# oklahoma joe highland smoke stack size



## alex427 (Aug 16, 2020)

hi , new here.
Im over in the UK so smoker choice isn pretty limited.I have an oklahoma joe highland.
Would have loved an old country...
The joe seems ok but when I use online calculators they tell me the smoke stack is undersized. Should be 24" not the 17" it is.
Or if I go to a 4" stack should be 13.5" which seems too short.
I have a metalworker and we thought of adding a new stack at grate level with a wider intake across the grill.
want to get the stack size correct

many thanks


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## alex427 (Aug 16, 2020)

the old country smokers seem to have 5 or 6" stacks for the same size smoker...


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## Smokin Okie (Aug 16, 2020)

My Old Country Brazos has a 6" stack .... but ...  the exhaust port is only 4.5 " .   I've no idea why OC did that.

The OC Pecos has a 5" stack with the same 4.5 " port.    

I put an extension on the stack,  I used a 2 foot piece of duct.   I think it helps with the draw,  but I've no way to measure that.    You can see it in this pic,  I think


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## offsetNick (Aug 16, 2020)

alex427 said:


> hi , new here.
> Im over in the UK so smoker choice isn pretty limited.I have an oklahoma joe highland.
> Would have loved an old country...
> The joe seems ok but when I use online calculators they tell me the smoke stack is undersized. Should be 24" not the 17" it is.
> ...


I have the OJ and find that if I run a hot oak fire with 6x2.5 inch splits with open door generates way too much heat 300-400F.  If I could let out the heat faster to lower the temp by increase that out-flow of heat/smoke the temp would be closer to a manageable temp.  
If you could increase it with a larger draft like the OC go for it.

A bigger fire box would have been great. 
I went to a 2 level system with briquette/lump coals on the top level. The level under the coals is where I add small splits of wood 3x2.
Holds avg 265F.


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## alex427 (Aug 16, 2020)

thanks thats helpful.I think the Joe is nearer pecos size so would do a 5" stack.
Whats the height of the stack?
presumably the 4.5" restriction negates the 5 or 6" stack dimension?


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## alex427 (Aug 16, 2020)

Smokin Okie said:


> My Old Country Brazos has a 6" stack .... but ...  the exhaust port is only 4.5 " .   I've no idea why OC did that.
> 
> The OC Pecos has a 5" stack with the same 4.5 " port.
> 
> I put an extension on the stack,  I used a 2 foot piece of duct.   I think it helps with the draw,  but I've no way to measure that.    You can see it in this pic,  I think


also , makes me think my little 3" stack at 17" is well undersized if thats a 5/6" stack and you've extended it.
Even on the highland


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## Smokin Okie (Aug 16, 2020)

I'm not a pit builder and don't have any experience beyond my Brazos.   But I think a stack can't be too high. 

Look at the stack on Aaron Franklin's backyard pit ,   or Mill Scale , or Workhorse pits.

And these large propane tank pits made by Primitive


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## Smokin Okie (Aug 16, 2020)

Pics of extension on my Brazos


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## alex427 (Aug 16, 2020)

For raw OKJ highland when i use the calculator it tells me 3" stack 24" high , 5" stack only  8.6" high!!!


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## Smokin Okie (Aug 16, 2020)

I don't know who invented the calculator,  but I don't put much faith into it


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## alex427 (Aug 16, 2020)

ok , I'm putting a 10" stack 8' on mine!!
seriously though , just looked at these and also the franklin book and smokers - big smokestacks.
As he says its easier to shorten than to lengthen so will use 4 or 5" tube and go for 30" tall.


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## dirtworldmike (Dec 18, 2020)

I Finally Fixed My OKLA Joe Highlander.
					

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/intake-issues-with-oklahoma-joes-highland.266038/page-2  Two years ago I made a reply to the above thread (post#13) about the air flow issue in the Oklahoma Joe Highlander. In my reply I opined that I was having the same issue in that I couldn't get wood...




					www.smokingmeatforums.com


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## PhilHum (Jul 13, 2021)

alex427 said:


> hi , new here.
> Im over in the UK so smoker choice isn pretty limited.I have an oklahoma joe highland.
> Would have loved an old country...
> The joe seems ok but when I use online calculators they tell me the smoke stack is undersized. Should be 24" not the 17" it is.
> ...



Hi there,

I'm in Europe too, and like you could only find a OK Joe Highland. 

I'm currently getting ready to mod mine, and am doing the calculator thing now. 
Don't suppose you can paste your calculations in here, can you? It would really help me out. 

Going to do a reverse flow conversion on mine. 

From what i've seen, in addition to the stack, the FB/CC opening size needs to get smaller. 
The chimney is 3" diameter, right?

Thanks in advance.


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