-03-23 15.06.58.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013


















2013-03-23 15.07.07.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






Purchased 2 thermos and tested them out.  They both seemed like they were accurate.  Installed them Friday night.













2013-03-23 15.42.51.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






Filled chimney starter about 1/2 full and started it.













2013-03-23 15.52.27.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






Loaded fire box with about 1'2 chimney of Kingsford blue bag and a few sticks if hickory.  Once the lighted was ready, I dumped it onto the unlit and wood into firebox.













2013-03-23 17.06.18.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






After about 20 minutes or so, this was my stack side reading...













2013-03-23 16.03.08.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






and this was my firebox side reading













2013-03-23 16.03.18.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






After about 30 minutes, stack side reading...













2013-03-23 16.03.43.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






and Firebox side reading.













2013-03-23 16.04.06.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






This is what the factory thermo in the top was reading.













2013-03-23 16.10.48.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






After about 45 minutes, I closed down the intake about 90% and noticed a leak in my firebox.  Going to fix that this week.













2013-03-23 16.38.28.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






After about an hour or so, this is what the firebox side was reading...













2013-03-23 16.38.40.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






and the stack side reading.













2013-03-23 16.39.34.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






1 1/2 hrs into curing, I added a few more sticks of hickory and closed intake completely.













2013-03-23 17.05.44.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






Firebox side reading after 1 3/4 hrs into cure...













2013-03-23 17.06.18.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Mar 25, 2013






And finally, stack side reading.

I learned a lot from my curing/dry run.  I found a couple of leaks that I will easily fix this week.  Without the charcoal basket and convection plates, the heat still stayed pretty consistent throughout the smoking chamber.  The temps never varied more that 5 degrees from side to side.  I was surprised at that due to the convection plates not being in there.  I thought it would vary up to 30-50 degrees of so.  The stack extension is an absolute essential mod IMO.  Oh, and the weather was cloudy, cold, and a little rainy.  About 45 degrees.  Looking forward to completion of mods and fixes this week and begin the TLE journey of Qing this weekend.  I will post Qviews!  Thanks, again, everyone!!  Happy smoking!!


----------



## comosmoker

Dabeve said:


> I think it looks great!  Add those extra thermos and I am sure you will be very happy with that rig.  Well done.


Thank you.  Did my curing/dry run and posted results on the next page.


----------



## buttburner

Paul1283 said:


> Comosmoker can you please let me know what size plates those are thanks!


Since those are my plates, I can tell you

they are 6" wide 18" long


----------



## onefunldy

you know guys, IF you are a serious griller/smoker go for industrail, NOT a Brinkman!  Save your money till you can buy a real one!  I bought a Vidila, YES it was costly, BUT I love it!!  It can smoke, gas, charcoal, fry, steam, bake, roast, etc.!!   I cook all the time, my only mistake, I bought the big one!!  Living by myself, the middle size would of been better, BUT I love it, and great for my weekend barbeques!!


----------



## paul1283

Great Thank You


ButtBurner said:


> Since those are my plates, I can tell you
> 
> 
> they are 6" wide 18" long


----------



## dabeve

onefunldy said:


> you know guys, IF you are a serious griller/smoker go for industrail, NOT a Brinkman!  Save your money till you can buy a real one!  I bought a Vidila, YES it was costly, BUT I love it!!  It can smoke, gas, charcoal, fry, steam, bake, roast, etc.!!   I cook all the time, my only mistake, I bought the big one!!  Living by myself, the middle size would of been better, BUT I love it, and great for my weekend barbeques!!


I think you are missing the point.....some of us don't want a giant gas grill to roast, bake, steam or fry in the backyard. There is an oven and range in my house for all that stuff.  I want a smoker. So I bought a smoker. More exactly 3...a WSM, this TMLE with the mods and a cheapo brinkman cabinet.  What (and how much) i want to smoke determines which one I fire up.

If I put that fancy beast of a kitchen in my backyard my wife would come around my smoker section a little too often for my liking....


----------



## dabeve

That stock thermo is such a joke.  So funny that no one figured out how stupid it was before they went to production.


> 2013-03-23 16.04.06.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> __ comosmoker
> __ Mar 25, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> This is what the factory thermo in the top was reading.


----------



## dougnash

Bought my BTLE yesterday.

They now carry them at BJ's Wholesale club, $279.95!!

Plus I had a $5 coupon from new membership
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Now I can get cheap gasoline from BJ's too, $3.81 here in NY at BJ's.

I am living on my boat starting May 1st so this will be set up for smokin at the marina.

Its still in the box, the manager is letting me keep it in the office for a few weeks, all the Sea Tow captains are already drooling about this summers good eats from the BTLE!!

I already ordered 2 thermos from amazon, i got the 3"  easy-to-read-with-cool-colors from River Country


----------



## buttburner

I used to live on my old boat on the weekends, when I was single. I had my old trust Weber kettle there

brings back a lot of good memories. it was my cottage on the lake


----------



## comosmoker

Exactly...


----------



## rob8213

Hey Pvillecomp,  I have the same issues.  Trying to maintain 250 is not easy, but the main issue I found was like you , the factory thermo reads about 50 deg higher than the actual temps at the grates.  I have a regular oven thermo on the grates and once I got a decent coal base, the factory thermo said 300 and the grate temp was exactly 250, so I just always run at 300 knowing im actually at 250.  I think its just b/c the factory one is at the top of the unit, where the higher temp is.  But the issue is that I can only go as low as this 250, with the air inlet totally closed.  Im using the MONION Method and load up as much lump coal in the firebox as possible.

I also have read that too much air fuels the fire from the ash pan, so I am going to seal that up this weekend and try again.  My lid and the rest of the unit have no real leaks that could cause this issue.


----------



## rob8213

What did you guys do about the air leakage issue from the ash pan?   I am 100% sure that this is the main reason I have my air inlet damper full closed and still burn way too hot on a 6" bed of coal.   I am thinking of just having the pan fill up, to the point that is seals itself closed at the bottom, and then the only place air can possibly enter this firebox is via the manual damper.

I was having such a hard time keeping it right at 250 or 240, even though once I figured out the grate temp was about 50deg off, it made it easier.   I am retrofitting mine this week with the chimney duct extension and 2 new grate level thermo's and will use a water pan for my heat baffle.

Hey, has anyone used a fire brick, to line the inside of the firebox......instead of using the expanded metal home made box?   I did that mainly b/c the owners manual said to keep hot coals and hot wood away from touching the fire box  (which I think is a joke for a smoker) but I put firebrick 1/2 way up the firebox walls so I can fill it higher with lump coal or briquettes.

Wondering if this is not a good idea or maybe it is???


----------



## piaconis

Rob,

Are you using a baffle plate or some other type of radiant heat deflector?  Adding a baffle was the most significant thing that I did to lower the heat in the cooking chamber.

The ash pan will let some air in, but mine doesn't push the temp that high, as long as I push it in as far as it goes.  Unless your tray or slide is warped or bent.


----------



## amper

Water pan will reduce temp significantly. I stopped using one because i didnt need it after adding cold steel baffle and tuning plates. The water pan then brought temp down too low.


----------



## dabeve

Rob did you seal the firebox with rutland (or other) hi temp sealant in all the joints when you put together your rig?  

IF not then that is your problem and you will need to dis-assemble the rig and build it back sealing all the joints with high temp sealant.  Without the sealant the thing lets in soo much air...

If you did do that already and you are still getting that high temp with the stack and the intake closed then the fire is certainly getting air from somewhere it is not supposed to.....that drawer is junk and maybe that is it for you...


----------



## rob8213

Jonny,

Great looking minion box, but my questions is, since you said you got 8-10hrs when this was filled, did you do anything to stop air flow into the box through that damn ash pan?   I think this is why I burn so hat and fast.  I am thinking about either blocking mine off, or figuring out another way to seal it.

Let me know.  I am going to build a box like yours tonight.  Add on 2 more thermos, at grate level, and then add the 4" 90deg Elbow and hope for a much better smoking this weekend.

thanks!


----------



## rob8213

Dabeve,

I am going to do all that sealing soon as I get the stuff in the mail from Amazon.  It seems everyone did this and had much better results.  I will disassemble and use this hi temp sealer along with the other mods.  I actually might just seal off that ash pan 1st with a piece of sheet metal and see if that is all that I need to do.

For some reason, I noticed that once this ash pan was filled up past the bottom of the firebox, it seemed to seal up the air flow through there and then ran much lower and steadier.

I only used it 4x so I will have this damn issue fixed before the real BBQ season and families over etc.  I cant keep messing with the coal and temps every 20 mins.  crazy.


----------



## comosmoker

I agree....the ash pan is total junk and lets in too much air.  I actually shimmed the back of the pan up to meet the ash pan holder and it helped a lot.  It is still getting a little air but temps were easier to control.  I did go through a full bag of lump and 1/4 bag of briquettes during my 6 hr smoke.  I will have to investigate that.  On Easter, I smoked a shoulder for pulled pork.  My neighbors threw on a couple of pork chops for me to cook as well.  I am not one to pat myself on the back, but I thought it turned out great for my first smoke.  The neighbors enjoyed it as well!  I used a water pan, as I don't have all my mods completed yet.  i can't wait till the next smoke!!













2013-03-31 13.47.09.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Apr 2, 2013






On the smoker at 1:45













2013-03-31 15.55.05.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Apr 2, 2013






After 2 hrs













2013-03-31 20.05.29.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Apr 2, 2013






Wrapped it in foil for the last hr of the smoke, took it off and let it sit for 10-15 minutes...













2013-03-31 20.06.04.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Apr 2, 2013


















2013-03-31 20.06.21.jpg



__ comosmoker
__ Apr 2, 2013






End results.  First smoke was a success!!!  Thanks to everyone for their suggestions and ideas.  Can't wait to finish my mods and get back at it again!!!


----------



## dabeve

Rob, you _*should*_ get all the temp control you need once you get all the joints sealed up.  I did the whole rig not just the firebox.  The ash drawer is junk but with everything else sealed I don't have a problem with temp control and it is nice to have the drawer to empty some ashes....although it is not deep enough so they just kind of pour out....I love this smoker but man did they make some bonehead design choices with it...


----------



## comosmoker

Rob, I agree with Davbeb, seal it while you assemble it, but you need to check it afterwards.  There are leaks you just don't notice until the trial runs and parts just don't completely bolt together correctly.  I actually had to drill new holes in the firebox bracket to get it ti align correctly.  The ash box is junk, but also helpful for removing ash.  I shimmed it up to where it would seal (somewhat) in the back.  Seemed to help.  I am waiting for my neighbor to complete my charcoal basket and baffle and convection plates.  But I did smoke a shoulder this Easter and it made some incredible pulled pork!  I am never one to brag, but if this smoker can continue to produce this kind of Q, these guys may get sick of me! However, it may have been beginners luck.  I do have to say, if it wasn't for this forum, it would have turned terrible!!  Good luck and keep us posted.


----------



## rob8213

I will just shim up that pan and seal all the joints and see.  All the other mods aare now finished. I'm going to use a large pan of watewateon the lower grate infront of the firebox opening to act asa baffle and  mmoisture generator and see what happens. I think this will help in a few ways.


----------



## rob8213

Well, first run with all the mods and now I have the opposite problem. Hard to keep temps above or at 250. The minion method in the new 10x12x8H metal coal box is still running 7 hrs later only filled it once. All my meats came awesome....whole chicken,ribs, shoulder flank steak, pork belly. First hr temps were too hot, then last 3 hrs temps hard to get above220.  Just alot of fire tending and adjustments.  Any more tips would be great!!!


----------



## rob8213

amper said:


> Water pan will reduce temp significantly. I stopped using one because i didnt need it after adding cold steel baffle and tuning plates. The water pan then brought temp down too low.



Amper....I think that's it.....I had a huge double stereo tray filled with water the entire time. I. Nix that thing next run. And no baffle...see if that's the trick


----------



## dabeve

+1 of losing the water pan, should solve that problem.  

I use these in the bottom of my TMLE for some added temp stability....


----------



## rob8213

Dabeve said:


> +1 of losing the water pan, should solve that problem.
> 
> I use these in the bottom of my TMLE for some added temp stability....


Seems like they would work.  I think I also might leave some of the ashes in the firebox / metal basket / ash pan to see if that is why it ran hot in the beginning and then slowed down at the end.  I don't know.  Love the BBQing but this temp control issue is a real pain.  Also, it was my 1st run with the mods.  Maybe after 1-2 more runs I will know how to run this thing better.  I would like to leave it be for a nice 2-3 hrs at a time.  I almost did in the beginning, but had to keep watching the temps cause I didn't know what it was going to do.


----------



## edgar rollins

You cooked this for just 2hours? Usually 1.5 per pound.


----------



## buttburner

does this smoker have a drain in the smoke chamber?


----------



## rob8213

Yes, a small 1/4" drain hole at the end under where the exhaust is.  Have a can on that.  I don't think I lose any heat from that since its at the bottom.  I think my issue was this 10" x 18" huge water pan I have blocking the firebox hole and just messing up my heat / flow.  I will take that thing out this weekend and see what happens.


----------



## buttburner

no I am taking about heat loss. Heat rises, I would not be concerned with that

I am just wondering about putting those rocks in the bottom. I know my OK Joe drips some out of that drain, I think its condenstation mostly.

I would just be concerned that those rocks would absorb moisture and cause the bottom of the pit or rot out just to soak up the moisture and spoil a cook after a while.


----------



## dabeve

Butt - I don't put them on the bottom. I put them on the rack down there where I assume rob was putting his waterpan.  I have not had a problem with them rotting but I'll keep an eye on them and see tho.  

Rob - for me the issue with the water is not that it messes with the airflow (although that may be true as well) the issue really is that water remains at or below 212 F (as water turns to steam and boils off if it goes above that) so your water pan will always be giving off that temp of 212 or below and helping to keep your temp down.  On the other hand bricks wrapped in foil, a pan of sand, clay flower pot bases, those gas bricks that I linked or any other solid heat sink will get much hotter than 212 and give off a high temp.  That is why i suggested taking it out the water may help you bring the temp up.  Conversely when I run the WSM, I can not run it without a water pan as I need it to help keep temps down at 215-235 where I like to smoke.  Took me 4 or 5 smokes to get the hang of temp control in this thing as modified.  At least you get to eat lots of pork during the learning process!


----------



## buttburner

oh ok thats cool. 

I am sure that would work fine then.


----------



## rob8213

Dabeve said:


> Butt - I don't put them on the bottom. I put them on the rack down there where I assume rob was putting his waterpan.  I have not had a problem with them rotting but I'll keep an eye on them and see tho.
> 
> Rob - for me the issue with the water is not that it messes with the airflow (although that may be true as well) the issue really is that water remains at or below 212 F (as water turns to steam and boils off if it goes above that) so your water pan will always be giving off that temp of 212 or below and helping to keep your temp down.  On the other hand bricks wrapped in foil, a pan of sand, clay flower pot bases, those gas bricks that I linked or any other solid heat sink will get much hotter than 212 and give off a high temp.  That is why i suggested taking it out the water may help you bring the temp up.  Conversely when I run the WSM, I can not run it without a water pan as I need it to help keep temps down at 215-235 where I like to smoke.  Took me 4 or 5 smokes to get the hang of temp control in this thing as modified.  At least you get to eat lots of pork during the learning process


 Thanks!!  That totally makes sense.  Never thought it would be that much of an issue, but my pan was the double sterno tray pan.  Maybe 1-2 gals water.  I will be doing a ton of BBQ next week and weekend.  Butts, ribs, wings, brisket, baked beans, and even some dogs and burgers, for 3 days straight!  I better get this temp down or ill be just staying at the pit with a cooler of beer.

I might get some of the gas grill bricks or just leave it empty. 

Do you recommend putting an old oven grate at the firebox opening, or will that also impeded the heat flow?


----------



## dabeve

I don't think you need anything at the firebox opening, can't hurt to try it if you have time.  The gas bricks I put in just on the theory that opening the door blows off so much heat that when closed the temps will come back up faster with something in there holding heat.  I am sure guys run with all kinds of stuff in there and some run with nothing.  Just a matter of nailing down your process given whatever you are working with. Sounds like it is going to be a fun week at your place.


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## robhatch

Has anyone had trouble with buildup on the bottom of the smoker, the whole for run-off is small.


----------



## robhatch

Has anyone had trouble with buildup on the bottom of the smoker, the whole for run-off is small.


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## wvasmoker

My first cook on the trailmaster is monumental!! I put this rig together lastnight and done a couple mods (90 degree turn down off the stack, charcoal box, grate level thermos, one tube of sealant)before my first run. I seasoned it as soon as it was together. Beer can chicken for 2 1/2 hours at 275 degrees and I refuse to use a fork!! I put a old cookie sheet in the grill compartment until I make the tuning plates or aftermarket convection plate. About a 15 degree difference left to right but all in all a great experience and amazing food. Let the learning curve commence!!


----------



## treknogeek

I've got a couple of questions for you guys. I have assembled all of the parts I need for modding my TMLE save one. I picked up a Maverick et732 and I am going to drill two holes at grate level so I can use both probes to monitor the air temps at either end. What I want to get are some high temp silicon/rubber grommets to seal the holes with the probes, but I am having trouble locating some (that I don't have to buy in bulk). Does anyone know where I can find these? Alternatively, I found a Halex  conduit connector that I found someone using on a uds, but it is zinc plated. Does it matter if something is zinc plated if it does not have direct contact with the food? My guess is I should stay away, but just want to make. Thanks in advance!


----------



## dabeve

I do not know of any silicon grommets like you are describing.  Rubber grommets like you are describing are made for marine wiring application to pass wiring from the wet area around the console into the dry area below.  You could look there and check and see but I doubt they will hold up to the heat.  Here is a pass thru idea from a thread on the WSM.  I made this mod to my WSM and the two small holes seem to have no effect on how the rig runs. I assume it'll work for the TMLE as well... I bought the variety pack and used the short ones so I did not have to do the cutting....

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/94076/wsm-mods

Maybe this?  Not sure it will fit your probe tho...

http://cajunbandit.com/wsm-parts-mods/

I hate to say it, but why not just pick up two thermos and install them at grate level at either end? ....that way they are always there you won't need to worry about getting out the probe.


----------



## rob8213

I agree.  I have installed one at each end, and they are about 5 deg F of from each other, and about 50-75 lower than the factory thermo at the top.  Great upgrade. 

I still have issues with my temp control, but now I have the issue of my Temps being too low.....not too high like before.  I use the minion method and depending on how much and / or dryness of my wood, etc it is hard to keep the unit at or anywhere above 250.  If I put a ton of dry wood and chips in there, once they all finally catch on fire, then it shoots up over 300-350!!!   not good.

I guess this is still at the trial and error stage for me....I am only at the 7th time I have used it.


----------



## treknogeek

Thanks for the tips guys. I found a pack of ten of the desires grommets nearly the size I want for about $6 from Zoro tools, and then a google search took me to the Mavrick website. Silicon grommets, rates for 500 degrees, designed for the et732 for $6.  The order has been placed. I'll post pics of the mods when weather, work, and school conspire to let me finish them all. I've got a custom aluminum exhaust extender built, nearly there.


----------



## piaconis

In case you needed more resources, I asked the same thing last year:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...-through-the-hood-and-plug-a-hole#post_831619


----------



## grimm5577

I saw one of these at the local BJ's and have been thinking about it ever since. I've been looking for a horizontal offset for a while. But having learned the hard way many times before that you get what you pay for I'm a bit skeptical of spending $300 on a smoker this sized and by such a large (cheap grill brand name). Granted I have a brinkmann bullet smoker that while not being the best has lasted me quite some time and performs great.

How much in total have some of you spent on mods? and what are the most worthwhile?

I have a coal basket I think I can retro fit into this, but I am also thinking the tuning plates and the 90* exhaust extensions are a must as well. i would seal it while I put it together. Is the 500* sufficient?

How well does it hold up over the years? I'm not terribly worried about rust, more about sagging, warping, fatigued parts etc etc.

My birthday is coming up this week and this would make a great gift to myself :)


----------



## buttburner

I would spend and extra $100 or so and get a Oklahoma Joe Longhorn from Lowes.

I bought one in January and could not be happier.

Its heavier duty than the Brinkman.

Just for example, look at how the legs are attached to each.

On the Brinkman, there is a sqaure flange on the upper part of the leg and 4 little bolts that hold it to the body. Looks real flimsy to me.

On the OK Joe, there are 1/4" pipe sockets welded to the body, and the legs are inserted into them and held in place by set bolts.

Just one example.

Another quick thing to check is what both units weigh.


----------



## smokinbrew

Just started reading about the Brinkmann Trailmaster.  How does it last?  How many years?  It looks great.  A bit more than I wanted to spend, but if its worth it, I am will to try.  Let me know if it is a good buy.


----------



## treknogeek

I think a lot of this has to do with personal preference. For example, my dad has a UDS but I prefer horizontal smokers because I have easy access to both all of the food and the fire. I have not found a horizontal smoker for the same price as the TMLE that is its equal in terms of metal thickness and construction. Obviously the more money you spend the more options you have, but that's my opinion. I have not had mine for more than a year but it weathered a Chicago winter with nothing to protect it but the cover and it was/is in good shape.

As for cost of mods, I spent about $5 on high temp silicon and the same on some high temp paint. $20 for the expanded metal for the coal basket(and that is a high cost). You can get a dryer hose for an extension for around $5, but I opted to use a piece of aluminum to form a custom extension that takes up much less space.$11 for the aluminum and bolts to mount it. The only other thing (and from what I have read this is true for all 'cheap' smokers) are some new thermometers, and that can vary in price from $20 to $70 depending on the type and quantity of thermos being used. I hope to have pics of my extension mod up middle if next week.

I hope that helps.


----------



## smokinbrew

Thanks.  If nothing else, it has been a lot of fun looking at all the options and of course dreaming of some of the BIG DADDY's.  hahaha.


----------



## smokin nw

I bought the TMLE just this last March, and for the money and a little work , its just fine. Its no Yoder or Horizon thats for sure.

I started with a Master Forge propane and used that for about a year and a half, it just did not have room in it.

Always had to cut the ribs in half to fit.

So I looked at a few in my price range. $ 299. for the TMLE and $ 450. or more for the Okie Joe.

I took my calipers and measured the metal thickness of both, and yes the Okie Joe is a hair thicker, but that was not worth

another $ 150. or more to me. They would be as good the TMLE, just my opinion. Plus not knowing if I was going to like smoking this way, it is more challenging.

I did the mods to it, I sealed every nut and screw and mated surface. Season it and being that I live in western Washington, I just got to

use it yesterday. Did a breakfast fattie and a small brisket. As you can see they came out great and tasty. Maybe some day I could afford

a $ 800.00 or more offset, but for now the TMLE works. You be the judge.













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## comosmoker

I have had my TMLE since March and I am still trying to figure stuff out.  I have posted and commented quite a bit on this thread and have appreciated everyone's comments and suggestions.  Just an update from me, and possibly some help for someone new who joins.  I have used my TMLE 4 times so far since i purchased it.  All mods are completed with the exception of the baffle and plates.  I couldn't wait for them, had to start smoking.  I have done 2 Boston butts for pulled pork, 2 whole chickens, 4 split chicken breasts, pork steaks, smoked sausage, 2 baby backs, and, just yesterday, a 4lb brisket.  With the exception of one of the Boston butts, everything has turned out great!  The one Boston butt did not pull apart at all.  Not sure why. Inner temp was good, flavor was good.  It was tough.  While most smokes turned out good, I struggled with keeping temps above 180-200 degrees.  I was burning a lot of lump charcoal and cooking times were a lot longer than anticipated.  So, back to yesterday's brisket.  I see that there are several people that are (or were) struggling with temp problems in this thread.  I remembered reading a post on here that someone said that the TMLE works better with wood than charcoal (at least for him it did).  Of course I remembered this AFTER I had started my lump.  I dumped my lump into the basket, closed everything up, and began to heat the chamber.  While it was heading up, I loaded the chimney up with some lump hickory and fired it up.  After it was ready, I dumped it on top of the lump.  That thing shot up to 300 plus!  However, with a little adjusting of the intake, I got her cooled down to about 220 both sides.  The great thing is that it stayed steady and I didn't have to mess with it too much.  A little adjusting every hour or so.  I found out that I can control my temps better with using wood, or maybe a mixture of wood and lump.  The brisket turned out great!  I hope this is helpful to someone...It was just my experience....yesterday anyway.  Who knows.  It may be totally different on my next smoke!!  Here is a Q-view of my brisket:













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## treknogeek

Great looking food guys!

I was able to get my mods done and do a cook yesterday.  Here are the results:

Here is the 'finished' TMLE. If it looks a little dull compared to most that is because it has received a first coat of high temp automotive paint, rated for 2,000 degrees.












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__ May 6, 2013






On each side I have high temp silicon grommets. These came from Maverick and fit the ET732 like a glove:












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A McGyvered deflection plate made from a past its prime half sheet pan:












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My pride and joy on this project, the exhaust stack extension:












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No, it's there, really, just look around the corner:












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I found that I lost no usable cooking space with this extension, and at 2x6 inches it has the same area of air flow as the manufacturer's opening.

I also did the silicon seal and the coal basket (10 inch square base with 7 inch sides). My future brother in law used his boiler maker skills to cut the expanded metal for me, and as a thanks I made the following . . . OK, I apologize for no in-smoker Qview, I got too distracted with everything, but here are pics of the finished products:












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We had stuffed mushrooms w/bacon and ABTs. They were stuffed with my homemade garlic, herb, and cheese dip. Per recommendations on these forums, I had the veg in for 2 hours. The ABTs were fine, but the mushrooms took on too much smoke. If I do the mushrooms again I'll take them out after an hour and finish them in the oven. The meat was pork chops. I brined them in a basil lime mixture. They were juicy and flavorful. The applewood goes so good with pork. As you can see from the smoke ring the exhaust extender did its job nicely. The last picture is applewood smoked Kosher salt. You know, for those days when you don't have time to smoke some food but really want some. In all, I was able to get the above veg (on stackable cooking racks), the salt, 8 chops, and 8 ears of corn on  at one time. I had trouble with temp experiencing anywhere from 50 - 90 degrees difference from end to end. I was not expecting that much. But, a lot of this could be due to poor positioning of the smoke relative to the wind and a learning curve with using the Minion method for the first time. Plus, I'm about ready to give up on natural lump charcoal. I've tried two different brands now and the inconsistency in size is really frustrating in maintaining an even heat among the coals. I may try briquets next. We'll see. Ribs tomorrow for an early Mother's Day, hopefully that will go well.

Thank you all for your comments on this thread. They were in valuable in making these mode. And, oh, the ET 732 is worth it.


----------



## smokin nw

I agree with you on the lump charcoal, I used it when I seasoned mine and got the same burning results.

For my saturday smoke I used briquets and the ash was pretty thick after 8 hours and cause me some temp problems.

I will use the lump next time, so I will see which I stick with.

Thats a cool stack extension, you make it or find it that way ?

Happy smokin to ya.


----------



## treknogeek

Thanks, I made the stack extension out of a sheet of untreated aluminum and four stainless steel bolts/washers/nuts (they were the only kind I could find without zince or temperature issues). I was able to get it from a Mendards for $10 (and it was big enough to make two extensions). Two of the bolts secure the cut flaps to the sides and the other two secure it to the wall, high temp silicone was used to seal cracks and help to secure the flaps to the walls.


----------



## comosmoker

I love the stack extensions!  Very nice!  I will have to remember that if I decide to revamp mine.  Food looks great!


----------



## dabeve

Very nice work!  That stack extension is awesome.

To this day I still have a 30-50 degree difference from end to end but it really doesn't bother me. I try to hit 210-220 on the left and 240-250 on the right, plenty of room in there so I just shuffle as necessary and it works great for me.  Did a 12 lb untrimmed brisket on Sunday.  The one photo is washed out so you can't see the smoke ring but wow was it good.  In the brine for 24 hours, rubbed it down that morning, 13 hours on the smoker with the last 3 wrapped in foil.

.













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__ May 7, 2013


















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## comosmoker

Nice lookin' brisket there, Dabeve!


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## smokin nw

*I would like an opinion on emptying your ash while your smoking without getting it everywhere.*

*What are some of the methods used.*

*I always have a breeze going, but it needs to get cleaned out to keep temps up.*

*Thanks for any input.*

*Happy smokin *.


----------



## mikekemp50

Alright guys I'm a Newb on here and rightfully so.  I just got my first smoker for my birthday this a week ago and I got the Brinkmann TMLE.  I'm excited to smoke on it for the first time on friday for my actual birthday.  I have been reading all of the forums on here and other sites every night for hours for ideas on what to do with it first.  So I had to get it early to get all of the mods on it that i have been reading about.  

Mods I have done:

    Two extra River Country Thermos on the pit door

    Minion Basket

    Sealed all Cracks on the unit

    Extended Stack to the cooking Grate

    Tuning plates and Baffle made of 16g Sheet metal

    Two Clamps to hold door tighter against the barrel

    Drilled two holes beside the door and put a High Temp grommet for the Maverick Digital Thermo i bought for it.

I have done one test run on it to season it before i completed all of the mods on it so i will be doing another test run tomorrow to see how it works with it being sealed and having the Minion Basket in there.  From what i could tell from my first burn was even with the baffle and plates not there i had a 10 degree difference across the board, hoping to drop that down to nothing.  Also it was really hard without the basket to keep the temp at a constant 220-225 so i'm hoping that the basket fixes this issue as well.  Thank god for these forums because i would be so lost without them.  I have some pictures of the smoker and on friday i will have some pictures of my first smoke.  I will be doing a 7 lb Brisket and 4 racks of ribs. So without keeping you any longer i will get to the pictures of the smoker.  Like i said again Thanks for everybody posting their tips and tricks here on the forum for all to see.













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So Guys tell me what you think...


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## comosmoker

I think it looks great, mikekemp50!  Nice pics of your mods. Just don't forget Qviews of your smoke!  Look forward to seeing those!


----------



## turfguy

Smokin NW said:


> *I would like an opinion on emptying your ash while your smoking without getting it everywhere.*
> 
> *What are some of the methods used.*
> 
> *I always have a breeze going, but it needs to get cleaned out to keep temps up.*
> 
> *Thanks for any input.*
> 
> *Happy smokin *.


I'm having one of my factory guys make a deeper ash box out of stainless steel. I'll post some photos when it's done.


----------



## treknogeek

I'm liking the red color on the silicon, it reminds me of the A-Team van.

I threw some chicken on last night and had temp issues again. After looking through the forums some more, I think it may be due to a poor design with the deflector plate. That being said, the chicken still turned out great, even if I did have to finish the skin in the oven. I used my own spice blend and homemade bbq sauce (no katsup used).

Chicken just put on, rub only, no sauce:












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__ treknogeek
__ May 8, 2013






Finished product:












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__ treknogeek
__ May 8, 2013


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## rob8213

Here as some recent pic from my BBQ 2 weeks ago.  6th one since I bought the BTLE, 1st try with all the mods finished.......1st one where everything came out amazing.  Ribs I did the 3-2-1 hours, with the wrapping done in an alumn. pan, same for the brisket.  Brisket I had an internal temp of 203 Deg F, and it was as perfect as I could have wanted.  I put smoke on it (apple and hickory) for about 6 hrs straight, till internal temp of about 155DegF, then wrapped with some apple juice and JD and 1/2 bottle german beer.  RIbs came the same but wrapped them with honey/brown sugar/ apple juice.  Teeth tender......Yum!   I did only 45 mins finishing them on the regular grill to get my finishing BBQ sauce on them.  This pic was after 3 hrs smoke and before wrapping.  Also did the pork shoulder in the pic, and that was just amazing and pulled great when temp was about 200 internal.  did this on the regular gas grill also after about 6 hrs smoke.













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__ May 8, 2013


















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## dabeve

WOW rob that looks awesome!

Trek - I have never been able to finish chicken well on the smoker.  I feel like to get the great finished skin it needs to be finished at higher oven temps. Let us know if you figure out how.  However, I love the pig so much I rarely smoke chicken.


----------



## comosmoker

Nice looking food there, rob!  Keep the Q-views coming!


----------



## piaconis

Dabeve said:


> WOW rob that looks awesome!
> 
> Trek - I have never been able to finish chicken well on the smoker.  I feel like to get the great finished skin it needs to be finished at higher oven temps. Let us know if you figure out how.  However, I love the pig so much I rarely smoke chicken.



I take the chicken to 10 degrees under the target temp, then throw it on the grill for a quick sear.


----------



## dabeve

piaconis said:


> I take the chicken to 10 degrees under the target temp, then throw it on the grill for a quick sear.


Thanks! I'll give that a try next time.


----------



## treknogeek

Thanks Dabeve, it's nice to know I am in good company.  While I wasn't able to get the skin crispy (hungry people waiting on a late dinner) I was able to get the skin bite through tender. They were on for 1.5 hours at 225-250 and in the oven at 375 for 30 minutes. I basted in sauce twice, once at 30 and the next at an hour. The rub sauce combo was and is a big hit with my family and coworkers. I was considering posting the recipe, but I actually am getting offers from people wanting to purchase some. Never expected that to happen.


----------



## megt123

Cabin Fever said:


> Sorry to hear that man. The last offset smoker I owned was a tiny $89.00 piece of junk Char-Broil that I bought from Lowes and I pretty much had the same experience. I took the thing to the landfill after just one cook. Words can't describe what a hunk of junk that cooker was. I only have myself to blame though. I don't know what I was expecting from an $89 smoker in the first place.


I bought the same one at Walmart. Did three smokes on it did a mod and made a UDS. I am giving mine to my neighbor. He can have fun with it.


----------



## mikekemp50

Alright guys, I have some QView for you.. I did my first two smokes last night and tonight.  They came out AWESOME.  Still a bit of an issue with keeping temp at 225 but i can deal with it.  It wants to stay steady at 260.  Here it is

!













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The last three pictures is the meat i'm smoking tomorrow for my birthday party.  Wish me luck.


----------



## comosmoker

Good luck and Happy Birthday!  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





    Don't forget the Q-views!


----------



## piaconis

Hope it all comes out well.  Part of the fun is learning about your smoker, and then enjoying the results as you fine tune.  Have fun!


----------



## dabeve

Very nice Mike! Looks like today should be a fun day.  Happy birthday.  Where did you pick up those clamps for your door?  They look awesome.


----------



## mikekemp50

Just put the brisket on an hour ago.  Smoker temp is steady at 219 and the IT is sitting at 111 so i'm not messing with it too much.  It's close enough for me.  I will post some QView later on.


----------



## mikekemp50

Dabeve said:


> Very nice Mike! Looks like today should be a fun day.  Happy birthday.  Where did you pick up those clamps for your door?  They look awesome.


I ordered the clamps from Harbor Freight.  They have Horizonal Close and Verticle Close handle options.  Here is the link for the ones that i bought.

http://www.harborfreight.com/500-lb-horizontal-toggle-clamp-96233.html

And here is the link for the Verticle Clamp.

http://www.harborfreight.com/500-lb-vertical-toggle-clamp-96238.html

The work great.  the only issue i have is if i'm not careful i hit the smoker with my finger when trying to lift them up.  But it could get a problem with both styles because at some point the handle will be close to the Barrel.  Other than that with some silicone sealant around the edge of the door it definately keeps the door shut very well.


----------



## mikekemp50

right at 3 hours now.. was having a couple of temp issues.. it didn't want to go over 210.  Removed some of the ash from the firebox and added some more charcoal to it.  Running smooth again.  Decided it was a good time to snap a picture of it.













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__ May 10, 2013


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## treknogeek

Looking good. What did you do int terms of seasoning the beef?  Thanks for the links, I've just started looking for some, very helpful.


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## mikekemp50

Here you go guys.. QView from my birthday success.













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## nvv522

Finally did it!! Talked my wife & four kids into getting this as a B-Day/Fathers day gift for me. Upgrading from the Brinkmann stainless Smoke-N-Grill, my starter smoker that I outgrew after two years or so. Picked up the BTMLE today and cannot wait to put it together on an upcoming day off. I will be doing most if not all of the mods as they all seem to control heat, disperse heat properly and keep the smoke where it belongs. Thanks to all of the pics, ideas and links to parts. After I order that cover right away, really looking forward to working on this bad boy!!!


----------



## mikekemp50

nvv522 said:


> Finally did it!! Talked my wife & four kids into getting this as a B-Day/Fathers day gift for me. Upgrading from the Brinkmann stainless Smoke-N-Grill, my starter smoker that I outgrew after two years or so. Picked up the BTMLE today and cannot wait to put it together on an upcoming day off. I will be doing most if not all of the mods as they all seem to control heat, disperse heat properly and keep the smoke where it belongs. Thanks to all of the pics, ideas and links to parts. After I order that cover right away, really looking forward to working on this bad boy!!!


AWESOME!!!  You definately have to do all the mods to keep the heat controlled and dispersed in all of the right places.. Do a season burn through it without the mods and you will see just what i mean.  Burns extremely hot at the firebox side and the thermo that comes with it will read about 100 degrees higher than it actually is.  Once you get the mods done you will see the difference immediately.  Well welcome and be sure to post pics of your progress and your Q.


----------



## smokin nw

Welcome nvv522, just remember if it looks like it needs high temp seal, seal it.

Legs, fire box, handle, stack, clamps for lid if its tweeked, baffle is a must on fire box end.

Grommet for temp probes, put in new temp gauge at grill level.

Basket for wood or charcoal.

Its a different creature, but with some tuning it will work fine.

Don't forget to empty ash from tray during smoke or your temps will drop.

Just have fun.

Happy smoking.













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## mark420

its look ok but not so good.


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## rob8213

Hey Smokin NW.....What is the reason for the baffle at the firebox end?   What does it really do?  I have all the other mod's done...but no baffle and it seems to run good enough for me.

Does it just stop meat close tto the firebox from getting to cooked / browned faster?   thanks!


----------



## piaconis

The baffle deflects radiant heat.  Without it, stuff on the firebox side gets cooked by both the convection energy and radiant energy.  Think of it like standing in direct sunlight versus standing in the shade.  The air temperature may be the same, but getting blasted by intense radiant heat will make it hotter.


----------



## smokin nw

Great explanation piaconis ! I have seen pictures on here where the meat on the firebox end is black, but ok on

the stack end, so I just put the baffle in at the start.


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## wolfnutz

I've been shopping horizontal offsets for a few weeks now. The local Academy Sport+Outdoors stocks some solid, heavy gauge offsets by Old Country, but the craftsmanship is lacking: substandard welds, poor handle design (some were broken) and huge gaps in the fit.

I saw this one on the HomeDepot website and was impressed by how many positive reviews it had received. Then I read all the posts in this forum and knew I had a winner. And the price is right for a starter offset. I am eager to unpack it and try it out with the suggested mods. 

I would have started already, but I'm waiting on a buddy to come over and help me take it off the truck...heavy sucker.


----------



## hambone1950

scandall said:


> SmokinAl,
> 
> Became a member today! Yea! I got the same 89 dollar smoker Cabin Fever got, Should I not even waste my time?
> 
> sounds like it to me...Scandall
> 
> I can afford a better smoker, any input on which ones are good?


weber smoky mountain...best 300 bucks youll ever spend.


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## treknogeek

Congratulations wolfnutz! Looking forward to the pics. .


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## nvv522

Quick question on the mods for the BTLE. All assembled and now onto the mods. I have already sealed the firebox with RTV and am ready to do the lids of the firebox and cooking chamber. I haven't seen any directions how to apply the RTV. I know I apply it to the base and not the lid, but am I supposed to let it cure for a period or close the lid while its tacky to give it a good seal? I will check back later before I do it as I'm going out to the store for spring clamps and fire bricks.....Thanks everyone!!


----------



## grimm5577

people have suggested applying the silicone to the smoker base/not the lid and then set plastic wrap or wax paper over the silicone and shut the lid. Once the silicone cures the plastic wrap/wax paper will peel off.


----------



## turfguy

Just as an aside, I was in my local BJ's Saturday and they has the Brinkman TBLE for $279.00; $20.00 cheaper than Home Depot.


