# smoke hollow 4-in-1 combo grill



## gotbags-10

http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...ontent_goobasecontent_filler&cID=GSHOP_438114wondering if anyone has used this thing and what there thoughts were on it? Looks like a huge side fire box.


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## pops6927

Have another user working with his, send him a PM on his progress!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/122919/new-smoker-is-kicking-my-but


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## jace

Bought this unit in January.  Overall I like it alot.  Keep in mind it is a C.O.S so go into it knowing that, cheap thin metal, drafty etc.  Fit and finish is extremely nice, it looks like a corvette out of the box.  Love the sear burner, love the working space size, love the adjustable charcoal grate.  The dial gauges are very accurate.  I compare them with my digital's regularly.     

Now onto the dislikes.  It is a high maint. grill you will have surface rust issues unless you keep it in your garage and grill in your garage all the time. The paint on the firebox will peel off after 1st or second smoke.  Spray it down with PAM often.  The propane bracket is a little flimsey with a full tank on, I just put a block of wood under it.  It is hard to maintain temps. for smoking, but as I said earlier I knew that going in and expected it.  

Some mods I did to mine are as follows:  Extended chimney to cooking surface.  Removed rubber stoppers on lids and bought green egg lid gaskets and put on charcoal and smoker boxes.  Sealed up weld seems with stove sealer before I seasoned.  The firebox has a grate for stick wood but does not work well for charcaol.  I flipped it upside down and bought a cooking grate to put on top of it and it works great for a charcoal basket now.  I also use welders blankets on the cooking box and firebox when I'm smoking to help save fuel.  I can maintain 250 - 275 degrees for about 2 to 3 hours.  I think thats pretty good for a C.O.S.  Use lump for smoking and not briquetts It's alot easier I found with this unit.

So there it is.  I did alot of research before buying this and asked alot of questions from other owners so I hope this helps you.  you will read alot of good reviews and bad.  I found most of the bad reviews come from people that were expecting a $2000 grill for $400.  For me this unit fit my budget for what I wanted to do, the versatility is great.  It is a awesome looking grill and I love watching the jaws drop when friends and family see it.

Here is a link to a reviewer from this site.  He also has a blog with some mods he did that I just stumbled onto as well

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/pr...s-olp-smoke-hollow-47180t-4-in-1/reviews/4297


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## sscrib

Thanks, Jace, for referring him to my review. A link to my blog is on there. Hope it helps. The 4-in-1 is a decent smoker if you are willing to put a little work into improving it.


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## anoncan

Out of the box, it works.  With some tweeks, works awesome.

"Tweeks?" you ask...

High temp JB Weld on seams in fire box, smoke box and dividing wall of the propane and charcoal chambers.

Fire proof rope on upper seam and holes in same dividing wall.  

Made a pipe extension for the exhaust out of flashing.  Used some rivots to make it look nice.

Removed rubber spacers from smoke box and charcoal chamber, then replaced with 1/8 inch gasket from fireplace window gasket.  The fire box one for sure but you can use BGE gasket to boot.

Used BGE gasket on bottom charcoal vent, basket handle guard, and small holes in charcoal side lid.

Flashing shield that acts like heat/smoke defuser to disapate well... heat and smoke.

Made my own grate for the fire box to keep the ambers from falling through.

And that is about it.  If you have noticed that most is on the smoking side, it needed it the most.  This way more heat less smoked where you want it.  I have been practicing with my smoking and with smoking at least twice a week and I am loving it (as is everyone else). 

First time smoker, lifetime addicted.

Cheers.


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## cityofvoltz

Though I am still working on trying it to get and keep steady heat (and consequently transitioning from elec to a coal/wood smoker) I have made a few mods not listed here.

Kind of a no brainer, i put a few bricks (foil wrapped)  in the base of the smoker,

I bought a shipping blanket at harbor freight and pretty much cut and trimmed a snuggie for the smoker. double layer of blanket.  

I also bought a used broiler pan, and made a water pan that fits perfectly on the charcoal basket that is adjustable.  I did have to bend the edges of the pan up to get it to fit- but it fits like a glove. 

Though i am not sure how i feel about this mod yet;)  I did use an angle grinder to cut a hole about 3"x10" from the smoker side into the gas side.  My goal was to see if i could make the unit 1 large smoker.  Ends up it mostly vents through the gas size and the temperature remains about 120 degrees cooler, when the smoker side is fired up.  I have never experimented with cold smoking but that could perhaps be close to that temperature range.  I did fabricate a plate that i can put over the hole with some strong magnets if i wish to reseal that area. 

