# A question about an offset smoker modification...



## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

i turned my charcoal tray in the cooking chamber upside down and have alittle better control over my heat and it spreads it better across the grates...but not great...if i could cut the upside down charcoal tray in to three pieces i can have more control over where the heat starts moving up...

my question iiiiiis...has anyone cut up the charcoal tray to allow better control over the hot spot?...if so...how many inches did you cut? 6? i am pretty sure i can cut the tray to make it angle down...


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## eaglewing (Dec 23, 2009)

I would need picz I think in order to see what it is you really are wanting to do....


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

ok...but its dark outside...


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## garyt (Dec 23, 2009)

Sounds like a chargriller question. There is a better way search for tuning plate mods or if you dont own a chargriller post what you have with pictures


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

it is a chargriller question...i have search for tuning mods and have found alot of information...no one has cut their charcoal tray (that i've seen)...give thats its a perfect round shape and is already a heat resistant metal i dont see why people havent tried this before...

maybe i will be the first...

"the keith method"

hehehe...


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

me and the dremel have a date before tomorrows smoke...

i would post pics...but i dont have photoshop installed to point out what i want to do...

i will post what i do do though...

did i say do do?


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## ddave (Dec 23, 2009)

Not likely. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






This forum has been around too long for that. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=65733

Dave


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

awesome...close to what i was thinking..i was thinking about seperating the turned over piece into three pieces...a little more control i would think...

but thanks nonetheless!!!


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## ddave (Dec 23, 2009)

Yep, three pieces is a good idea.  That's the way I set up my SnP.  A baffle is a good idea as well.

Here are some ideas for you if you haven't seen this thread.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...506#post290506

Dave


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

thanks dave...i  have read your thread about a thousand times...fantastic work...i am sure i will have to do a little trial and error to get it right...


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## olewarthog (Dec 23, 2009)

I haven't heard of anyone cutting a CG ash tray, but I have seen pics of one a guy drilled holes in on another forum.  I can't locate that thread, but IIRC he drilled a row of holes across the bottom of the tray every 6" or so. He made the holes larger as moved from the SFB end to the far side.


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

and thats another option for me....maybe i should drill first...cut second...

what i do know is that the underpassage of the ash tray is too long without letting some heat or smoke out before it gets to the end...

now i need to check what size drill bits i have...


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## olewarthog (Dec 23, 2009)

Before you drill & cut, let me tell you what I do with my ash tray. I take the cooking grates that came with the SFB & place them inside the cooking chamber. When I flip the ash tray & set it on top of the grates, there is an inch or so clearance between the edge of the ash tray & the front & back walls of the main chamber.  This small gap allows heat to flow up along the sides of the tray as well as the end. If I keep the tray flush against the SFB side wall, I normally get 15-20* higher readings on the far end of the chamber. If I leave a 1-1.5" gap at the SFB opening, my temps generally are less than 10* difference between left, middle & right

I have also seen people who use bricks or cut pieces of angle iron in place of the grates.


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## olewarthog (Dec 23, 2009)

I finally found the forum posting with the ashtray with holes drilled.

http://www.barbecuebible.com/board/v...t=ash+tray+mod 

Hope this helps


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## jirodriguez (Dec 23, 2009)

My only concern would be that the width of the ash tray from front to back. Is it wide enough so that when you set it down inside the chamber, it still curves above the opening between the firebox and the main chamber?


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

yes it does...just barely...

okay...so i went outside to pull the ashtray out for cutting...it is badly warped and junked up bigtime...i trolled the dollar store and found two cookie sheets i am going to chop up for a makeshift 2 dollar baffle until i can get to lowes or the depot to get something thicker...


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

it does...thanks...


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## rickw (Dec 23, 2009)

That's kind of the same concept that Horizon does.


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## keithace (Dec 23, 2009)

^^^^^ that would be best case scenario...i dont have access to a welder though...


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## jirodriguez (Dec 23, 2009)

I bet if you hit up a local metal fab shop they would have some scrap 1/4" plate steel that would do the trick. If you could get 4 pieces that were 19-20" L x 6-8" W (same length on all 4 pieces) you would have a sectioned tuning plate that could be gaped as needed. My guess is they could either give it to you for free or for realy cheap - maby trade them some Que for them!


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## keithace (Dec 24, 2009)

good idea...


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## raykar (Jun 12, 2014)

Keith,

You don't need photoshop to comment on pics. Use Powerpoint which is usually loaded with your office suite. Insert pics into a powerpoint slide then insert a text box and explain away. If no Powerpoint then use Word and do the same thing.

I went to a metal shop and purchased 3 identical plates 3/16" thick. I have a OKL Joe Longhorn offset and I measured the length of my charcoal grid and just laid each sheet butt up against each other on top of the charcoal grid under the cooking grate. The 3/16" thick sheets can be taken out and depending on how much meat I am smoking I can use all three or just one. Heat plates keep a steady heat without impacting the smoke. My next mod will be to make my unit a reverse flow.

I will post pics


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