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## smokin nw

When I did the lid on mine, I sealed the base, then put wax paper strips over it and closed the lid for about five minutes.

Then opened it back up, that way it did not squeeze out too much and it made a real good seal.

I used wax paper strips so it would not make wrinkles in the seal.


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## dabeve

Filled it up with Salmon this past weekend!













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Sooooo Good!


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## treknogeek

Looks tasty. How much did you have to move them around?


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## texaninmd

Does anyone know what size, and have a recommendation for a water pan for this smoker?  Thanks.


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## dabeve

treknogeek said:


> Looks tasty. How much did you have to move them around?


Not at all. Just slid them back away from the heat after a few hours.


----------



## nailit

TexaninMD said:


> Does anyone know what size, and have a recommendation for a water pan for this smoker?  Thanks.


I use a 9" bread pan that I bought at our local Safeway.


----------



## wolfnutz

The Rutland sealant came in yesterday. Spent most of today (off and on) putting this beast together. A second pair of hands would be useful at times, the screw hole alignment can be frustrating, and I was missing several nuts (never a good thing). The dryer vent fit went well, perhaps the highlight of my day. The plan is to 'cure' it tomorrow morning, then try some ribs. I have 3 butts in a brine scheduled for Sunday.

Thanks again for the great ideas.













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## dabeve

Wow. Nice job with the vent. Very clean. Ribs and shoulders nice way to break it in!


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## smokin nw

Baby back and a piece o pork, and it all worked real good.













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## nvv522

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## nvv522

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My new BTLE on her maiden voyage. Seasoned last week and now starting simple with ribs for a BBQ today. I did all the mods as you all have described except the convection pan. For some unknown reason I'm getting accurate temps rolling at 250 on both sides of the grill. I brought the chimney down to grate level, use a charcoal basket, toggle clamps and RTV sealant. I did however put in ten fireplace bricks in the bottom. They must be retaining all the heat throughout but at this time I'm not going with the expensive $$$ plate. I'm loving this grill so fa. Any ideas where I can get some type of metal name plate made up so I can attach it to my new smoker.  I'm naming her today. LOL


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## nvv522

Daisy dog, old brinkmann and new BTLE!!!


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## grimm5577

Memorial day my wife and I decided to hang home and do some chores and start re-finishing an old hutch/cabinet. So I thought it would be a great day to cook some Spicy St. Louis Style Ribs on the Brinkmann Trailmaster LE.  I actually planned to do this days in advance, I had the ribs marinating in the Ludwig Rib Rub since Saturday.

Around 11:00am I started some coals in my chimney  and then laid them over some coals and Mesquite wood chunks in the Trailmaster’s char-coal basket. This was the first time using the basket, I’ll talk more about that in my Brinkmann Trailmaster Char-coal Basket thread, but it worked really well. Got the fire going and got the smoker up to around 200*.













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When the Brinkmann hit 200* I put the ribs on, closer to the exhaust side. (I had about a 3* difference between firebox and exhaust side.) I was planning on a 3-2-1 smoke routine wrapping with apple juice and some Ludwig Spicy BBQ sauce.  After about an hour I noticed that temps were spiking, my mouse trap design in my coal basket wasn’t working and all the coals were starting to light. So I pulled the basket out and removed about 1/3 of the coals and put it back in. temps decreased to right around 220* and remained there throughout the majority of the cook.













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After about 3 hours I wrapped the St. Louis Style Ribs as planned with apple juice and some Ludwig Spicy BBQ sauce and back on to the smoker they went. At the same time I put 3 crocks of black beans and onions on the smoker as well as some fingerling potatoes.













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After 2 more hours I pulled the ribs, un-wrapped and placed back on the smoker. I moved the potatoes to the firebox grill grate to get them cooking well. After un-wrapping and moving the potatoes I lost a lot of heat and the fire wasn’t picking up enough to get it back up to temp quickly at all. It hoovered right around 180* for about 30mins and hit 205* at around 45 minutes. I had added some coals, some wood, shook the old ash out, and emptied the ash tray. I’m not sure if that helped or hindered the situation, but none the less, my 3-2-1 turned out more of a 3-2-2.













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I did take pictures of it off the grill and cut up to show how nice the smoke ring was and how tender they were, but sadly when I was carrying the camera and other stuff back inside I must have switched modes on my camera with out noticing and those photos are pretty much black.

grrrr!!!  Oh well next time right :)


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## nvv522

Looks awesome!! All of it...


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## piaconis

Nice job on the weekend Q, all!


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## wolfnutz

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## treknogeek

Very nice. What wood did you use? How did your temps hold from side to side?


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## fighting irish

Jonny said:


> Minion method, part 2.  Coals mostly burnt and cleanup later seemed easier as well.


Does the basket have a bottom on it or is it open


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## wolfnutz

treknogeek said:


> Very nice. What wood did you use? How did your temps hold from side to side?


Thanks! I used a combination of lump hardwood charcoal, briquettes and hickory chunks. I can't be sure about the temp on the firebox side as I only used a single probe near the chimney that I ran through one of the bolt holes for the handle. I've read the posts about how inaccurate the factory gauge is, but mine seemed to stay within a few degrees of the probe.


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## sskyking

The best cover is a garage or shed!  I keep my cheap barrel grill on the deck, but my Bandera smoker has a reserved place in my garage between smokes.  I've had it about 10 years and still going strong!  You might have better luck on barrel grills with a cover, but in the past... on flat top grills, I've found the covers just keep the grill wet longer and accelerates the rusting.  I had that problem even with the more expensive covers.


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## grimm5577

fighting irish said:


> Does the basket have a bottom on it or is it open


based on his first post the basket looks like it has no bottom.

Personally I would want a bottom so I can remove the basket and coals altogether.


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## texaninmd

Fired up the smoker after all the mods and it seems to be running smooth at 225 with vent on the side and the stack fully open.  It only lasted about 2 hours at that temp because I was just seasoning the smoker and didn't use the minion method.  I may need to build a bigger charcoal box, it's 11x12x4, in order for it to stay at temp for longer.  How do I raise the temp from 225 since I've already got the stack and vent fully open?  Maybe open the ash tray slightly?  Any suggestions on higher temps and keeping temp longer would be great.


----------



## grimm5577

Higher temps usually means burning more fuel. I have a 12x11x6 charcoal basket with a maze design (which doesn't work as expected) and with the basket 1/2 full and some chunks on the top I was hitting 350*. I had to pull the basket and remove about 1/3 of the coals which allowed it to stabilize at 225*. As for longevity, the hotter you get the quicker it's gonna go thru fuel. I usually am adding some fuel or wood every few hours.


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## piaconis

Try sliding the ash tray forward a quarter inch or so.  Sometimes, it just needs a little more air to get the fire to spread a bit in the box. I do that with mine when I'm first warming it up.


----------



## texaninmd

I bought a few bags of kingsford, but I've seen a lot of people using lump charcoal.  Is that for a reason or just a preference?  If lump is better, what does anyone recommend?  Cowboy?


----------



## wolfnutz

Cowboy is awful. Mostly junk, not much chunk.


----------



## texaninmd

Wolfnutz, do you have any suggestions?  I think all I've seen at lowes is cowboy.


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## wolfnutz

Wish I did, Tex, but I haven't used much or shopped around for it.  The other guys can probably better answer that one.


----------



## smokin nw

I have used Royal Oak lump and Kingsford.

For me the lump burned longer, just did not stack in the basket very well, so it seamed like I was filling it more.

Kingsford burned hotter but makes a lot more ash, emptying tray more often.

So try both to see what works best for you.

You can get both just about anywhere.


----------



## treknogeek

I've used Cowboy and the Sam's Club lump but was very different in size consistency, and as a result I had a hard time filling the basket efficiently. The last two times I have used Kingsford original. The consistent size was a breath of fresh air. With the mods I made I was able to keep a stable temp of 275 for four hours. My basket is 10 inches square with 6 inch walls, and I only had to empty the ash tray every couple of hours.


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## jtrainor56

Hello, this is my first post and want to thank you for any assistance anyone can give me, 

I am wondering if anyone has any experience with the Brinkmann Vertical Offset Trailmaster smoker, I figured since heat rises and this being vertical, I would have a more even smoke and possibly better temperature control then with a horizontal offset smoker. I am looking at this for my first smoker and saw it online from Home Depot. I have been doing ribs on my Weber Genesis gas grill for a couple of years and would like to try pork butt and brisket. ~ Joe
[h1] [/h1]


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## treknogeek

Greetings!  I wish that had been available when I was I the market, I am a fan of the design concept. If it is built similarly in quality to he TMLE temp retention should be fine (I'm getting an average of 7 degree difference from end to end without a baffle plate or door clamps) but you will definitely want a charcoal basket and to seal it with high temp silicon. I'm also thinking that you will want door clamps and the one it comes with us probably not enough. Installing a ball valve grease drain might be a good idea too.


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## treknogeek

Greetings!  I wish that had been available when I was I the market, I am a fan of the design concept. If it is built similarly in quality to he TMLE temp retention should be fine (I'm getting an average of 7 degree difference from end to end without a baffle plate or door clamps) but you will definitely want a charcoal basket and to seal it with high temp silicon. I'm also thinking that you will want door clamps and the one it comes with us probably not enough. Installing a ball valve grease drain might be a good idea too.


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## grimm5577

I agree I like that design, although not sure the grates would be large enough for a rack of ribs. But I do like the design and price.


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## smokinbrew

Tex, there is a whole other thread on lump, please read it over. Lots of good discussions.  IMO lump is much better for flavor and heat.  It does get hotter than briquets.  When I am doing a big smoke I use both.  Briquets are of course more consistent. Wicked Good is the best I have ever found.  It is hard to find.  Check out the thread and form your own opinion.


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## smokin nw

Grimm, I agree, I like the design, smaller foot print.

I started on a vertical propane and always had to cut the rib slaps in half to fit.

Thats why I got the BTML so I would not have to anymore, or a nice 15lb brisket.

Jtrainor56, thats something to think about.


----------



## emptylane

Okay I'm a Noob here.

I have just upgraded from the Brinkmann Smoke N Grill Smoker to the TMLE.  I've been reading all your post and mods for this grill.

I have already made the extended smoke intake mod., I made a [color= rgb(24, 24, 24)]heat deflector from a [/color][font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]22ga steel 12"x24" plate with increasing hole sizes drilled in. 
I've yet to make the Charcoal basket. can yall tell me what the benefit of this basket is?  What is the proper way to use this basket?[/font]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]I've got two babk back rack ready to smoke tomorrow. Ill post my pictures and mods tomorrow.[/font]

[font=arial, helvetica, sans-serif]Thanks again.[/font]


----------



## emptylane

Smokin NW said:


> Smoker Project 008.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> __ smokin nw
> __ May 11, 2013


This basket looks like a good idea. do the baffles in the basket really help? how well does this work? Wont the coal light from heat transfers through these baffles?


----------



## smokin nw

Yes it does, it would be better if there was a double plate with air between them.

That will be on my next basket,

It does help, they don't all fire up at the same time.


----------



## smokin nw

What I do is, load it up except for a space at one end for about a 1/4 of a chimney worth.

Get that 1/4 lit, then dump it in that spot, right next to that I put a few chunks of smoking wood, what ever

you use, when I see a little smoke I put in the meat.


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## grimm5577

I made one similar to that but used the expanded metal as dividers. It didn't work very well as a maze but it did help keep the coals together. I might double wall them on angles to help prevent the fire jumping the wall.


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## emptylane

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Well made baby back ribs on my new BTML.  They came out good, but I do see the need for the charcoal basket.


----------



## wolfnutz

Trying some B & B hickory lump I found at Academy Sports tomorrow.


----------



## piaconis

The Royal Oak lump is the best I've used. In my area. I find it at our local Wal-mart. I also line the bottom of my basket with briquettes, just to "catch" as it burns down. I try to avoid Kingsford, and use natural lump like Stubbs.


----------



## smokin nw

I don't know for the rest of the Washington state smokers, but for myself its slim pickins on what I can get locally.

I could order better lump online, but thats a hassle.

I had a good place for smoking wood up here, but their web site is closed down now.

So its Royal Oak lump or Kingsford briquets or both.


----------



## jtrainor56

Thanks for the comments on a vertical smoker, I didn't think about a full rack of ribs having to be cut in half... So I got up early this morning and started to look for something else and thought I would look on Craigslist. At 8am I spotted a Meadow Creek SQ36, that was just listed and was a couple of years old but looked in good shape. The guy wanted $400. I had to go out and came back a couple of hours later. I went back to the listing and it was already marked sold. I think I am just going to go for the BTLE and do the mods.


----------



## comosmoker

Smokin NW said:


> I have used Royal Oak lump and Kingsford.
> 
> For me the lump burned longer, just did not stack in the basket very well, so it seamed like I was filling it more.
> 
> Kingsford burned hotter but makes a lot more ash, emptying tray more often.
> 
> So try both to see what works best for you.
> 
> You can get both just about anywhere.


I agree with Smokin NW.  But, really, it is a matter of preference and what your smoker takes on better.  I use either Kingsford or Royal Oak lump, but only as a starter.  I have been using wood, mostly, for the last couple of smokes because I can control the heat better.  When I get my mods finished (baffle and tuning plates), I may change back to charcoal and wood just for flavor.  It's whatever your smoker prefers.


----------



## smokinn

Hi guys new guy here. Managed to talk my wife into getting me this smoker for my birthday. I started with a weber kettle and decided to go for something larger and more traditional. I have upgraded to a 90 degree elbow on the smoke stack. I also built a expanded metal charcoal box (huge help). I have sealed all the gaps with 500 degree rtv from autozone and I used grill felt from amazon on the lid. I have used it 3 weekends in a row and I could not be happier. It was purchased from my local BJs in Virginia Beach for 279.00. The charcoal brand is Frontier also found at BJs and it really seems to be a great quality lump. Well anyway I look forward to learning some tips and new recipes from everyone.

Day one added the lower thermometers.

View media item 224100
Pulled Pork 12 hrs at 225 cooked from 12am to 12pm it made a nice lunch.













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__ smokinn
__ Jun 5, 2013


----------



## bigl

Hi guys,

Man you have inspired me so much that I went out and ordered the TMLE Monday night. I am new to smoking and it is something that I have wanted to try for a couple of years now. Figured now is the best time with the deal I saw on the TMLE. looking forward to sharing the journey with you guys, whenever it gets here


----------



## piaconis

Welcome to the TMLE family, folks!

Smokinn, I'm curious about the grill felt. I have a rope gasket, but that gets to be a pain after a while as the cement disintegrates from closing the lid repeatedly.  Can you post some more about that?


----------



## fighting irish

Just got my trailmaster in today and plan on putting together this weekend.  Does anyone know if I can get that Rutlands silicone in Home Depot or lowes?  Also I might néed some more pics on that deflector shield and bottom plates that have been mentioned.  Also how do you season this grill.


----------



## grimm5577

I couldn't find rutlands at home depot or lowes, Amazon has it though.

As far as the tuning plates, I used cookie sheets that were some what heavy gauge that fit on the bottom racks. I bent one to deflect the heat from the fire box under them.

To season, wipe the whole inside of the grill down with your favorite oil, (veggie, peanut, what ever) and then burn some wood in it as if you were cooking something. this will also give you an idea on how it cooks and how the temps are in your unit before you do cook.


----------



## piaconis

Only place I've found Rutlands in-store was at a local Ace Hardware. Otherwise, I order from Amazon.

I don't use tuning plates. Personally, I think they're overrated. A deflector shield is a must, but I think the tuning plates only add thermal mass, which can be accomplished much easier with fire brick or lava rock. But, some people swear by them, so to each their own.


----------



## danbono

Hi All What is fire brick and where I can get it?
Thanks Dan
PS looking into getting the Trailmaster


----------



## grimm5577

DanBono said:


> Hi All What is fire brick and where I can get it?
> Thanks Dan
> PS looking into getting the Trailmaster


http://www.homedepot.com/p/6-Pack-Firebrick-FBP6/202516623#.UbIm3ev-Aio


----------



## donger22

Here are a few mods I made to my Trailmaster LE. I can't say how they'll perform because I'v only done the initial curing process. I'll break her in a brisket and pork butt early tomorrow morning. 

Charcoal box as everyone has suggested













mod 3.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013






Baffle on stack side. I shaped a piece of sheet metal to the curvature of the main chamber above grates. There's about a 2" to 3" space from side wall













mod 1 pic 2.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013






Here's a pic with the grates inserted













mod1.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013






The removable ash pan was drafty so I closed the opening with a removable piece of sheet metal.













mod 1.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013






Here's a pic with a handle attached to the piece of sheet metal. I just pull out the sheet metal so the ashes fall into the ash pan













removable ash pan cover.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 7, 2013






Here's a tuning plate made out of 1/4" steel. The holes start at 1/2" and go up to 1 1/2" inches plus a baffle over the opening to the firebox. This should force the heat under the tuning plate to keep it evenly dispersed.  I'll probably still add some fire bricks to help hold the heat even though the 1/4 tuning plate should hold the heat pretty well. 













tuning plate and baffle.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 7, 2013






Thanks for looking I hope to post some qview soon


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## joe grod

donger22, nice informative post. I'm putting together a Trailmaster for my son and want to get it right, so I hope you can oblige me with some info.

1) Did you use carbon expanded steel for the charcoal basket? I have been waffling between the stuff they sell at the Home Depot for $19.99 or Stainless Steel from a steel place which sells for $70+ for a 24"x24" sheet.

2) Did you use 1/4" steel for both the tuning plate and the baffle?

3) Are the baffle and tuning plate welded into one large sheet, with a 45deg angle or is the baffle made out of different stock?

4) What thickness sheet metal did you use on the stack end?

5) Can you provide dimensions and hole sizes for the tuning plate.

Thanks

Joe


----------



## smokinn

I ordered one roll of grill felt it is adhesive backed and I put it on the lid side. I havent added the clamps that some people have added. I am guessing that some of these smokers have fitment issues I have no smoke coming out of lis now that I added the felt. The felt is Bayou Classic Replacement Felt I have had installed for about a month with no issues if it fails I will be using the silicon method.


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## donger22

Hello Joe

1. All home depot stock for charcoal basket and all sheet metal. Tuning plate was custom from welding shop. 

2. Both baffles made from sheet metal purchased at home depot.

3. Baffle and tuning plate are two separate pieces. Tuning plate  is 1/4" steel with the bend. Baffle has a small lip to rest securely on tuning plate. (used screws attaching firebox to secure)

4. Holes started at 1/2" increasing an 1/8" increments up to 1 1/2". Don't recall dims of plate offhand. (basically the length of the bottom two grates in the main chamber) 

I did my first food cook (yesterday) and the jury is still out on some of the mods. I had problems getting up to temp after adding in the baffle on the firebox side. I think I might be restricting too much airflow, Not sure, so back to the drawing boards. I'll need some help on adjusting mods to determine if I should remove some to help air flow. Don't want to spend the money on a bbq guru (just yet lol) 

I cooked a 10lb brisket and two 10 lb. butts. Cook time was 16 hours and about 45 lbs or charcoal (ouch...hence airflow problem)

Any suggestions or advice from the panel would be much appreciated. 

thanks

Mike


----------



## joe grod

Thanks Mike,

I found some sheet metal in the garage left over from my Brinkmann Pittmaster which bit the dust this season. I will make a baffle form this material and run it about 6" under the grates, which has worked in the past. It seems like you used sheet metal for the stack side deflector, how did you space it from the side wall and was it effective?

Joe


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## jimmysmoke

Just bought the trailmaster Friday, did most of the mods or a version of them before I cured and did final smoke.  I have to say it was easier to keep temp than I thought it would be. I've used a propane smoker for years bit always wanted to try stick smokin.  

I used a fire resistant caulk when assembling at all areas that would have a chance of leaking.  Put up a baffle and some tuning plates; couldn't find thick steel but found some 22 gauge steel at home depo and it worked great. Built the firebox with expanded metal and caulked doors with the heat resistant silicone.  I also put the drier vent elbow extended from the chimney

Used lump charcoal I bought at BJs along with hickory logs.  Fire box was 9×12×10 and held plenty of charcoal to keep it going for a few hours before I had to add more hickory. 

Put pork on and kept it 225-250 with only one flare up that got up to 300 but with closing whist and intake it quickly came back down.

9 hours later I had to foil it as family was hungry and I knew I didn't start early enough to do it all without wrapping. 2 hours later it hit 205 so I untapped and put back in smoker to crisp back up, worked pretty good 













IMAG0536.jpg



__ jimmysmoke
__ Jun 10, 2013






5 hours in.












IMAG0543.jpg



__ jimmysmoke
__ Jun 10, 2013






Before foil 












IMAG0546.jpg



__ jimmysmoke
__ Jun 10, 2013






Finished product.













IMAG0551.jpg



__ jimmysmoke
__ Jun 10, 2013






Pulled it after sitting an hour and was amazing.  Got way more bark than I normally did on propane smoker. Can't wait to try a different meat! 















IMAG0553.jpg



__ jimmysmoke
__ Jun 10, 2013


----------



## joe grod

Nice pics Jimmy. I am beginning to believe that simple is best. My past Brinkmann units have always had sheet metal baffles and flashing material to extend the stack to grate level, never had silicone or tuning plates, but always had great Q.

I found an ACE hardware that sells the Rutland silicone and the gasket kit. I will use left over sheet metal for the baffle and a dryer vent pipe to extend the stack. Tuning plates, if used will be 1/4" steel spaced. Walmart used to sell BBQ thermometers, which I will add at grate level.

What size dryer stack did you use?

Joe


----------



## donger22

I removed the stack and used those holes to attach the baffle (made of sheet metal)  using longer 4" bolts w/ three nuts per bolt (one nut to re-attach the stack, one for inside wall of baffle eye balled for spacing, one securing outside wall of baffle...all stainless steel) 

I ended up removing the upper baffle on the firebox side which solved my problem with heat transfer. 

Mike


----------



## donger22

Here a couple pics breaking her in for the first cook. 













pork and brisket 1.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 10, 2013






I forgot to take pics when they first came off, but I must say the pork and brisket looked pretty sexy. The sides are cole slaw and a macaroni salad with BACON...yummm. By the time I remembered to take pics I was down to scraps. 













pork and brisket 2.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 10, 2013






The brisket didn't stand a chance, but there was quite a bit of pork leftover. I threw some in with scrambled eggs and cheese in the morning for breakfast. Then made some pork nachos for an appetizer and had a few more people over to help out with leftovers. There's still some left that will make lunch for a couple of the guys at the office. 













leftovers.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 10, 2013






All in all, I was quite pleased with the final product.


----------



## piaconis

Donger, was your baffle flush/close to flush on the firebox side?  If so, you probably choked your air flow too much. Typically, you want about a 45 degree angle on the plate. Too sharp of a bend creates a choke point and too much turbulance for good air flow.


----------



## remmy700p

New member here!

Some pics of the trial run with a 7lb+ pork shoulder (Boston butt).

You can see how I fashioned a damper over the firebox intake by wrapping one of the cook chamber's charcoal grates with heavy-duty foil and suspending it with wire from the top rack. Punched a few holes in it towards the bottom. Also wrapped the other two grates and punched holes in them as well. There was a 4-5" gap at the cold end of the chamber. Didn't have accurate chamber thermos at the time, so I can't say how successful the rigging was.













2013-06-05_08-27-59_588.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 12, 2013


















2013-06-05_08-29-22_666.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 12, 2013


















2013-06-05_13-52-18_973.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 12, 2013


















2013-06-05_18-29-30_407.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 12, 2013






Since then, I have added two additional thermos, and have the RTV for the doors and firebox, the 4" 90 degree vent for the exhaust port was installed, and will be trying the addition of 4 firebricks on the lower grates as heat sinks. Got some Ozark Oak lump on the way as well.













2013-06-09_16-17-17_10.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 12, 2013


















2013-06-12_13-03-01_249.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 12, 2013


















2013-06-12_13-03-08_763.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 12, 2013


----------



## jimmysmoke

I used 4" drier elbow.  I put it through the hole on the inside then cut slits in the end so i could bend it back to the side of the grill.  Then put the chimney on there over top of the tabs.


----------



## joe grod

Jimmysmoke said:


> I used 4" drier elbow.  I put it through the hole on the inside then cut slits in the end so i could bend it back to the side of the grill.  Then put the chimney on there over top of the tabs.


Thanks for the info.

Joe.


----------



## joe grod

I had limited time today, attached the legs and bottom tray to the sons Trailmaster.

I visited the metal distributor, bought a sheet of 10 gauge steel, to cut into 14'" x 6" deflector plates and a 4' x 4' sheet of expanded steel enough to make a couple of charcoal baskets. Then went to ACE hardware to buy two tubes of the Rutland high temp silicone and a gasket kit. The label on the Rutland gasket kit described the product as being saturate with graphite and not suitable for contact with food, so I was weary and only got the silicone.

I would like to use a 4" dryer elbow to extend the stack to grate level, but I am worried about that piece being made of galvanized material.

can anyone provide info on the type of dryer vent used.

Thanks

Joe


----------



## grimm5577

I used one of these, I believe most dryer duct is aluminum.

http://www.buildersbest.com/products/elbows-aluminum-close-elbow/


----------



## piaconis

Joe Grod said:


> I had limited time today, attached the legs and bottom tray to the sons Trailmaster.
> 
> I visited the metal distributor, bought a sheet of 10 gauge steel, to cut into 14'" x 6" deflector plates and a 4' x 4' sheet of expanded steel enough to make a couple of charcoal baskets. Then went to ACE hardware to buy two tubes of the Rutland high temp silicone and a gasket kit. The label on the Rutland gasket kit described the product as being saturate with graphite and not suitable for contact with food, so I was weary and only got the silicone.
> 
> I would like to use a 4" dryer elbow to extend the stack to grate level, but I am worried about that piece being made of galvanized material.
> 
> can anyone provide info on the type of dryer vent used.
> 
> Thanks
> 
> Joe


Joe,

+1 what Grimm said.  Use aluminum.  There are still some galvanized ones out there, but most are aluminum anymore.


----------



## joe grod

Thanks Piaconis and Grimm. That's the same piece I installed on my dryer vent a few years ago. Was right under my nose (or above it) hope the wife don't miss it.

Joe


----------



## joe grod

Today I installed the dryer vent/stack combo, handle and cut the deflector plates. I added Rutland silicone and tightened the screws and nuts on legs. I gegan to assemble the SFB and noticed that there were three bolts per side and none on the ends. I drilled holes and added a 1/4" bolt/lock washer/nut combo to each end as well as Rutland silicone before tightening. here are a couple of pics.

Joe


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## joe grod

Let me try to post pictures again.













20130613_164630_resized_1.jpg



__ joe grod
__ Jun 14, 2013


















20130613_172250_resized_1.jpg



__ joe grod
__ Jun 14, 2013


















20130614_085233_resized.jpg



__ joe grod
__ Jun 14, 2013


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## farmer 3691

you could probably seal the door with some stove door rope


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## joe grod

Trailmaster update:

Added thermometers to grate level of lid.

Cut and bent expanded metal for charcoal basket, which I wanted Initial fiytting yto be 12' x 12" high.

When i test fitted it, I found that 12" was to high, so I will cut the height and width back to 10", but leave it 12" long.

Joe













20130615_142052_resized.jpg



__ joe grod
__ Jun 17, 2013


















20130615_172922(0)_resized.jpg



__ joe grod
__ Jun 17, 2013


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## remmy700p

Finished the charcoal basket...













2013-06-14_16-19-57_824.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 17, 2013






I used door strike plates as handles/hook loops...













2013-06-14_16-20-08_925.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 17, 2013






...and replaced those horrible steel wagon wheels with something that won't scratch the crapola out of my patio.













2013-06-16_16-05-17_443.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 17, 2013


















2013-06-16_16-05-32_712.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 17, 2013


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## joe grod

Looks good, where did you find the wheels?

Joe


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## grimm5577

your charcoal box seems to be missing a floor? any reason for that?


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## remmy700p

Joe Grod said:


> Looks good, where did you find the wheels?
> 
> Joe


Harbor Freight. $5.99 each. They are 10" dia so you don't have height issues. The hub bore is 0.6" and the axle shaft is 0.47" so there's some play there, but I packed it good with axle grease and it rolls just fine. I also had to add a couple 5/8" nuts on each side as spacers as the hub is narrower than the wagon wheel's.

It's a LOT quiter now as well!!! Rolling that thing across the patio sounded like a freight car full of nails!


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## remmy700p

Grimm5577 said:


> your charcoal box seems to be missing a floor? any reason for that?


Didn't really see the need for it. Just easier to make the loop box.

Seems the bottom grate is probably sufficient. Any reason why I'd need a floor on it that I'm missing?


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## grimm5577

Not saying it's wrong or a problem I've just always had a floor all of mine.

I shake the charcoal box to drop out the ash and move the coals around, without a floor I would think it could become a hassle trying to keep the coals contained when moving the basket. I've also taken out the charcoal box during cooks before to remove some coals because the temps were sky rocketing.


----------



## dabeve

Remmy700P said:


> Didn't really see the need for it. Just easier to make the loop box.
> 
> Seems the bottom grate is probably sufficient. Any reason why I'd need a floor on it that I'm missing?


I don't have a floor on mine . Never thought to put one in, I don't move the basket during a cook and the ash falls thru on it's own.  Could be handy if you wanted to remove the basket as Grimm suggests.


----------



## snowrider

boardpuller said:


> My horizon convection plate  came in about a month ago. ordered it before Xmas had to call to find out what was going on. They had them in stock and shipped that day.   I am still tinkering but so far in several test burns I have maintain even heat all the way across the cooking chamber once It got up to temp. Thermos at firebox bout 6 " in ( I use a loaf pan full of water ), 1 in the middle tip even with the stock thermo, and 1 at the chimney extension. I have the plate sitting on 1 of the fire grates, I tried raising it with 1" square tubes, but didn't work for me. I also built a fire grate keeps the charcoal from falling through and helps to maintain heat longer.


How long did it take them to get the plate out their door. Ordered one last week. Called them twice and emailed them once. Heard nothing back from them.


----------



## boardpuller

sorry can't remember right now exactly how long it took but I think it was that day or the next day you have to write a little bit


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## smokinn

I live in Virginia Beach and at my local BJs tonight they still have the Smoker for 279.00 and their frontier lump on sale ( which I use all the time seems great) for 16.00 for 40lbs. just figured I would pass it on. Happy smoking I have 2 butts going on in an hour for a hopeful dry weekend!

John-


----------



## remmy700p

I did another "dry run" burn over the weeked after implementing the mods (vent stack extension, silicone sealant, charcoal grate, and dual thermos at grate level). Ambient temps in the mid 80s and wafting breezes up to ~10mph. I started the burn with the smoker under a tree, but moved it into the sun after an hour. A couple of things:

*Observation*:  It just didn't draft anywhere near as well as my first couple of runs.

*Conclusion & Steps Taken*: My guess is that the vent stack extension is too long and stifles draft formation. I decided to remove the end piece to get the exit a little further away from the grate level.













2013-06-24_15-44-24_179.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






*Observation*:  I filled the charcoal basket (10" x 10" x 6") with good-sized pieces of Cowboy brand lump charcoal (never buying this bag of splinters and dust again...), made a little crater in the pile, started a full chimney with more lump, let it ash up, and loaded it into the firebox basket ala the 'minion method'. Stack vent and intake vents were both left all the way open for the duration.

I just could *not* get grate temps above 200-205F. After a couple hours of this, I guessed that the basket was just too small for such a large chamber and, to test my theory, I removed it, letting the coals kind of fall loosely into the firebox. This started my temps to climb gradually and was able to reach ~230F at grate level (which corresponded to ~300F+ on the top gauge... what a joke that thing is!)

*Conclusion & Step Takens*: You can definitely make a basket that has too small of a surface area for the internal volume of the cook chamber. It just can't keep up unless you have a HOT fuel source. Dissassembled the charcoal basket, rebent the arms out, and reassembled it. It's dimensions are now 10" deep, 11.5" long, and 6" tall. I also found that sliding the basket closer to the intake vent side allows me to add my chunk wood on the outlet side which REALLY helps with heat production.













2013-06-24_17-49-52_253.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






*Observation*: Compared to my first runs, very little smoke escaped from the cooking chamber.

*Conclusion & Steps Taken*: That Rutland silicone sealant is the bomb. I need to add some more thickness in a few spots, but it totally sealed up the firebox joins and did a great job minimizing the loss through the cooking chamber door. My two grate thermos, which are 13.5" apart, were within 5-7 degrees of each other. Nice. I was lucky though... the fitment out of the box was pretty damn good.













2013-06-24_15-44-47_999.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






*Question*: Does anyone see any benefit to adding another air intake to the firebox -- maybe above the existing one -- to help with getting temps up? I'd like to be able to get grate temps up to 275-300F if I want to. After the firebox sealing, I think that my fire chamber isn't getting enough air now! Can one actually seal these things up too much? When I'd open the firebox main door, the coals would burst into flame.













2013-06-24_17-50-11_995.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






*Question*:  In breezy/windy conditions, do you guys point your firebox air intake vents _toward_ the wind, _away_ from it, _oblique_ to it, or does it matter? I'm hoping my vent stack extension cutback will solve this, but I was actually getting smoke wafting out of the intake when the wind luffed...


----------



## mikekemp50

If I need to get more air into the firebox I shut the intake vent and crack the ash pan on the bottom..  It works awesome for me.  Might be something to play with.


----------



## treknogeek

My guess is that your fuel may be betraying you. My basket is 10x10x7 and my extension goes down the the rack. I prefer lump to briquettes, but I have had to use briquettes since I am unable to find a lump brand in my area with a consistent size. All that to say I can maintain consistent 325 degree temps. My theory is that the regular shape of the briquettes allows for more efficient heat generation with minimal air space between the coal.

I can't speak to the wind orientation since my driveway is like a wind tunnel, but i generally have the fire box away from the wind.  Here are some pics of the extension, basket, and some wings I did at 325 for two hours on Father's Day, the skin turned out perfect, thanks to the advice on these forums.













image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Jun 24, 2013


















image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Jun 24, 2013


















image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Jun 24, 2013


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## remmy700p

mikekemp50 said:


> If I need to get more air into the firebox I shut the intake vent and crack the ash pan on the bottom.. It works awesome for me. Might be something to play with.


Thanks Mike. I never thought of that! I'll give it a try.

I want to get this thing dialed for the 4th of July. I have a really nice 6.5lb bone-in pork butt for the day's BBQ, bourbon baked beans, chipotle buttered corn-on-the-cob, etc I want to all do on the smoker.


----------



## remmy700p

treknogeek said:


> My guess is that your fuel may be betraying you. My basket is 10x10x7 and my extension goes down the the rack. I prefer lump to briquettes, but I have had to use briquettes since I am unable to find a lump brand in my area with a consistent size. All that to say I can maintain consistent 325 degree temps. My theory is that the regular shape of the briquettes allows for more efficient heat generation with minimal air space between the coal.
> 
> I can't speak to the wind orientation since my driveway is like a wind tunnel, but i generally have the fire box away from the wind. Here are some pics of the extension, basket, and some wings I did at 325 for two hours on Father's Day, the skin turned out perfect, thanks to the advice on these forums.
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> __ treknogeek
> __ Jun 24, 2013
> 
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> __ treknogeek
> __ Jun 24, 2013
> 
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> __ treknogeek
> __ Jun 24, 2013


Thank you for your reply.

Just out of curiosity, was the 325F the temp at the grate? If so, what did the useless top thermo read during that time?


----------



## mikekemp50

Yeah give it a try but you really have to fine tune it that way and keep a close eye on it..  Temps will soar if your not careful.  But if you need to get more air and higher temps that is a great way I have found to get it done.


----------



## mikekemp50

Remmy700P said:


> Thank you for your reply.
> 
> Just out of curiosity, was the 325F the temp at the grate? If so, what did the useless top thermo read during that time?




With the fine tuning of mine all of my three thermometers read identical..  So if you get it right the top one becomes just as useful as the rest.


----------



## comosmoker

Remmy700P said:


> Thanks Mike. I never thought of that! I'll give it a try.
> 
> I want to get this thing dialed for the 4th of July. I have a really nice 6.5lb bone-in pork butt for the day's BBQ, bourbon baked beans, chipotle buttered corn-on-the-cob, etc I want to all do on the smoker.


Don't forget......
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   Don't forget the Q-Views!!!  I would like to see how long you cook the corn and how it is done...


----------



## donger22

If you're having a problem with airflow and want to cook at a higher temps you can even remove the ashtray completely (if you have the charcoal basket). Or you can put a small fan near the vent to increase the air flow.


----------



## treknogeek

@Remmt700P

No problem. My temp reading of 325 is at grate level using a dual probe maverick. I really recommend extending the exhaust to grate level to increase smoke contact, especially if you can do it in a more stream lined way to maximize space. Yesterday I got 48 pounds of butt on (6 total) , and I would not have been able to fit them in as 'easily' as i did if I had the dryer extension. Not that there is anything wrong with the dryer extension, it is an elegant solution to a problem, and if it were not for this forum I would never have thought of doing mine the way I did (which only protrudes 2 inches). PM me if you want the specs, and it only costs $12 to make my extension.

Here are some pics of the afore mentioned cook. 













image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Jun 25, 2013


















image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Jun 25, 2013
__ 1


















image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Jun 25, 2013


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## grimm5577

I often crack the ash tray pan as well to get more air into the fire box. I've had pretty consistent temps across the chamber with my exhaust extended to the grill grate and can get temps up to 350* if needed.


----------



## lance0623

This thread has been very informative, have had mine about a year and love it.  Two questions:

Has anyone else had a problem with the firebox rusting?  If so, what did you do to fix it?

Anyone using an auto temp control like the Digiq or stoker?  Would you recommend it?

Thanks again!


----------



## texaninmd

Finally got to use my smoker with all the mods and the brisket was some of the best I've ever had, didn't even have to wrap it until the last 10 degrees.  Only issue I had is it burned a lot of fuel, 20 lbs of kingsford, 5 lbs of frontier lump, and 10 lbs combined of mesquite, oak, and pecan chunks.  It was a 20 lb brisket and took about 15 hours













image.jpg



__ texaninmd
__ Jun 25, 2013


















image.jpg



__ texaninmd
__ Jun 25, 2013


















image.jpg



__ texaninmd
__ Jun 25, 2013


















image.jpg



__ texaninmd
__ Jun 25, 2013


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## lance0623

That's an expensive smoke, Texian.  Have you tried just smoking with splits?  It helped cut down on the fuel cost for me.


----------



## texaninmd

By splits do you mean split logs?  

No, I haven't tried that.  I think my fuel cost yesterday was so high because the wind shifting directions all day.  I love in a town home, and the townhomes behind us are all in an oval, which seems to create a funnel and causes the wind to continually shift.  I used a charcoal box that was 12x11x6 but I may try to build one larger.


----------



## cerda

Brilliant design idea for the chimney extension! The idea is to make sure that the air flow is at least what it would be with just the factory chimney. To do this you have to look at a lot of factors, most of which I cannot calculate or measure; turbulent or laminar flow, friction, and so on. What I did is calculate what is called the hydrostatic diameter. This measurement relates the effective area of the opening of different shaped pipes. The formula is HD = 4 * area/p where HD the hydrostatic diameter is 4 times the area of the opening divided by the parameter of the pipe. This works for circular and rectangular pipes. You will notice that as the rectangular pipe becomes flatter and moves away from a square the effective diameter gets smaller. That means that a 2x6 inch opening is way better than a 1x12 opening. I did some basic friction calculations and found that a rectangular opening in a 2:1 ratio was no worse than a circular opening. You can calculate the hydrostatic diameter of your extension and compare it to the diameter of the factory chimney. Also, the shorter the extension the lower the friction.

You did a great job with your grill! Thanks for posting. I would not have thought of what you did with the chimney extension.

I'm currently trying to measure the effect that such a chimney extension makes in the temperature distribution. What I've found is that with the chimney extension the dome temperature is 15F hotter and the grill surface is 20F warmer. I don't think this is due to a constriction because that would have caused the fire to go out and when I remove the extension the temperatures dropped. I think I was getting good flow. This is the test rig I'm using. The final version will be made of smooth metal - too much friction and turbulent flow. I think the measurements I need are midway on the grill and at the far end (I pile the coals at one end for indirect heating).