I am still undecided if the best route is coal with wood chips or chunks or a strait wood only fire-  I personally am just trying to get it steady and constant and easily maintainable. 

I have noticed, at times the smoker can take quite a bit of time to recover.   I think being in michigan (and its getting colder cause it fall)  that the weather probably is why.  The blog mentioned above has also been quite helpful, I am trying a few of his mods- and i will test it and see how they work!


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## tribeal

Hey guys just picked up the 4-1 on Friday. I assembled it today and cured it before direct heat cooking some chicken breast and some butternut squash that turned out great. I choose this pit based on reviews compared to other combo pits and then reading you guys comments. I got some mod questions though. Jace, can you explain your chimney mod and maybe put up some pics. Also wear do I get the BGE gasket. Lastly would using a metal cooking tray in the fire box to hold the charcoal work just as well?


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## sscrib

I have several posts about modding the 4-in-1 on my blog, complete with pictures and walkthroughs. Be sure to check them out and read the comments. Good stuff in there that'll really help you out. Let me know if it does. http://blog.truthdialogue.com/category/cooking


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## tribeal

Sscrib great write ups and some great ideas that ill be sure to use. I didn't see anything on the chimney or sealing the boxes did you not worry about these mods or am I just blind


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## sscrib

In this post I referenced another blog that covered some of those mods: http://blog.truthdialogue.com/2012/02/modifying-smoke-hollow-47180t-deflector.html


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## sscrib

The chimney extension and sealing the boxes are the first mods you should do.


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## tribeal

Ok i see it now the Chris G blog. Thanks again for the info. I read that some owners where having issues with melting the knobs off of the front of the unit. Have you heard of this? Like i said i cooked on it last night and even got the temp up over 400 during the curing process and I didnt have any issues with any knobs.


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## sscrib

Nope. No problems like that whatsoever. The only problems I've had with this unit are getting heat to travel efficiently from the firebox to the food chamber and keeping the temperature steady. After all the mods I've done (JB Welded seams, chimney extended down, deflector plate, BGE gasket, firebox heat deflector, and charcoal tray) I finally have this unit running really well. It takes a LOT of charcoal to sustain higher smoking temps (250 degrees and up), but if you're running 225-245 most of the time you won't burn through too much coal (relative to other smokers).


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## kb69co

What does C.O.S. stand for?


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## fwismoker

kb69co said:


> What does C.O.S. stand for?


Cheap offset smoker, basically ones like  you'll get from Lowes, Home Depot, thin metal and doesn't hold smoke very well.  It takes a lot of modifications to make a C.O.S work well.


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## kb69co

oh, Thank's FWIsmoker.


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## dpr3244

I'm working on putting together my 4-in-1 and have read about the mods. I got the nomex gasket and will install. I'm curious about the corner seams though. On here and other sites it sounded like each corner had pretty obvious gaps in it, on mine it actually looks like there is a corner piece welded into each corner. I'm also unsure if the best way (or necessity) to seal the holes in the lower corners between gas and charcoal side. I've read that JB Weld is good sealant for small gaps but requires mixing and I'm a little concerned ill mess it up. Does z high temp caulk, or the RTV high temp stuff work?  As you may have guessed, not a lot of mechanical aptitude for me.  Thanks.


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## dpr3244

Almost forgot, I've read that these lose heat pretty quickly due to thin metal and use a lot of charcoal. Can you drape a welders blanket or something over it to insulate and better hold heat?


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## aland

dpr3244- yes, I use a fire(welders) blanket and it won't burn. Might become discolored from the smoke but I use one on my SH 44 vert, ECB or Weber if needed. Got mine from Harbor Freight cos they're pricey at a welding supply. Sometimes you can check at a farm and garden store in the welding section. But they will not catch fire and insulate well.


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## dpr3244

Cool. I'll check Harbor Freight. Will it also keep the sun from heating it up too much when it hits it?


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## unkiestable

Man that's an awesome idea for the winter months. Like a dummy I never thought of using a welding blanket to insulate. Duh I even work in the maintenance department in manufacturing and weld. Guess when I'm at home I don't think of work related stuff. Thanks for the tip.


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## aland

dpr3244- Wow-never thought about that aspect. Don't think so cos it (at least for me and another member I suggested it to) insulates to keep heat in. I would think it would continue to do so which might let you turn down your gas or close off some of your vents a little(but you need airflow) and use less gas or charcoal. The blanket is made of fiberglass and even tho  mine is a white or blondish color and would reflect sunlight better than a black cooker, I would think it would still hold in heat. Might try to put the 4-n-1 in the shade out of direct sunlight. All my units are in the car shed here on the farm and there's alot  of wind here in W.OK. You could try and just watch it. I'd think it might make the temp skyrocket. Like all say here, "trial and error". Let me know what it does in that latter case. Good luck.