I like your solution because it takes less room. My test rig sticks 4 inches into grill area. I could hide in in the corner but that makes it longer and I think I want the flow centered to help keep the temperature distribution to a minimum.
 













IMG_20130623_120533 small.jpg



__ cerda
__ Jun 26, 2013


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## cerda

I like the end cap you used for the chimney extension. Simple. What is the depth of the opening? What is the diameter of your chimney opening.


----------



## remmy700p

I agree with the laminar flow conclusion. I believe that the full length of the 90 degree elbow really stomped on my draft. I decided to remove the last section of the assembly, and went from this:













2013-06-12_13-03-01_249.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013


















2013-06-12_13-03-38_215.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013


















2013-06-12_13-03-08_763.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






... to this:













2013-06-24_15-44-24_179.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






I'll let everyone know what improvements to draft, if any, I achieve.


----------



## lance0623

TexaninMD said:


> By splits do you mean split logs?
> 
> No, I haven't tried that. I think my fuel cost yesterday was so high because the wind shifting directions all day. I love in a town home, and the townhomes behind us are all in an oval, which seems to create a funnel and causes the wind to continually shift. I used a charcoal box that was 12x11x6 but I may try to build one larger.


Yes, split logs.  Depends on the type of wood used, but they'll generally burn a lot hotter and longer than charcoal, somewhat hotter and longer than lump.


----------



## treknogeek

Honestly, it didn't occur to me to find a formula. I figured that at 2x6 inches the square inch amount was the same (well, slightly larger) than the ovoid 3x4 inch factor opening. Perhaps I got lucky, but any temp challenges I have are due to the quality of the TMLE. On average, once I have stabelized my target temp, I am running a 7 degree temp difference from end to end, and a lot of the time I only have 1 degree difference, and that without a deflection plate. I'll have to keep that formula in mind if I ever do a scratch build.


----------



## bama70

Just had the Trailmaster Vertical offest delivered yesterday, will assemble this weekend. Will take pics of the assembly and and alterations I have to do to get it up and running effectively, as well as any mods in a new thread. Does anyone else own the Vertical unit?


----------



## grimm5577

I have my exhaust basically sitting on the food grate and haven't had an issue with flow. are you guys using tuning plates with the exhaust extension?


----------



## comosmoker

Grimm5577 said:


> I have my exhaust basically sitting on the food grate and haven't had an issue with flow. are you guys using tuning plates with the exhaust extension?


My exhaust is sitting about 1/2 inch above the food grate.  I have tuning plates made, just need to trim them to fit where I want them to go.  I have no problem with airflow without the tuning plates.  We'll see when I get them in.  My temps have been very consistent from side to side.  No more than 5* difference and it is usually less than that.  Going to do a lot of smoking this weekend and next week.  I'll post Q-Views.  Happy smoking!!!


----------



## comosmoker

Can anyone tell me the distance across the smoking chamber at the top of the firebox opening?  And then, how far is that from the cooking grate?  I am at work right and can't measure.  I am wanting to trim up my tuning plates and was thinking, if there is enough room, I wouldn't need a baffle.  Just place the plate above the firebox opening.  Thanks in advance!


----------



## jwg299

I ordered 1 of these grills last week as the Charbroil grill I ordered was a piece of crap.

I can't wait to get my new grill and do the mods. I'm growing weary seeing all the great Q you all are making.

I do have 1 question. do any of you use a drip pan, why or why not?


----------



## treknogeek

I use drip pans for two reasons. First, I'm lazy and hate cleaning up. Second, the 16 leg bolts are a pain to clean around. I use a the half tray pans from Sam's Club


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## donger22

Hello all

I posted my mods in a different TMLE thread, but wanted to contribute to this thread. I've only been able to cook 3 times on it so far due to a hectic schedule, but I couldn't be happier with the BTLE

Exhaust baffle made of sheet metal shaped to the curvature of the main chamber.  













mod 1 pic 2.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013






Here's a pic with the grates in place. I only lose maybe 2 to 3 inches of cooking surface.













mod1.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013






 Bent another piece of sheet metal to make a cover for ash pan and attached a handle so I can easily remove if need be













removable ash pan cover.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 7, 2013






I also made the charcoal basket as everyone has suggested.













mod 3.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013






Made a tuning plate out of 1/4" steel and sheet metal baffle that rests on top of it. (I ended up removing the baffle as it restricted the airflow too much)













tuning plate and baffle.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 7, 2013






forgot to take pic until there were only scraps left













pork and brisket 2.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 10, 2013


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## grimm5577

jwg299 said:


> I ordered 1 of these grills last week as the Charbroil grill I ordered was a piece of crap.
> 
> I can't wait to get my new grill and do the mods. I'm growing weary seeing all the great Q you all are making.
> 
> I do have 1 question. do any of you use a drip pan, why or why not?


I use drip pans as well, they just happen to double as my tuning plates. I just got some heavy duty non-coated cookie trays that fit the width. so far they work well and are easy to clean.


----------



## cerda

Being a mathematician in my spare time I found what we need. The concept is equivalent diameter. It relates a duct of a particular shape to a circular duct such that the pressure drop and flow rate is the same. On my grill, the opening is 3x4 inches and oblong. That is equivalent to a circular opening of 3.57 inches. My chimney is 3 7/8 inches in diameter. I have a bit of a constriction at the internal opening. If I calculate a rectangular opening, ignoring the friction caused by the extra length, a 2x6 inch rectangle is equivalent to a circular opening of 3.65 inches. Probably good enough. Making the rectangular opening 2x8 inches is equivalent to a circular opening of 4.14 inches - more than enough. Making the opening skinnier say, 1x12 inches only yields an equivalent diameter of 3.24 inches. Turns out a rectangular duct with a 2:1 ratio in the sides is optimum in lots of ways, in particular lower friction.

To increase your draft there are three factors we have control over, actually only two. First is the temperature difference between the inside of the grill and the ambient air temperature. Second and most easy to change is the height of the chimney. Third is the size (area) of the opening and diameter of the chimney. Try making your chimney taller.

From the chimney draft equations you can get a flow rate, use the hydraulic diameter and then the Reynolds number to get turbulent or laminar flow. That's a guess and probably unnecessary. An engineer would have real experience with this.


----------



## lance0623

Thanks for posting those, Donger!  Horizon charges $116 for their baffle and tuning plate - you could probably sell quite a few of the exhaust baffle, firebox baffle and tuning plate, and the ash pan cover as a package for alot cheaper and still make a good profit!


----------



## s2k9k

cerda said:


> Being a mathematician in my spare time I found what we need. The concept is equivalent diameter. It relates a duct of a particular shape to a circular duct such that the pressure drop and flow rate is the same. On my grill, the opening is 3x4 inches and oblong. That is equivalent to a circular opening of 3.57 inches. My chimney is 3 7/8 inches in diameter. I have a bit of a constriction at the internal opening. If I calculate a rectangular opening, ignoring the friction caused by the extra length, a 2x6 inch rectangle is equivalent to a circular opening of 3.65 inches. Probably good enough. Making the rectangular opening 2x8 inches is equivalent to a circular opening of 4.14 inches - more than enough. Making the opening skinnier say, 1x12 inches only yields an equivalent diameter of 3.24 inches. Turns out a rectangular duct with a 2:1 ratio in the sides is optimum in lots of ways, in particular lower friction.
> 
> 
> To increase your draft there are three factors we have control over, actually only two. First is the temperature difference between the inside of the grill and the ambient air temperature. Second and most easy to change is the height of the chimney. Third is the size (area) of the opening and diameter of the chimney. Try making your chimney taller.
> 
> 
> 
> From the chimney draft equations you can get a flow rate, use the hydraulic diameter and then the Reynolds number to get turbulent or laminar flow. That's a guess and probably unnecessary. An engineer would have real experience with this.



http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/terms-of-service


----------



## comosmoker

donger22, does your tuning plate sit on top of the bottom racks?  And, after removing the baffle, how does that work with heat distribution?  Also, I love the stack extension!  How far away is it from the end of the smoking chamber?  I'm guessing 2-3 inches since that is all you lose in cooking space.  Nice mods!!!  Happy smoking!!


----------



## donger22

CoMoSmoker said:


> donger22, does your tuning plate sit on top of the bottom racks?  And, after removing the baffle, how does that work with heat distribution?  Also, I love the stack extension!  How far away is it from the end of the smoking chamber?  I'm guessing 2-3 inches since that is all you lose in cooking space.  Nice mods!!!  Happy smoking!!


Hello

Yes, the tuning plate sits on top of the bottom racks and was made the same width as the racks. I removed the baffle above the tuning plate because I was burning thru way too much fuel and trapping all the heat in the firebox, which made getting the main chamber up to 225 almost impossible. I burned thru 45 lbs of lump doing two 10 lb butts and 12 lb brisket. It felt like using dollar bills for kindling....lol Taking out the baffle solved that problem. The stack extension is spaced out about two inches from the side wall. Thanks for the compliments and a huge thanks to my father-in-law for helping me with the mods. I always enjoy spending time with him.


----------



## comosmoker

donger22 said:


> Hello
> 
> Yes, the tuning plate sits on top of the bottom racks and was made the same width as the racks. I removed the baffle above the tuning plate because I was burning thru way too much fuel and trapping all the heat in the firebox, which made getting the main chamber up to 225 almost impossible. I burned thru 45 lbs of lump doing two 10 lb butts and 12 lb brisket. It felt like using dollar bills for kindling....lol Taking out the baffle solved that problem. The stack extension is spaced out about two inches from the side wall. Thanks for the compliments and a huge thanks to my father-in-law for helping me with the mods. I always enjoy spending time with him.


Thanks for the quick reply and answers.  I think I will adjust my tuning plates to sit lower and try without the baffle, or maybe the baffle covering only half the opening.  I will have lots of time next week to play with it.  Thanks, again!!  Cheers!!


----------



## texaninmd

So what is the general attitude of the boards towards baffles?  I have one that is a 1/4" steel plate, 12" long and 6" wide.  With it and the tuning plates I get great heat distribution, and I didn't seem to have trouble getting the heat up because sometimes it would spike up to 300 with the changing winds, but I was smoking brisket so I was keeping it at 225.  For the smoke of the 20 lb brisket, I used a 20 lb bag of kingsford, around 5 pounds of frontier lump, and 7-10 pounds of pecan, oak, and mesquite mix.  Seems like a lot of fuel, but it was my first smoke, not sure if my baffle is causing me to use more fuel.  

Without the baffle though, my side to side temps go from a 5 degree difference to more around 30.  

Not really sure which route I should go, and just wanted some input.  Thanks.


----------



## remmy700p

TexaninMD said:


> So what is the general attitude of the boards towards baffles? I have one that is a 1/4" steel plate, 12" long and 6" wide. With it and the tuning plates I get great heat distribution, and I didn't seem to have trouble getting the heat up because sometimes it would spike up to 300 with the changing winds, but I was smoking brisket so I was keeping it at 225. For the smoke of the 20 lb brisket, I used a 20 lb bag of kingsford, around 5 pounds of frontier lump, and 7-10 pounds of pecan, oak, and mesquite mix. Seems like a lot of fuel, but it was my first smoke, not sure if my baffle is causing me to use more fuel.
> 
> Without the baffle though, my side to side temps go from a 5 degree difference to more around 30.
> 
> Not really sure which route I should go, and just wanted some input. Thanks.


How would you characterize the level of sealing on your firebox? It's my guess that the battle is fought between heat leakage (like through the FB door, sides, etc) and proper draft.


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## remmy700p

Just did not like the metal mesh work tray, so I decided to add a more user-friendly countertop to my TMLE. I picked up a 1" x 12" x 74" piece of finish-grade pine at my local HD for $12. I cut it into two 35" pieces (only used one), sanded the sharp edges and finished it with a honey-maple stain/sealer. It is mounted to the mesh tray with galvanized screws and fender washers. It has about 1.25" of clearance between its inside edge and the cook chamber.

I also installed 4 rubber-coated hooks on the underside (two at each end). The Brinkmann cover still fits over it as well.













2013-06-28_16-39-33_509.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 28, 2013
__ 2


















2013-06-28_16-39-21_84.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 28, 2013


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## texaninmd

Everything is sealed pretty well.  I used rutlands 500 RTV when I was assembling it and then used it to create gaskets around the doors for the firebox and smoking chamber.  The only area I still have a little leakage is on the door of the smoking chamber, but I cut a lot of that down by using toggle clamps.  I'm not sure if I should possibly create a larger charcoal box, the one I use now is 11x12x6, switch to using more lump charcoal than a mix with briquettes, or switch to split wood from wood chunks.  I think the swirling winds near my smoker attribute to the high fuel, but that seems like its going to be a constant so I'll need to learn to combat that.

I like your wooden front shelve and may need to try that on mine.


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## smokin nw

Remmy, the wood shelve is a real good idea, I have had a mishap or two with the metal mesh.

I was thinking the same but with a piece of stainless over it.

Your looks great.


----------



## parman

Isn't Wash St. famous for their apples? I'd be looking for apple wood and as much as I could get. Just a thought.


----------



## remmy700p

In the quest for better airflow/draft and a steadier, more stable burn, I decided to raise the stock charcoal grate (that my minion basket sits on) with a simple "lift kit" so it would be *even with the top of the intake vent*, thus giving more room for airflow under the coal bed. I used 1/2" x 3 1/2" hex bolts, fender washers, and 1/2" hex nuts to create "legs" (cost me $7.50 at HD).

The cool thing is that, due to the curvature of the firebox's bottom, it is height-adjustable simply by moving the bolts in (lower) or out (higher). Pics:













2013-07-02_14-10-09_228.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 2, 2013


















2013-07-02_14-10-30_797.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 2, 2013


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## lance0623

Remmy700P said:


> In the quest for better airflow/draft and a steadier, more stable burn, I decided to raise the stock charcoal grate (that my minion basket sits on) with a simple "lift kit" so it would be *even with the top of the intake vent*, thus giving more room for airflow under the coal bed. I used 1/2" x 3 1/2" hex bolts, fender washers, and 1/2" hex nuts to create "legs" (cost me $7.50 at HD).
> 
> The cool thing is that, due to the curvature of the firebox's bottom, it is height-adjustable simply by moving the bolts in (lower) or out (higher).


Have you cooked with it since raising the grate?  If so, what difference did that make for your temps?  Did the fuel burn faster/cleaner?


----------



## remmy700p

lance0623 said:


> Have you cooked with it since raising the grate?  If so, what difference did that make for your temps?  Did the fuel burn faster/cleaner?


Not until tomorrow. I'll post up my thoughts/results/conclusions.


----------



## treknogeek

And pics please:)


----------



## remmy700p

treknogeek said:


> And pics please:)


Here is the before shot (6.15lb bone-in pork shoulder @ $1.49/lb):













July 4th Pork Shoulder (before).jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 3, 2013






My dry rub:

- brown sugar

- onion powder

- garlic powder

- smoked paprika

- roasted ground coriander

- ground chipotle pepper

- Himalayan pink salt

- coarse ground black pepper

Yesterday, picked up a 25lb bag of seasoned *citrus wood* (mostly navel orange, large chunks) from a local cooking wood (and firewood) purveyor for $16. Here's their webpage: (http://www.thewoodshedoc.com/) Really nice folks there. Gave me a large free bag of mesquite chips as well!!

Was excited to find out that they have an excellent supply of seasoned *red oak* (logs and chunks), so a Santa Maria-style tri-tip will be up next!!













2013-07-03_13-19-31_747.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 3, 2013






Here's my fuel stock for tomorrow:













2013-07-03_13-20-53_394.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 3, 2013


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## jwg299

My grill got delivered today I'm SOOOOOOOOOOOOO happy! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






Now I'm going to HD to get a few items so I can complete some of the mods. I'll post picks when I'm done.


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## smokin nw

Take your time, and if it looks like it needs high temp seal, seal it.


----------



## smokin nw

Ok I know this is not for everybody, but most of the time I smoke for the wife and myself,

so I made a double duty for my BTML.

I took the propane burner off my vertical smoker and attached it to the ash drawer.

I bought another drawer from Brinkmann.

So now I can do both, propane when I am lazy and charcoal when I have guests.

I got to tell you, it holds at 225 all day long.













Pro 1.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 4, 2013


















Pro 2.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 4, 2013


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## remmy700p

Well, the pulled pork came out awesome. Got it on at 1015 @ 54F IT, foiled it in an aluminum pan @ 180F at 1400, and it reached an IT of 201F at 1645.

Smoke was perfect, and it was as tender as I've ever had it. I had some Carolina style BBQ sauce available for those that wanted it, but frankly, it was better without it! Here it is just before being pulled (after my wife and I started picking at it!!):













2013-07-04_16-56-46_139.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 5, 2013






In total, I used a 1/2 bag of Kingsford Blue in the minion basket, and a 1/2 of the bag of citrus wood chunks between the basket and the cook chamber inlet. The citrus wood was a great source of clean heat. No problems with draft at all.

I had such a good, hot fire that the Rutland Black on the FB couldn't take it! A big section of it burned right off! No matter, it was still sealed enough and I had such good fuel that temps weren't an issue.

All in all, very happy with the results.


----------



## smokin nw

So the legs on the charcoal grate raising it helped a lot with your temps.

I'll have to try that.


----------



## remmy700p

Smokin NW said:


> So the legs on the charcoal grate raising it helped a lot with your temps.
> 
> I'll have to try that.


A primary benefit is a lot more airflow under the coal base. A secondary benefit is longer, more stable burn times due to keeping the active coals up out of the ash bed. The result of both is better combustion -- and higher temps.

I'd have to say that the major change was better fuel. The citrus chunks burned nice, clean and fierce. Frankly, I just periodically sprinkled unlit briquets to the basket mainly to keep the "heat-sink" going so as to start my wood chunks (which were outside the basket) burning.


----------



## smokin nw

You are right about using good fuel, which I can't seem to find around here.

Had a good place in my state, but have closed down.

They price of shipping these days has kept me from ordering on line.


----------



## treknogeek

Thanks for the pics guys. It all looks good. What kind of flavor does the orange wood impart?

I've got an idea for a mod that I don't recall seeing on this thread, but perhaps someone has done it and can give me some pointers. I'm going to make a door on the side of the firebox for the purpose of adding wood chunks with a minimum loss of heat. Any thoughts? (And yes, I have measured it out and there is clearance with the basket)


----------



## remmy700p

treknogeek said:


> Thanks for the pics guys. It all looks good. What kind of flavor does the orange wood impart?
> 
> I've got an idea for a mod that I don't recall seeing on this thread, but perhaps someone has done it and can give me some pointers. I'm going to make a door on the side of the firebox for the purpose of adding wood chunks with a minimum loss of heat. Any thoughts? (And yes, I have measured it out and there is clearance with the basket)


I wasn't chasing too much smoke flavor as I had bitterness issues last time. I had a nice custom rub on there and knew I was going to take it low and slow. The citrus wood mainly provided nice clean heat. Any smoke it added was very neutral. The Kingsford Blue + the citrus wood chunk was the 'winner winner' this dinner!

If I was going to add anything to my FB it would be an additional vent, in the top half of the chamber (above the existing intake vent).


----------



## jwg299

Got a question..

Where did you guys get that hi-temp sealer?

all I can find is a 3M brand that's rated for 500 degrees.

I would think I need something rated higher for the firebox.

Suggestions please!


----------



## remmy700p

jwg299 said:


> Got a question..
> 
> Where did you guys get that hi-temp sealer?
> 
> all I can find is a 3M brand that's rated for 500 degrees.
> 
> I would think I need something rated higher for the firebox.
> 
> Suggestions please!


I got a tube of the Rutland Black RTV on Amazon, but the firebox destroyed it around the top of the door opening!! LOL!! I think my discovery of proper fuel use, which gave me the temps I was looking for, creates firebox top surface temps well in excess of 700-800 degrees, so, to completely seal the door, I would have to find some other material to do it.

Frankly, I had no problem with heat generation, and the RTV in the gap between the two halves is holding up, so I think I will just leave it alone.


----------



## smokin nw

Mine is the same way, after two smokes the seal on the firebox door was toast.

Any fire place store should carry the Rutland Black,.

I would like to find some of the flat style gasket instead of the rope kind, for the firebox.


----------



## ps0303

Go to Amazon and look up the Green Egg gasket.  You will find what you are looking for.


----------



## texaninmd

Did my second smoke yesterday, after making the new mods remmy posted.  Got a lot better fuel efficiency after raising the grate.













image.jpg



__ texaninmd
__ Jul 6, 2013






Used mesquite for the first half of the smoke since that's when you get the most smoke absorption and then used a mixture of oak and pecan the rest of the way.


----------



## smokin nw

Nice smoke ring, looks good enough to eat  
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I did a sausage fattie this morning with the piece of brisket that is just about ready to come off the smoker, Qview to come.


----------



## smokin nw

Alrighty, full plate, race is about to start, all I can say is SWEET !!!!!!!    
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	

















B Day 2.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


















B Day 3.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


















B Day 5.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


















B Day 6.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


















Yummy 1.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


















Yummy 2.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


















Yummy 3.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


















Yummy 4.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


















Yummy 5.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 6, 2013


----------



## bobank03

And what a race it was. Almost thought they wouldn't get it done. Your Q looks like it came out good, Smokin NW.


----------



## joe grod

Finally finished my sons TMLE, we gave it an initial seasoning burn and turned it over to him. His first smoke was three racks of baby backs and a chicken. The torch has been passed.

Joe













IMG_3516.jpg



__ joe grod
__ Jul 7, 2013


















IMG_6445.jpg



__ joe grod
__ Jul 7, 2013


















IMG_6633.jpg



__ joe grod
__ Jul 7, 2013


----------



## mikebis

I also have one of  these smokers, and I have the same problems.  What I did was buy some Hi-Temp (100% RTV ) Silicone Caulk, USDA Approved, and went around the insides of all the doors with the caulk.  After I did that I put some regular wax paper over the caulk and closed the doors to get the right seal.  I open the doors removed the paper and let cure.  Works great, no leaks, and smokes great hold a temp fine. 

Mike


----------



## rob8213

Hey Smokin NW, what vertical smoker did you get that burner off of?    That is a fantastic idea and now I need to do that to mine.  Wish I thought of that one.

I love the whole idea of smoking but sometimes the wood tending and charcoal / lump management is just a pain in the ass.  For ribs I think temp control is #1 and I have a swing of 200 to 280 degF or so and I have made all the mod's to my BTMLE and still have issues.  Plus the time it takes to keep checking the fire is killing my yard work :-)

I would just order that vertical smoker burner from the Mfr and also get that xtra ash pan from Brinkman.

Great job!


----------



## smokin nw

I took it off my MasterForge,  it was the right dimensions for it.

It had four ears to fasten it on the vertical, so I bent three up to fasten it to the ash drawer.

Then used aluminum tape to block some of the air flow.

I have done three smokes with it this way, all have come out real tasty.

Like I said, for me it is just easier with smaller amounts of meat to smoke.


----------



## ps0303

You should be able to pick up a single burner off the net or some place like Harbor Freight if you have one where you live.  You would then need to make a mount for it but that should be pretty easy.


----------



## jwg299

I actually had time today so I did some assembly.

I put legs, handle, firebox bracket and wheels on today as well as placed sealant around all the screws that went into the main cooking chamber.

I purchased a 4inch went for a dryer, slim style that I'm having cut so I can extend the vent hole.

I also went to my neighborhood heating and cooling center and purchased about 2 feet of

some Hi-Temp mat blanket that's rated for 1000 degrees. I cut strips out to go around the firebox assembly and also cut out the opening to the main grill leaving some extra material to seal in between.

I used this material because I felt my firebox would get hotter than the 500 degrees the sealant is rated for.

I should be complete by this weekend and ready to cure.













ceramic-fiber-blankets.jpg



__ jwg299
__ Jul 11, 2013


















66284013-ae7d-4bed-ab6d-4054ee4895f7_300.jpg



__ jwg299
__ Jul 11, 2013


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## remmy700p

> Originally Posted by *jwg299*
> 
> I purchased a 4inch vent for a dryer, slim style that I'm having cut so I can extend the vent hole.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 66284013-ae7d-4bed-ab6d-4054ee4895f7_300.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> __ jwg299
> __ Jul 11, 2013


If that's the style of vent extension you're planning to use, I'd recommend against it. That looks way too constricted. I'd bet that your draft will seriously suffer. For $4 at Home Depot, you can get this:













2013-06-24_15-44-24_179.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






Here's the install from the outside (just snipped around, wedged in, and the tabs bent). Bolted the stack back on (without any sealant) and there is no leakage whatsoever.













2013-06-12_13-03-08_763.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






This is the original length. I shortened it because I didn't feel that it drafted well enough.













2013-06-12_13-03-01_249.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013


----------



## pecan smoker

I just got the old country by wrangler and so far I love it. Didn't have to put anything together it's all solid and very heavy. I haven't cooked on it yet I'm on my second seasoning. I will do one more and there is a brisket in the fridge that is begging to be smoked. I too spent six months researching grills this one was $$$ but it one the bet.


----------



## cerda

You might need an oven gasket, available at hardware stores. It comes with a high temperature cement. I had a firedoor to seal and the silicone sealant seemed like the right thing for me. I have very little gap to seal. I used Permatex 81160 High-Temp Red RTV Silicone Gasket, 3 oz. This is available from your auto parts store. Make sure it says 26B on the package to make sure it's the same stuff. The manufacturer says it's food safe in this application. This stuff is ok intermittently up to 650F.

Another product, is Rutland 600-Degree RTV Silicone Seal Tube, 2.3-Ounce, Super Red.

I don't have an offset grill so my fires are not as hot.

You might really need a gasket, particularly if the gap is large. 
[h1] [/h1][h1] [/h1]


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## cerda

I was looking at those dryer extensions just the other day. In fluid dynamics there is a concept of equivalent diameters. I found that my 4 inch circular opening would be equivalent to a rectangular opening of 2 inch x 8 inch (_d[sub]e = 4.1 inch)[/sub]_. The ratio of the sides of the rectangle are important. A 1 inch x 16 inch (_d[sub]e = 3.6 inch) [/sub]_opening is too small.

_d[sub]e[/sub]  = 1.30 x ((a x b)[sup]0.625[/sup]  / (a + b)[sup]0.25[/sup])_

_a, b are the sides of rectangle_

_de is the diameter of the equivalent circular opening._

Do a quick calculation to see if you are in the ball park.

I'm making my own based on ideas I saw here. Here's the cardboard model I made for sizing. I'm modeling this on the non-chimney side of the grill. The grill already has a flexible aluminum dryer vent. I'm in the middle of experiments to determine if this modification works in my grill. I chose this type extension because it protrudes half as much into the grilling area as the round extension. I will probably use high temperature JB Weld to assemble the extension and high temperature silicone seal to glue it to the side of the grill. I may have to add four little tabs to provide sticking surfaces.
 













chim ext view 2 220x293.jpg



__ cerda
__ Jul 18, 2013


















chim ext model in place 220x293.jpg



__ cerda
__ Jul 18, 2013






So far, I've proved to myself that the interior of the grill is hotter at the top. Extending the chimney to grill height brings that temperature down. I have not verified that an extension below the grill does the same thing. I have not successfully measure the temperature differential at grill height between the side of the grill closest to the fire and the far side of the grill. The expectation is that without the extension, the chimney intake at the top, the grill will be hotter at the fire end. With the extension, the temperature differential will be smaller. Will it be smaller still if the opening is below grill height? To make that work, I'd have to reposition the chimney itself - any extension will interfere with the grates.


----------



## cerda

You can improve the draft. The draft depends upon the pressure differential available and the flow rate.  The pressure differential available, depends upon the atmospheric pressure, the temperature differential between the inside of the grill and the outside air and the length of the chimney. The flow rate depends upon the area of the chimney opening, the height of the chimney, the temperature differential and gravity. To improve draft the only thing you can easily change is the height of the chimney.

How tall? I don't know. If you have an 8 inch chimney then you can go longer. My chimney is 4 inches in diameter and about 20 inches above the opening and it generates what seems like a good draft.


----------



## snowrider

Are there any Temp controls out there that will fit the BTLE? I was looking at "The BBQGuru" website. From what I saw on their page they don't make one for it.

Also, has anyone had problems with temp regulation when adding lava rock to their BTLE? It seemed to block the air flow and kept the temp from getting past 215 degrees.

I plan on removing them and just use a brick with foil around it.


----------



## remmy700p

> Originally Posted by *SnowRider*
> 
> ...has anyone had problems with temp regulation when adding lava rock to their BTLE? It seemed to block the air flow and kept the temp from getting past 215 degrees. I plan on removing them and just use a brick with foil around it.


I don't even think a brick is necessary -- or helpful. The goal is to evacuate the combustion byproducts from the firebox as quickly and efficiently as possible.

After some experimenting, I've come to the conclusion that it's most efficient for airflow and heat movement to leave the bottom of the cook chamber as smooth and unobstructed as possible. Get a good, long damper installed over the firebox outlet; I'd suggest one that is 12-14" long with the upper edge butted up against the firebox end and just under the grate height... those ones I see posted up here that have a 3-4" panel at 45 degrees welded to the end of the diffuser plate just doesn't appear to be suitable). Then, leave your stack damper wide open, and let it flow.


----------



## snowrider

Remmy700P said:


> Get a good, long damper installed over the firebox outlet; I'd suggest one that is 12-14" long with the upper edge butted up against the firebox end and just under the grate height... those ones I see posted up here that have a 3-4" panel at 45 degrees welded to the end of the diffuser plate just doesn't appear to be suitable). Then, leave your stack damper wide open, and let it flow.


I got the 16" convection plate from Horizon smokers. I put in a thick bar of Aluminum on top of the 45 degree angle where there was a small gap left to it forces the air flow down better.


----------



## grimm5577

i just use a bent cookie sheet for my firebox damper. I can usually have a pretty consistent temp across the cooking chamber.


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## remmy700p

Grimm5577 said:


> i just use a bent cookie sheet for my firebox damper. I can usually have a pretty consistent temp across the cooking chamber.


So do I. I got a couple of those flat aluminum cookie trays (no lip like the pans have, came in a two-pack) from Target. The large one fits almost perfectly as the damper. I drilled two small holes at the edge and wired it to the end of the cooking grate. I'd use the smaller one as a diffusion plate, but the drip pan already accomplishes that. I'm within 7-8 degrees side to side.













12554247?wid=410&hei=410



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 25, 2013






To clarify, I think that the damper plate itself should be 12-14" long and extend from the top of the firebox exit port to the charcoal grate. In the image below, the red line shows the approximate angle and flow clearance of the damper plate in my TMLE:













DamperPlateSchematic.png



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 25, 2013


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## donger22

SnowRider said:


> Are there any Temp controls out there that will fit the BTLE? I was looking at "The BBQGuru" website. From what I saw on their page they don't make one for it.
> 
> Also, has anyone had problems with temp regulation when adding lava rock to their BTLE? It seemed to block the air flow and kept the temp from getting past 215 degrees.
> 
> I plan on removing them and just use a brick with foil around it.


BBQ Guru does offer temp controls for the BTLE. First choose the DigiQ DX2.  Then you have to scroll down to "Smokers with side fire box"


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## jwg299

Here are some of the mods I've done to my grill

 I use sealant on each end of the barrel, the main cooking lid, around the smoke stack where it attaches to the brill, and where the firebox and grill connect.

when putting the firebox together I use a hi temp fabric, which I posted previously, in between the top and bottom half. I also used it in between the area where the firebox and grill connect.

I used a 3inch flex vent dryer tub as it was the easiest to install. the 4inch I couldn't get to fit without bending it up and the vent picture I posted before didn't work either.

I have yet to install the 2 extra thermometers I ordered because I was sent the wrong ones by the company but they are sending me the correct ones at no extra cost to me :)

I have done a test run burn on the grill and the thermometer that came with it is pretty much on point as I did the boil water test to see how accurate it was. I know the grill temps are different than the thermometer in the lid but I just wanted to make sure I could keep the temp about the same for a long time period.

I still need to get a diffuser plate, that's coming next.

Also I have 2 Teltru BBQ thermometers that I'm looking to sell 25+ shipping. they are 27 each.













lt225.jpg



__ jwg299
__ Jul 26, 2013


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## heartlandnewbie

SoCalBBQ said:


> I just purchased the Trailmaster LE and finally the weather broke and I was able to assemble yesterday.  I didn't have any issues with bent parts except for the ash drawer for the firebox is a little bent, no big deal though.  The curing process was really good to understand heat control.  I did discover small smoke leaks from the lid.  I read where someone did a gasket mod on the lid which I am going to check into.  I think the cover listed above is for the SnP, which is what comes up every time I do a search for that part number.  I am going to call Brinkmann this morning and I'll post the results.  Well here is a pic of my baby all together.
> 
> o


Looks great,im thinking about getting the Brinkmann Trailmaster 57" Vertical offset smoker they have..its $30 cheaper and from the reviews,it seems to be a pretty good smoker with just a couple of mods (charcoal box and some high temp silicone). I will add a couple of high quality therms to the cc door.Im going to build a trailer for it that will also feature a small sink for cleanup,cutting board for prep and also be setup for a propane fryer.


----------



## robhatch

Does anyone use the TMLE as just a wood burner? And if so what is your method?


----------



## tbjoebbq ss

Don't know of any reason why you can't just burn wood.  From what I remember when I was looking at them, the firebox seemed big enough.  I would look up oldschoolbbq's article titled "stickburning 101" as a starting point.


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## comosmoker

robhatch said:


> Does anyone use the TMLE as just a wood burner? And if so what is your method?


I use mine as a stick burner.  Works really well with the exception that my temps vary from side to side more so than using charcoal.  I was having trouble keeping temps at or above 200*.  No problem with that burning only wood.  I use about 1/2 can of charcoal to get started then stack the wood on top.  Once the fire is good and hot and the temp is around 300* in the chamber, I stoke the fire and throw a water soaked chunk on top, cool the chamber down to about 225* and throw the meat on.  I am using 6-8 inch pieces that are anywhere from 4-8 inches diameter.  Pretty big pieces for the firebox.  But it has worked out well for me.  Good luck and happy smoking!!


----------



## chase54

Hey everyone,

New to the forums, and looking forward to a long patronage to this site.  So, I purchased the Brinkmann Trailmaster LE and before I even do anything with it, I wanted to make some mods so that I get some nice even temperature across the box, and so I began by looking into a sealant.

I found and purchased this thinking it would work... any thoughts?  If I seal the joints, should I be worried that any toxins will come off of it and into the food?

Also, it seems that moisture has gotten into my thermometer... any good ways to get that out?

Thanks so much everyone and I look forward to posting all my failures and successes...lol.

Chris













IMG_9063.JPG



__ chase54
__ Jul 30, 2013


















IMG_9065.jpg



__ chase54
__ Jul 30, 2013


















IMG_9066.JPG



__ chase54
__ Jul 30, 2013


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## remmy700p

I think that sealant dries to a hard state. You don't want that. The Rutland High-Temp Black Silicone Sealant will work everywhere but the firebox door. It gets too hot there.

Toss that thermo and get a replacement. Better yet, get two and install them at grate height.


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## smokin nw

chase54, the best thing you can do is go to page 1 of this thread and read it all.

Those of us that have posted on here have been through it already.

So you will have a better understanding of the assembly so we can help you better,

then ask away.

I myself sealed every thing from the legs up.

Just have fun with it.


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## remmy700p

Due to the design of the firebox's lower rails, like everyone else I got tired of the sloppiness of the fit of the ash tray. I knew that all I needed was to shore up the tail end of the rail somehow so the ash tray would fit up properly, but I didn't want to *add* anything to it.

Then, after staring at the damn thing for an hour, it occurred to me that the rails themselves would probably be bendable. Out came the BFG (big freaking hammer) and here's the result (I did both sides):













IMG_20130731_083709_946.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 31, 2013






A little hard to see, but it really helps to snug up the ash tray nicely. I'll probably bend them up further for a tighter fit.

On another note, it's too bad there's no easy way to add some sort of thin (3/4" - 1") insulator to the inside of the firebox door/top...


----------



## smokin nw

Here is a leak I did not see untill now.

Its on the back of the firebox just above where the ash drawer is.

Sealed up and going to have to sand and paint.

Anyone else have this problem ?

Looks like I lost heat there.













back.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Jul 31, 2013


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## comosmoker

Smokin NW said:


> Here is a leak I did not see untill now.
> 
> Its on the back of the firebox just above where the ash drawer is.
> 
> Sealed up and going to have to sand and paint.
> 
> Anyone else have this problem ?
> 
> Looks like I lost heat there.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> back.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> __ smokin nw
> __ Jul 31, 2013


I didn't until the seal finally burned off.  I do now.  Looks like I will be sanding and painting this weekend.....


----------



## ps0303

So last night I picked up my brand new BTLE for $150, what a deal.

Now it has been put together already, unit was the store display one, and I have my shopping list of items I need for the modding but just wondered if I should take it apart and put the RTV on and then reassemble?


----------



## smokin nw

Nice score on that.

You should take it apart and seal it back together, but you can take the chance that you got a rare one that don't leak smoke


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## comosmoker

Every display model I have seen has gaps.  Smokin NW might be right about getting a rare one, but I have not seen that.  And I looked a lot before I bought mine.  I would take it apart and seal everything.  BTW.....great price on the TMLE!!!


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## smokin nw

Got my paint, getting ready to sand, time is running out for me.

Big weekend up here, Seafair time on Sunday, smokin and watching the hydroplane boat races.


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## ps0303

So I went ahead and took it all apart and put down a bead of the high temp RTV and then put the pieces back together.  I sure am glad I did that as I was taking it a part I could see gaps and a few other issues.  Had I not taken it apart I would have put down a RTV bead around the joints to seal it up.  But taking it apart I think allows for better sealing.  I did still put down a bead around where the firebox connects to the cooking chamber. A little extra never hurts.

I also put a bead down on the channel where the lids sit and then put down some plastic wrap and closed them.  Waiting for about an hour and then I'll open and see what it did and let ti fully cure.

I also added the chimney extension and sealed it up as well.













IMG_1678.JPG



__ ps0303
__ Aug 1, 2013


















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__ ps0303
__ Aug 1, 2013


















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__ ps0303
__ Aug 1, 2013


















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__ ps0303
__ Aug 1, 2013


















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__ ps0303
__ Aug 1, 2013


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## smokin nw

Looks like your on track


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## comosmoker

That should do the trick!!  Keep us posted...


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## smokin nw

OK, I am back in the saddle again.

Not the same as the rest, but better.

Before













back.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Aug 1, 2013






After













repainted.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Aug 1, 2013


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## dummy que

after going trough numeros chargriller horezontalz (belive it or not i am a high school grad. wow} and learning to make realy good que on them i finley bought a lang 60 {life is good} my wife should be sainted for allowing this


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## comosmoker

Smokin NW said:


> OK, I am back in the saddle again.
> 
> Not the same as the rest, but better.
> 
> Before
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> back.JPG
> 
> 
> 
> __ smokin nw
> __ Aug 1, 2013
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> After
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> repainted.JPG
> 
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> 
> __ smokin nw
> __ Aug 1, 2013


Nice fix.  It is supposed to rain here all weekend and I am leaving town for a week, back on Friday night.  I will have to do mine next weekend....


----------



## smokin nw

Sunday I am going to heat it up real good, then we will see how long it last.


----------



## comosmoker

Hope it holds....


----------



## jwg299

doing my first brisket on the grill today 6.5lbs

I put a lil rub on it.













IMG_0238.JPG



__ jwg299
__ Aug 3, 2013


















IMG_0239.JPG



__ jwg299
__ Aug 3, 2013


















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__ jwg299
__ Aug 4, 2013


















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__ jwg299
__ Aug 4, 2013


















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__ jwg299
__ Aug 4, 2013


















IMG_0253.JPG



__ jwg299
__ Aug 4, 2013


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## smokin nw

Looks good, keep the Qview coming


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## smokin nw

It's Seafair hydroplane race day here in western Washington.

Doing a breakfast fattie, slab of St Louis ribs, and a piece of chuck roast.

About two hours in, should be done around 3:30pm.

This is just before foiling.













SF Smoke.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Aug 4, 2013


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## lance0623

Got the new IQ120 this week; just did a quick trial run doing some smoked wings on my Brinkmann Trailmaster LE (COS) with split oak. 

Set-up: It is easy to set up, and I was surprised with the number of pretty advanced features, including lid open and ability to program a different pit temp once the food hits a certain temp. Programming your desired temps and alarms are pretty easy. Also has variable fan speeds, alarms for pit and food temps.

During the cook: I set the temp for 300, planning on a two hour cook. However, the fan shut off at 280, and then would only run 2-3 seconds then shut off for about 30 seconds. It never hit 300; I gave it about 20 minutes, and I re-set the pit temp for 320. As soon as I did that, it held between 298-304 the rest of the cook. I've never had my smoker hold a temp so steady, and throughout the entire cook. I lifted the lid once to flip and rearrange the wings, the lid-off feature worked as advertised - but the fan doesn't kick back on immediately when I close the lid. Might have taken 1-2 minutes for the fan to kick on. 

Smoke: When the fan shuts off, I was getting much thicker puffier white smoke than I like. That eased towards the very end, so maybe I just needed to make a bigger fire; or let the fire burn alot more before starting the cook.

Overall: Works as advertised; and I'm pleased with it - I just need to learn how to keep the thin blue smoke going when the fan shuts off. Temp held rock steady, even though I had to set it 20 degrees higher than my desired temp to keep it there. I also used less wood, even though I was cooking 50 degrees higher than I normally do. 

Hope this helps. Doing some ribs tomorrow, planning on doing a video review.


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## ps0303

lance0623 said:


> Got the new IQ120 this week; just did a quick trial run doing some smoked wings on my Brinkmann Trailmaster LE (COS) with split oak.
> 
> Set-up: It is easy to set up, and I was surprised with the number of pretty advanced features, including lid open and ability to program a different pit temp once the food hits a certain temp. Programming your desired temps and alarms are pretty easy. Also has variable fan speeds, alarms for pit and food temps.
> 
> During the cook: I set the temp for 300, planning on a two hour cook. However, the fan shut off at 280, and then would only run 2-3 seconds then shut off for about 30 seconds. It never hit 300; I gave it about 20 minutes, and I re-set the pit temp for 320. As soon as I did that, it held between 298-304 the rest of the cook. I've never had my smoker hold a temp so steady, and throughout the entire cook. I lifted the lid once to flip and rearrange the wings, the lid-off feature worked as advertised - but the fan doesn't kick back on immediately when I close the lid. Might have taken 1-2 minutes for the fan to kick on.
> 
> Smoke: When the fan shuts off, I was getting much thicker puffier white smoke than I like. That eased towards the very end, so maybe I just needed to make a bigger fire; or let the fire burn alot more before starting the cook.
> 
> Overall: Works as advertised; and I'm pleased with it - I just need to learn how to keep the thin blue smoke going when the fan shuts off. Temp held rock steady, even though I had to set it 20 degrees higher than my desired temp to keep it there. I also used less wood, even though I was cooking 50 degrees higher than I normally do.
> 
> Hope this helps. Doing some ribs tomorrow, planning on doing a video review.


Any pictures of how you have it hooked to your BTLE?


----------



## chase54

So I wound up purchasing two new thermos to put on each side of the cover of the smoker and I was wondering how everyone did it?

Did you take the lid off, or just drill right into it?  What type of bit did you all use?  I was planning on possibly using my milwaukee drill with a 1/2" bit to just drive it right into the lid, but it probably isn't that simple, right?  Also, did you all use any sealant when you put the the thermos in?

Also, a questions about applying the sealant to leaking areas, I was going to put a bead around the lid, and a couple of the other areas that are adjoined with screws and nuts/bolts, but any good solutions to the area around the firebox?

Thanks so much all, any assistance would be helpful.


----------



## lance0623

I'll take some tomorrow and post them


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## donger22

I used a step up bit similar to this one 
As for the firebox gaps, I just made a removable insert that goes over the ash pan opening. Does the trick for me. The only areas I used sealant were the firebox & main chamber lids. (plus a little sealant around the two thermos added to the lid)













mod 1.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013


















removable ash pan cover.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 7, 2013






When I'm done cooking I simply remove the charcoal basket and the insert to get rid of all the ashes. If I need more draft while cooking I can slide my insert back to expose part of the ash pan opening then open the removable ash door slightly. I'm still learning as I go, but so far I've been pleased with the end result. 

Best of luck.


----------



## ps0303

chase54 said:


> Also, a questions about applying the sealant to leaking areas, I was going to put a bead around the lid, and a couple of the other areas that are adjoined with screws and nuts/bolts, but any good solutions to the area around the firebox?
> 
> Thanks so much all, any assistance would be helpful.


I disassembled my firebox and then put down a bead of the RTV and put it back together.  Before I bolted it back to the side of the BTLE, I applied more RTV around the opening on the firebox where to attaches to the cooking chamber. I then bolted it back on.  I then ran a bead of RTV around the firebox where it meets the cooking chamber.  Here's a picture of it.I didn't go all the way around, but you can. When I ran my seasoning burn in, I did not notice any smoke coming out where the two pieces meet up. Guessing it's sealed pretty well.













IMG_1681.JPG



__ ps0303
__ Aug 1, 2013


----------



## jwg299

I was asked what I did when I cooked my brisket over the weekend by another member of the forum and I thought I would share with the thread as well

Well, I placed a rub on it and wrapped it in cling wrap and let it sit in the fridge over night.

Rub:

- 1/2 cup of Kosher or sea salt

- 1/2 cup course ground black pepper

- 1/4 cup paprika  (smoked or sweet) not the Spanish.

- 3 tablespoons chili powder

- 2 tablespoons cayenne pepper

- 2 tablespoons garlic powder

- 1 tablespoon ground cumin

- 1 tablespoon dried oregano

- 1 tablespoon dried thyme

- 2 teaspoons ground ginger

Cooking:

I got my grill started and up to temp (250-275)

I took the brisket out about a hour before cooking and let sit a room temp.

I placed wood chunks in the fire box about 5 mins before placing the brisket on the grill. I used a mixture:

1 nice size chunk of mesquite. after it burned I used oak. I placed 3 chunks of oak and a few more charcoal every hour for the first 4 hours.

during the first 4 hours I didn't look at or bother the meat at all.

After 4 hours of cooking I doubled layered foil. the wide foil 37.5 and wrapped the brisket in it tight and placed it back on the grill for 3 hours. During this time I only maintained my temp and placed charcoal in the firebox every hour. NO WOOD.

After 3 hours I then opened up the foil all the way exposing the brisket once again. Don't take it out of the foil, as the foil will act as a second drip pan.

At this point i had 2 more hours of cook time. I mop my brisket during the last 2 hours every 45 minutes. I also place 3 applewood chunks in the coals along with more coals to maintain my temp.

Mop Sauce:

1/2 cup of white vinger

1/2 cup of beer

1/2 tablespoon garlic salt

1/2 tablespoon brown sugar

1/2 teaspoon read pepper flake

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

mix until sugar and salt is dissolved. may have to heat it a little.

When it's done cooking I placed the brisket in fresh foil, double layered, wrap it up tight and place it in a cooler with a couple towels on the bottom and a couple on top of the brisket. I leave it there for 20mins and then I slice it and serve.

My brisket was 6.5lbs

I like to cook them at 250 to 275 for 1.5 X weight - 1

so that would be

1.5 x 6.5 - 1 = 8hrs 45min













IMG_0238.JPG



__ jwg299
__ Aug 3, 2013


















IMG_0239.JPG



__ jwg299
__ Aug 3, 2013


















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__ jwg299
__ Aug 4, 2013


















IMG_0253.JPG



__ jwg299
__ Aug 4, 2013


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## ps0303

I finished up another mod on my BTLE.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/144422/brinkmann-trailmaster-limted-edition-mods/65#post_1035924


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## chase54

Hey everyone,

So I'm right smack in the middle of smoking my first brisket on my Trailmaster LE.

I started with trimming a bit, doing two dry rubs and a bit of an injection from beef boullion, I wrapped it in plastic wrap, and I let that sit overnight.

So, mine is a 10lber.  It's actually in the smoker right now.  I have to admit, the color looks great, but I'm a little concerned about whether it's getting too dry.  I figure it probably will be on there about 14 hours total.

It was a little difficult to get the smoker up to temp at first, it was hanging around 200 and wouldn't go any higher.  I figured out how to fix that (basically, I made a fire basket that was a little too small, and so it didn't hold enough coals to get it up to temp so I just dumped them onto the grate in the firebox and added more, and it went up).

So it got on there about 4:30am at the right temp, and I just wrapped it in foil at 10:15a.  I have a pot in there with water to help keep it moist, it's on the grate with the brisket.  When I went to wrap it, the outside looked a little dry, so I mopped it despite having water in there.  When I lifted it up to put it in the foil, it still felt pretty firm.  Not sure if that's how it's supposed to feel at this point, but that's where it's at.  I'm just a tad nervous I'm drying it out... anything I can do about that, or is that how it should look and feel at this point?

Thanks for your help,

Chris


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## ps0303

What was the internal temp of the brisket when you wrapped it?

Was this just a flat or a full packer?


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## cerda

How is the brisket doing on the inside? Be aware of the stall! Just keep on cooking through it. Don't up the heat.

I found that the temperature is mostly dependent on the amount of fuel. I do have a good seal, closing all the vents will smother the fire but I can almost close the intake vent and still keep things cooking.

I'm looking forward to my first brisket.

Michael Cerda

Brinkmann Heavy Gauge Charcoal Drum

Austin, Texas


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## chase54

So, it was around 160ish when I wrapped it.  It was a full pack, flat and point.  I did read about the temp stall, and experienced, however, at the same time, it was a 10 lb brisket, but after 12 hours, it hit about 180, I took it off the smoker, and decided to do it as-is.  It was actually, quite nice, and the flat was a little dry, so I'm not sure what happened there.  Either way, here are some pictures, and I can explain my process a bit if anyone is curious.

Thanks,

Chris













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__ Aug 19, 2013


















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__ Aug 19, 2013


















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__ Aug 19, 2013


















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__ chase54
__ Aug 19, 2013


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## smokin nw

Did a whole chicken on the BTML after rising the grate in the firebox.

Ran a lot hotter, and it was a tasty bird.













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__ smokin nw
__ Aug 24, 2013


















chic smoke.JPG



__ smokin nw
__ Aug 24, 2013


















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__ smokin nw
__ Aug 24, 2013


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## z-man

I have just assembled my brinkman trailmaster with hi temp caulk between firebox seems, between the firebox and smoking chamber, 12x10x8 "minion" box made of expanded steel and 16 gauge tuning plate measuring 14x36 with the last 6" bent at a 45 degree angle and 3 more plates 14x6 flat.  Dual 3" river country thermo's are ordered and will be here next week.   I am on my way to get my aluminum elbow and dryer duct for the pipe.  Question is when curing should I put the tuning plates in it and if so should I spray them with the vegetable oil as well?  Also, it doesn't say in the manual, but should I spray the firebox with vegetable oil too.  I know not to spray the grates but unsure about the actual box.


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## snowrider

Use peanut oil. Soak a terry cloth an wipe down the inside. Don't soak too much, a light coating will do. 
Wipe down the plate with the same oil.
As for sealant on the fire box just use 2000 degree Rutland cement. The silicone Sh!t doesn't work. It deteriorates and gets goopy.
I bought Fiberglas ribbon, not the rope and put that on the lid of the fire box sealed with the the 2000 degree goop


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## meph

Hi... havent gotten my grill yet... just wanted everyones opinion... whats a good size charcoal basket? im seeing 12x12x6 because of the 24" sheet expanded metal..  whats the recommended "ideal" size?


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## stevan garner

Any of the inexpensive smokers are a good beginning experience to smokin'.  Just be prepared to ask questions on these forums about what "fix" can be made to modify your inexpensive smoker to a better unit.  First thing I think you'll need to do is seal that thing up so that the smoke doesn't seep from the unsealed seams.  Happy smokin'...Stevan


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## tjsfx4

Hey All, I bit the bullet this last Sunday and bought my Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited. During assembly I noticed the ash pan didn't seat firmly to the ash frame. See photo. 













image.jpg



__ tjsfx4
__ Nov 30, 2013






This is a pic inside the firebox and ash pan. Moving up from a Engineered Drum Smoker (kit from Big Poppa Smokers) I thought i could just cook right out of the box but boy was I wrong. I tried smoking a turkey for thanksgiving, I couldn't maintain a consistent heat and poor tommy the turkey wasn't cooked after 14 hours. I'm not sure if anyone else has experienced the ash pan not seating properly. I'm debating if I should just seal it off with a piece of steel. 

So I was pretty bummed and ready to take this thing back to Home Depot but then i found this site/thread. Now I have some nice little projects to get this thing running correctly.

Also, after seeing some nomex fabric on http://www.bbqgaskets.com should I get 1/8" or 1/4" thick?


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## remmy700p

I had the same issue. What I did to moderate it was to bend up the rearward end of the tray's channel edge. When closed, it sits far more flush than it used to.













IMG_20130731_083709_946.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 31, 2013






A little air coming up through here isn't such a bad thing.


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## tjsfx4

Thanks Remmy I will give that a try. :)


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## tjsfx4

Ok thanks Remmy I will give that a shot. :)


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## tjsfx4

Hey All,

So I went out and bought a 90 degree elbow, galvanized steel for a smoke stack extension. Then I was reading where galvanized steel shouldn't be used around food. So back to the drawing board on that, unless anyone else used something different. I also bought some Rutand clear RTV silicone sealant (500 degree). And this actually meets federal specification for Federal Meat and Poultry Inspection program, bought at the Home Depot. Now I can seal up some areas of the cooking chamber and maybe around the lid. Still working on a much needed charcoal box.













IMG_0051.JPG



__ tjsfx4
__ Dec 4, 2013


















IMG_0052.JPG



__ tjsfx4
__ Dec 4, 2013


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## grimm5577

The galvanized coating will eventually burn off if gotten to the right temperature. I found an aluminum dryer vent elbow to extend the exhaust to the grate level.


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## tjsfx4

Ahh, yes I did see that on someone else's mod. I will try that instead. Better to be safe than sorry, thanks for the input.


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## smoking boy

Kirk,
I just moved to Loveland, Colorado and I'm also having trouble holding temps.  I use the minion method, but it's still tough.  The turkey on my WSM was ok, but the skin was like leather and I never could get the temp above 300.  I tried ribs on my Chargriller and they were the worst I'd ever done.  Finally just grilled stakes were bad.

Nothing's changed but our location.  Still use lump charcoal and still use hardwood logs. I'll just keep trying, but will likely move from the Chargriller  to something a bit more substantial. 

I like the ideas for the large charcoal baskets.
Bill


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## cerda

Given the grill hasn't changed the only two factors you can change is how much air the fire gets (burns hotter) or how much fuel you have burning. My grill is very sensitive to the amount of fuel more so than the air flow. Try putting in more actively burning fuel.

I've been experimenting with closing off the top vent to keep the hot air in longer. It doesn't help much. I've found that I can get a temperature increase by moving the chimney intake to grill grate height. I tested this with a clothes-dryer duct. My ultimate modification is to move the chimney intake to just below the grill grate.













IMG_20130917_175950.jpg



__ cerda
__ Dec 6, 2013


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## remmy700p

cerda said:


> I've been experimenting with closing off the top vent to keep the hot air in longer. It doesn't help much....


No, it doesn't. And, it will be detrimental to the flavor profile of your meat.

Proper smoking requires that the heat (and the small combustion particles) move off the coal bed, across the cooking chamber so it "flows" over the food, and out the stack. If you close off the exhaust stack, you are bottling up the draft it needs, stifling the coal bed, and encouraging the development of larger soot particles and creosote, which is guaranteed to give you that bitter, tingly "I think that's what cancer tastes like" experience.

Proper cooking heat control is entirely a function of the type and volume of fuel, and intake (combustion) air flow. Leave that stack wide open and focus on fuel load and intake changes.


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## cerda

That's what I've read about closing the top vent. I was trying to mimic how different sized chimneys would affect the intake giving a bigger draft. If I had a 2" diameter chimney would I benefit by installing a 4" chimney. 

Another way of asking this is can the draft be too effective, the hot air and smoke going out and not spending enough time caressing the meat?

I was doing this as a prelude to moving the chimney intake to grill grate height. The temperature at grill grate height goes up 50F.


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## remmy700p

cerda said:


> Another way of asking this is can the draft be too effective, the hot air and smoke going out and not spending enough time caressing the meat?


Not really. Well, one could argue that opening the cooking chamber door is another avenue of "draft", but since the firebox is sized the way it is, then that defeats the purpose of engaging in the smoking process to begin with. It's like cooking a turkey in your kitchen oven with the door open. In that case, sure... the "draft" is too effective!!

It's a function of the energy being generated by the fuel source (or, looking at it another way, combustion efficiency), which we would experience by higher temps. Since we target specific, narrow temperature ranges, and the firebox is sufficiently sized for the cooking chamber volume, we can generate a lot more of the beneficial gases than necessary for any conceivable smoking scenario given the fuel sources available, i.e. charcoal and/or hardwood.

Looking at the inverse, the TMLE is ill-suited for cold-smoking because its design (firebox is too close to the food), comparative firebox/cook chamber volumes, etc isn't optimized to generate smoke particles and a consistent low-temp dry heat for extended periods of time.

Have you read this article:  http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/zen_of_wood.html


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## tjsfx4

Hey everyone, I sealed up the smoke stack and handle underneath. I sealed it up with some Rutland clear (pic above). I also swapped out the cheap bolts and replaced with stainless steel bolts, lock washer and nut. I will eventually change all the bolts and nuts sometime later. Plus it gives it a little character lol. I also noticed a gap about 1/8" or so in the firebox just above the damper that will be the next modification with heat resistant gasket. Next on the list is to throw a good bead of RTV around the cooking chamber door and definitely a charcoal box. I still haven't decided if I'm going to cover the charcoal ash tray or not. More to come hopefully :D













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__ tjsfx4
__ Dec 9, 2013


















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__ tjsfx4
__ Dec 9, 2013


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## cerda

Here's what I did. I ran a bead of high-temp silicone caulk around the lid and covered it with wax paper and closed the door. I thought about not closing the door but the bead of caulk was not very even. Still the door is not absolutely tight. In normal operation no smoke comes out. If I close the chimney I can force some smoke out the seal. I've been thinking about adding latches to mash the door down but I think this is really good enough. If I close the chimney, the door and the intake vent - the fire goes out.













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__ cerda
__ Dec 10, 2013


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## grimm5577

I used the High Temp felt (similar to whats used on a BGE) and added latches.













IMG_4637.jpg



__ grimm5577
__ Dec 13, 2013


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## donger22

I made a removable cover over the ash pan. See my pics in this thread


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## donger22

removable ash pan cover.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 7, 2013


















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__ donger22
__ Jun 7, 2013


















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__ Jun 2, 2013


















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__ donger22
__ Jun 2, 2013


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## cpfitness

This thread has died off a bit over the last couple of months but hopefully some of you earlier posters see this and can chime in since surely you all now have lots of experience with this bad boy!

Just got a new one.  I have some limited experience with the el cheapo brinkmann smoke n pit.  Here are my main questions for you guys

1. Sealing it up. I didn't use anything on the bolts on the legs or where the firebox meets the cooking chamber.  While seasoning it last night, the only place I saw visible smoke leakage was from the cooking door which I know is an easy fix.  Do I really need to worry about sealing up those bolt holes on the legs???  seems to me that with them being on the bottom they should be an issue.  REally don't want to take this whole thing apart again.  I did notice the 1/4" gap where the 2 halves of the firebox come together.  I realize that I won't notice smoke coming from there but rather that is going to give the fire too much oxygen so I went ahead and sealed those up.

2. The only mod I did thus far was installed 2 brinkmann thermos on each side of the door.  While seasoning last night I had the same experience that others reported, the Stock thermostat would read as high as 350 while the ones at the grate were only getting to 200-225.  I didn't use a whole lot of charcoal so I'm not too worried about getting temps hot enough to cook with but I just want to be sure that I ran it hot enough for the curing process to do it's thing.   I followed the instructions in the manual and went by what the stock thermos said regarding temperature.  I ran it for 2 hours in the middle range of the BBQ zone and then an additional hour up between 350-400.  Then let it cool.  Am I good to start cooking?  if not no big deal, I can do another seasoning run after doing a couple of other mods and get a feel for it.   Incidentally, in stock configuration, I was not getting a huge differnece side to side, only about 30 degrees.  That isn't bad to me, I can just do chicken on the firebox side and my other goods on the middle and left sides.

I'm looking forward to this smoker, I was getting some good results on the old smoke n pit after some practice so I think I'll be money on this.  I'll be making my charcoal basket today and the caulk is drying on the doors as I type this  (incidentally, I bought the Fire stop stuff as well since home depot didn't ahve the rtv stuff and I was impatient.  I'm going to give it a go.  I read one person who said that he thinks it dries hard and is no good while someone else who actually used it says it dries tacky.  To me having it be a bit tacky seems like a good thing to help keep the door closed and sealed.  Worst case scenario I will scrape it off and put the other stuff on.  This stuff has a nice grey color that blends into the smoker nicely.


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## grimm5577

Congrats on your new toy. I'm sure you will love it once you get it dialed in.

1) I sealed every hole and bolt. i can't imagine it being too big of a problem though.

2) Yea I'm sure you can start cooking on it, it will season more and more with every cook.

3) I used the fireplace, stove felt around my lid and bought some compression clamps to help hold the lid shut.

Post some pics of your cook when you do it.


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## cpfitness

Grimm5577 said:


> Congrats on your new toy. I'm sure you will love it once you get it dialed in.
> 
> 1) I sealed every hole and bolt. i can't imagine it being too big of a problem though.
> 
> 2) Yea I'm sure you can start cooking on it, it will season more and more with every cook.
> 
> 3) I used the fireplace, stove felt around my lid and bought some compression clamps to help hold the lid shut.
> 
> Post some pics of your cook when you do it.


Thanks for the quick reply! I was concerned about the seasoning because the insides are still fairly oily feeling so i thought perhaps I didn't have enough heat going through it.  

I did some more research on the 3m Fire Block sealant.  I'm starting to think that this stuff might be the BEST for sealing up the gaps in the firebox areas. I've linked the data sheet on the product below and they specifically state this product is good for repairing wood burning stoves.  Supposedly it is good up to 750 degrees CELSIUS.  So I feel good about my choice ofusing it where I did.  I guess I will see how it works on the doors I know many were reporting the silicone not being durable enough for the firebox doors.  They also say when using it on a wood stove to burn a small fire to speed up the curing process so I'm going to go ahead and light up some more coals right now and see how it goes.

I got a gift certificate for xmas to harbor freight so I was thinking of going there to get the wheels and the compression clamps but I don't really love the look of the clamps so I'll probably go without them for now.  consensus seems to be baffle and no convection plate so I'll try that out, it will certainly save me a few bucks.

 http://multimedia.3m.com/mws/mediaw...S_4327-6.pdf&fn=FB 136 Product Data Sheet.pdf


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## cpfitness

jury is still out on the 3m fire block.  it cures to a hard cement like quality. but I think it's going to do a perfectly good job of handling the massive gaps where the 2 firebox halves go together.  What I ended up doing was hitting the fireblock on the inside seams and then using the red permatex rtv on the outside seams so hopefully the 3m really handles the super high heat and whatever minimal space it may not have filled up will get taken care of by the permatex.  I also did a 2nd small burn to cure that up and didn't really bring the temps up high enough to notice any distinct changes.  it got up to about 225-250 on the stock thermo which left my grate thermos reading around 140.  

Just got back from home depot and installed the chimney mod that everyone has done and also scored some expanded metal for the basket as well as 6" x18" 18 gauge sheet metal to make a baflle and tuning plates (not sure I'm gonna bother with the tuning plates based on what others have reported here.

Since this thread is a bit old I figure I'll give some cost updates on the parts I bought for anyone considering this smoker and doing these mods.  

First and foremost, the Permatex Hi Temp silicone was not available at either home depot or lowes.  not surprising since it's more of an automotive product.  I got it at Auto Zone  (full tube for a caulking gun which I recommend as opposed to the little 3 oz tube.  *$11.49*

Lowes only stocked 12'x24 expanded metal which on the plus side has smaller holes that i like in case I get crappy lump charcoal but I decided to go to Home depot and get the 24" x 24" sheet with the larger holes.  I simply measured and cut every 6 inches and bent it into a basket it that is 12 x 12 by 6" high.  I bent it by hand so it looks like crap but I will neaten it up and make it nice tomorrow   *$19.99*

90 4"  ALUMINUM elbow   Make sure you get the aluminum one, it's easy to tell the difference, the aluminum one is much brighter and shinier and feels flimsy compared to the galvanized.  I was able to use a pair of scissors to cut the little flaps in one end then fed it through the hole and bent the flaps and mounted up the chimney.  I threw some permatex in there before torquing down all the screws.  *$4.25*

Last thing was the 16 gauge sheet metal.  I was a little disappointed, I saw the width listed as 18 " and I was thinking that was going to be perfect width to just drop them in but no such luck.  No big deal, I will just measure them out and cut them down to size.  Each piece of sheet metal was 6" x18"  *$6.97 per piece*

Brinkman Grill thermometers.  I drilled out holes and put these on each side and they were only *$8.99 each.*

*  *I was very happy that with the exception of the permatex silicone home depot had all these little mods I needed.  I'm sure some wall street guy has done the math for brinkman and figured out why they shouldn't include half of these items but who knows.  They should at least package them all together and offer them as an upgrade kit of some sort.  heck, IF I could buy all these parts in bulk at a discount, I could sell these for $100 shipped and make a profit and save people aggravation of finding all these little parts.  

Looking forward to cooking on this bad boy this weekend and watching football!


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## cpfitness

installed all the mods and fired up a few coals again.  I'm actually concerned that the baffle is blocking too much heat but I'm going to chalk it up to simply not lighting up enough coals. The temperature on the stock thermo was having a hard time getting up to 250-275. I put the firebox damper fully open and then threw some wood chips and fresh briquettes onto the existing coals just to try to spike my temps up a bit more and I got the stock thermo to arounc 275 which put the right side grate thermo at 240 and the left side grate around 210.  I have mild concerns that this thing is going to eat up fuel, but I guess the only way to find out is to really put it into use.  I'm planning to do a pork shoulder tomorrow.  Plan is to go minion method with kingsford and use some fruit wood chips in foil for the smoke.  I also picked up some firewood so may go to that later in the day if I run out of kingsford.  Looking forward to it!!!


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## cpfitness

We are under way with the first smoke!  A couple of observations.  The brinkman thermos I installed on the door are not accurate and I think its because the probes are too short.  Anyone know anything about this?  They are probably only about 2 inches long.  I tested them in boiling water along with my digital thermos and they all were on target but in use they are reading really low.   I went to my digitals at grate level instead and found the mods to be working well.  230 degrees on the far left side and 227 degrees dead center.  The far right was about 270 so def a bit hotter but perfect for doing chicken on that side.  Incidentally with my configuration, the stock thermo reading almost perfectly coincides with the firebox side reading.  I have a baffle and just 2 tuning plates.








Here are pics of the digi readings next to the brinkmann thermos.

Left side digi 208 vs brinkmann 160






Right side 234 vs brinkmann 205






Stock therm reading 230 vs firebox digi 235






Sent from my XT1080 using Tapatalk


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## cpfitness

goofed up editing previous post


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## tjsfx4

I wonder why manufacturers always place them on the top. Heat rises so your actually getting the temp that collects at the top. As long as your in the ballpark of 1" to 1 1/2" from grate level the temps should be pretty good. However, I would get some higher end thermos like Tel-Tru thermos. They are a little pricier but they are very accurate. I would also just take the top thermo off and cap it and not worry about it.













TEL-TRU-3514FBAKLA4AA-LARGE.jpg



__ tjsfx4
__ Jan 4, 2014


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## cpfitness

its strange, I'm probably almost right at the level of the grate since I put them pretty low on the door but the temps I was measureing with my digitals were also angled so the tip of the probe was equally low.  I'm wondering if it is picking up the temperature of the outside of the door or something like that.  I wont rule out buying other thermos, but considering these handled the boiling water test with no problem, it seems like they should work and I liked the idea of the short probe not interfering with meat in the cooking chamber


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## slider n copa

Picked mine up at HD a couple weeks ago for 267.00. Put it together myself with no problem, Used silicon to seal the seams. Didn't find anything bent or warped. Would have like a little wider lip for door seal but it is enough, For the door seals, I use 2 to 3 pieces of heavy wire to gap the door open and the seal can be thicker it also gives me a place to run the wires to my mavric without pinching them. I still have to trim the excess silicon from the inside and run a final bead in a few places the I can start playin with it.


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## powerstroke84

Hi boardpuller,

I recently purchase the same Brinkman Trailmaster smoker and I was wondering if you special order your convection plate or just used a instock one from Horizon? Thanks in advance on for any help.

Power


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## slider n copa

Power;
   Im making my own a different way, I have the material ordered already and hope to start playin this weekend. I intend to take probe readings from the basic unit when it's stable. Then add one mod at a time and looke for a difference, 


                Be Safe
                 Slider


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## raastros2

TJsFX4 said:


> I wonder why manufacturers always place them on the top. Heat rises so your actually getting the temp that collects at the top. As long as your in the ballpark of 1" to 1 1/2" from grate level the temps should be pretty good. However, I would get some higher end thermos like Tel-Tru thermos. They are a little pricier but they are very accurate. I would also just take the top thermo off and cap it and not worry about it.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> TEL-TRU-3514FBAKLA4AA-LARGE.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> __ tjsfx4
> __ Jan 4, 2014


What he said


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## astmedic

Count me in this game too.

All the build mods are done. I used the DAP fireplace mortar for the fire box rather than the RTV since people were saying that it didn't hold up to the heat. I used the RTV to seal the stack and the elbow mod.

I'm going to build a baffle and tuning plate soon. Thinking of just putting some grommets in and running digital thermo for the smoker temp rather than analog. Just need to find some that will handle the temps.


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## stevellion

Hi All,

i'm just new to smoking and assembled my TMLE last weekend.

So far, no dampers, chimney extensions or extra thermos.. yet.

(I'm also kicking myself for throwing away the old grill tray from my old griller, as it would have been a perfect heat deflector...)

Anyhow - I wanted to understand how fussy you guys are about smoke leaks.

On my curing run I noticed some very slight bits of smoke from some of the edges around the main chamber door.

Is any smoke leaking out too much - so you can completely close it off if needed, or are you really talking about bigger leaks?

Are we aiming for "air-tight"?

Thanks,

Steve (in the UK)


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## marlboro

Hiya! I'm new as well :P picked up mine sunday...

Came outta the box pretty nice one small dent and one scratch in the paint (that I may have done :I) anyway I've been emailing back and forth with Justin from bbqgaskets and he is setting me up with all that jazz.

What I was wondering was if someone had some measurements of their baffle and tuning plates? I'm new and couldn't figure out how to search the forums sorry...

measurements for the charcoal box would help too...

I don't have a welder but my father works in a shop and said if I sent him some measurements he could bust em out for me.  Thanks a bunch guys!


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## wood river bbq

I didn't own a Brinkman, which is a nice looking unit, but it has some of the same characteristics as the Char Broil Smoking Pro. It's important to seal up all the leaks as best you can but that doesn't help with a couple of problems. The first is that the chimney is on the wrong end. The heat/smoke comes out of the fire box and heads right for the chimney, bypassing the meat, because of "draft". They had to place it there or the heat/smoke would exit the fire box and go directly up and out.

The solution is to create a "reverse flow" setup, which is simple and only involves a 2 step process. The first step is to add a fire box baffle and tunning plates. That solves half the problem but you need to do one more thing to get the heat/smoke to go over the meat because once the heat/smoke reaches the end of the plates it wants to get out so it goes up the chimney. The second step is to move the chimney to the fire box end of the cook chamber. I simply purchased a extra chimney from Char Broil and installed it -- it may not be that simple with the Brinkman but instead of buying an extra chimney you could use the existing chimney and seal the original hole. The Smoking Pro looked trick with "dual exhausts". You also need to add the chimney extension to force the heat/smoke to go over the meat before going up the chimney.

What I created was a "reverse flow" cooker. The cheapo Smoking Pro cooked some great product. Now I'm cooking on a Lang 36, which is a true "reverse flow" cooker. The Lang cooks great product but it isn't much better than my old modified Char Broil -- or a modified Brinkman. The trick to cooking good product is controlling your heat/smoke/temperature. It's a shame that a mate has to modify a cooker but if they don't the pitmaster becomes dissatisfied with the product and the unit ends up in a dumpster after a few cooks.


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## wood river bbq

I purchased the steel for the tuning plates from ACE HARDWARE. They have various sizes and were easy to cut with metal shears. I used the wider pieces near the firebox and then went down in size. Since they were not as rigid as I wanted them to be, I bought another set and pop riveted them together. My wife would have a hemorrhage if she knew what I spent modifying my former cooker -- I cut the price of everything I purchased in 1/2. I know she knew I was full of crap but she didn't say anything.


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## danbono

Hi What gauge metal did Ace Hardware have for the tuning plates? I've seen some sheet metal at Lowe's but it look kind of thin, to use as tuning plates.

Thanks Dan


----------



## wood river bbq

Dan: I don't know the gauge but they were thin and that's why I doubled them up. I don't have any metal cutting or welding equipment so I needed steel i could cut with shears. The tunning plates really don't have be thick steel. All they're doing is directing the flow of heat/smoke.

Don G


----------



## danbono

Hi Have some thin metal tuning plates in my COS but they aren't working too good. Last time I checked temps they were off about 40* off side to side.

Thanks Dan













DSC01810.JPG



__ danbono
__ Jul 14, 2013


----------



## wood river bbq

Dan: The plates have to extend the full length of the cook chamber and it takes some "fooling around" with the space adjustment to get them TUNED. On my former Smoking Pro the temp difference was about 10F end to end.  To complete the extension, use the thinner width (4th from the left) plates. Push the wider plates a little closer together. Once you level out your temperature, mark the location of each plate or you'll end up doing the adjustment all over again if you move the plates for any reason. Being able to maintain an even temperature is an important aspect of "Q'ing". Good luck, mate.

Don G


----------



## danbono

Hi Don Will move the plates next time I fire up the smoker.

This what I was thinking of doing using the charcoal grill grate that came with the smoker. Cover with heavy duty aluminum foil and poke some small holes by the firebox side and bigger holes as it goes along to the end. I could also use the charcoal ash pan and drill some holes.

So far I have only use the side closer to the firebox, cause it is only for me and my wife .I was able to do 2 racks of St Louis ribs and a brisket or pork butt in that space.Dont know if I'll ever use the whole pit, but would like the option.

Thanks Dan

PS I was thinking about dropping the baffle a little lower. Will have to take alook at it.


----------



## wood river bbq

Dan: Your idea will work -- anything you can do to prevent the heat/smoke from exiting the fire box and making a beeline for the chimney will improve your heat management and will also conserve fuel. I think a tuning PLATE WITH HOLES works better than the tuning sheets. Had I kept my Smoking Pro I was going to go with the tuning plate similar to what Horizon sells for their units but I put so much $$ into the Smoking Pro mods that it was ridiculous but I had a lot of fun messing with it. When I told my wife I was going to spend about $1400.00 to buy a Lang she about went through the roof. Fortunately, that day our house window washer saw my Smoking Pro and offered me $250 for it. I told my wife "now what am I supposed to cook on" and that greased the skids to the Lang.

I'm a big fan of the "reverse flow" design. I sure cooked some good product on the Smoking Pro once I set it up for reverse flow and even before I relocated the chimney. It got easier to manage once I relocated the chimney. The chimney is in the wrong place on the Brinkman for reverse flow but you still can cook some great product. Also, spend $7 at Home Depot and drop the chimney down to grate level. I even use the chimney extension mod on my Lang. If the chimney extension doesn't work for you you're only out $7. Some of the pictures of Lang mods on this site are picture some listers on this site used to illustrate the points they were making.

Don G


----------



## wood river bbq

Dan: I checked out the baffle location on my former Smoking Pro (the mate that bought it lives near me) and the baffle is located where CPFITNESS located his. The tunning plates have to cover and extend the full length of the cooking chamber (maybe he just remove half of his for the picture) or you'll never get a even temperature from one side to the other. Additionally, the temperature gauges that come with these units are junk. They're bi metal and that technology was developed in the 1800's. The gauge on my Lang is pretty close up to about 250F then it goes way off. A digital in the cook chamber and in the meat is the way to go.

Don G


----------



## socalbbq

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


----------



## wood river bbq

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


----------



## socalbbq

Wood River BBQ said:


> 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


----------



## danbono

Hi Just close the gaps in the plates..Temp are now pretty much even.

Thanks Dan


----------



## andygriffiths

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


----------



## ben cartwright2

TurfGuy said:


> 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


I have a vertical WSM, with that offset do you have a hotspot towards the firebox? do you have to rotate the meat?


----------



## wood river bbq

andygriffiths said:


> 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


----------



## turfguy

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.


----------



## turfguy

SS Ash Box.jpg



__ turfguy
__ Apr 14, 2014






The ash box on my BTLE was getting a little ragged so I had a friend at our factory fab a new ash box out of Stainless Steel. I also had him make it twice as deep. It fits perfectly and I'm sure it will last a lot longer.


----------



## marlboro

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...


----------



## smoking boy

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.


----------



## marlboro

I found these! should work good right?

http://m.mscdirect.com/mobileweb/pr...teel reducing washer&hasRestrictedParts=false


----------



## smoking boy

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,,


----------



## pork whisperer

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'


----------



## turfguy

Pork Whisperer said:


> 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.


----------



## pork whisperer

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


----------



## luv2fish

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!


----------



## cpfitness

Apply it then bolt it together then give it 24 hours


----------



## turfguy

Pork Whisperer said:


> 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.


----------



## marlboro

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.












2014-04-07 15.16.16.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014


















2014-04-07 16.30.26.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






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.













2014-04-07 16.31.07.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014


















2014-04-08 14.56.12.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






Sealed cooking chamber with wool gaskets.













2014-04-12 04.57.48.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014


















2014-04-12 04.58.00.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






Toggle clamps come with the Brinkmann kit













2014-04-20 09.38.10.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






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))













2014-04-20 20.53.23.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






 

Dryer vent extension to grate level.













2014-04-22 17.24.45.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






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













2014-04-22 17.25.04.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






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)













2014-04-23 15.29.42.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






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












2014-04-25 22.52.36.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014






After about 6 hours just before wrapping.













2014-04-26 05.46.13.jpg



__ marlboro
__ Apr 27, 2014


----------



## luv2fish

Cool mods Marlboro!  Call me dense, but I can't figure out how to get the round shape of the dryer vent into the oblong/oval shape of the chimney stack hole.  I've seen the other posts where guys have snipped the end of the vent to create flaps, then bent the flaps back over.  Does creating the flaps in the end of the vent allow it to then fit into the oval shape of the chimney stack hole? 

I've already destroyed one dryer vent today trying it (haha!), so I want to ask before trying again.  Thanks!


----------



## newmc

I had two fall apart before I was successful with mine.  Initially I was trying to put too much of the vent through the hole, when I decided to try just to get 3/8" through it worked  well.  Hope this helps, good luck.

Sent from my SPH-L900 using Tapatalk


----------



## marlboro

I just followed a few of the guys in the previous posts and just cut little "V"s into it about one inch deep bent them inward in an oval shape stuck it threw as far as it could then bent the tabs back and lightly taped em into shape with a hammer. Maybe I got lucky I didn't have much trouble...at least they're cheap :P


----------



## luv2fish

Thanks guys.  I figured the method had to be notching the vent on the back of it would allow it to be shaped to fit into the hole. I did it last night and got 'er done.  Will finish getting everything sealed up with silicone and hope to report back with results and cook pics this weekend!  Couldn't believe the gaps in the firebox I had prior to finding this website resource.  I'm sure this was why I was burning charcoal/wood way quicker than I thought it should...


----------



## luv2fish

One more question for the group...  Did anybody else experience the Rutland RVT silicone taking forever to set-up?  I have one area that's been curing for about 3 days, and it's still sticky to the touch and will come off on my finger.  The areas I put it on the fire box 2 days ago are still nowhere near cured.  Wonder if I got an old tube of it or something?


----------



## glennmc

I've had my Brinkman BTLE for about a year and in general it's worked out pretty well (after sealing, etc., etc.)

Fired it up today when there is a pretty good breeze blowing and whoa! the breeze can go right DOWN the stack to the point where sparks come winging out the firebox intake vent.

CC temps drop like a stone.  Anybody got a mod or some advice on how to keep the breeze from stuffing the heat right back into the firebox?  Some sort of shield or other at the top of the stack?


----------



## rob8213

Hey BBQ People,

I am having an issue lately with getting my temp at grate level high.  I can only reach about 225-250 max.  I have all the regular mods and use a mix of Royal Oak Lump and Kingsford charcoal briquettes.  maybe 50-50 mix.  I have the expanded metal box in my firebox that holds it all.  I use dry smoking wood etc.

It was about 45 degrees outside this past weekend and I couldn't get the temps up to 275 and I even had to use my air compressor and every 20 mins or so, I would blow 40psi air in the fire box vent until the charcoal would get nice and red.   This would raise the temp a little for a while, but I just never got it up high.

But, last year I was having no issues with this, and I would run it with the vent about 3/4 closed and exhust stack fully open and it would run at a nice 260-275 temp, but if I wanted it, I could get the temps well over 300.

Any ideas would really help.   Maybe the lump charcoal stinks.  I used mostly COWBOY lump last year.  Maybe this Royal Oak from Walmart stinks.

Thanks,


----------



## donger22

sounds like not getting enough airflow. What mods have done? Could tuning plates or something else have shifted? Check over all the vents and stack to make sure they are functioning properly and don't have any restrictions. Hmm, maybe others will be of more use. 

Good luck


----------



## remmy700p

GlennMc said:


> I've had my Brinkman BTLE for about a year and in general it's worked out pretty well (after sealing, etc., etc.)
> 
> Fired it up today when there is a pretty good breeze blowing and whoa! the breeze can go right DOWN the stack to the point where sparks come winging out the firebox intake vent.
> 
> CC temps drop like a stone.  Anybody got a mod or some advice on how to keep the breeze from stuffing the heat right back into the firebox?  Some sort of shield or other at the top of the stack?


A hot, properly drafting fire should have no trouble maintaining exhaust flow even in decent breezes/wind. My guess is your fire was on the low/smouldering side and the breezes were sufficient to stifle the draft and get the air luffing backwards through the system.


----------



## remmy700p

rob8213 said:


> Hey BBQ People,
> 
> I am having an issue lately with getting my temp at grate level high.  I can only reach about 225-250 max.  I have all the regular mods and use a mix of Royal Oak Lump and Kingsford charcoal briquettes.  maybe 50-50 mix.  I have the expanded metal box in my firebox that holds it all.  I use dry smoking wood etc.
> 
> It was about 45 degrees outside this past weekend and I couldn't get the temps up to 275 and I even had to use my air compressor and every 20 mins or so, I would blow 40psi air in the fire box vent until the charcoal would get nice and red.   This would raise the temp a little for a while, but I just never got it up high.
> 
> But, last year I was having no issues with this, and I would run it with the vent about 3/4 closed and exhust stack fully open and it would run at a nice 260-275 temp, but if I wanted it, I could get the temps well over 300.
> 
> Any ideas would really help.   Maybe the lump charcoal stinks.  I used mostly COWBOY lump last year.  Maybe this Royal Oak from Walmart stinks.
> 
> Thanks,


It's a fuel quality AND quantity issue. In my experience, both Cowboy and Royal Oak just don't have the consistency and available energy to generate the temps required to power a cooking chamber the size of the TMLE's. I use a base of Kingsford Blue and large lump from Ozark Oak in the charcoal box to act as a 'heat sink' and then keep 3-4 chunks (baseball size) of my smoking wood (usually citrus) burning between it and the CC intake for that boost of heat. Works great.

You can see the flaming citrus chunk to the left of the charcoal bed; this fire has been going for a couple of hours. Notice the angle of the flame... that's the draw from the stack "pulling" the air through the CC:













IMG_20130804_113757_489.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Aug 5, 2013


















2013-07-03_13-20-53_394.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 3, 2013


















2013-07-03_13-19-31_747.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 3, 2013


----------



## glennmc

Remmy700P said:


> A hot, properly drafting fire should have no trouble maintaining exhaust flow even in decent breezes/wind. My guess is your fire was on the low/smouldering side and the breezes were sufficient to stifle the draft and get the air luffing backwards through the system.


Thanks for the comment.  CC temp was good, but then the stack on that thing isn't the heaviest gauge metal I've ever seen and it -was- kinda chilly and rather breezy - gusts 25-30.  'Spose I'll just have to be more careful and pick the weather better. 

Hey, OT I know, but that -is- a nice rifle.


----------



## remmy700p

GlennMc said:


> Thanks for the comment.  CC temp was good, but then the stack on that thing isn't the heaviest gauge metal I've ever seen and it -was- kinda chilly and rather breezy - gusts 25-30.  'Spose I'll just have to be more careful and pick the weather better.
> 
> Hey, OT I know, but that -is- a nice rifle.


Actually, draft is a function of stack length (i.e. height) rather than thermal efficiency. Next time you're in those conditions, try facing the firebox's intake toward the wind and see if that helps.

Rifle: Thanks! It's a tackdriver.


----------



## pork whisperer

Got mine ready for painting, should i cure it first and then again after painting or safe to paint a few coats and then cure for the first time?


----------



## cerda

Paint it first. If you cure it first you'll have to clean it off before you paint - it won't stick.


----------



## pork whisperer

cerda said:


> Paint it first. If you cure it first you'll have to clean it off before you paint - it won't stick.


Thanks, hopefully it will stop raining soon so I can seal it up and start painting


----------



## misterc01

I decided to try the smoking thing, but did not wan to dive headfirst in to it until I had some idea of what it was all about or would even like doing.  I did  lot of reading, including great info here, and  I bought a Char Broil Side Fire Box 2-2424tn. II decided the grills were lower than I wanted them, so I modified the inside by raising the sides 1 1.2 inches, added a couple of removable heat deflectors heat deflectors and had a nice looking small smoker with room for a water pan and a chip box. I bought an inexpensive grill thermometer, calibrated it by  placing it ins boiling water (it was close enough at 212  to leave it alone), then mounted it just above grill height (food level) with the thermometer oriented so 200 degrees was straight up so I could monitor the temp at a glance. My first smoking attempt, a brisket, was, in the end, an shakedown run. There were a few leaks I plugged with aluminum foil, and I even did a quick refuel with lit charcoal and chips, how well the thermometer worked, progress checking and the myriad of details with smoking something. I ordered some FDA approved food safe high temp silicon and sealed around the lid and a couple other small places there were leaks. Form y second run, I tried our gas grill with some ribs, and used an inexpensive grill top surface thermometer. IN both attempts, I used a generic dry rub recipe with  a couple additions, some generic BBQ sauces during the last 20 minutes So final analysis: I am hooked! Smoking is  work, but fun work, and the end result is worth the time and effort. The ribs were great. The brisket was edible. Okay - the brisket - I followed a general cooking time based on weight formula and cooked it longer than I should have. It was a little dried out, but  everyone said in spite of an incredibly thick bark (you know what I really  mean) the meat itself was delicious, just a little dry I must add that to keep the cost down, I used a cojupel gift cards, so my ou of pocket expenses were bout six dollars for the smoker..

.  













IMG_1571.jpg



__ misterc01
__ May 10, 2014





          













IMG_1708.jpg



__ misterc01
__ May 10, 2014






Next up is another brisket, with the sealed  leaks and a Redi Chek 73 for better temp monitoring. I am looking forward to a few more shake down runs and then smoking on a regular basis!


----------



## wood river bbq

Regarding the choice of various lump charcoal brands: Do a google search of "the naked whiz's lump charcoal database" to see a good review of just about every brand of lump charcoal you can think of. I used to use Cowboy, which they rate "above average" but after finding string, rocks and all kinds of junk in the bags I switched to Royal Oak Lump, which they rate "highly recommend" and they rate Ozark Oak "highly recommend" but it's not available in my area. My experience with Royal Oak is that it burns hot and leave little ash and it's readily available at Walmart & Home Depot. I don't use charcoal briquets due to all the chemicals and sawdust they use as binders. Competition Briquets are a better choice as the only binders are starch and a little Borax.


----------



## maine yeti

Today I saw them at BJ's club in Portland Maine .


----------



## odb69

Greetings from Scotland!

Just picked up a Trailmaster LE from Costco (such a great place as you can get stuff in there you can get in the UK!), went together brilliantly but I managed to break the Temp gauge when installing.  Now I tried (and gave up) getting through to Brinkmann direct (you cant call them from outside the US due to the stupid call back system being only 10 digits - UK is 11 digit - and the online service is only for US, Canada & Mexico) but after reading how rubbish the gauge is I was wondering if anyone has replaced it and what with?

Not sure if its possible to stick any gauge in it due to the 3/4" hole (if so please tell me how) so looking for something that fits out of the box

Cheers


----------



## cerda

I put a stainless steel plug into that hole on my grill. You can get more accurate analog thermometers to put in there but you would be better off investing in a fast-read digital thermometer (like a Thermapen, $100), or a cheaper ($20) and a bit slower ThermoWorks RT600C pocket thermometer. For the grill itself purchase a Maverick ET-732 Wireless Dual Probe Thermometer. Dump that old dial guage.


----------



## smoking uk

Hi all new to smoking thanks for all you tips

i'm sort of half way through mods ordered some clamps 
 because i'm losing smoke through the sides of my lid just wondering if the rubber bung on the clamp is ok on the hot lid i don't want to drill my lid if those bungs will melt


----------



## smoking uk

Finally Got my fire box


----------



## pig daddys bbq

Ive had that brinkman for years and cooked for lots of folks. It's not a bad cooker once you get used to it.  I still use it when firing up my Lang 84 is not worth it.


----------



## smoking uk

Hi Smokin NW

Your mods look great can you tell me do the bungs on the clamps survive ok with the heat of the lid

Regards Tim


----------



## smokering90

hey all.

just wondering if anyone has had the idea to build a second shelf for the trailmaster, i am looking into getting one and was curious if it was possible, is the inside big enough to where a second shelf could be built?


----------



## glennmc

smoking uk said:


> Finally Got my fire box


Hey where did you get that?  ...and it fits into the BTLE fire box?


----------



## smokering90

hey all.

just wondering if anyone has had the idea to build a second shelf for the trailmaster, i am looking into getting one and was curious if it was possible, is the inside big enough to where a second shelf could be built?


----------



## glennmc

2nd shelf... I dunno... maybe if all you do is flat stuff i.e. ribs, wings maybe.  With pork butts in mine there's not much headroom left.


----------



## smokering90

how much room is there from shelf to like the top of the opening


----------



## smoking uk

GlennMc said:


> 2nd shelf... I dunno... maybe if all you do is flat stuff i.e. ribs, wings maybe.  With pork butts in mine there's not much headroom left.





GlennMc said:


> Hey where did you get that?  ...and it fits into the BTLE fire box?


Hi GlennMc

My friend made it for me the size is 12 x 10 x 6 i picked the metal up from a local supplier i hope its man enough for the job as the original grill bars bend with the heat.

This may also help


----------



## rob8213

Remmy700P said:


> It's a fuel quality AND quantity issue. In my experience, both Cowboy and Royal Oak just don't have the consistency and available energy to generate the temps required to power a cooking chamber the size of the TMLE's. I use a base of Kingsford Blue and large lump from Ozark Oak in the charcoal box to act as a 'heat sink' and then keep 3-4 chunks (baseball size) of my smoking wood (usually citrus) burning between it and the CC intake for that boost of heat. Works great.
> 
> You can see the flaming citrus chunk to the left of the charcoal bed; this fire has been going for a couple of hours. Notice the angle of the flame... that's the draw from the stack "pulling" the air through the CC:
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> __ Aug 5, 2013
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> __ Jul 3, 2013
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> __ remmy700p
> __ Jul 3, 2013


Remmy, thanks for the advice.  I will try that trick keeping wood next to the firebox and see if that keeps burning the entire time.  Last year I didn't have this issue, but it was about 20 degF warmer out when I was BBQing a lot and getting great results.  I will stick with the Royal Oak and see.  I also just cleaned out the entire smoker, as I do each season, so maybe in some weird way this had something to do with the temp being low.   Also, had a gazebo over me and the smoker, so maybe this messed with the exhaust stack and draft!   Hmmm.  Maybe that was it!


----------



## elkhorn98

What are the cooking chamber dimensions?  Thanks.


----------



## remmy700p

Roughly 40" long x 17" wide x 8" (peak height) measured at/from the cook grate. Subtract any intrusions (like the dryer vent 'stack extension') from the length.


----------



## elkhorn98

Thanks that extra room would nice compared to my 33x16" silver smoker.


----------



## 1ray

Where did U pick up the silicone?


----------



## bonesgordy

You can find lots of Rutland products at any Ace Hardware


----------



## luv2fish

Pic of a 10lb pork butt I did last weekend on the BTLE.  Used Aaron Franklin's Texas style rub recipe.   5 hours in the smoker to a temp of 160, then wrapped tightly in foil, then into a 300 degree oven (why waste the wood fuel?) for about 2.75 hours to an internal temp of about 205.  Best pork butt ever!  It was a smoky, tender, black meteorite!  The savory rub combined with a sweet sauce was awesome.  

By the way, I did all the mods on my BTLE others have: dryer elbow extension, Rutland silicone, tuning plates, and Harbor Freight toggle clamps.  Sure burns fuel a lot more efficient 













image.jpg



__ luv2fish
__ Jun 3, 2014





as well as holding temp.  :grilling_smilie:


----------



## whiskeyboyz

Buddy of mine just bought one of the Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited Edition at Cabela's  I am going to stop by his place tonite and measure his new smoker for one of my 'Mister Baffler' (U.S. Patent pending) heat deflecting baffles which I make for offset smokers, Brinkmann, Chargriller, Charbroil, New Brumsfeld, Oklahoma Joes, etc.   Mister Baffler can be purchased on line at www.KickAssbbqsouth.com


----------



## smokey bruin

I had the Trail master also, I don't recommend putting any money into is, save it for a higher quality unit. I have mine for about 3 years and during a cook the ash tray just fell apart. it had completely rusted...and I live in sunny So. Cal where it never rains...I would recommend a Oklahoma Joe Longhorn, easy on the wallet and well made.


----------



## turfguy

"during a cook the ash tray just fell apart"

I had the same thing happen to my ash tray, so I had my factory make me one our of stainless steel. I've since moved on to a Brinkmann Vertical which has much better and more consistent heat control without all the modifications. So I have a stainless steel ash tray that is also twice the depth to hold more ash if any one is interested in buying it, PM me and I'll shoot you a price.


----------



## cheese head

whats the best way to season  new btle? looked around on here but could not find anything.


----------



## smokeymcgee

I'd go buy few bottles of Pam bbq oil spray and spray down the entire unit. Especially around seams and joints and doors. Then bring the temperature as close to the 500 mark as you can and run it for 2 to 4 hours.


----------



## cheese head

ok, that's fire/coal in only the fire box correct ? paperwork that came with it sounded like they wanted me to burn in cooking chamber also and didn't really want to do  that, I must have misunderstood them, thanks a bunch.


----------



## smokeymcgee

Yup just the fire box on side. You could put coals in the main box if you wanted to use it as a bbq you do have that option but I wouldn't do it


----------



## cheese head

Ok thanks, that's what I wanted to hear, have a great day!


----------



## sailord0g

You can buy the gaskets from brinkman  

[/quote]





realtorterry said:


> So I finally made up my mind & went with the Brinkmann horizontal smoker. I just like the horizontals. Unforunatley it's not as well built as I had hoped!! It is a good gauge but there are so MANY leaks in the firebox it smokes more than the stack!! The stock gauge is off by almost 50. Then I have to keep the firebox damper all the way close just to try & keep it at 300:( not happy at all:(


----------



## robhatch

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__ robhatch
__ Jun 12, 2014


















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__ robhatch
__ Jun 12, 2014


















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__ robhatch
__ Jun 12, 2014





Dinner tonight some yardbird leg quarters, and a snack of some ABT's!


----------



## robhatch

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__ robhatch
__ Jun 12, 2014


















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__ robhatch
__ Jun 12, 2014





Time to chow down! Well at least on the chicken! The Abt's went pretty fast!


----------



## robhatch

false


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## robhatch

The chicken could have looked better but I tasted great!


----------



## smokeymcgee

Can anyone give me a sku # of product from home depot used to make a baffler for the trailmaster? Also this is the expanded metal I just ordered for pick up to make my charcoal box.  Is this the right stuff? I don'tthink itis galvanized. You wouldn'tbeleive the hassleit wadto fondthis stuff. I spent 2hours at home depot looking for it so I decided to order online and let them find it for me haha . 

http://m.homedepot.com/p/Crown-Bolt...n-Metal-Plain-Expanded-Sheet-45840/202183529/


----------



## smoking uk

Thanks to everyone who posted mods for the Brinkmann

Finished all my mods now and i'm very pleased with the results

Great Forum.


----------



## cheese head

Well i did the mods talked about on here. I did a different ext for smoke stack, my only problem is i tried to do the plate for evening out temps with 2 cookie sheets. Trimed to cover hole and sides, caulked also but my temps while curing unit were 50* off side to side. May need 1/4" thick steel?


----------



## cheese head

20140613_220832.jpg



__ cheese head
__ Jun 16, 2014


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## cheese head

20140614_144942.jpg



__ cheese head
__ Jun 16, 2014


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## cheese head

20140615_170835.jpg



__ cheese head
__ Jun 16, 2014


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## cheese head

20140614_080656.jpg



__ cheese head
__ Jun 16, 2014


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## cheese head

20140615_170820.jpg



__ cheese head
__ Jun 16, 2014


----------



## pellet

SmokeyMcGee said:


> Can anyone give me a sku # of product from home depot used to make a baffler for the trailmaster? Also this is the expanded metal I just ordered for pick up to make my charcoal box.  Is this the right stuff? I don'tthink itis galvanized. You wouldn'tbeleive the hassleit wadto fondthis stuff. I spent 2hours at home depot looking for it so I decided to order online and let them find it for me haha .
> 
> 
> http://m.homedepot.com/p/Crown-Bolt-24-in-x-3-4-in-x-24-in-Metal-Plain-Expanded-Sheet-
> 45840/202183529/



I don't think your going to find a baffle for any smoker commercially at a big box store. It will have to be made. I just threw the cardboard template that I made just last week. I didn't check the radius of the lower corners of the baffle but simply used the flaps off the box that the BTLE came in and used trial and error then copied it to my metal plate.

Yes the expanded steel is what you want for the charcoal box. I got mine at home depot


----------



## smokeymcgee

Yeah whati mean is cani find the steel plates at home depot I'm looking for the sku I know I have to make it myself buti need the steel plates


----------



## smokeymcgee

20140615_154326.jpg



__ smokeymcgee
__ Jun 16, 2014


















20140615_184301.jpg



__ smokeymcgee
__ Jun 16, 2014


















20140615_160234.jpg



__ smokeymcgee
__ Jun 16, 2014





 my first smoke on my new btmle. Home made smoked chili,  kabobs and chicken thighs


----------



## cheese head

anyone having good temps without using  Convection Plates ? I tried to make some but temps were off by 50*


----------



## rookiesmoker18

I have that same unit. Made a convection plate the day I bought it and now about 15 deg. Difference side to side. There are some good links on here for mods. Also check you tube, think convection plate is a must for this unit.


----------



## rookiesmoker18

Also saw pics of your plate on previous page, if you haven't done so yet, you may want to try drilling some holes in it. Smaller holes near firebox then increase in size as you move down towards the stack.  Might help, just my thoughts.   Up to you. Good luck!


----------



## remmy700p

cheese head said:


> anyone having good temps without using  Convection Plates ? I tried to make some but temps were off by 50*


That design isn't going to work. It isn't "baffling" the flow, it's blocking it. As was mentioned, you need to provide a series of holes for the heat to access the upper part of the chamber.

Further, the end up against the firebox inlet appears to be almost closing it off. That isn't going to allow the gases/heat proper access to the chamber. You need to have the plate mounted on a much shallower angle more like this (red line):













DamperPlateSchematic.png



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 25, 2013






By way of example, before I figured out a permanent solution, I used two of the cook chamber's lower charcoal grates wrapped in HD aluminum foil punctured with holes and it worked great. Here:













2013-06-05_08-29-22_666.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 17, 2014






I now use flat style, double-thick cookie sheets I purchased from Target to accomplish the same thing. I punctured a hole at two of the corners and suspended the sheet from the cook rack with copper wire. The large one fits the end perfectly:













12554247?wid=410&hei=410



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 25, 2013


----------



## cheese head

ok thanks, I was wondering if angle was to steep this morning. did you also put holes in the heavy cookie sheets? smoker is up north about 65 miles away, cant measure anything for sizes, but saw a post about using 6" x 18" plates in 1/4" steel and one saying 6 x 14 1/2", how wide is the lower level? thanks again.


----------



## whiskeyboyz

Cheesehead. Go to my website. www.kickassbbqsouth.com. I have a Baffle I sell for offset smokers that evens the temp from side to side (U.S. Patent Pending) called Mister Baffler. for 29.95 plus S&H. I just sold one to a buddy of mine  for his new Brinkmann Trail blzer. He smoked a brisket last weekend using the bffle and swears by it now.

WhiskeyBoyz


----------



## danbono

Hi Would your baffle work on a Brinkmanns Smoke N Pit?

Thanks Dan


----------



## whiskeyboyz

Dan Bono. Yes it does. That was my first model of smoker I started with. I can set Mr. Baffler about 1 inch from the firebox and my little brinkmann will maintain 300 degree across the smoke chamber. Perfect for hot and fast ribs. WWW.KickassBBQsouth.com


----------



## 5oclocksomewher

DanBono said:


> Hi Would your baffle work on a Brinkmanns Smoke N Pit?
> Thanks Dan



Ernie's baffle worked for me!!!  It evened my temps across the grate.  Do yourself a favor.  Buy one.












image.jpg



__ 5oclocksomewher
__ May 24, 2014


















image.jpg



__ 5oclocksomewher
__ Jun 10, 2014


















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__ 5oclocksomewher
__ Jun 3, 2014


----------



## rookiesmoker18

Whiskey boyz,

          I have a brinkmann trailmaster le and have been having a little temp problem as well. (15-20 deg. Diff. Side to side) not bad, but kind of frustrating.
Will your baffle fit this grill?  And if I purchase it do I still need to have my convection plate in my smoker?


----------



## dd mau

Home Depot has the cover for the Brinkman Limited Edition for $34.95
It fits perfect and you don't have to take the front shelf off!!


----------



## dd mau

Lowes has an adjustable louvered baffle (for gas grills)that is porcelain coated and fully adjustable to 18" long that works $16.95


----------



## danbono

DD Mau said:


> Lowes has an adjustable louvered baffle (for gas grills)that is porcelain coated and fully adjustable to 18" long that works $16.95


Hi But is only 18' long. My pit much longer then that..Brinkmanns Smoke N Pit.

Thanks Dan


----------



## dd mau

Dan, I have a 1/4 " steel plate that I cut to fit the front and rear rack holders{approx.)17.5"front to back and it is about 7"s long, it fits tight above the charcoal opening were the heat comes into the meat barrel.The louvered diffuser starts there ,I have mine at the same height as the steel plate going from right to left the diffuser ends before the left side of the barrel, but I don't think that matters ,you want to get the heat more evenly dispersed and this seems to work ,I had a difference of temp from right to left of 10 degrees!!! now I have to tackle the air flow from mother nature!! I'll post some pictures.........worth a thousand words Keep Smokin


----------



## whiskeyboyz

Dan, I custom bend my Baffles to fit any offsets. I am not sure about moving your diffuser. Please send me a snapshot of the diffuser positioned in the grill to [email protected].


----------



## bill fusion

Got my btmle about a month ago.  No problem with assembly or leaks.  Works great!  Smoking a green picnic ham today.  We shall see how it goes.


----------



## danbono

"Dan, I custom bend my Baffles to fit any offsets. I am not sure about moving your diffuser. Please send me a snapshot of the diffuser positioned in the grill"

Here are some pics of my present set up..

Thanks Dan

            Pic from the firebox













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__ danbono
__ Jun 22, 2014


















DSC02495.JPG



__ danbono
__ Jun 22, 2014


----------



## whiskeyboyz

Dan, Mr.Baffler Hangs off of the front amoke chamber grid and does the same  as your difusser.


----------



## cheese head

Used my btle for 1st time this weekend. Did the bacon wrapped fatty. I used maple flavored sausage, wow were they good!


----------



## cheese head

20140620_221229.jpg



__ cheese head
__ Jun 23, 2014


----------



## cheese head

20140620_221104.jpg



__ cheese head
__ Jun 23, 2014


----------



## polkat

I was stationed at Minot from 94-06   had a friend live in glenburn  Greg Swenson and can't remember the others.


----------



## remmy700p

Here's a pic of a small 4lb+ bone-in pork shoulder I did for pulled pork on my TMLE:













9415.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 3, 2014






And here is the final iteration of a deflector/diffuser plate crafted from an aluminum cookie sheet I picked up at Target for $12. I get temps end to end within 5 degrees F of each other with this setup. Easy to clean, easy to make/modify, and easy to replace:













IMG_20140703_135841_920.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 3, 2014


----------



## dd mau

Looks good Remmy, I'm going to do a 17lb.whole shoulder with a 1/4 " deflector plate tomorrow 5 degrees is super!!!! did you use a hole saw for the cookie sheet??


----------



## remmy700p

DD Mau said:


> Looks good Remmy, I'm going to do a 17lb.whole shoulder with a 1/4 " deflector plate tomorrow 5 degrees is super!!!! did you use a hole saw for the cookie sheet??


Yep. And a regular drill bit for the smaller holes.

The cookie sheet/tray came from a two-pack I picked up at Target. I only used the larger one which fits just about perfect. Here's the link to the product: http://www.target.com/p/ovenstuff-c...-/A-12554247#prodSlot=medium_1_32&term=cookie


----------



## rich196s

Has anyone had an issue with the paint pealing off on the inside of the smoker? I seasoned the smokers according to the directions. Now in the middle if my first cook the paint is pealing off by the smoke stack on the inside of the chamber.


----------



## tjsfx4

Hey Folks, 

Anyone have an idea of the dimensions of the Horizon convection plate? 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


----------



## steinman

Bought Trailmaster @ BJ's Wholesale club and found custom cover for it at Home Depot


----------



## remmy700p

By the by, if any of you folks are looking for a source of good, *quality* hardwood lump, I picked up a pile of _Ozark Oak_ bags online here: http://www.firecraft.com/product/ozark-oak-lump-charcoal/charcoal-wood. OO is 'highly recommended' rated by the Naked Whiz.


----------



## ps0303

So even though I keep my BTLE in the garage, the firebox has surface rust on it.  I've seen some others here had the same issue and some have repainted it.  I haven't seen anyone come back say a year later to say how well the paint was holding up.  So I am looking to see if anyone has used the Thermo Tec brand paint to re do their firebox.  This stuff is said to be good up to 2000 degrees.  Has anyone used this paint or have a better recommendation?  The paint is about $15 per can at the local AutoZone.


----------



## remmy700p

Doing a spiral cut, bone-in ham for the mother-in-law's birthday dinner on the TMLE. It has a brown sugar + guava nectar + pork rub + allspice glaze and smells awesome so far.













IMG_20140801_142748_591.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Aug 1, 2014






* * * 8/2/2014 UPDATE * * *

That ham came out AWESOME. Everyone was raving about how juicy it was and how much the smoke flavor permeated the meat. Got a great bark from the glaze. (Sorry... no pics... it went too fast!)

It started at 44F and took 3.5 hours to hit an internal 140F at an average pit temp of 270F. I used citrus wood (orange and lemon) augmented with Ozark Oak hardwood lump. This will be the ONLY way I will do hams from now on!


----------



## hbt731

ps0303 said:


> So even though I keep my BTLE in the garage, the firebox has surface rust on it.  I've seen some others here had the same issue and some have repainted it.  I haven't seen anyone come back say a year later to say how well the paint was holding up.  So I am looking to see if anyone has used the Thermo Tec brand paint to re do their firebox.  This stuff is said to be good up to 2000 degrees.  Has anyone used this paint or have a better recommendation?  The paint is about $15 per can at the local AutoZone.


I had to repaint mine last year. I used some VHT Ceramic Header Paint from O'Reilly's. Has held up really good. Good up to 2000 degrees. 8.99 a can

http://www.oreillyauto.com/site/c/d....oap?ck=Search_N0797_-1_-1&pt=N0797&ppt=C0171


----------



## hbt731

cheese head said:


> ok, that's fire/coal in only the fire box correct ? paperwork that came with it sounded like they wanted me to burn in cooking chamber also and didn't really want to do  that, I must have misunderstood them, thanks a bunch.


I used an old metal lasagna pan and put hot coals and wood chunks in it and placed it in the main chamber along with a small fire in the firebox when I first seasoned mine...just to get a higher temp in the main chamber. Probably wasn't necessary, just wanted to be sure to burn off anything that may be there from the factory. That way the ash would be contained.


----------



## bigbluesmoker

Hey guys, great thread and I've been reading and following along and was able to get my hands on used ( twice I was told ) Trailmaster Limited Edition. I pretty much have my modifications ready to go but I have a question I was hoping I could get some advice on.

The firebox seems to have some BIG gaps on both the side next to the smoker and on the vent side. I ended up buying some fiberglass gasket rope to seal the firebox door but I'm wondering if I should take the firebox apart and use that same gasket where the two sections of the firebox come together? It comes with some 2000 degree cement to hold the gasket in place. Is that overkill for sealing the firebox where it comes together or would I be ok using the 500 degree RTV caulk on the outside of the firebox where those seems come together? Not quite sure how hot that firebox gets on the outside. I know the inside can go well over 1k degrees, I believe. 

Thanks!


----------



## smoking uk

BigBlueSmoker said:


> Hey guys, great thread and I've been reading and following along and was able to get my hands on used ( twice I was told ) Trailmaster Limited Edition. I pretty much have my modifications ready to go but I have a question I was hoping I could get some advice on.
> 
> The firebox seems to have some BIG gaps on both the side next to the smoker and on the vent side. I ended up buying some fiberglass gasket rope to seal the firebox door but I'm wondering if I should take the firebox apart and use that same gasket where the two sections of the firebox come together? It comes with some 2000 degree cement to hold the gasket in place. Is that overkill for sealing the firebox where it comes together or would I be ok using the 500 degree RTV caulk on the outside of the firebox where those seems come together? Not quite sure how hot that firebox gets on the outside. I know the inside can go well over 1k degrees, I believe.
> 
> Thanks!


Hi

I use 500C degree silicon between the firebox and the main chamber on assembly and when screwed together i used silicone all the way around the edge as well

20 smokes later still seems to be holding ok

Hope this helps.


----------



## remmy700p

Is anyone running the BBQ Guru DigiQ DX2 on their TMLE? How has it worked for you in stabilizing and extending cook times? Any problems with mounting the blower unit?

Thanks!

Remmy


----------



## ps0303

Here is a you tube video I found regarding the Digi.


----------



## remmy700p

Cool. Thanks ps0303. I watched it -- and a couple others. Now I see I have to drill a hole for the mounting tube. Seems straightforward.

Q: Can anyone offer a suggestion regarding which blower I should go with, the 10cfm or the 25cfm??? The WSM folks have been saying that the 10cfm fan is more than adequate to keep their pits running right, but I'm thinking that the volume of the TMLE's pit might necessitate the more robust 25cfm blower.


----------



## snowrider

SteinMan said:


> Bought Trailmaster @ BJ's Wholesale club and found custom cover for it at Home Depot


What's the model or brand you got from Home Depot?
I want to get a new one.


----------



## bigbluesmoker

So, I've been having some issues with sealing the lid area of the firebox and wanted to see what everyone else is doing to seal theirs. 

I've tried the silicone rout so far and that basically burned off the first time through. I just went with the Nomex self adhesive high temp gasket but haven't had a chance to try it yet. I have a feeling it won't resist the high heat of that area so im looking for a plan B just incase. 

I was thinking about the Rutland 2k degree cement with the flat gasket rope.  Has anyone had any success with that? I've seen it where people have also riveted the rope instead of using the cement. 

Any suggestions would be appreciated!


----------



## misterc01

I have had good luck with the Food Safe Hi Temp RTV good to 605degees..........


----------



## steinman

It is a Brinkman Pro Series Limited Edition.


----------



## treknogeek

Hi all,

It has been way too long since I have actually posted anything; I'm glad to see discussions are still going.

I used the Rutland High Temp Silicone (rated for 500 degrees F). It has worked great for 2 seasons now, though I do need to reapply it it still does the job.


----------



## robhatch

Have had the TMLE for about 2years. The whole inside the paint is getting flaky, does it hurt it to pressure wash it and re season it?


----------



## oldgamefreak

Hi all,

I'm new to the TMLE world and I just got mine together and seasoned. I'm working on tuning it and I have some questions... First off I've sealed it up with Rutlands, Fire rope on the firebox and a gasket on the main chamber. Also did the dryer vent and now tuning plates.

For tuning it I just used kingsford charcoal in a basket. I have the side damper SHUT and the stack damper a bit over halfway closed. I've let her settle in for about an hour but I can't seem to get it under 235. I'm holding between 3 and 5 degrees across the chamber. Is this normal not getting below 235 like this? Also I see brisket should be done between 200 and 225, would 235 be too hot?













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__ oldgamefreak
__ Sep 25, 2014


















IMG_1578.JPG



__ oldgamefreak
__ Sep 25, 2014


















IMG_1579.JPG



__ oldgamefreak
__ Sep 25, 2014






Hopefully their are still people reading this thread.


----------



## remmy700p

OldGameFreak said:


> Hi all,
> 
> I'm new to the TMLE world and I just got mine together and seasoned. I'm working on tuning it and I have some questions... First off I've sealed it up with Rutlands, Fire rope on the firebox and a gasket on the main chamber. Also did the dryer vent and now tuning plates.
> 
> For tuning it I just used kingsford charcoal in a basket. I have the side damper SHUT and the stack damper a bit over halfway closed. I've let her settle in for about an hour but I can't seem to get it under 235. I'm holding between 3 and 5 degrees across the chamber. Is this normal not getting below 235 like this? Also I see brisket should be done between 200 and 225, would 235 be too hot?
> 
> Hopefully their are still people reading this thread.


First, welcome to the world of the TMLE. It's a good smoker, and will eat a lot of different types of fuel, but it takes some time to get "feel" for how it wants to act. A couple of points:

1. ALWAYS keep your vent stack WIDE OPEN. This is required to create sufficient draft for proper combustion and cook chamber gas evacuation rates. If you can't get your temps down to the level you want with the intake damper, then you have too much fuel going at once.

2. It looks to me like you lit an entire pile of briquets all at once. That's why you're having temp issues. You just learned your first lesson on the TMLE, i.e. how much fuel translates into what temps. The charcoal basket is a perfect vehicle for the 'minion method' where you light a portion of the fuel and let it slowly ignite the rest over time. This translates into longer unattended burn times.

3. The TMLE really wants to be a large chunk/stick burner. The size of the firebox in relation to the cook chamber kinda lends itself perfectly to this fuel. I start my fires with Kingsford Blue in the minion basket but when that gets nice and hot, I switch to hardwood fuels.

4. When I have a good, small pile of hardwood burning, I find that I can close the intake damper down to barely a 1/16" open, i.e. almost all the way closed. This allows me pretty stable, unattended burns times, at least as good as inexpensive, direct-flow, side-firebox horizontal smokers can get. They are definitely not a set-and-go-to-bed cooker.

Any other questions, don't hesitate to post up. I -- and others -- have been around the block a few times with this smoker.


----------



## oldgamefreak

Thanks for the quick reply!!! I actually just added a chimney of lit coals to the basket of unlit coals. I probably didn't let them SIT long enough before I added them on. They were probably still a bit hotter then they should have been.

I do have to admit I have been impressed with the temp holding ability so far. I'm about 2 hours in and still at 235 with only minor adjustments in the dampers. The stack is now fully open and the fire box about a half inch open. I'll need to pick up some wood this weekend and try her again. That and a nice Boston. I found a restaurant supply store that has them of 1.80 a LB :) 

Rest assured I will take the advice to heart. I'll let you all know how it turns out..... 

Thank you again.

OGF

OH BTW what temp do you smoke your brisket at?


----------



## remmy700p

By the way, where are you reading chamber temps at?


----------



## oldgamefreak

IMG_1584.JPG



__ oldgamefreak
__ Sep 25, 2014






Pic will probably show it better :) 

The thing I thought odd was at times the OEM thermo was showing a but lower than the digital. But when I put them in boiling water they were all about the same


----------



## whiskeyboyz

I have always been taught to always leave the stack completely open at all times. If you want to cook for 10-12 hours on a brisket at 235 that is up to you. I smoke my briskets at 350-375 Hot and Fast with the same result. only thing is I put it in an aluminum throw away pan, add some beer and apple juice, still gets the smoke ring, When it reaches 150-160 degrees internal temp, Cover it with foil, after another 2-3 hours check the temp. I usully pull mine off the smoker at around 205 internal temp. let it rest - meat temp will raise 5-7 degrees while resting. Slice and save the juices in the pan for Au jus.


----------



## dd mau

I originally used the high temp felt to seal the fire box but it burned up!! The Rutland seal calk did the job for me on sealing the gaps on the fire box door, I also caulked the opening between the firebox and the unit itself, no leaks!!


----------



## oldgamefreak

I use the felt on the main cook chamber and more of a woven rope type seal on the firebox. + rutlands on anything that might leak air.


----------



## vonseggeren

I also made the mistake of buying that hunk of garbage. There are all kinds of retrofit videos on YouTube that may help you improve it a bit. My recommendation is to buy a nice diamond cut off wheel for your hand grinder and cut it up for scrap.


----------



## remmy700p

VonSeggeren said:


> I also made the mistake of buying that hunk of garbage. There are all kinds of retrofit videos on YouTube that may help you improve it a bit. My recommendation is to buy a nice diamond cut off wheel for your hand grinder and cut it up for scrap.


So, you signed up to the forum and your first post is to simply bash a smoker that plenty of us are turning out great BBQ on?? WTF is wrong with you?


----------



## 5oclocksomewher

VonSeggeren said:


> I also made the mistake of buying that hunk of garbage. There are all kinds of retrofit videos on YouTube that may help you improve it a bit. My recommendation is to buy a nice diamond cut off wheel for your hand grinder and cut it up for scrap.




Ya that's pretty poor post.  While I don't own one, a lot of folks here do, and are proud of their Pit and the Q it turns out.  Hope to hear better posts in the future.  People on this forum try to stay positive.  There's enough negativity everywhere else in this world.  We don't need it here. :goodluck:


----------



## dtj16

I have one and love it.  Only prob is it's beginning to rust on the firebox and I got some work to do to fix that? Any tips greatly appreciated.  Should I clean w/ naval jelly first before sanding or sand first, naval, then repaint?


----------



## remmy700p

dtj16 said:


> I have one and love it. Only prob is it's beginning to rust on the firebox and I got some work to do to fix that? Any tips greatly appreciated. Should I clean w/ naval jelly first before sanding or sand first, naval, then repaint?


It's probably just discoloration from the heat. Keep a couple cans of high-temp BBQ paint (or brake caliper paint from an auto supply store) and just give it a respray every 2-3 smokes. After it has cooled, spray all over (inside and outside) with a heavy coat of Pam non-stick cooking spray and give it a good wipedown. That's what I've been doing with mine and it looks great. The high-temp Rustoleum BBQ paint is a helluva lot more color/temp stable than the baked on enamel that it comes with.


----------



## dtj16

Thx Remmy.  I also have flaking on the right inside of the cook chamber where the CC and Firebox are connected.  Is there any paint I can spray the inside if the CC  with or just sand and re-season w/ oil?  Also have some flaking or build up of something on the lid.  I read it's prob carbon build up and not flaking. Any experience w/ this before? Thx


----------



## dtj16

I'll get a few pics tomorrow if my description isn't clear.


----------



## remmy700p

There's a company called VHT that makes high-temp paint applications, i.e. for brake calipers, headers, etc. It's high quality stuff and their "Flame Proof" line is perfect for these applications. The only difficulty is that they require a "curing" process, so it's best to disassemble the firebox, spray it, and bake it in its separate pieces.

Frankly, I have had great results with just the rattle can of Rustoleum flat black BBQ paint. After it has dried, I spray the surfaces liberally with Pam or some other cooking spray and rub it into the paint. Seasons nicely.


----------



## whiskeyboyz

I own 4 offset smokers and have been teaching BBQ101 classes for 4 years. I have never had to seal up a smoker. Raise the charcoal grid up higher in the fire box, use Hardwood lump charcoal and keep your fire hot. My Baffles have been proven to even out the temps in the smoke chambers of Brinkmann Smoke and Pits, LTE's, chargrillers, charbroilers, New Brumsfelds and the new Oklahoma Joes. Gauge your temps by placing a couple of cheap oven thermometers inside the cooking chamber  to see how accurate you cookers thermometer is. Offset smokers are like running a car engine - they have to breathe in and exhaust properly to run right.

SMOKE ON!!!   KickAssBBQSouth.com


----------



## remmy700p

Just installed two River Country professional thermos (RC-T34FC) in my TMLE to replace the cheap so-so Brinkmann thermos from Home Depot. They were $36 for the pair (no tax, no shipping) from Amazon. They have a nice 3" dial face and 4" probes. I had to pick up a step bit from HF as they require a 13/16" hole to install.













IMG_20141004_154909_849.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Oct 4, 2014


----------



## smokeymoake

My sojourn began in June when I replaced a Brinkmann Gas Grill that served us well for many years, was rebuilt several times but finally faded away. I had decided I wanted to go back to Charcoal, wandered  into Home Depot and purchased this. $119.00













ed15c626-fcd0-48a4-b58c-fdf3ee5bd07a_400.jpg



__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014






A Smoker/Grill. My intentions were to try some smoking and I always grill. I have had a smoker type grill in the past. It did not have an offset box. but was a drum with a stack and you could pile up charcoal at one end to cook indirect. I did some Ribs, a couple of Turkeys, some Briskets and lots of Steaks and Stuff on the grill.













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__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014






We turned out some nice food. I was using it all the time, then I found my way on to these Smoking websites and really started to get the bug.

I realized This unit was flimsy, very hard to keep regulated, the grates were very thin and warping and I wanted a better unit.

I also did not want to spend upwards of $500.00 I started to check out the Brinkmann Trailmaster LE. Home Depot had them for $299.00.

Significantly larger, much heavier, lots of nice features. Right in my price range. After minimal whining about the first one I bought, they offered me a $100.00 off the new one.













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__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014






I did some of the suggested modifications. Made a fire basket, Sealed the fire box, and added Tuning Plates













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__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014






Those plate are 1/8 inch thick. I can maintain temperature pretty well.

We really enjoy it. It does just what I want. I grill on just the firebox all the time. It will easily hold 6 steaks. I often use the main chamber for indirect cooking, not really smoking like a roast to 140 internal and sear on the firebox. All in all completely satisfied.

Nice Ribs













059.JPG



__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014






Juicy Brisket













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__ smokeymoake
__ Nov 15, 2014






This has become an enjoyable hobby the whole family can enjoy!


----------



## gary s

looks good


----------



## capedawg

I have been very satisfied with the Brinkmann Trailmaster LE. It's been several years since I had an offset stick burner. I've been using a propane smoker for a few years. Did the tuning plates. Still need to finish the fire box. I think that will help with the high wood consumption.


----------



## smokering90

I ordered the kit for this smoker on bbq gaskets, does anyone know if  this kit comes with the rtv?


----------



## oldgamefreak

No I know the kit I got didn't have it. I got mine from Amazon


----------



## bratsrt10

Thanks for all the good advice.


----------



## oaksmoker

Hello all! what a great website, chock full of amazing info!! I just recently purchased this smoker from HD and am currently doing these mods now...i.e. sealing up fire box, charcoal basket, gaskets around both lids. I do have a question for all. I see a lot of people using either the aluminum or galvanized for the 90 degree elbow inside the cooking chamber. What is my alternative to these two? I donot want to use the galvanized elbow and questionable about the aluminum elbow with it heating up. Any suggestions on what people have used or just skip the elbow part all together? Many thanks!


----------



## misterc01

I have a char griller, and the aluminum works fine. It shows smoke/oil residue as expected, but there is no evidence heat marks, so I doubt it is a problem.  I ran a couple of  smoke without and then and then with it, and having it in does make a difference - much more  evident smoke rings for one. As for sealing , I made sure to use food safe FDA approve high temp caulk.


----------



## remmy700p

The 4" aluminum 90 degree elbow works perfect. After a few uses, it takes on a nice patina too... mine's a deep black now!













IMG_20141130_120903092.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Nov 30, 2014






You can see the temperature probe port in the lower left...


----------



## oaksmoker

Nice...but I am wondering what the health effects of heating up that aluminum elbow is? Definitely not going with the galvanized elbow. I used the high temp rtv silicone gasket maker from advanced auto.


----------



## remmy700p

Oaksmoker said:


> Nice...but I am wondering what the health effects of heating up that aluminum elbow is? Definitely not going with the galvanized elbow.


That'd be zero. 1. It doesn't get that hot, 2. aluminum isn't going to outgas anything even if it DID get hot, and 3. gases that get in contact with it are on their way out of the pit anyway.

You're overthinking this. I use a modified two-ply aluminum cookie sheet as my heat baffle.













IMG_20140703_135841_920.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jul 3, 2014


----------



## oaksmoker

10-4. Just making sure that its safe to heat up these aluminum elbows. I see a post earlier of someone using the straight dryer offset connector but I see most people using the 90 degree elbow. I will probably get me the 90 degree one from HD. What gauge sheet metal you suggest? I see people using 22-gauge. thanks for the reply!


----------



## remmy700p

Get this one:  http://www.homedepot.com/p/Deflect-o-4-in-Aluminum-90-Degree-Elbow-DE904/100089524

To install, snip a whole bunch of 1" slits in the ribbed end, wedge it through the exhaust stack's mounting hole (you'll have to squeeze it into an oval shape to get it through...), and fold the snipped edges back. Snip away any of the tabs that are occluding the mounting holes, then mount the exhaust stack. It should look like this just before you install the stack:













2013-06-12_13-03-08_763.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013






Some folks felt the need to apply a sealant around this before installing the stack. I didn't and have zero leaks.


----------



## misterc01

I use the heck out of guardian Service aluminum cookware. The FDA certified it a safe, so I don't there is anything to worry about, plus it is not subject to direct heat.


----------



## cpfitness

OldGameFreak said:


> Thanks for the quick reply!!! I actually just added a chimney of lit coals to the basket of unlit coals. I probably didn't let them SIT long enough before I added them on. They were probably still a bit hotter then they should have been.
> 
> I do have to admit I have been impressed with the temp holding ability so far. I'm about 2 hours in and still at 235 with only minor adjustments in the dampers. The stack is now fully open and the fire box about a half inch open. I'll need to pick up some wood this weekend and try her again. That and a nice Boston. I found a restaurant supply store that has them of 1.80 a LB :)
> 
> Rest assured I will take the advice to heart. I'll let you all know how it turns out.....
> 
> Thank you again.
> 
> OGF
> 
> OH BTW what temp do you smoke your brisket at?


When I use minion method with this smoker I don't add a full chimney of lit coals to the basket, I add maybe at best a half of a chimney.  I need to get a couple more pieces of sheet metal, I only have 3, one laying on an angle next to the firebox and the other 2 right up against those.  I am not getting balanced temps but I do get consistent temps.  I am usually around 250-275 on the firebox side and 225-250 on the chimney side.  this doesn't bother me because I'm often doing some chicken and sausage which I can do on the hot side, and the ribs, pork butt, roast, or whatever on the cooler side.


----------



## jjc16415

Remmy700P - can you post some close ups of your baffle?  I'd like to know how you secured it in the inner chamber.  Thanks!


----------



## remmy700p

jjc16415 said:


> Remmy700P - can you post some close ups of your baffle?  I'd like to know how you secured it in the inner chamber.  Thanks!


Here you go (I slid the grate out some so you could see it):













IMG_20141222_133257419.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Dec 22, 2014


















IMG_20141222_133324488.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Dec 22, 2014






I drilled a hole at the top corners of the sheet and used short lengths of wire wrapped around the last bar of the grate to hang it. I used the same wire used on bonsai trees; it is very flexible and can be bent over and over again without breaking. Works great.


----------



## jjc16415

Thank you so much, the amount of info that you posted in this thread alone is awesome and has helped me tune my brinkmann.  Good job and well done!


----------



## remmy700p

That's why I do it! Glad it's helped you. I've learned a lot from the kind folks here as well.


----------



## snowrider

BigBlueSmoker said:


> So, I've been having some issues with sealing the lid area of the firebox and wanted to see what everyone else is doing to seal theirs.
> 
> I've tried the silicone rout so far and that basically burned off the first time through. I just went with the Nomex self adhesive high temp gasket but haven't had a chance to try it yet. I have a feeling it won't resist the high heat of that area so im looking for a plan B just incase.
> 
> I was thinking about the Rutland 2k degree cement with the flat gasket rope.  Has anyone had any success with that? I've seen it where people have also riveted the rope instead of using the cement.
> 
> Any suggestions would be appreciated!



I used the Rutland 2k cement and flat ribbon fire retardant rope with good results. Have to replace it sometimes but I'm ok with that.
Also I put small toggle clamps in the firebox lid to press it down.


----------



## glennmc

Anybody ever seen or retro-fitted themselves a pellet burner to a Brinkmann BTLE?


----------



## mossberg531

Anybody burn mini logs only in their Brinkman Trailmaster Limited Edition? Kind of like a stick burner.


----------



## glennmc

What do you mean by "mini logs"?


----------



## mossberg531

GlennMc said:


> What do you mean by "mini logs"?


----------



## mossberg531

Mossberg531 said:


>


http://www.westernbbqproducts.com/mini-logs.html


----------



## z-man

I use those all the time.  get them from Outdoor world in orlando.  The only problem I have had with them is they burn fast.  You will go thru quite a bit of them on a long smoke.  I usually supplement them with a large chunk of oak in my minion box.


----------



## oaksmoker

A big thanks to all who have put up priceless and valuable information about this smoker. I have done most mods so far. Seasoned smoker with bacon/turkey grease last week. :o) Did chicken legs for the first cook. Came out nice. Had to watch the fire because my smoke would fluctuate between thick white and thin blue... using mainly oak and hickory with a few cherry chunks towards the end of the cook...but i'm learning more and more about burns/temps/woods/air...etc..etc..many thanks to all who have helped. Here are a few pics...













20141228_105300.jpg



__ oaksmoker
__ Feb 4, 2015


















20150110_105623.jpg



__ oaksmoker
__ Feb 4, 2015


















20150131_150611.jpg



__ oaksmoker
__ Feb 4, 2015


















20150131_150638.jpg



__ oaksmoker
__ Feb 4, 2015


















20150131_150633.jpg



__ oaksmoker
__ Feb 4, 2015


----------



## gary s

Great Job !   Mods look good, Chicken even better

Gary


----------



## oaksmoker

a few more pics..Big thanks also goes out to k-ray on youtube for posting excellent how-to videos.













20150105_165336.jpg



__ oaksmoker
__ Feb 4, 2015






the plates...













20150128_163957.jpg



__ oaksmoker
__ Feb 4, 2015






my oak stack. Fresh cut logs on top, older logs on bottom.













20150110_104640.jpg



__ oaksmoker
__ Feb 4, 2015






bacon/turkey grease..MMMM


----------



## gary s

I know you are getting excited now !

gary


----------



## oldgamefreak

Nice man, I enjoy the hell out of mine also. You'll get the more smoke when the new logs catch fire. I've never had it cause an issue or negativity effect the taste of my Q. Even the big guys have to deal with it so I don't concern myself with it.


----------



## smokering90

Looks good, I've done a couple smokes on mine and I love it, working on the tuning plates now, have you noticed pretty consistent temps with the tuning plates?


----------



## oldgamefreak

I have the same plates in mine and I hold about 4 degrees across the chamber.


----------



## oaksmoker

thanks all! wow that's great to hear! I have 1/4 steel plates.


----------



## smokeymoake

I really like mine too, except it looks like this now!













image.jpg



__ smokeymoake
__ Feb 4, 2015


----------



## oaksmoker

I have only smoked legs on it once, so I couldn't really tell you if the temps are consistent or not, nor do I have a thermometer yet. I bet that some of the veterans could answer that question.


----------



## twoalpha

Going to try this out on the old Brinkman. May bring it back to life.


----------



## meltyface

I need a little help.  Does anyone know what I can use, or where I can buy something to control the heat in my smoker better.  I tried making a makeshift tuning plate out of foil but that prevented a lot of heat from even getting into the chamber.  I am wanting to cook a whole pig but the SFB area is way hotter than the chimney side.  I know this is a known problem, I just need a fix to this, so that I can get fairly even HIGH heats and smoke throughout.  Thank you.


----------



## into cooks

Found this thread and is very helpful because i will be getting my  tmle this week from the thumb of Michigan  .been smoking my whole life and like the challenge of traditional smoking. Most of my techniques are red neckish. Figure as u go. Wanted to get a stick smoker that was decent but made u work   .something that made the beer taste goood. Actually picked this unit before reading this blog. Is there any additional advice that anyone can give me beyond what has been written. Everyone always has a tweek or two. Appreciate any responses


----------



## misterc01

Take your time and experiment, Not all the "advice" works for everyone. Play with it and your fuel sources, etc. have fun!


----------



## into cooks

misterc01 said:


> Take your time and experiment, Not all the "advice" works for everyone. Play with it and your fuel sources, etc. have fun!


----------



## into cooks

Surely half the fun.sucks waiting for better temperatures here in Michigan. Whopping 12 degrees here with a 10 mph wind


----------



## rookiesmoker18

There are a lot of mods that can be done on that smoker  to make it perform  better. Just by searching this site you should be able to find a lot of info. Also kickassbbqsouth.com  they sell a baffle which is supposed to help even out temps. Got one myself but too cold outside to try yet.

      Good luck.


----------



## into cooks

Appreciate the advice.son in law a steel worker with great skills. He will also enjoy the experimentations invoved to get it efficient. Allready pissed that i didnt let him build me one   hes to busy and i want it now. Has anyone out there experimented with adding anither stack on the firebox side to make it a reverse flow?


----------



## into cooks

Does anyone know anything about the man law thermometers. Ordered 2 for this tmle. Will also have maverick 732.


----------



## jwg299

so this thread has been going on for a while now and it's very helpful, but is it possible for someone to list all the mods and give specifics in 1 post?

This way anyone can use that post as a template.


----------



## smokering90

JWG299 the mods i have done are:

charcoal basket 12x12x6 inches,

gasket and toggle clamp set from bbqgaskets.com

also the fiberglass rope gasket between the firebox halves from the same website,

a 90 degree aluminum elbow bought at home depot.

some say to upgrade the thermometers but i have a maverick and just use that

for a baffle and tuning plates. my baffle is 14.5x8 in and the rest of my tuning plates are 14.5x6 inches all of 1/4 in steel.

this should get you started in the right direction I'm sure others will chime in


----------



## smokeymoake

I made a charcoal basket, sealed the firebox halves with high temp silicone, and made tuning plates and a baffle out of 1/8 in plate. All pictured earlier in this thread.

I didn't see a need for clamps and gaskets as my doors let barley a wisp of smoke out. 

The thermometer is accurate for it's placement. I use a Maverick as well.


----------



## gary s

Sounds like you have a very good smoker,  only thing left it the TBS

Gary


----------



## everythingsmoke

I got mine last year and have done some pretty good ribs and a brisket.  I've done all the mods but every time I add more wood I get the dreaded white smoke.  I know it needs more oxygen so I open the firebox door to get the fire up and burn down some and then I'll get that TBS for about 15 to 20 mins and then its time to add more wood and then it starts all over again.  I add wood every 45 to 1 hr at a time.  I've messed with different types of wood and the process is still the same.  Not quite sure what I need to do differently.  Any ideas?


----------



## oldgamefreak

You'll get the white smoke but it's never been an issue that I can tell. It happens but won't last long. My old roommate in KC was a pit master at one of the local joints and you would get the smoke every time they added wood also. I use oak and never had a taste issue.


----------



## timbercook

Have you checked out the "Horizon Offset Barrel Smokers"? They are constructed out of 1/4" steel, some models have a sliding convection plate (controls heat better). The model that I'm buying (around late April) is the 16" model with the sliding convection plate, weighs about 340 lbs. and costs around $1200 (in Canada).


----------



## smokering90

try putting your wood on top pf the firebox to warm it up, i do that and one the wood has slight char marks i know its ready, catches fire immediately and you may or may not have any white smoke


----------



## gary s

The more you smoke the easier it gets  I will throw my splits on top of the fire box for a while  Just remember they get HOT  !!!

Gary


----------



## everythingsmoke

Tks guys I'll try warming them up on top first and I'll try not to freak out at the first sight of white smoke.  I also use a UDS with charcoal and a few pieces of wood and get the TBS with it, I'm just trying to master an offset with all wood too.


----------



## jwg299

smokering90 said:


> JWG299 the mods i have done are:
> 
> charcoal basket 12x12x6 inches,
> 
> gasket and toggle clamp set from bbqgaskets.com
> 
> also the fiberglass rope gasket between the firebox halves from the same website,
> 
> a 90 degree aluminum elbow bought at home depot.
> 
> some say to upgrade the thermometers but i have a maverick and just use that
> 
> for a baffle and tuning plates. my baffle is 14.5x8 in and the rest of my tuning plates are 14.5x6 inches all of 1/4 in steel.
> 
> this should get you started in the right direction I'm sure others will chime in


I thank you for listing that. It makes it easier for those who are new to the TLE to determine what they need to do.

I've had mine for over a year and I did a baffle plate, raised my charcoal grate in the firebox, use a flex tube extension in my chimney down to cooking grate level, added 2 thermos at opposite ends so I can gauge temps from end to end, and placed small paver bricks about the size of red bricks, wrapped in foil in the bottom of my smoker. I did this because I live in Ohio and I cook all year round. This helps to stablize temps in the cooker when it's cold and allows me to burn less wood and charcoal when it's warm. When the bricks heat up they hold their temp for a long time. I wrap them in foil so when I need to drain my smoker I can easily take the foil off of them and put new foil on as oppose to having to clean the bricks.


----------



## badjackson

Hey guys, I'm real new & had a general question, but since I'm going to buy a BTLE, this is as good of place as any to ask it. 

How do I do a "cure" or seasoning of the smoker? How hot? Just charcoal? Do I need to put a fire in the main cooking area too? 

I plan on having all the materials ready to do the mods as I assemble it, then cure it the next day (so the silicon is fully cured) then maybe it's madien smoke that afternoon or the next day. 

Thanks.


----------



## smokering90

when i did my cure i coated it completely with vegetable oil then got about half a chimney lit of charcoal, putt in and let it ride for about 30 minutes just to let everything warm up, then i added 3 good size splits and got a really hot fire going and just let it burn itself down to nothing. all in all it was about 4-5 hours


----------



## badjackson

K. Thanks


----------



## ltat42

BadJackson -

I used this to season mine. http://www.lowes.com/pd_361265-34228-FT.LCIM20S.U.20_0__?productId=3604156&Ntt=

hth


----------



## badjackson

Just start a big ass fire with charcoal and let it go 'til it dies???


----------



## jwg299

BadJackson said:


> Hey guys, I'm real new & had a general question, but since I'm going to buy a BTLE, this is as good of place as any to ask it.
> 
> How do I do a "cure" or seasoning of the smoker? How hot? Just charcoal? Do I need to put a fire in the main cooking area too?
> 
> I plan on having all the materials ready to do the mods as I assemble it, then cure it the next day (so the silicon is fully cured) then maybe it's madien smoke that afternoon or the next day.
> 
> Thanks.


It's a simple process.

Get some oil in the spray can and spray the entire inside of the cooking chamber and firebox, racks included, and put all the racks in the cooking chamber.

place an entire 6 to 10 pound bag of charcoal in the fire box to burn. get it to 275 for about 2 hrs and then try and get it to 400 for 2hrs.

after all charcoal has burned out and the smoker has cooled spray a light coating of oil on the outside of the smoker.

If you plan on keeping it under a tarp and you live in an area that goes through the 4 seasons, remember to spray it after each use when it has cooled before you place the tarp or cover on it. This helps to slow or prevent rusting of the firebox and other parts.


----------



## badjackson

THAT... was what I was looking for. 
Thank You for an answer that gave me some direction.


----------



## hitmanaction

Finally got my trailmaster together with the gasket and latch kit from justin @ bbq smoker mods













IMG_0291.JPG



__ hitmanaction
__ Mar 16, 2015


















IMG_0293.JPG



__ hitmanaction
__ Mar 16, 2015


















IMG_0294.JPG



__ hitmanaction
__ Mar 16, 2015


















IMG_0295.JPG



__ hitmanaction
__ Mar 16, 2015






Prepping for seasoning













IMG_0298.JPG



__ hitmanaction
__ Mar 16, 2015






Wood rack stocked and ready













IMG_0314.JPG



__ hitmanaction
__ Mar 16, 2015






all i am waiting on is the charcoal basket and deflector plate from Justin


----------



## gary s

Nice, Looks Great.   One thing check the vent you have extending down to the grate  you may wind up with stale smoke, that may need to be raised about half way,  

gary


----------



## smokering90

Looks really good


----------



## smokeymoake

Hey hitmanaction, I see one real problem with your set up. There is nothing cooking on it!


----------



## hitmanaction

gary s said:


> Nice, Looks Great.   One thing check the vent you have extending down to the grate  you may wind up with stale smoke, that may need to be raised about half way,
> 
> gary


ill get that fixed this weekend.


----------



## hitmanaction

Smokeymoake said:


> Hey hitmanaction, I see one real problem with your set up. There is nothing cooking on it


I agree, but i decided to wait to get my first cook done until i get the charcoal basket and deflector plate. Once i have them ill be smoking every weekend.


----------



## gary s

Hitman,  Some people will extend their stack down as you did but usually have an upper and lower grate and they go to the top grate. By going down as you have your you will wind up with stale smoke and won't like the taste of your food. What a lot of people are doing is putting a plenum on the end half way which seems to work really well. My stack on my RF is on top and only extends down about 2"

Just a little more explanation so you will know

Gary


----------



## hitmanaction

gary s said:


> Hitman,  Some people will extend their stack down as you did but usually have an upper and lower grate and they go to the top grate. By going down as you have your you will wind up with stale smoke and won't like the taste of your food. What a lot of people are doing is putting a plenum on the end half way which seems to work really well. My stack on my RF is on top and only extends down about 2"
> 
> Just a little more explanation so you will know
> 
> Gary


Thanks for the Info Gary


----------



## gary s

No problem

Gary


----------



## luv2fish

Anyone found a good way to mark the position of the tuning plates inside the smoker?


----------



## hitmanaction

Gary,

I finally got around to cutting the stack this afternoon.














IMG_0323[1].JPG



__ hitmanaction
__ Mar 21, 2015


----------



## smokering90

wait a minute... that stack extension is not the silvery color it once was...that means you've cooked since your last post, how'd it go?


----------



## gary s

Good, Be waiting on the next smoke and see it it goes a little better

Gary


----------



## hitmanaction

smokering90 said:


> wait a minute... that stack extension is not the silvery color it once was...that means you've cooked since your last post, how'd it go?



 Not cooking on it yet, just seasoning it and finding and covering the small leaks


----------



## eaglesmoker

I have the exact mods on order. Getting ready to do some smoking soon. I'm curious how he attached the extension?


----------



## hitmanaction

EagleSmoker said:


> I have the exact mods on order. Getting ready to do some smoking soon. I'm curious how he attached the extension?


I used a 4" Dryer starter collar and a 4" hose clamp to hold the flexible vent onto the collar.


----------



## misterc01

On target comment.  Experimented with the extension in my Char Griller by varying the height above the grill. I found that about 2 1/2" above grate level worked best in my application.


----------



## greywolf1

Hog rings wound work fantastic for putting those baskets together , you can get those and the pliers at any farm supply store for fairly cheap


----------



## quicksmokinq

OK - I have read many different opinions on what you should use for sealing up the fire box (and other pieces)...with many talking about using Rutland 500 degree application, but I know the fire box will burn at LEAST around 650 degrees.  I have found a few different options, but wasn't sure about whether or not it mattered if something dried hard or not? 

I found a fireplace mortar that says it can be used in applications up to 2,000 degrees.  I am still trying to find out more on the food safety side, but the drying is more my question for now as most of what I find that can support the heat on the firebox talks about drying hard as a rock!?  Any help would be appreciated!  Thanks!


----------



## eaglesmoker

Go to Bbqsmokermods.com. They will have mods specific to what you own including a gasket to help seal it. I ordered mine last week.


----------



## misterc01

Once again - you can get USDA approved food safe  high temp silicon sealer that will go  to at least 600 degrees. I got mine from eBay inexpensively. You can get small tubes or in caulking gun size. I have used it on three  Smokers and it works great. For the lids - I put on a decent 1/4 inch or so bead, then line the other side with wax [paper and lower the lid. The silicon forms itself to the lid, the wax paper peels off easily and voila a custom leak proof long lasting gasket.


----------



## smokering90

For in-between the fire box halves and where the firebox connects to the cooking chamber, i have the rope gasket and it works perfectly, no leaks whatsoever. and as far as the lid, once you get it up to temp i don't see a reason to have a seal around the lid there are no leaks for me.


----------



## quicksmokinq

Yes, I am talking about the in between the fire box halves, not the lids.  Was it the rope gasket that comes with a tube of adhesive?  Something like what was mentioned earlier from here:  http://www.bbqsmokermods.com/product-p/fbr-pl-125-625-rtv.htm

I just don't want to use something that burns away in between the fire box halves so that I have to replace it!  :)  I live in the Northeast (limited time to smoke anyway) and I am lazy so taking it apart and re-doing anything would be a bummer!


----------



## smokering90

That will do the trick


----------



## misterc01

The high temp caulk will do the trick with no disassembly. I have done it on both of mine and easy, no leaks. You can even paint it (spray) to match grill if desired. On mine, the amount of leakage between the lid and body of the grill is too minor to bother with. Good luck!


----------



## sprntkrzy

I would like to know how many slabs St. Louis style ribs will fit on the Brinkman cooking surface?  How many can be smoked if put in racks?


----------



## smokering90

Depending on how trimmed they are you could easily fit 9 racks, I'm not sure if they are put in racks


----------



## smokeymoake

There's three baby backs and a packer, with a ton more room.













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__ smokeymoake
__ Mar 30, 2015


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Mar 30, 2015


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Mar 30, 2015






That's what I'm talkin about!


----------



## rawchew

Hi folks I have a great smoker I'm needing to sell if anyone knows some one looking for a great buy here it is Brinkman 109 inch on double axle new wheels and tires $6,500.00 816-665-4549


----------



## rawchew

Hi folks I have a great smoker I'm needing to sell if anyone knows some one looking for a great buy here it is Brinkman 109 inch on double axle new wheels and tires 













image.jpg



__ rawchew
__ Apr 1, 2015


----------



## adamstonad

Check out my video. I think you guys will see some mods you like. Since the video was made,  I have added a horizon plate. Highly recommend it.


----------



## gary s

Interesting


----------



## quicksmokinq

Getting ready to put my Oklahoma Joe Longhorn together today.  I have been trying to find the best method for sealing in between the two fire box halves, but having found nothing perfect it occurred to me - why don't I just have it welded and be permanent.  Is there some reason that this would be a bad idea?  I haven't heard anyone suggest it on here is what makes me ask, but hoping it will be a good move??  Thanks in advance for any feedback!!


----------



## misterc01

Once again - you can get USDA approved food safe  high temp silicon sealer that will go  to at least 600 degrees. I got mine from eBay inexpensively. You can get small tubes or in caulking gun size. I have used it on three  Smokers and it works great. You can apply before you attaché the SFB, or seal it after. Cheaper than welding.  Interested to find out how that goes and cost.


----------



## quicksmokinq

I picked up my firebox from the welder last night and it looks great!  Have to give it to my Dad who suggested I look into welding it before moving forward with the other options.  Obviously I won't know anything until I light her up the first time, but for $75 bucks I am happy with the first step so far.  I added a few pics below of the end product in case you want to take a look:













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__ quicksmokinq
__ Apr 7, 2015


















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__ quicksmokinq
__ Apr 7, 2015






Now I just need to decide which gasket (or sealant) to use in between the firebox and smoker body and it's time to light a fire and make some Q!!!


----------



## smokering90

Why don't you weld the firebox to the cook chamber as well?


----------



## gary s

Nice, I'll be watching

Gary


----------



## quicksmokinq

I considered it, but I was worried with the heat needed (on the outside like that) it would destroy too much of the paint and I wanted to try and save that original paint for as long as possible.  If it becomes an actual issue where I can't find a good seal otherwise though, that is exactly where I am heading!


----------



## smokering90

I have the rope gasket between mine and it works very well. But it the paint is your biggest fear I say go for it then just touch up the paint, you're gonna have to touch up your paint on the firebox on occasion anyways


----------



## lycokayaker

Hey Gang

Im new to the forum and even greener to smoking.....  I am looking at buying this grill/smoker with the plan to use it as a charcoal grill main section put charcoal in bottom on the racks and down the road try to learn the craft of smoking my food.   Is this a dumb idea?  I love the size of the grill/smoker and don't want to buy another setup down the road when I want to play around with smoking every now and then....  Will I for some reason kill the grill using it as a standard charcoal grill is it not worth it for that?  Help me out please....


----------



## smokeymoake

I use my firebox as a grill all the time. Prolly more than I use the main chamber for smoking.

It's big I can easily fit 12 NY strips, 20+ burgers, you get the idea. Then the main chamber will stay nice. Plus you can use it for the "reverse sear" method of grilling or a hot area off the direct fire.

This is a great and versatile machine for the money.

Here is a nice "reverse sear" tenderloin 













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__ smokeymoake
__ Apr 7, 2015


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Apr 7, 2015


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Apr 7, 2015


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Apr 7, 2015






If you look at that picture of that hunk of meat being seared, there is enough room for 5 of those.


----------



## lycokayaker

so I guess my question is the big part of the grill are you putting charcoal in or are you using the side piece to run your charcoal for just standard grilling?  Are you doing this to keep the big part free of ash?


----------



## smokeymoake

I never put any coal in the cooking chamber. Don't need to. I just use the firebox for grilling.


----------



## lycokayaker

thats great to hear that you don't need to.... does cooking it that way seem slower than a traditional charcoal grill in cooking time?   Sorry for the dumb questions.   Love the look of this grill want to be able to use it as a charcoal grill 80% of the time and 20% smoke with it.  I also don't want to extend my cooking times if I am going to use it as a charcoal grill.


----------



## smokeymoake

Cook slow? Does that picture look like a slow fire?

For me the firebox is plenty big as a grill.

Plus with that ash drawer, it's very easy to clean.


----------



## lycokayaker

Bear with me..... I come from the land of gas grills......  I know its a nasty word.  I am here because I want switch over and use charcoal and smoking methods and know neither about both.


----------



## smokeymoake

If you go back and read some of my older posts, some right in this thread, you will see that I also came off a 10 or so year gas run. Went back to charcoal just last spring. Been through two smokers in one summer. 

I use the grill 70% of the time. Unless your cooking for a team, it's plenty big for my family of five and our friends too.


----------



## lycokayaker

cool thanks man,  The whole thing is new to me.....  I was lost when you said you used the firebox for grilling...  I am assuming running just charcoal and cooking in food in the main chamber....  I will head back to the beginning of the thread and reread it all.  Thanks!


----------



## misterc01

My same standard boring answer - but high temp FD approved silicon sealer is outstanding - handles temps  in excess of 600 degrees, easy to use, can be removed and replaced easily of you  wan to paint, or just paint over it. Since the SFB is mated to the grill, it makes a leak proof seal as well. I have used it on al three of my grills and smokers and  works like a charm - inexpensive  on eBsy.


----------



## misterc01

I use my gas grill or, when visiting  my Mom hers, to smoke with problems. You do  get much easier  zone control heating since you can only use the burner(s) that  let you match the temp, and not hard to get a chip box on the burner for the smoke. If making a move to charcoal and looking for a starter system, I used and modified a Char Griller Side Fire Box for a mini smoker to see if I even liked smoking meats, and after finding out I do, I moved y up to a used Smokin' Pros (I like the Char Grillers construction) for a low cost entry system and have been learning on it. So, with less than $100 investment I  can smoke easily.


----------



## eaglesmoker

I'm looking at adding the Horizon convection plate to my Brinkman. Do I get the 16" or 20"? Also do you have to do any modification to it? I've seen other posts and pictures where people placed plates on top of the holes. Any information would greatly be appreciated.


----------



## quicksmokinq

From what I understand you want the 16" plate for the Brinkmann - when you go to the Horizon site I believe they reference the smokers that each plate is good for to help as well.  And if you can get one of their service reps on the phone they are extremely helpful, but you may need to dial in a few times to reach someone in my experience.  Good luck!


----------



## oldgamefreak

I have steel plates in the bottom of mine that way I can actually TUNE mine. I keep within 5 degrees across the chamber.


----------



## eaglesmoker

Thanks for the help


----------



## altramagnus

Deleted couldn't get pics to post correctly


----------



## altramagnus

EABE8E19-3D60-4067-8E0B-CC97634C7B52_zpsmclvqbad.j



__ altramagnus
__ Apr 10, 2015


















92754107-853D-4B74-B85F-7EB37AF95FC4_zpstp8lod4t.j



__ altramagnus
__ Apr 10, 2015


















4083D9AB-E955-4888-A038-CC91B9B87D1C_zpsohemsbbw.j



__ altramagnus
__ Apr 10, 2015






Just upgraded to the BTLE, read this entire thread and added RTV to all the joints, baffle, thermos at grate level, clamps and will install the dryer vent, door felt and coal basket tomorrow. 

Seasoned it last weekend. Off this coming week so may do some ribs for her first smoke. So far I like thiis smoker.

Shawn


----------



## quicksmokinq

Did you put the RTV under your handles (around the screw holes) and warming plate screws as well?


----------



## altramagnus

QuickSmokinQ said:


> Did you put the RTV under your handles (around the screw holes) and warming plate screws as well?


Nope just the fire box halves and where it joins the cooking chamber. No need to RTV all those screws, I have absolutely no leaks from the legs, handles or chimney screws at all.

Shawn


----------



## gary s

Well fire it up so we can see some TBS

Gary


----------



## misterc01

Run some charcoal and wood thru it to s get it really smoking and then see where you have leaks. I did not have to do anything around screws, handles, etc, as well.  I did massage the lid so it closed completely and a couple gentle strategic taps here and there with a body hammer got total metal on metal when closed, then T RTV to seal entire opening. Taped  wax paper around one edge, then  RTV on the other, gently closed and let gravity get it leveled out and sealed. No leakage at all.


----------



## gary s

I did the same on my RF used Saran wrap, works great

Gary


----------



## altramagnus

I already seasoned it and the only spots were around the doors. I just installed felt today around the doors, built the coal basket and installed the dryer vent. 













C4C87CF8-43CB-4202-A9BB-BB658D180D55_zps33bw3m4q.j



__ altramagnus
__ Apr 11, 2015


















4AA23C57-EDF6-46A5-801F-12A7A4973206_zpsbkzfdli9.j



__ altramagnus
__ Apr 11, 2015


















75DD6405-23AB-4FB0-B39D-DD147B36DB13_zps6z7kllgh.j



__ altramagnus
__ Apr 11, 2015


















439687BB-41D1-4A89-B7B9-B897C9BEC0A3_zpsupkt9jvy.j



__ altramagnus
__ Apr 11, 2015


















EB522DCF-80FA-4CE0-8137-D02DE09A313D_zps0oznnyp7.j



__ altramagnus
__ Apr 11, 2015






Basket is 12x12x8

As long as the wife finds 2 racks of ribs I will be smoking ribs and baked beans tomorrow for her maiden voyage.

Shawn


----------



## burnie

realtorterry said:


> So I finally made up my mind & went with the Brinkmann horizontal smoker. I just like the horizontals. Unforunatley it's not as well built as I had hoped!! It is a good gauge but there are so MANY leaks in the firebox it smokes more than the stack!! The stock gauge is off by almost 50. Then I have to keep the firebox damper all the way close just to try & keep it at 300:( not happy at all:(


I had a Brinkmann horizontal for 12 years or so and finally burnt the bottom out. It was a good grill/smoker good thick material held heat and didn't leak. So I didn't think twice about ordering another Brinkmann, but I went with the vertical smoker. It was delivered to the house, I took it out of the box to start assembly. I knew then I had messed up, at best this piece of junk is high grade beer can. But I was a dummy and bought it, so I guess I'll use it, how ever short lived that is. First time I fired it up, leaked like a sieve. So I dug around and found a gasket kit for it. It made a significant improvement with the leaks, as well as maintaining 225F but it still is nothing more that high grade beer can material. I burn through entirely too much coal and wood, its just not thick enough to maintain a good heat retention. The gasket set might help you. I'm sure there are a lot of vendors for gasket sets, but if your interested I ordered mine from-- BBQgaskets.com --(631)648-3403      There web site left me in doubt so I called them and they fixed me up with what I needed


----------



## misterc01

Have to say I sort lucked into getting a Char Griller Pro. Started with just a Char Griller SFB that I modified into a mini smoker to see if I liked the idea of smoking meats,  and got hooked after  trying he big four - chicken, brisket, ribs and Pork Butt. What I liked about the Pro after I go that it is made of decently thick metal, and holds the heat well.   Others that shall remain nameless sound "tinny" when you tap on them and the "thicker" ones make a "thunky"  noise instead(carefully chosen scientific words). Added decent wheels to move it around, multiple temp gauges (two at great level, on at SFB grate level and the one that came with it. Lets me know temps wherever I smoke - the standard one for the top shelf. I kept the tope shelf which made the stack extension interesting toroute, but I can throw some chicken or ribs on them if I want to. And of course the previously mentioned RTV. So, good luck and  IMHO the best smoker is either the one you have,. or plan on buying, but  we learn something from all of them.


----------



## quicksmokinq

About to install the two grate level thermometers and wondered if there were any best practices or advice?  Should I use a nail punch to mark where I want to drill the hole or just drill straight in - I was a bit worried about the drill running on me.  Any other thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks!


----------



## altramagnus

QuickSmokinQ said:


> About to install the two grate level thermometers and wondered if there were any best practices or advice?  Should I use a nail punch to mark where I want to drill the hole or just drill straight in - I was a bit worried about the drill running on me.  Any other thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks!


Depends on your skills and bits. I used a bit that has a no walk tip. Went right through.

Good luck.

Shawn


----------



## misterc01

Having a start point is always  a good idea, but as Shawn said, it depends on your bit. Temp gauge location thoughts - I have mine at about the center of where I will be placing whatever I am smoking  so the probe tip is "just" above the grate when the lid is closed. I left the upper one in as it is  close to the grate level on the upper  so called bread warming rack - mine holds a slab or two of ribs with no problem. I also have one at about the grate level on my SFB to monitor the SFB temp overall, or if I ever wanted top smoke something in it. 

You can see the locations in the photo.













IMG_2390 - Copy.JPG



__ misterc01
__ Apr 14, 2015


----------



## quicksmokinq

Great, thanks for the tips and photos - they certainly help!  I have my smoker completely assembled now so this is one of my last mods and I don't want to make a mistake at this point.  Off to Home Depot for a good step drill bit!!


----------



## altramagnus

QuickSmokinQ said:


> Great, thanks for the tips and photos - they certainly help!  I have my smoker completely assembled now so this is one of my last mods and I don't want to make a mistake at this point.  Off to Home Depot for a good step drill bit!!



Good luck and take your time. Post up pics when complete.

Shawn


----------



## wadebrooks

a tube of fireplace mortar patch fixed the leaks on mine real well,   I sealed it before using it so I don't know if you would have trouble getting it to stick now or not


----------



## lycokayaker

deleted


----------



## remmy700p

QuickSmokinQ said:


> About to install the two grate level thermometers and wondered if there were any best practices or advice?  Should I use a nail punch to mark where I want to drill the hole or just drill straight in - I was a bit worried about the drill running on me.  Any other thoughts would be appreciated.  Thanks!


Place about 4-5 layers of painter's tape over your target spot. The bit will stay in place.

I installed two of the River Country Professional Series thermos which required 13/16" holes. Started the hole with a tiny bit and worked up from there, slowly.


----------



## quicksmokinq

After looking into a few options I decided not to use the step drill bit (biggest factor was they cost $45!).  Instead, I bought a 7/8" hole saw/drill bit combo unit that says it will work on metal and will be using that to make the holes I need to insert my two new thermometers.  I am going to try and start the drill on reverse to mark a dimple and then go from there, hoping that is a safe option for starting the holes.  Crossing my fingers nothing crazy happens...starting over is not an option!  HAHA


----------



## remmy700p

QuickSmokinQ said:


> After looking into a few options I decided not to use the step drill bit (biggest factor was they cost $45!).  Instead, I bought a 7/8" hole saw/drill bit combo unit that says it will work on metal and will be using that to make the holes I need to insert my two new thermometers.  I am going to try and start the drill on reverse to mark a dimple and then go from there, hoping that is a safe option for starting the holes.  Crossing my fingers nothing crazy happens...starting over is not an option!  HAHA


Harbor Freight has an inexpensive step-bit set...


----------



## smokey whaler

New to the smokingforum! But have done a little smoking on my grill. Love grilling and smoking so I purchased a Brinkmann trailmaster from BJs on sale for $249!!! Have been doing mods to it so I haven't used it yet

.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			
















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 1, 2015






















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 1, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 1, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 1, 2015


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## pete5574

What kind of latch is on the doors and where did you get?


----------



## smokey whaler

Horizontal toggle clamp from Harbor Fright 













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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 3, 2015


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## smokey whaler

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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 4, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 4, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 4, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 4, 2015


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## gary s

Nice, Looking Good

Gary


----------



## pete5574

What are the measurements for the tuning plates?


----------



## smokering90

I did mine at 6x14.5


----------



## ghostred7

Question for you all since the BTLE is on my radar....

Does anyone here actually grill on it also?  If we go this route, I'd definitely want it to pull double-duty.


----------



## smokeymoake

I grill on the fire box all the time. More often then I smoke. I can move food to the smoking chamber as needed, do reverse sears.

There is more than enough room for grilling.

Here are some Porterhouses on a reverse sear.













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__ smokeymoake
__ Jun 8, 2015






On the grill now













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__ smokeymoake
__ Jun 8, 2015


















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__ smokeymoake
__ Jun 8, 2015


----------



## smokeymoake

I fixed it!


----------



## gary s

Nice looking steaks

Gary


----------



## ghostred7

Smokeymoake said:


> I grill on the fire box all the time. More often then I smoke. I can move food to the smoking chamber as needed, do reverse sears.
> 
> There is more than enough room for grilling.
> 
> Here are some Porterhouses on a reverse sear.
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpg
> 
> 
> 
> __ smokeymoake
> __ Jun 8, 2015
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> On the grill now


Thanks!! 

I just found out that I'm hosting a July 4 party and probably going to have to direct-grill a metric s**t-ton of grub lol.  Potentially looking at cooking for the entire cul-de-sac.  I guess the question was more:  has, in your experiences, switching back & forth from using it fully as a grill across entire cooking surface to smoker across entire cooking surface, been an easy switch or a giant PITA?  I'm guessing it depends on the mods, etc and their permanence.

What are the dimensions of the firebox itself?  From vids I've seen on assembly, it looks almost as big as my currently rusting out grill (char-something 600 american something lol).


----------



## smokeymoake

OK I got the pics up, better go back and check them, but your answer is no. I only use the fire box. It will hold quite a bit. Prolly 12 strips, 15 burgers, 5 breasts, 7 thighs ( did that the other day)

I keep the smoking chamber clean from fire and ash. You can move 3/4 done food over there though.


----------



## ghostred7

Awesome, thx


----------



## smokey whaler

Just finished the my heat distribution plate!! Not bad for $18.00 and its 14g steel!!!












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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 10, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 10, 2015


----------



## philter171

that looks great and for much lower cost than purchasing a commercial made product!  details please?


----------



## smokey whaler

philter171 said:


> that looks great and for much lower cost than purchasing a commercial made product!  details please?



Thanks!! I went to my local Steel company and they had pieces of scraps( that piece was 19" X 40" for $18) so I cut it to 14 1/2" x 32" and just bended it to the the shape that I wanted which was a little difficult luckily I had a vise to put it in. Then I had to measure out where and how many holes I wanted to make
3/8 to 1/2" holes!


----------



## gary s

Looks Good, just needs dirtying up

Gary


----------



## smokeymeatchow

I had the opportunity to use the Trailmaster about 4 times, and found that it was pretty easy to use after experimenting with it. I had to smoke about 15 good sized trout at about 185. I found that it maintained this low heat by keeping the firebox damper almost wide open and adjusting my heat with the chimney pipe and starting with that almost closed, then gradually opening it up till I got to the right temp, and it seamed to work perfect. However, I also found that there is a slight temp variation between the surface of the grate and the temperature gauge which the probe of that is higher up mounted on the door. So I used a digital wireless temp reader (Redi Chek) and put that probe on the grate giving me a much more accurate reading. It didn't appear to matter much that the smoke was leaking from the firebox.....hope this helps a little.


----------



## smoke n jnp

Hi Yllib 137,

I just bought one from Home Depot. Cost $299.00


----------



## badjackson

Hey everyone, I'm back. I bought my BTLE in March, I had to take a day off yesterday to finally put it together. I'm curing it tonight & 1st smoke tomorrow. 6 racks of ribs. I'm a bit nervous. Any tips will be appreciated. I did a stack mod & sealed everything. Here she is. 












IMG_2012.JPG



__ badjackson
__ Jun 20, 2015


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## smokey whaler

Just finished smoking 4 racks of Spare Ribs!! 
for the first time( 6hrs)! They came out awesome, but I need to control my heat a little better!! Next I'm going to try whole chicken 












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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 20, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 20, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 20, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 20, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 20, 2015


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## badjackson

Well, it's not as good as I had hoped. I have some temp problems. I'm at about 265° on the right & 185° on the left.  Should I move my rib racks around? The probe on the right is not over my makeshift convection plate, a cookie sheet wired to the top right grate. So I think it's reading a bit higher than what the actual temp that the ribs are at.
You can see it in the pic












IMG_2018.JPG



__ badjackson
__ Jun 21, 2015


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## smokey whaler

BadJackson said:


> Well, it's not as good as I had hoped. I have some temp problems. I'm at about 265° on the right & 185° on the left.  Should I move my rib racks around? The probe on the right is not over my makeshift convection plate, a cookie sheet wired to the top right grate. So I think it's reading a bit higher than what the actual temp that the ribs are at.
> You can see it in the pic
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> __ badjackson
> __ Jun 21, 2015


That sucks!! I built a heat distribution plate and it worked well my right side of the pit was 250 and the left side was 225. I hope this helps 













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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 21, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 21, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 21, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 21, 2015


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## badjackson

Yeah, they didn't turn out great. They were tough... like Famous Dave's. But they tasted good! I have to make a GOOD convection plate. 
Sad.


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## motownphill

20150204_140348.jpg



__ motownphill
__ Jun 21, 2015





 put this to the winter test... not the greatest at getting above 250 in that weather. Stil did the trick but a little costly in propane since it had to run both burners at almost max for entire cook.


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## johnnyrockford

BadJackson said:


> Yeah, they didn't turn out great. They were tough... like Famous Dave's. But they tasted good! I have to make a GOOD convection plate.
> Sad.



Don't get discouraged. 6 racks of ribs is a big load for a machine that's fresh out of the box. You just have to get to know each other a little better. ;-)
I have a trailmaster and found it frustrating at first also, but after you break it in and get a few smokes in, it will get easier to manage. Before long you'll be naming it! (Mine is named Susan)
You can drive yourself crazy with mods and "fixes", so my suggestion is to just make one change at a time and enjoy the process.
Good luck to you.


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## badjackson

Thanks JohnnyRockford... I'm not too upset... just a bit. More upset with myself for getting talked into cooking for 9 people on its 1st smoke. I was so busy getting everything ready this weekend, I didn't even get to cure it like I wanted to. I got up at 6 and stared the cure. The sweet charcoal basket my buddy (pro welder) made me didn't fit. After I had the ribs on for a few... I felt I needed to add charcoal. My temps shot up to almost 280°!!!!!! I knew I was screwed. 

Any tips on cleaning the BTLE after a smoke?


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## donger22

Haven't posted in quite some time. 

Made a packer brisket a couple weekends ago. I like to separate the flat from the point to speed up the cooking time. Here are a couple pics













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__ donger22
__ Jun 24, 2015


















brisket.jpg



__ donger22
__ Jun 24, 2015


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## smokeymoake

Looks very good!


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## oldgamefreak

Badjackson. Try rib racks to get them to cook better. Also i wouldn't sweat high temps for ribs. A few of the good bbq restaurants I've talked to say they always do ribs hot.


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## rookiesmoker18

Hello all!
   Been reading a lot of these posts about problems evening out the temps on the TMLE.  I have this smoker as well and had the same problem. Tried making my own plates and deflectors with minimal success. Finally ordered a baffle plate from kick ass bbq south, worth every penny. Even temps now and using less fuel! Doesn't cost much and works great


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## badjackson

Well, I got started on ribs by accident. My grandma announced one weekend that I would be making ribs for dinner the following evening.... I had never cooked ribs in my life prior to that. I used an oven and then finished them on the grill. They were great! Since then, I have been going steadily towards smoking them in a charcoal smoker. This was my 1st attempt at that. They TASTED way better, but they were also WAY tougher! I just need to work at it a bit more. I just need to learn my BTLE and figure out how to even out the heat and keep it low. I also don't know how to estimate my smoking time. 

I have thought about putting in an extra stack in the fire box, just as a way to dump some heat. I was opening the lid thus time... I guess that worked a bit. 
I think I need to practice. 
THIS website helps A LOT!


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## thackman

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__ thackman
__ Jun 28, 2015






My new smoker after mods.


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## thackman

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__ thackman
__ Jun 28, 2015


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## thackman

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__ thackman
__ Jun 28, 2015






Finished product.


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## thackman

My TMLE  holds within 5* F end to end with the mods.


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## gary s

Ribs, Look Great, Nice Job

Gary


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## oldgamefreak

For ribs I go about 275ish and between 3-4 hours. I usually get my brisket going then add the ribs. I spritz them about every 45 min with apple juice and let them rest for 1.5 to 2 hours wrapped in a cooler. My last set I did them for a full 4 hours and when I tested it, one of the bones pulled completely out of the meat. It didn't have any meat even on it. A BIT too long but the flavor was amazing and the creations I was cooking for likes the "fall off the bone" part. What do you expect with trying to make Q for people in AZ.


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## philter171

I bought my BTLE around Memorial Day and added the silicon, rope gaskets, charcoal basket, chimney extension, and a Maverick 73 and 732.  This has been my first adventure with a smoker and I have used it several times since getting it all set up.  Here are some of the Qviews from my successful smokes, I say successful because everybody so far has loved whats come out of the smoker!!













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__ philter171
__ Jun 30, 2015


















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__ philter171
__ Jun 30, 2015


















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__ philter171
__ Jun 30, 2015


















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__ philter171
__ Jun 30, 2015


















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__ philter171
__ Jun 30, 2015


















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__ philter171
__ Jun 30, 2015


















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__ philter171
__ Jun 30, 2015


















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__ philter171
__ Jun 30, 2015


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## david824

Hey guys and hello from a newb.  I've recently gotten the aforementioned smoker and I've used it twice so far and just managed to ruin two slabs of ribs.  So I'm giving it another go this Sunday.  But my main question is in regards to a mod for this smoker.  I saw, I believe on page one of the thread about adding the fire resistant silicone to help seal the doors.  I picked up some of that today and please pardon my ignorance but not sure I've ever even used silicone before much less a caulk gun.  But my question is, I assume that when applying the silicone that I need to keep the doors open until the stuff hardens.  Is that the case?  Sounds like, if I don't the door will be more/less permanently shut. :)  

I also have me a 3rd party thermometer coming today from Amazon, so I hope that helps with my temperature control.  I guess in regards to that is, where's the best place you all have found to place the probe?  Near the firebox? Center? etc etc.

Thanks all,

David


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## thackman

In my opinion. The best mod that I made to the TMLE was to add a 1/4" thick baffle and tuning plates. My temps are within 5*F from one end to the other.


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## thackman

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__ thackman
__ Jul 3, 2015






Baffle plate


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## thackman

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__ thackman
__ Jul 3, 2015






Tuning plates.


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## misterc01

I have had outstanding success with the hi temp FDA approved food safe caulk by first making sure the lid closes as tightly as possible mechanically. A little bending with a broom handle across it to keep the top round and some gently taps with a body hammer got it as close as possible. Then I taped wax paper across the bottom opening on the sealing edge. Then I applied about 1/4 inch bead of caulk the door where it contacts the bottom opening  and GENTlY lowered it so it makes complete contact. . After a 24 cure time, open it up, remove the wax paper (which easily separates from the caulk) and you have a near perfect seal. I found  this method ensures there are no voids or high spots and the mating surfaces are actually sealed.  Not sure what a 3rd party thermometer is, but  have four temp  gauges on my smoker. Two are at grate level where I place meats, one at the firebox  just above the handle and one at the standard BBQ top level which corresponds to the top warming shelf. This way I can monitor  the grate temps at the meat level, the firebox temp and if I use the top shelf that temp as well. IMHO opinion if I were to only have one,  I would put it at grate level in the center or slightly off set way from the firebox. I put a water pan on the side nearest the firebox. Temperature control is probably the  biggest  issue as far as frequent monitoring. and KEEP A LOG to  you can refine your  techniques with different meats, charcoal/woo/lump etc and your smoke source - cherry mesquite, etc. Aa you  smoke more, you get a "feel": for when things are close to done more than relying on times, etc.  

Pete


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## remmy700p

smokeymeatchow said:


> ...I found that it maintained this low heat by keeping the firebox damper almost wide open and adjusting my heat with the chimney pipe and starting with that almost closed, then gradually opening it up till I got to the right temp, and it seamed to work perfect...


You're doing it exactly backwards. You need to leave the exhaust damper WIDE OPEN -- ALWAYS! -- and adjust temps via the firebox intake damper. If you close off the exhaust stack you are stifling draft which fosters the formation of creosote. You NEED the flow of gases across the meat to cook the protein.

You should be able to essentially shut the fire off by closing the intake damper all the way. If you can close it all the way and the fire stays hot, you've got an air leak somewhere. Find it, or you won't ever be able to manage chamber temps.


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## jd4666

SoCalBBQ said:


> I use the Firebox grill quite often, works really well even though it's not that big.  I will sometimes use this part to sear chicken right before eating.  Sunday it used only the FB grate to grill up some Beef Tenderloins, turned out great.  The manual says you can use the main cooking area for grilling also by putting coals in the lower grates.  I have avoided that for now not wanting any ash in my smoking chamber.


put foil down in the bottom it cleans up easy i did 12 ribeyes on mine.


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## piaconis

BadJackson said:


> Well, it's not as good as I had hoped. I have some temp problems. I'm at about 265° on the right & 185° on the left. Should I move my rib racks around? The probe on the right is not over my makeshift convection plate, a cookie sheet wired to the top right grate. So I think it's reading a bit higher than what the actual temp that the ribs are at.
> You can see it in the pic
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> __ badjackson
> __ Jun 21, 2015


Not sure if you figured this out yet, but the right side gets MUCH hotter within 4" to 6" of the firewall.  If you stay off of that right edge, it's usually pretty close all the way across, and you can use the edge to finish off glazes and get a little extra caramelization on the meat on certain smokes (good for glazing chicken at the end of a smoke).


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## tufunuf

Just out of curiousity, since you mentioned that you have a temp gauge on the fire box. What is the highest temperature you have seen at that point?


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## remmy700p

Tufunuf said:


> Just out of curiousity, since you mentioned that you have a temp gauge on the fire box. What is the highest temperature you have seen at that point?


I've hit the FB outside top with a digital laser thermo during the middle of a cook (cook chamber was holding at ~280F) and registered temps just shy of 700F.


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## tufunuf

Hey, I appreciate your response. I have been wondering how hot it gets. I had looked all through the posts but did not see it. That pretty well tells me that my 650 degree red rtv might not withstand the temperatures if I place it between the smoke chamber and the firebox, and between the halves on the firebox.


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## remmy700p

Tufunuf said:


> Hey, I appreciate your response. I have been wondering how hot it gets. I had looked all through the posts but did not see it. That pretty well tells me that my 650 degree red rtv might not withstand the temperatures if I place it between the smoke chamber and the firebox, and between the halves on the firebox.


The temp drops precipitously as you move the thermo reading down the sides of the FB. By the midpoint (where the two halves join), it's probably closer to the low 600F range.


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## tufunuf

Ok. Thanks again for the information.


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## smokey whaler

Smoked some baby back ribs today! Took about 4hrs. I made some adjustments to the smoker to get the temp higher, was having a tough time getting it to 275 and I was using a lot of charcoal and wood. Today was a good day the pit got to 275 and beyond and could regulate the temp very easily with a minimal amount of wood and charcoal way more efficient 












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__ smokey whaler
__ Jul 26, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jul 26, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jul 26, 2015


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## workedtheworld

I used the red rtv on my similar smoker on the smoking chamber lid and the firebox too.  I put it on the inside of the doors, not the body.  Here's my thinking.  The doors are looking at the outside air and are going to be less hot than the air inside.  I am hoping this brings the rtv actual temperature to under it's maximum rating.  So far, it has sealed super well and has darkened a little on the firebox, but it still firm and pliable.  It looks like it is going to work well.  I have used it 5 times so far with good results. 

BTW, after thinking about it, I used the regular Permatex red rtw rather than the food grade.  The rtw in only on the inside of the doors, and should never touch the food.  Any air flow will be from inside to the outside to carry away any fumes or decomposition products.  Curing will lose any solvents used, especially after a couple of uses.  I suspect both grades are the same product, but that the food grade comes from equipment that has to be inspected and cleaned out every night and handled as a food product.  It is probably certified to feed to babies and to eat.  Let me know if I am wrong.  Thanks.


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## tufunuf

Thanks for the information. I think you are probably right on your assumption. In fact, I am going to do the same with mine. I think it will hold up well.

Thanks again.


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## tufunuf

Have you had any leakage on the ends of the smoke chamber? Right at the top of the smoke chamber where the end caps come over the chamber I am leaking smoke. But, the worst place that I am losing smoke is where the smoke chamber and the fire box meet. I need to seal that area soon. I imagine I will have to use a pretty high temp (something) to seal at that point.


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## workedtheworld

Tuf, I have had a little leakage at the ends.  I first sealed all the 4 edges of the smoking and fire chambers with JB Weld, which is rated for 550ºF.  I think the door metal runs cooler than the body.  I have not had any problem anywhere with it in 1.5 years and many uses.  I did notice that the smoker door warped open a little when it heated up, and that is when I decided to use the Permatex red rtw. 

Are your firebox and smoker chamber bolted together?  I would think so.  I got a roll of Nomex (I think is the name) gasket that looks like fiberglass.  It is 1/8" thick and 1" wide.  It is for grills, the Big Green Egg, and others.  I would suggest taking the two smoker pieces apart, making a flat rim of gasket around the opening between the fire and smoker (it does have a self adhesive side to hold it), and bolting them back together.  With the bolts, the gasket is not going anywhere, and it should completely fill any gaps as long as the gasket pieces don't have any gaps. 

I used the same gasket material on the inside of the air vent.  The self-stick came off and I re did using the Permatex.  This is working fine so far.


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## sgtd

HomeDepot


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## tufunuf

I hadn't thought about JB Weld. Seems like it would work. I may give it a try. Yes they are bolted together. I looked at the Nomex and that is what I am planning to do where the two meet. I like the size that you mentioned. I had already used that around  the smokestack Thanks for the information.


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## tufunuf

SgtD said:


> HomeDepot


What about Home Depot?


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## msalyers

I have the same smoker, the problem with the firebox is the clean out drawer underneath, i plugged the gaps with thick gauge aluminum foil.and then i let it fill up with ash, just to the point of filling the drawer , that should take care of that leak. Now where the firebox meets the smoker was a little tricky, thats where im assuming your other leak is, i used JB weld to seal that small gap on the outside. or if you have a welder that would be better. and installed 2 more thermometers , it didnt take me very long and was inexpensive but made a huge difference and have a easier time regulating the heat. I hope this helps.


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## dlc032704

I have the Brinkman limited vertical smoker. I have only one problem. I can't get the temp more than 225-250 degrees. Any ideas on how to get it up to about 325 degrees? Reason I'm asking is for my chicken to cook without the skin getting rubbery. I brine my chicken so don't tell me to do that.


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## remmy700p

dlc032704 said:


> I have the Brinkman limited vertical smoker. I have only one problem. I can't get the temp more than 225-250 degrees. Any ideas on how to get it up to about 325 degrees? Reason I'm asking is for my chicken to cook without the skin getting rubbery. I brine my chicken so don't tell me to do that.


Use more fuel. I'd recommend mesquite wood chunk about the size of baseballs/softballs. That'll get you the therms you need and the great smoke flavor. Here's the size I get (compared to a Kingsford briquet).













IMG_20150505_123418590.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ May 5, 2015


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## dlc032704

Thanks for the info, but I used big chunks of apple mixed with charcoal and still didn't get the temp up. Maybe I should use just wood?


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## remmy700p

The TMLE really wants to be a stick-burner, but don't change up your mix yet; just up the fuel volume first and see what happens.


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## dlc032704

Will do. Let you know what happens. Not smoking today, too much smoked food leftover from Labor day gathering.


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## thackman

Try using 12" long split logs I can only use 2 or 3 at a time without charcoal to stay below 275. I imagine if I put 4 or 5 splits in at a time it would hit 350-375 no problem. Also opening you ash drawer partially will get you LOTS more heat.


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## carlo olivares

dlc032704 said:


> I have the Brinkman limited vertical smoker. I have only one problem. I can't get the temp more than 225-250 degrees. Any ideas on how to get it up to about 325 degrees? Reason I'm asking is for my chicken to cook without the skin getting rubbery. I brine my chicken so don't tell me to do that.



Hi dlc032704, Thinking of getting this smoker -Hoping you can help me answer a couple questions:  are the grates 17 inches? and what is the  difference between the limited edition vs the regular brinkmann trailmaster vertical offset smoker?


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## dlc032704

Actually the racks are 16 1/2 inches round. I really don't know about the offset smoker. My problem with the vertical is 1) the charcoal bowl is hard to put in after you start them up because you can not start them inside because of the space where it goes is limited. 2) the rack the holds the water dish is almost on top of the coals when you do put the bowl in. 3) you have 3 cooking rack but the first on is only 3 inches above the water holder the next one is 5 inches above that and the third one is 10 inches above that one but only 3 inches of space between that rack and the top. Where the smoke vent is is a hangar for sausage or smoking franks. If I didn't get this smoker as a birthday present from my Daughter I would have bought a much better brand smoker. To me it's more like a beginners model. Hope this helps you out.


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## carlo olivares

dlc032704 said:


> Actually the racks are 16 1/2 inches round. I really don't know about the offset smoker. My problem with the vertical is 1) the charcoal bowl is hard to put in after you start them up because you can not start them inside because of the space where it goes is limited. 2) the rack the holds the water dish is almost on top of the coals when you do put the bowl in. 3) you have 3 cooking rack but the first on is only 3 inches above the water holder the next one is 5 inches above that and the third one is 10 inches above that one but only 3 inches of space between that rack and the top. Where the smoke vent is is a hangar for sausage or smoking franks. If I didn't get this smoker as a birthday present from my Daughter I would have bought a much better brand smoker. To me it's more like a beginners model. Hope this helps you out.



ah thank you, i had confused the models. i thought your model was the vertical offset. I must admit though, the trailmaster limited looks pretty nice. 

happy smoking!


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## chubbysmoker

Wanted to share my first time smoke, as well as first set on the new Trailmaster. I am 2 hrs in here but holding steady temp 













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__ chubbysmoker
__ Sep 20, 2015






5 hrs


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## chubbysmoker

6hrs in..













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__ chubbysmoker
__ Sep 20, 2015


















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__ chubbysmoker
__ Sep 20, 2015


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## chubbysmoker

10 hrs  trying to keep it a light smoke 














20150920_170022-1.jpg



__ chubbysmoker
__ Sep 20, 2015


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## carlo olivares

wow that looks awesome!!! how's she run?


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## chubbysmoker

She ran great, very easy to control the temps and love how solid the unit is!

Built a Charcoal Box, RTV Gasket around the gaps as well as Nomex Gasket seal around the lid- the Beast did not leak at all!! I did notice a huge variance in temp on both sides of the grill though, definitely investing in a tuning plate next! Can't wait to fire her up again!


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## comosmoker

Hey all!! Haven't posted on this thread in a while, but I check back in to see what people are saying and talking about.  Just a couple comments:  Definitely seal the ash pan and the gap between the fire box and chamber.  That will help with the heat.  I put tuning plates in mine at first, but ended up taking them out and bringing the exhaust down to grate level.  I, too, was having trouble with getting the smoker hot enough.  Used charcoal and chunks combined, but still not hot enough.  I turned it into a stick burner and now I do not have a problem keeping it at the desired temperature.  If anything, it gets a little too hot!!  The only problem I have now is that I didn't buy a cover for it and it has been in the elements for the past 2 years.  Showing a lot of rust on fire box and vent is rusted closed about 3/4, so I control the heat with the ash box.  She's been a great smoker and I can still get some great BBQ from her.  But, I think it is time to start looking for another one this winter.  It's been great reading everyone's posts and seeing the Q-View!!  Keep it up and smoke on BTLE owners!!  I'll be back!!!


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## rob8213

Problem with using more and more wood instead of coal, is that you get more smoke.  If the wood is not very very dry you can oversmoke the meat.  I also cant normally get over 300-350 deg except only in the first few hours when all the wood and coal ignites over the 1st few hours.   Then for some reason I just cant keep the temps up.  Ill add charcoals already lit in my charcoal chimney and it still wont reach over 300.


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## misterc01

Uh - WHY would you even want to use coal to smoke food? Are you talking about charcoal briquettes (such as Kingsford) and not actual coal? Also, your normal smoking temps are 250 degrees or lower, occasionally you might want to go to 325, but not that often. 300 degrees and above is more for grilling. You can also control the temperatures by using the various ventilation  dampers to allow more or less air  access to the  combustion of the wood / charcoal / pellets, etc. What exactly are you trying to accomplish?

Pete


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## rob8213

By coal I mean lump or brickettes.  Yeah, not coal used for home heating!  ahahah.   I actually wouldnt need to get above 300deg F for most stuff, but I have issues maintaining 260-275 or 280+.  After about 4-6 hrs or it running, its hard to keep about 200-220deg.  I have the stack damper wide open, and the fire box damper wide open...and have tried opening up the ash pan from 1/4" up till about 2-3" to allow more combustion air and that helps a tad.  I have had to use my air compressor at like 5psi and easily blow some air into the firebox via the damper on that and that gets the temp up for a little while.  Overall, I have been able to make amazing BBQ with it, I just wrap my meats in foil when the time comes, and then just move them to my gas Weber grill and set that at 250-275 deg as needed to get my brisket or pork butts up to a nice 195-200 deg internatl temperature.  I coudl never do that on the BTMLE if I can barely keep the temps at 200 degF.


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## misterc01

Whew;-) So from what you are saying it sounds like it is an air flow problem. I use a char griller Smoking Pro and I can get the SFB over 500 degrees  ( an accident:-) and can pretty much take the main chamber to 400. Using the dampers, I start wide open t getup to temp, then adjust down to settle at 225 - 250 depending. You should be able to do the same. Are there any obstructions anywhere? I did notice that I have to move ash from the bottom of the charcoal tray in the SFB to keep from smothering  it, but that was an easy fix.


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## bigbear77

I just assembled and cured my Trailmaster yesterday.  My first smoke is country ribs and chicken.

What I can say so far (hour into it) is that even with the tuning plate, I have about a 25 degree difference between sides.  I will try a much larger water pan next time.  I have a very small on in on the grate.  I will put the large one on the plate.  I need to re-apply the RVT to the ash tray seam (where it meets the fire box) and the seal between the fire box and the main chamber.

Question:  Can I apply it to the outside seam?  OR so I have to pull it all apart... scrape... and redo it?

Next round of mods will be to put a seal on the door of the chamber, and build a charcoal box!













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__ bigbear77
__ Sep 27, 2015


















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__ bigbear77
__ Sep 27, 2015


















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__ bigbear77
__ Sep 27, 2015


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## misterc01

I have had some success with two small water pans that do save some grill space. I am looking at  partially "blocking" the inlet  to the main chamber to deflect some of the heat. I am using aluminum foil  to test sizes and location and will use a more durable  metal for a deflector when I have it nailed down.   You say  you are using RTV - what kind? I use an FDA food safe approved high temp  version and it does not break down. Regular RTV won't really work. IF the RTV g has deteriorated, then you should really scrape and reapply, but just going over the outside seam should do it. Good luck.


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## bigbear77

Thanks for the tip!.  I used two small pans, and it did help.  I think most of my issue was too much fuel.  Once I was just burning a few sticks at a time, it was easier to regulate.

As for the RTV, It is whatever Menards had in their fire place section.  It is rated up to 600 deg.  I think I will go for the outside seam and see what that gets me.

  













IMG_0667.JPG



__ bigbear77
__ Sep 28, 2015


















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__ bigbear77
__ Sep 28, 2015


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## smokering90

IMG_0392.JPG



__ smokering90
__ Sep 28, 2015






so this is my design that i use as my baffle/waterpan. works as both then i have tuning plates. i have pretty consistent tmep using this and its very easy to make


----------



## smokering90

IMG_0399.JPG



__ smokering90
__ Sep 28, 2015






my tmle. just wanted to do something to make it a little different from all the others


----------



## bigbear77

Nice :)  I like the blue.


----------



## misterc01

Great!  I also found that time, experimenting and experience also helps. Love Menards - you can get EVERYTHING there!


----------



## bigbear77

Yes, as my family all can agree on chicken...  Well, in the spirit of both experimenting and experience; I expect a 23% decline in the Chicken population this year alone!  Once I feel like I have a handle on my pit.  I will try a pork butt and a brisket!


----------



## misterc01

I hope you are keeping a log of your smoking efforts. Mine is invaluable as both a learning tool as I went and a reference when I need a quick  review. BTW - as a quick review, go over pork butt and brisket smoking techniques in the Forum  as there are  differences  about how you go about  smoking different meats. Brisket is a real trip  especially when you hit a "stall." You might want to have a cooler (Cambro) available for finishing up. An old towel is also handy for wrapping it. Good luck!


----------



## bigbear77

Thanks, I will


----------



## jjc16415

@bigbear,  after putting in the 2 small water pans, what temp difference did you see in the chamber?  I have a similar problem with mine where I have a wide temp difference of about 30 deg between right to left sides of the chamber.


----------



## fredfaul

Could you tell me how you load your coal basket to get 6.5 hours? Thanks!


----------



## bigbear77

jcc16415  I put the two pans in fairly soon in the process, so I don't have a definitive answer.  But I would say it equalized side to side about 10-15 degrees.


----------



## lance0623

Has anyone added in a 2nd tier rack?  Cant be that hard, and it would double my cooking space for ribs.  Would JB weld be safe to use and strong enough, or would I need to have it welded in?  Would need a setup that I can remove it easily when smoking butts, turkeys, etc.


----------



## workedtheworld

You can make a second tier rack out of a flat replacement grill.  Many sizes and shapes are available at Home Depot, Lowe's, and ACE, maybe on sale this time of year.  I got four 1/4" diameter bolts 6 inches long.  Each bolt from the head end had the head and a washer that hung down through a corner of the grill. You screw another washer and nut up underneath to lock the bolt into the grill making a leg.  Repeat on other three corners.  You have a small table that will fit on top of the  smoker grill.  

For the bottom, screw a nut up, add another washer, and a second nut.  Tighten the nuts against each other and you have a stop to hold the leg on top of the grate.  You adjust the height to clear foods on the bottom but to also clear foods on the top.  This is movable and just sits on the main grate.  

You can use JB Weld as far as temperature goes, but you don't need it with the bolts setup.  

To repeat from top to bottom:  

bolt head

washer

2nd tier grill

washer

nut

space to clear bottom food

nut

washer

nut

sits on smoker grate.  

Hope this helps.  See picture.  E-mail at [email protected] 

Worked_the_World













IMG_3984 Smoker Raised Grate and Charcoal Basket.J



__ workedtheworld
__ Oct 2, 2015


----------



## fredfaul

On the Brinkman TrailMaster LE  can anyone tell me how to fit a 4" round elbow into 4"x 3" oblong hole at the chimney? Would appreciate any ideas. Thanks!


----------



## remmy700p

fredfaul said:


> On the Brinkman TrailMaster LE  can anyone tell me how to fit a 4" round elbow into 4"x 3" oblong hole at the chimney? Would appreciate any ideas. Thanks!


Here you go...













2013-06-12_13-03-08_763.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013


















2013-06-24_15-44-24_179.jpg



__ remmy700p
__ Jun 24, 2013


----------



## lance0623

Workedtheworld said:


> You can make a second tier rack out of a flat replacement grill.  Many sizes and shapes are available at Home Depot, Lowe's, and ACE, maybe on sale this time of year.  I got four 1/4" diameter bolts 6 inches long.  Each bolt from the head end had the head and a washer that hung down through a corner of the grill. You screw another washer and nut up underneath to lock the bolt into the grill making a leg.  Repeat on other three corners.  You have a small table that will fit on top of the  smoker grill.
> 
> For the bottom, screw a nut up, add another washer, and a second nut.  Tighten the nuts against each other and you have a stop to hold the leg on top of the grate.  You adjust the height to clear foods on the bottom but to also clear foods on the top.  This is movable and just sits on the main grate.
> 
> You can use JB Weld as far as temperature goes, but you don't need it with the bolts setup.
> 
> To repeat from top to bottom:
> 
> bolt head
> washer
> 2nd tier grill
> washer
> nut
> space to clear bottom food
> nut
> washer
> nut
> sits on smoker grate.
> 
> Hope this helps.  See picture.  E-mail at [email protected]
> Worked_the_World
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> IMG_3984 Smoker Raised Grate and Charcoal Basket.J
> 
> 
> 
> __ workedtheworld
> __ Oct 2, 2015



Great idea, thank you!


----------



## fredfaul

Hey thanks Remmy.... got it, going to try to season it up tomorrow. Thanks again my friend!


----------



## fredfaul

I just bought the BTLE. I was thinking of wrapping 4 patio pavers in aluminum foil and placing them in the bottom of the cooking chamber to help hold heat. Has anyone tried this?


----------



## bigbear77

For what it's worth, I repurposed my unbelievably patient wife's cookie cooling racks (stainless steel). I would not put an 8 lb roast on one.  But it worked well for the bacon and sausage I smoked this weekend.

Oh…  and by a strange coincidence, we are now buying her NEW cooling racks…  













IMG_0674.JPG



__ bigbear77
__ Oct 5, 2015


















IMG_0675.JPG



__ bigbear77
__ Oct 5, 2015


----------



## gerard143

I just bought one of these from Home Depot for $149 already built.   I think I did good.  Ordered a baffle plate kit.    Excited.  This sucker is a good size.   Gonna read thru all the pages of this thread.    Glad to see a thread on it.


----------



## gerard143

bummer.  brinkmann went bankrupt.   

On October 8, 2015, Outdoor Direct Corporation, formerly known as, The Brinkmann Corporation (“Company”) filed for chapter 11 of the U.S. Bankruptcy Code in the Delaware Bankruptcy Court. This action was taken to complete the orderly wind down and liquidation of the Company. As such, Outdoor Direct Corporation is no longer able to honor prepetition—before October 8, 2015—warranty claims and the Company is no longer offering replacement parts free of charge. If you have a warranty claim, you may file a proof of claim with the official claims agent appointed by the bankruptcy court, Kurtzman Carson Consultants LLC (“KCC”). Proofs of claim forms and instructions may be obtained by visiting www.kccllc.net/Malibu or by calling, 866-967-0499 or +1-310-751-2699 (outside of the U.S.). Please note, KCC cannot advise creditors or potential creditors how to file, or whether one should file, a proof of claim.

Thank you.


----------



## bigbear77

Ironic...  Just this weekend the paint started to peel off the inside part of the door...  Now I have shinny metal exposed...  I only bought the [email protected] thing two months ago!!!  Grrrrr....Anyone know if I can just repaint it with the BBQ paint and move on with my life?


----------



## barrelcooker

I would never paint the inside of your smoker. i have seasoned my smoker with olive oil and 2 hours of smoke when i opened it it was like black glass. The oil protects your smoker from rust so long as it doest get hotter than 500 degrees that the oil burns off should last all year until winter. Then reseason. If the rust is in your firebox just keep it cleaned out of ashes. Not much you can do. That paint will always smell in the firbox. Idk why they powdercoat smokers.


----------



## tom blakely

gerard143

Where/how did you order baffle plate kit?

cajunman1945


----------



## bigbear77

http://www.bbqsmokermods.com/product-p/br-hor-tune.htm

Here ya go


----------



## bigbear77

Update on my pit, it is not paint that is pealing, but Creosote.  I figured out that I got some pine mixed in with my maple...  Which explains the dry sour flavor of my ribs :-(  Oh well

So, Time to organize the wood stack better!


----------



## gerard143

Bigbear77 said:


> http://www.bbqsmokermods.com/product-p/br-hor-tune.htm
> 
> Here ya go


yup that's it


----------



## bigbear77

I purchased it, and I love it.  I didn't smoke without it, so I can't attest to the before and after.  I can attest to the make sure to put the 2 pieces together INSIDE the cooking chamber... Unless like me, you were having SO much fun you wanted to take it apart and do it again.

Anywho, with that plate and a 9x13 pan of water witting on the plate on the firebox side, I end up with about 10 degrees difference between sides.  Without the water the difference is closer to 35+ degrees different.

I should point out that I purchased me thermometers from those guys, and I don't like 'em.  The way I had to mount them makes then totally unreliable (as compared to the digital probe I have in there).  The threading doe snot go all the way up to the base of the unit.  So I had to add brass spacers to snug the wing nut up against.  I think the brass spacer is messing with the temp accuracy.  However, I do like the baffle plate.


----------



## fredfaul

Can anyone tell me the diameter of the holes in the BTLE baffel plate ? Thanks!


----------



## oswin556

I'm looking at buying the vertical model of this smoker. Does anyone have any experience with it or able to provide any info on the horizontal vs vertical?  Thanks.


----------



## bigbear77

Here is my two cents.  My wife had a vertical smoker when she lived in Texas.  She said that if you do different meats at the same time, whatever is on the top is what the stuff on the bottom taste like.  She her vote was horizontal.

Other than that, the vertical should theoretically require less space and fuel.  If you want to smoke several different types of meats in one whack, (which is what I do) then consider a horizontal.  If you will do all the same meat/flavor most of the time then go with a vertical.  And if you smoke in a pan under a baking rack (scroll up to my sausage pics) in the vertical, then my comment about everything tasting the same should be moot.


----------



## bigbear77

To: fredfaul,

Use fire bricks and not concrete.  It will do what you want better.


----------



## tom blakely

Thank you Bigbear77!


----------



## oldgamefreak

rob8213 said:


> Problem with using more and more wood instead of coal, is that you get more smoke.  If the wood is not very very dry you can oversmoke the meat.  I also cant normally get over 300-350 deg except only in the first few hours when all the wood and coal ignites over the 1st few hours.   Then for some reason I just cant keep the temps up.  Ill add charcoals already lit in my charcoal chimney and it still wont reach over 300.


Sorry Rob but I don't follow this comment. Bbq restaurants only use wood to smoke with. At least the ones I've been to. My former roommate was a pit master at 2 Q's and all they used was Hickory in their pit.


----------



## barrelcooker

New southern pride smokers are now natural gas and wood for smoke only


----------



## fowldarr

Brought mine home last night.  Was marked at $199 at HD, The only one they had on the shelf looked like it had fallen off the truck, so they sold me the display model.  It was missing some bolts and such, so they knocked $25 off, which should just about pay for the mods (with the exception of the baffle plate, which I may just go with the lava rock for now)


----------



## smokey whaler

Well made another modification to my smoker. Cut out and removed the fire box vent to allow better air flow, I was having issues getting oxygen into the box. The fire would always die out and get smothered. So here is the new and improved vent!!













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__ smokey whaler
__ Dec 11, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Dec 11, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Dec 11, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Dec 11, 2015


















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__ smokey whaler
__ Dec 11, 2015


----------



## treknogeek

Hey Guys,

I have a new experience with the TMLE I thought I'd share. Recently, we moved from Illinois to Texas. Unfortunately, there was not enough room for the TMLE. However, it turned out that I had a benefactor (thanks Dad) who took pity on me and my BBQ deprived family and picked us up one of the newer vertical models. 

I call it R2B2 (rig 2, Brinkman 2, plus it looks like...). I have to say, I am impressed with the little guy. The metal is the same thickness as the normal TMLE and it even comes with a lazy Susan of hooks for sausage. Also, I like that it has a cabinet style door versus a lid that comes off. There are a few limitations, however. There is not much room to poor water into the water pan (and it needs to be filled about every two hours) and you cannot pour any new fuel into the basket as there is not enough room. That being said, I have gotten consistent 4-5 hour cooks at 275. 

This time I'm trying some new things. First, a buddy gave me a bunch of pecan, so no lump this time (accept as an accelerant) and I packed playground sand in the water pan. I figured that dice silicon is an insulator it might do the trick, and it turns out other people on the SMF have had luck with it. 

Here are some pics. I'm trying my new TX style rub on brisket today (only my second one). I'll post some q-view as it develops.













image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Dec 12, 2015


















image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Dec 12, 2015


















image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Dec 12, 2015


----------



## treknogeek

Four hours in and the 10 lb brisket is at 163. I was hoping to get more time on the wood I put in, but lessons learned for how to arrange the wood for next time. Finishing in the oven (which I normally do to keep fuel costs down anyway). Oh, the sand seemed to do a decent job of protecting the meat. A touch scorched, but I think that is due to temperature spikes I am having (strong and sudden wind gusts causing it to spike by 30 degrees in a matter of seconds). 

Here are some pics of the brisket right before going in the oven:













image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Dec 12, 2015


















image.jpg



__ treknogeek
__ Dec 12, 2015


----------



## barrelcooker

Great idea trek


----------



## barrelcooker

Great idea smokey whaler


----------



## treknogeek

Well, I promised q-view, and here it is. I was very happy with this cook. The meat was moist and tender and had plenty of smoke without overshadowing the meat. I see no reason to go back to using water in a water pan any time soon. 













image.jpeg



__ treknogeek
__ Dec 12, 2015


















image.jpeg



__ treknogeek
__ Dec 12, 2015


















image.jpeg



__ treknogeek
__ Dec 12, 2015


----------



## oldgamefreak

ThackMan said:


> Try using 12" long split logs I can only use 2 or 3 at a time without charcoal to stay below 275. I imagine if I put 4 or 5 splits in at a time it would hit 350-375 no problem. Also opening you ash drawer partially will get you LOTS more heat.


So how long does this last? I have been using chunks but I'm thinking about going all stick so I don't have to be so attached that the fire box.


----------



## glennmc

treknogeek -- your oven is lower fuel cost than your smoker?  Depends on the wood source I suppose.

Don't know about the vertical but in my TMLE I use 8"-10" splits in a mix of wild cherry and oak and get great results.  90% of what I cook is pork butts.  I agree with thackman about the ash drawer, easy to revitalize a fire that's gotten away.


----------



## treknogeek

GlennMc - oven use, including finishing a cook, Falls within the monthly budget. Therefore, the fuel for the smoker is more expensive. Besides, I get good smoke with amount of time (~4 hrs~), and it is also a lot more convenient when you have three small kids and other obligations demanding your time. This has worked well for me. In an ideal world I would tend a fire for 15+ hours. I look forward to being able to do that.


----------



## smokey whaler

My first attempt at a Pork Shoulder Picnic!! 5hrs in 












image.jpeg



__ smokey whaler
__ Jan 17, 2016


----------



## gary s

Looking Good   I like Pork Butt

Gary


----------



## gerard143

Found one last one of those bad boys at Home Depot for $199 so I grabbed it.  I'll keep it in the box until my current one is shot then I'll have a replacement :-)


----------



## smokey whaler

Here is the finished Pork Shoulde Picnic 












image.jpeg



__ smokey whaler
__ Jan 19, 2016


----------



## whiskeyboyz

looks great.


----------



## robhatch

4:00a.m. tomorrow and these babies are hitting the smoke! I left them out at room temp a little to long and got carried away trimming the briskets since the day was so soft, but I'll just have to watch them a little more carefully!


----------



## robhatch

image.jpeg



__ robhatch
__ Jan 27, 2016






These didn't upload with my previous post!


----------



## robhatch

image.jpeg



__ robhatch
__ Jan 28, 2016






Is it time for dinner yet?


----------



## whiskeyboyz

we never trim briskets. that fat cap protects the meat . trick we learned. leave them in the pan. the AU Jus is saved that way.  When a large piece of meat like that or butts reach an internal temp of 150 degrees, cover it with aluminum foil and keep cooking. at that point you can stop adding smoking wood cause they are covered and the smoke only penetrates the first 1/4 inch anyway. on Butts, you may need to drain some of the juice off before covering them. pour it into a glass bowl - the grease will ruin Tupperware and momma won't be happy. we don't pull briskets off until about 205 internal temp and butts as well. Butts will pull easier and we let them rest and cool down before pulling. Brisket should be tender enough to cut with a fork.

SMOKE ON!!!


----------



## tomfrazier

Hi guys and gals...

I'm getting ready to repaint my BTLE and I'm looking for suggestions for removing the rust under the metal plate above the fire box on the door. I plan on using a combination of palm sander, wire brush and wheel and sand blaster gun from Harbor Freight but I haven't figured out a good way to clean between the fire box and that steel plate that is attached to the door. 

Once clean, I also need to find a good way to paint inside that little triangle area.

I plan on using Rustoleum 2000* High Heat Primer and their 2000* paint in rattle cans.

Also if you think the Rustoleum 1200* paint is good for the fire box I would use it since it is cheaper and also comes in quart cans.

Thanks for any advice... 

Smoke on!


----------



## chad cochran

Ok guys,

  I got my BTLE for Christmas and so far I LOVE IT!!! Hooooooooowwwwwwwever, as a rookie, I have used the stack and intake baffle to regulate temps.

I was so proud of myself, with digital therms and everything, I got temp to hold at around 250* avg between firebox and stack. I had the FB baffle open about 25% and the stack open just enough to fit a pencil into the largest part of the crescent opening. BOY HOWDY!!! I had it pouring thick white smoke, looked like a freight train!!!!

The first brisket came out ok, a little dry, but ok.

The first package of chicken breasts came out good, juicy, but slightly dipped in 9V battery.

The second pkg of breasts came out even better, even had a larger portion of 9V than the first!!

Sooooo, as I was looking for new recipes, forums, injections, etc for my second brisket, I come across a thread describing that wonky 9V taste as creosote. I have a gazillion crackly, glass like crispy blisters all over the interior of my smoker.

I read one that said something about filling the cooking barrel with oily newspapers?

Here's what I need to know: How do I effectively and efficiently clean the interior? Step by Step please, I'm new to this.


----------



## tomfrazier

Hi Chad... Welcome to the forum.

I am not a admin or even regular here but I've had my BTLE for almost two seasons. I LOVE mine and use it quite a bit living in South Florida.

Anyway, if you take an hour and look on this forum page by page you will get a ton of GREAT info for making an already great Grill/Smoker even better.

I sealed all my openings with 500* Silicone RTV using the Seran wrap method. Got a 90 degree elbow for the stack and some steel tempering plates...

As far as your issues, I never noticed "crispy glass like blisters on the inside of mine.

When I first got mine I burnt out all the manufacturing oils by building a charcoal fire in both the main chamber and fire box bringing the temperature up to about 500* for about an hour. I then seasoned it before first use by wiping the inside and outside down with a sponge dipped in olive oil. I then built another a charcoal and hickory fire in the fire box and just let it smoke for another hour adding more hickory chunks as needed to keep the temp around 300*.

When I smoke pork shoulders and the like I first marinade the pork inside a couple 2 gallon Ziplock freezer bags (double bagged) or if its really big inside a plastic sealed rectangular container inside the fridge for a total of about 24 hours. I start the marinade the morning the day before I plan on smoking and keep it in the fridge until around 10pm at which point I take it out of the fridge and set it on the kitchen counter to let it get to room temperature over night... The morning of the smoke I take it out of the bags/container and dry it off with paper towels and use a dry rub that I put together. I fire up the BBQ and use a loaf pan filled with a mixture of a dark beer (usually Yengling Black & Tan) and a cloudy unfiltered apple cider JUICE from Publix  (Juice NOT vinegar!)  on the right side next to the fire box on the main cooking grate to keep the humidity up. I keep the temperature around 250* but I only have that one thermometer and I keep the shoulder in the middle or toward the left side.  Once the roast gets a good color and a little dry to the touch (after abt an hr) I start moping it every 30 min or so with a hot mixture of cloudy unfiltered apple cider juice, dark beer and some of my dry rub that I keep in a covered pot on the fire box.

I think it's important to distribute the heat more evenly using some form of tempering plates, and keep the moisture up by using the evaporation pan, moping as well as keeping the temperature down to keep it from burning the outside...

Give my suggestions a try and report... 

Regards,

Tom


----------



## oldgamefreak

Your stack should stay wide open and you regulate the temp on the fire box side. This will help you from getting the creosote you mentioned. Also your smoke should be thin and blue not thick and white. That's what's killing your flavor. Creosote build up. 

If you can't leek the temps down enough with the fire box you have air leaks. Run through the forums to find out how to stop them. You'll be turning out awesome Q in no time.


----------



## chad cochran

Thanks, Tom!

I've taken the wire brush and the ShopVac to the interior. I have it almost down to bare metal in some spots.

How do I season it?

Also, after the brisket yesterday and all that I learned about the creosote, I took the grates out of the bottom and cleaned them. They did not impress me, as soaking them overnight in the sink and brushing and scrubbing them this morning REMOVED ALL OF THE BLACK PAINT!!!!

Can I repaint them with high temp paint?

The cooking grates are said to be porcelain coated and expect them to keep up better.


----------



## tomfrazier

OldGameFreak said:


> Your stack should stay wide open and you regulate the temp on the fire box side. This will help you from getting the creosote you mentioned. Also your smoke should be thin and blue not thick and white. That's what's killing your flavor. Creosote build up.
> 
> If you can't leek the temps down enough with the fire box you have air leaks. Run through the forums to find out how to stop them. You'll be turning out awesome Q in no time.


What he said ^^^   But I would make sure you have a 90* elbow on your stack or you'll let out too much smoke and heat I think...  Even with my elbow, I usually keep my stack half open but yea control heat with the fire box... Make sure your drawer is all the way closed too... 

Couple of other things. Try to use natural lump charcoal instead of the processed stuff from Kingsford and the like. If you do use the Kingsford like I used to, get yourself a charcoal chimney and pre-light the charcoal. Once they are nice and white add them to your firebox. The processed charcoal gives off a rancid odor when it is first lighting up for some reason.


----------



## oldgamefreak

I use a BIT of coal but mainly wood chunks in a minion basket. On my next smoke I'll be ditching the chunks for Oak splits to see if I can get a longer burn on my fuel. as it is now I'm out there about avery 45 min adding a chunk or so. 

Also for the bottom drawer, I read where someone was lining it with foil to help keep it sealed up.


----------



## tomfrazier

Chad Cochran said:


> Thanks, Tom!
> 
> I've taken the wire brush and the ShopVac to the interior. I have it almost down to bare metal in some spots.
> 
> How do I season it?
> 
> Also, after the brisket yesterday and all that I learned about the creosote, I took the grates out of the bottom and cleaned them. They did not impress me, as soaking them overnight in the sink and brushing and scrubbing them this morning REMOVED ALL OF THE BLACK PAINT!!!!
> 
> Can I repaint them with high temp paint?
> 
> The cooking grates are said to be porcelain coated and expect them to keep up better.


Read my post again about seasoning the smoker with Olive or similar oil. Then a nice smoke with some Hickory. The oil like on a cast iron skillet will eventually build up a nice aromatic coating.

As far as the grates. You said bottom grates. I don't mess with the bottom grates. Charcoal goes on those when I do direct grilling. I also haven't had an issues with my cooking grates. I use balled up heavy duty aluminum foil and a wire brush to clean mine and sometimes use my garden hose to rinse heavily soiled debris off. My finish hasn't come off.

I also always wipe my cooking grate down with a folded paper towel dipped in olive oil on the end of a long tong before smoking or grilling. 

I would NOT repaint your grates! If you've removed the finish then just keep them oiled.


----------



## tomfrazier

Oh I also line the bottom of my main chamber with a long strip of heavy duty aluminum foil (the wide roll) to catch drippings when smoking or ashes when direct grilling. VERY easy cleanup. :)  Then every few uses I'll just take the garden hose and spray out the inside of the main chamber before smoking or grilling... NO soap or other cleaning chemicals... 

I keep mine covered with their custom cover but I'm a bit lax on keeping the outside oiled. The high heat is brutal on paint and the humid south Florida heat makes things worse. Surface rust is getting a hold of the outside of the firebox and the right side of the main chamber where I usually direct grill. I have to repaint mine soon...


----------



## davidski

heres mine! less than 14 months old, snow and awning crushed it.

 













12417628_10208607837383726_1303115650519213309_n.j



__ davidski
__ Jan 29, 2016


----------



## best beef jerky

http://bestbeefjerkydehydrators.com/ best homemade beef jerky


----------



## best beef jerky

i would also have to say i agree with him with the rust part.


----------



## davidski

best beef jerky said:


> http://bestbeefjerkydehydrators.com/ best homemade beef jerky


complete crap. if you want a ton of jerky done right in a short amount of time, LEM is the way to go.


----------



## chad cochran

tomfrazier said:


> What he said ^^^   But I would make sure you have a 90* elbow on your stack or you'll let out too much smoke and heat I think...  Even with my elbow, I usually keep my stack half open but yea control heat with the fire box... Make sure your drawer is all the way closed too...
> 
> Couple of other things. Try to use natural lump charcoal instead of the processed stuff from Kingsford and the like. If you do use the Kingsford like I used to, get yourself a charcoal chimney and pre-light the charcoal. Once they are nice and white add them to your firebox. The processed charcoal gives off a rancid odor when it is first lighting up for some reason.


Looks like I'm gonna have to tear the whole thing apart and start over.....maybe this spring. I gotta get some RTV, gaskets, tuning plates and seal this thing up!! I'm very anal about customizing everything I own to make it mine.

Tom, I'm using mesquite lump today, and when I got it started this morning, it took over an hour to get the temps down!!! I think I started with too much. It was around 575 forever; I thought this stuff was supposed to hold a fairly constant temp and I'm still babysitting. Definitely got an air leak around my ash drawer, vent's completely closed, and it's still running hotter than I'd like. I will say, though, that it seems to last a little longer than I expected. This is my third brisket, so I'll just sit in class, learn what I can, and study.

Lined bottom with foil and oiled all grates.

Today's stats so far:

San Antonio, TX 46*

0700

- Ambient temp 46*, vent closed

- Avg grate temp (Front to back with dual digital probes) 275*

- Meat temp 52*

0800

- Ambient temp 46*, vent closed add 2 fist sized lumps and 2 fist sized mesquite smoking chunks

- Avg grate temp 275*

- Meat temp 113*

0900

-Ambient temp 47*

-Avg grate temp 289*

-Meat temp 122


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## tomfrazier

It's 4:30am... Where are your pork shoulders?

 













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__ tomfrazier
__ Feb 7, 2016


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## tomfrazier

Chad Cochran said:


> Looks like I'm gonna have to tear the whole thing apart and start over.....maybe this spring. I gotta get some RTV, gaskets, tuning plates and seal this thing up!! I'm very anal about customizing everything I own to make it mine.
> 
> Tom, I'm using mesquite lump today, and when I got it started this morning, it took over an hour to get the temps down!!! I think I started with too much. It was around 575 forever; I thought this stuff was supposed to hold a fairly constant temp and I'm still babysitting. Definitely got an air leak around my ash drawer, vent's completely closed, and it's still running hotter than I'd like. I will say, though, that it seems to last a little longer than I expected. This is my third brisket, so I'll just sit in class, learn what I can, and study.
> 
> Lined bottom with foil and oiled all grates.


Good Morning Chad...

I am by no means a grill/BBQ master but I know what works for me. I use about a quart of charcoal and get it almost completely white in the fire box. I then close the lid make sure my ash drawer is completely closed and my vent about a 1/4 open. Stack is usually half way open. I then let the fire cool down for about five minutes. I then add 3 or 4 chunks of hickory to the top of the fire and close the fire box again. I let it develop a nice smoke for another five minutes and then add the meat. I only have the single stock thermometer on mine. This morning it is 56* outside and my temperature was 270* when I first put the pork shoulders on at 4:30am. They've been on for 30 min and the temperature is 250* right now. Still a little high but the pork shoulder was nearly room temperature when I put it in the grill and the temps will continue to fall... It really is a little trial and error and It took me a while.

Yea you should consider taking your stack and fire box off to install the elbow and seal them to the main chamber. Make sure you clean the rim of the fire box opening where you will apply the high temp silicone real good with alcohol before applying the silicone. I had sheets of Seran Wrap already ready, applied a nice bead along the edge of the fire box and main chamber opening. Neatly laid down the Seran Wrap and gently closed the lids. I applied just enough pressure to close the lids completely then let everything cure for 24 hours. The following day, open the lids, peel off the Seran Wrap and trim the excess with a single edge razor blade... 

5:44 update... Had to open the vent half way to keep the temp up to 225* I guess because it's 20* to 30* cooler than usual outside. I've been adding 3 or 4 chunks of hickory every 20 min or so to the top of the coals as well to keep the smoke up. Starting a batch of coals in my charcoal chimney in a few...

Regards,

Tom


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## chad cochran

Obviously I have some tuning issues, and I'm fine with that. If it were perfect from the start, I wouldn't learn anything!!

So, to date, I have smoked three briskets, two packages of chicken breasts, and a whole turkey. I am incredibly satisfied with the preservation that smoking has offered; leftovers don't seem to spoil as fast as other methods of preparation. This got me to thinking about curing and jerky.

Has anyone had any experience with salt curing?

Does anyone have any advice on making jerky? Can it be done in the BTLE? What does the process entail?


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## chad cochran

OK guys, I'm getting a little better.

Put some plate in the cook chamber to divert direct heat from the firebox. Also used a large cookie sheet for a water pan on the lower grill grates right up against the "new" baffle plate. I got a lot better control of my heat.

Used briquettes and smoking chunks, Kingsford mesquite and mesquite chunks. The control of the heat was so dramatically different!!! Brisket almost fell apart when I tried to remove the foil, it was so tender I had trouble cutting it.

The flat on the cutting board was a little bit drier than the flat on the point, and the point/flat was sooooo juicy!!

What do you guys use the end of the flat for? It seems good for chopped brisket, but not really for slicing....

I also still have the point/flat from my last one because the rest of the flat was so dry. Is this normal?


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## smokering90

If I'm reading you correctly you're saying that the flat is not good for slicing? I only get slices out of the flat, then the point I like to cube up and make burnt ends. Plenty of threads on here for those. If it was to tender to get slices you might of overlooked it (which it still tastes amazing but it just falls apart) if that is the case I recommend getting a good thermometer such as a maverick. This will allow you to read temps of the smoker and the meat.


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## chad cochran

smokering90 said:


> If I'm reading you correctly you're saying that the flat is not good for slicing? I only get slices out of the flat, then the point I like to cube up and make burnt ends. Plenty of threads on here for those. If it was to tender to get slices you might of overlooked it (which it still tastes amazing but it just falls apart) if that is the case I recommend getting a good thermometer such as a maverick. This will allow you to read temps of the smoker and the meat.


Yes, the knife (smooth blade) was actually tearing up the top of the meat from the end of the flat to the middle of the brisket. I have read about "burnt ends" but I'm not really sure what that is.

As far as the thermometer is concerned, I use the Maverick dual for the grill temps from one end to the other to better control my heat, then I have a single that I use for the meat, shoved into the end of the point and down, still in the point, but under the flat (the thickest piece of meat, right?).

Any suggestions are appreciated, I'm still learning.


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## smokering90

The flat is going to be the longer thinner cut of meat on the brisket and the point is the thicker fattier part they are separated by a layer of fat. If you're looking for sliced brisket I would put your probe into the flat towards the middle and watch for the temps to reach 190 degrees. At that point start checking it with a toothpick every so often until it gets to your desired texture. Once the toothpick goes in like butter with little resistance than you know you are good for slicing. Make sure you let it rest then slice perpendicular with the grain. 

As far as burnt ends go... Once the brisket reaches 160 degrees or so (this is just how I do it, you can keep it whole until the flat is done) I take the whole brisket out and separate the point and the flat. I will then wrap the flat in butcher paper and back on the smoker till its done. Then I take the point and cube it into 1 inch cubes. Take all those cubes and but them in an aluminum pan and sprinkle some rub and bbq sauce on them and into the smoker they go. Once they are done I like to set them out as appetizers (after I've had my fair share of course) they are one of the best things in bbq. 

Brisket is tough to get right. Best thing is to monitor your temps. Any questions you have feel free to ask away.


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## joes bbq ribs

Hello, wanted to see how covering up the smoke stack like that is working out for you? How far off the left side is that setting from the smoke stack chamber?  Lastly are you holding temps a lot better with that mod/ downdraft is what I would call it.   Thanks again I was trying to explain what to do to my friend but, he's not one for doing that stuff.   I added a full second shelf that slides out on his brinkmann trail master and changed out his main cooking grates as well both made of expanded metal.  Anyway get back to me when you get the chance


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## whiskeyboyz

Brisket, like any thing else you smoke is all about internal temp. I smoke hot and fast. 350-375 and pan my briskets in a throw away aluminum pan. At 150 degrees internal temp, I cover the pan with heavy foil, putting in some beer or bourbon and Simply Apple apple juice mixed 50/50. Cover and keep at heat. check after another hour. pull off when brisket reached 200-210 internal temp and you can cut it with a plastic fork. Meat gets to 140-160 degrees the tissues will reach a 'stall" point. that why I cover them as it helps to kind of Bake it the rest of the way. I have never cooked a brisket on a smoker with being in a pan. at 150-160 degrees, that brisket has absorbed all of the Smoke it is going to, about 1/4 inch smoke ring. after covering it with foil, you can just add charcoal for heat, no smoking wood needed. Try this same smoke with a Beef Chuck roast. get a good one 1 1/2 to 2 inches thick. good eating.


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## joes bbq ribs

Smokeblower,  yes it can be done I picked up a Brinkmann Trailmaster over the weekend for $50 [emoji]128561[/emoji]   Anyway the insides out and added a tuning plate along with changing out the main grilling grates with expanded metal type of grill grates and also added a second grilling grate that slide out used the same method as the main grill grates expanded metal.  I have the grate at the height of the smoke stack level I used 1"X1" angle iron and wedded to the inside of the cooking chamber.  When I get in town over the weekend I'll send you some pictures.  Looking at the post it's about 2 yrs old so I'm sure you did the mod by now.   
Happy Smokin'


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## joes bbq ribs

Temperature probe port ?  was that on Amazon ?


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## chad cochran

joes bbq ribs said:


> Hello, wanted to see how covering up the smoke stack like that is working out for you? How far off the left side is that setting from the smoke stack chamber?  Lastly are you holding temps a lot better with that mod/ downdraft is what I would call it.   Thanks again I was trying to explain what to do to my friend but, he's not one for doing that stuff.   I added a full second shelf that slides out on his brinkmann trail master and changed out his main cooking grates as well both made of expanded metal.  Anyway get back to me when you get the chance




Whatever you do, don't close the stack! It should remain wide open and is never used to regulate temps. The Trailmaster is a tough one to get right, but I learned the hard way about creosote. If you close the stack, creosote gets on your food and gives you a wonky 9V battery taste. NEVER close the stack!


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## joes bbq ribs

Yes never close off your stack lol.  With that mod on the stack I acts like a downdraft system would so the smoke has to go across the entire chamber before it get to the stack.   I'm helping my friend with his Brinkmann adding a couple explained metal grill grates for the main cooking chamber and a full slide out as a second shelf along with 1/2" tuning plates, firebox basket, and add a couple of thermometers on the lower part of the lid.   When I get all done for him I'll send you a couple pictures 
Thanks again


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## smokering90

Joes bbq ribs, do you have pics of your smoker? Mainly just want to see how you did the second shelf


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## joes bbq ribs

Smokering90- 
Here are a couple pictures of the upgraded grill grates I made and added the slide out second shelf. I can get closer pictures tomorrow for you,  working on the timing plates tomorrow as well as lightly sanding the smoker and priming it waiting for my paint to get delivered along with the 2 thermometers for the bottom of the lid.   Anyway thanks for your ingred in the mod.   Get back to me if you have any questions 












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__ joes bbq ribs
__ Mar 23, 2016


















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__ joes bbq ribs
__ Mar 23, 2016


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## smokering90

Looks really good, I've though about doing this for a while but never got around to it, now that I see it in yours I definitely think I'm going to


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## joes bbq ribs

Glad to hear that your going to go forward and did the shelf mod!   I'm sure the shelf will hold at least 6 tracks of ribs nice thing is with the slide out it allows you get the meat without fighting trying to get to it.   Any questions feel free to ask. 
Thanks again for your comment.


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## smokering90

What other mods do you have done to it?


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## joes bbq ribs

Doing the tuning plates today with 1/2" steel,  waiting for the 3" thermometers so I can place them on the bottom of the lid.  I'll make a 12"X 10" basket for the firebox, a couple of door clamps  I wanted to get the grill grates out of the way first all the other stuff is pretty much standard things that most people do I would think.  I mean basket is good for longer burn management, thermometers just one less prone to have hanging around in side the smoke chamber, grill grates I personally think any and all smokers should have those types of grates. They hold the heat so much better then the stock grates.  What's your thought any other mods that have crossed your mind?


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## smokering90

I don't have a picture right now I will take one when I get home, but my baffle I actually designed as a water pan also, so it holds my water which really helps the temps.


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## smokering90

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__ smokering90
__ Mar 23, 2016


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## smokering90

That's my baffle


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## joes bbq ribs

I like that idea as I usually place a water pan underneath the grill grates for added moisture.   Maybe you could get that lined with a piece of SS so you don't have to worry about rust from the water?


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## joshuat

I'm a new smoker guy and have just started messing with my smoker. I had one in the uk but had to leave it there but bought another here. No mods yet but will start soon.


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## joes bbq ribs

Okay guys I finally finished the restoration on the Brinkmann Trail Master Limited Edition.   Not sure if you have seen the photos of the before or not they are posted a copy posts back.   Anyway here is a list of what I have done: 
Replaced both main cooking grates with 1/2" tubing and expanded metal,  modified a full slide out second shelf made out of the same material as the main grilling grates,  made a heat defector with 1/2" steel cut up into pieces,  replaced the top thermometer and added 2 more at grate level,  added a couple lock down clamps at the lower ends of the lid, replaced the cheap metal wheels with some 10" rubber wheels, and lastly repainted the entire smoker with 1800 degree paint and painted the lid in bright red.  I'm going to let it sit for 72hrs want the paint to really set in before I fire it up.  Take a look and tell me what you think.  













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__ joes bbq ribs
__ Apr 15, 2016


















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__ joes bbq ribs
__ Apr 15, 2016


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## joshuat

With the second rack installed how muxh space do you have in both smoking areas heightwise? Did you have to weld that rack in? Maybe i should pm you for instructions.


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## weekendbbqguy

I'm fairly new to using my Brinkmann Trail Master Limited Edition and need some advise. I've made some mods already the coal basket the exhaust at the grate level and I really don't want to spend $100 on tuning plates. Could I use fire bricks in place of tuning plates as a cheaper alternative?


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## rookiesmoker18

Weekend bbq guy,

 Check out kick ass bbq south.com. They sell a baffle plate which will even temps in your smoker!  Believe it's around $40, got one for my trail master and it works awesome!!


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## weekendbbqguy

Rookiesmoker18,

 I went to the kick ass bbq and took a look at their baffle and could not really figure out how it works, as it is different from any other baffle I have seen. Most baffles have a 45 angle down that forces the heat towards the bottom. Can you explain in general how the kick ass baffle works?


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## rookiesmoker18

WeekendBBQguy,

       Not really sure on the science of how it works.Its a steel plate with a 90deg bend in it.  Place it on the end of your cooking grate, nearest the fire box. One end will sit on your grate and other end will hang in front of firebox opening. Slight movements towards or away from firebox opening while change temps, but once you find the "spot" your temps will even out. Been workin great for me and am now using less charcoa/wood.  


                               Hope this helps!


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## tracharity

I built an charcoal basket to regulate my heat in the firebox look online or YouTube to see how to make one or you can buy one online too.


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## smokey whaler

image.jpeg



__ smokey whaler
__ May 22, 2016





New Mod today, added a second shelve to the Smoker!!!


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## smokey whaler

Memorial Day weekend 2016!!! 5 Baby Rack Ribs, 2 whole Chickens, and Home made Baked beans[emoji]133674693112[/emoji][emoji]128516[/emoji]












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__ smokey whaler
__ May 29, 2016


















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__ smokey whaler
__ May 29, 2016


















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__ smokey whaler
__ May 29, 2016


















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__ smokey whaler
__ May 29, 2016


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## smokey whaler

Look at what I found at my local Home Depot!!! Not bad $












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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 5, 2016


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## gerard143

Ya they are hard to find now since brinkmann is out of business.     Def good prices just remember you can't order any replacement parts or anything anymore.


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## smokey whaler

gerard143 said:


> Ya they are hard to find now since brinkmann is out of business.     Def good prices just remember you can't order any replacement parts or anything anymore.



Yeah I think a company called Landmann bought them out. They have them at BJs they are identical to the Brinkmann.


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## smokey whaler

Smokey Whaler said:


> Yeah I think a company called Landmann bought them out. They have them at BJs they are identical to the Brinkmann.















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__ smokey whaler
__ Jun 5, 2016


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## glennmc

I was wondering if that price meant they were going to/had stopped production.  So that's the story?  End of an era...


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## smokinhawgbbq

Smokey Whaler said:


> Look at what I found at my local Home Depot!!! Not bad $
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> image.jpeg
> 
> 
> 
> __ smokey whaler
> __ Jun 5, 2016


I bought one also for the same price,as well as a trailmaster vertical for$50, I just posted a thread of the mods I did to it different than tuning plates and it works great!! enjoy

Mike


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## smokinhawgbbq

smokering90 said:


> image.png
> 
> 
> 
> __ smokering90
> __ Mar 23, 2016


Thanks Smokering90 I made a similar baffle for my trailmaster i put together this week, I remember seeing a waterpan/baffle on the site,but forgot where!! Stole the idea like a hungry dog!!


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## smokering90

That's what the forum is for man, glad you liked and used the idea


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## gerard143

GlennMc said:


> I was wondering if that price meant they were going to/had stopped production.  So that's the story?  End of an era...



On October 8, 2015, Brinkmann filed for Chapter 11 under the US bankruptcy code. As of November 30th, 2015 they are no longer selling products, not accepting returns or exchanges, and not honoring warranties. It appears one of their biggest client, Home Depot, stopped ordering and that pushed them over the edge

But see here... http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/244356/brinkmann-fans-landmann-has-picked-up-the-torch-for-you


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## phantom krankor

Nice pics.  Getting me into the shopping mood for a better smoker


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## weekendbbqguy

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__ weekendbbqguy
__ Jun 9, 2016


















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__ weekendbbqguy
__ Jun 9, 2016


















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__ weekendbbqguy
__ Jun 9, 2016


















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__ Jun 9, 2016


















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__ weekendbbqguy
__ Jun 9, 2016


















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__ weekendbbqguy
__ Jun 9, 2016





My first smoke on my brinkmann trailmaster after all the mods. Smoke stack at grate level, baffle and tuning plate, gaskets on fire and cook chamber, thermometers at grate level, locking latches on cook box,charcoal basket. I wanted to do a cheap first smoke so i did pork spare ribs.


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## joes bbq ribs

WeekendBBQGuy,
This is what I did to my Brinkmann Trailmaster,












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__ joes bbq ribs
__ Apr 15, 2016


















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__ joes bbq ribs
__ Apr 15, 2016


















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__ joes bbq ribs
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__ Apr 15, 2016


















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__ joes bbq ribs
__ Apr 15, 2016





Happy Smokin'


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## slider n copa

I have made several mods to mine, I used 1/4" steel plate to make a baffle to force the heat below the bottom rails, then I bought 1/4' x 2 x 14.5",  16 of them to go across the rails all the way to the end of the chamber.  I am still tuning the bars trying to get the spacing right. I also added a plate of sheet metal on the exhaust end that fits the inside diameter and goes down to the grate. I'm having a great time with it now, temp spikes are not a big issue and on long smokes the temp uniformity just keeps getting better as the heat warms the steel bars up, I use a water pan directly on top the baffle.

      I have thought of getting some thick perforated metal with like 1/4" holes to put under the bars to help transfer the heat to all the bars a little faster but haven't done it yet.   At the moment I use an IGRILL2 one probe in front one in front of what I'm smoking and one at the end and the other 2 I put in what I'm smoking, when needed I have a REDI CHECK to monitor the heat and track the meat with the IGRILL.

      I also sealed the lid with high temp silicon and added a piece of expanded metal to the grate in the fire box.


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## slider n copa

Sounds like your fire was not burning clean, white smoke is bad, you should barely see anything in the stack


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## slider n copa

I'm a little worried with the exhaust stack closed like that, don't you get stale smoke build up?


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## gerard143

ok so i finally got to getting my new smoker ready for action.    I have it siliconed, the door toggle clamps, firebox and cook chamber gaskets and bbqsmokermods baffle plate kit.        I see they sell an exhaust extension to bring the stack down to the grates but they say don't use if you have a baffle plate installed you don't need them.    

Do you all find that to be true?   You don't want to extend the stack down to grates with a baffle?

Also i have a face cord of hickory.  do i really need to go thru the hassle of chunking it downing small piece and building a mesh box for the firebox?   Is it just going to be too hard to regulate temps or something running full pieces of split wood is that why everyone runs a box?


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## mrceotri

Has anyone has anyone found a need to replace the ashtray pan in their firebox yet?  Mine is severely rusted out and i cannot find any replacement online since they are no longer in business.


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## slider n copa

I haven't had to replace mine but I am trying to figure out a way to seal it better, too much air comes in around it.


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## slider n copa

gerard143 said:


> ok so i finally got to getting my new smoker ready for action.    I have it siliconed, the door toggle clamps, firebox and cook chamber gaskets and bbqsmokermods baffle plate kit.        I see they sell an exhaust extension to bring the stack down to the grates but they say don't use if you have a baffle plate installed you don't need them.
> 
> Do you all find that to be true?   You don't want to extend the stack down to grates with a baffle?
> 
> Also i have a face cord of hickory.  do i really need to go thru the hassle of chunking it downing small piece and building a mesh box for the firebox?   Is it just going to be too hard to regulate temps or something running full pieces of split wood is that why everyone runs a box?


.


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## slider n copa

Gerad143
   I didn't use an extension, I used a thin sheet metal tray and sealed the whole exhaust end to the great level. Even with a baffle plate it ensures the smoke stays at great level it also helps with uniformity


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## slider n copa

Gerad143, 
  As far as the wood, 2 thoughts came to mind, 1st temp control could be an issue that stuff burns hot and if your fire box isn't sealed good it will get away from you, 2nd hickory is a strong wood I would use charcoal for heat source and just add small chunks for flavor. But that's just my opinion, I've had my TMLE about 5 years, they can be a pain in the arse at times till you figure them out


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## juanmoreq

I recently bought a used TMLE and have been slowly upgrading it. The upgrade fund is a little low so I've been seeing what I can do with 2nd hand parts












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__ juanmoreq
__ Jan 5, 2017





Here is my cookie sheet tuning plate that will sit under the lower grates













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__ juanmoreq
__ Jan 5, 2017





And here is the scrap wire mesh fire basket that I made...
I recently splurged and bought the CC seal and toggle clamp mod and 2 additional temp gauges. 
I have a question regarding the seal,  is there an upside or downside to sticking the seal to the door instead of the barrel? Also, is there a specific location to mount the clamps?  The biggest gap on the door is halfway up but I've seen most of the clamps mounted at the bottom. Thanks


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## hitmanaction

I need to replace the firebox air damper for my BTLE, where can i get a couple ordered? are there any firebox mods?


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## Rings Я Us

You might have to make something yourself . You can't buy parts anymore. Maybe another company has same design.


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## socalbbq

I have had some luck with this site.  They have limited parts, but some are still available.  Good luck,

https://www.appliancefactoryparts.com/gasgrillparts/brands/brinkmann/855-6305-s.html


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## doc smoker

Hey all....I've owned the Brinkmann Trailmaster Limited for about 5 years now. Cooked a lot of great food on it but it's starting to show it's age. I keep it covered 24/7, but the firebox is showing some major rust. I've sanded and re-painted each spring but I'm afraid after this season it won't be good next spring. I've read a lot of the forums here and I've been looking at the Old Country models. My question is should I spend the $400 on the Pecos which I assume is very similar to the BTLE, or pony up the extra cash for the Brazos model? Any thoughts or input is welcome, thanks!!


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## BlackDogBBQ

Hi all, new to the forum and somewhat new to smoking (I’ve done maybe 10 smokes). I have a TMLE and am kicking around the idea of making it a reverse flow smoker by relocating the smoke stack. I have 1/4” tuning plates without holes in them already that would act as the duct, I would just push them all tight together.  I think the idea of RF has merit and a lot of the really high end smokers are RF.  Has anyone done this to a TMLE or OJ Longhorn?  Any thoughts or arguements either way?


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## meph

Hello.... my cover is i bad shape and its time for a new one.... i cant seem to find anymore... has anyone been able to find an alternative?


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## piaconis

meph said:


> Hello.... my cover is i bad shape and its time for a new one.... i cant seem to find anymore... has anyone been able to find an alternative?



Amazon Item B008HCDQT0


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## olive drab

IT looks like academy picked this up in their line of smokers since brinkman went out of business https://www.academy.com/shop/pdp/oklahoma-joes-hondo-offset-smoker#repChildCatid=7994641


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