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## kb69co

dpr3244- Another thing to look at with the 4-in-1 is rust. After reading all the reviews from 3 different places that sell them the main issue people had is pre mature rust. The paint on them is very thin so any exposure to moisture and they will start to rust. For this reason I decided to give mine a good paint job with Rustoleum 1000* satin finish paint as I assembled it. I took apart everything that was pre built and painted all the painted parts except for the inside of the charcoal cooking area. Then if you read on the Chris G blog he mentions seasoning it both inside and out. He states he also does this every spring. With that and a cover it should last a long time with out the rust issue. I have mine all built and am hoping to season it this Saturday. Follow the mods on the blogs and you will have a pretty good smoker when your done. I have to say the Satin finish on my main cooking parts and high gloss black engine enamel 500* on the legs, lower rack, braces and fronts of the drip pans looks awesome. If it cooks half as good as it looks it will be well worth the money. I will post picks of mine once the weather here in Utah decides it isn't winter anymore. 27* and raining right now.


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## dpr3244

Thanks. I debated painting and may do so. Does the seasoning with vegetable oil keep the rust away?  To do the outside just coat it and heat at same time as inside?  Will that make the outside oily and nasty?  Not sure my wife would allow that but makes sense. Which is easier to use to seal the seams, JB Weld or the RTV high temp?  Thanks for the info so far, I'm really enjoying the sure.


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## dpr3244

Yet another question from a guy without a clue. I've read on here about people putting pans of water, rock, sand, clay flower pots, bricks etc in their smokers to help with heat control. Does this work with offsets as well?  If I put something like a disposable cake pan or roasting pan full of sand or water or whatever under the smoker chamber grate will it help keep the temp where I want it?  Thanks.


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## kb69co

dpr3244- In the Chris G blog he states he seasons it with Canola oil in the spray cans from Sams club. he says he sprayed it and then heated it for a couple of hours and then after it cooled he wiped the excess oil off. He has a link to a report of seasoning a BBQ by getting it hot and then spraying it. Here is the link to SSCRIB's blog http://blog.truthdialogue.com/category/cooking. The Chris G blog http://www.nibblemethis.com/p/smoke-hollow-faq.html. The post about seasoning the Chris G refers to is http://www.amazingribs.com/tips_and_technique/calibrating_and_seasoning_your_grill.html. Like I said I haven't seasoned mine yet because I need the weather to get a little better but I assume the outside will not be sticky or greasy afterwords. I am going to do mine that way and see how it goes. I just want to protect my investment as much as I can so I can enjoy it as long as possible.Read the comments that are posted to the Smoke Hollow blogs, there is alot of great information in the comments as well as the blogs. I asked questions to SSCRB through his blog and he responded back quickly and gave great advice.

      As for the water pan I bought some foil pans at Sams club that fit perfectly into the charcoal tray. Dirt cheap too. 30 of them for around  $5. They are "Baker's and Chef's" brand" "half size aluminum steam table pans" (11 3/4"X 9 3/8"X2 9/16").


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## dpr3244

Thanks. I'd read the other blogs but not sure I'd seen the one on seasoning. Like you I want to make sure the grill lasts as it'll likely be a while before I can afford another. Hope your weather improves soon.


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## aland

dpr3244- I don't know what it would hurt to season the outside. I would imagine they used the same paint inside and out and  if it seasons one side, it should season the other. At worst you might end up going to the car wash with it. I never even thought about doing it cos most grills, etc, have a pretty, shiny paint job on the outside but I  don't recall a smoker with one. I think most are flat black. Could end up being real weather resistant. Dad told me to learn everything I could in school cos the lessons were free. But when you get out on your own, every lesson you learn costs you money somehow or another and again, Dad was right! Only one way to find out.


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## dpr3244

I'll definitely season the outside periodically. Who knows the oil may make it more rust resistant than paint.


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## cityofvoltz

i used 2 shipping blankets layered from harbor freight-  only issue was towards the firebox side they melted a bit.  be sure to leave a bit of a buffer between your firebox and where your blanket starts.  Oh- other trick- I just used a stapler to attach pieces of blanket together (i cut them to fit per se)


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## dpr3244

Cool. I know it'll be a learning experience and don't want it to be any more difficult than had to be.


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## smokesalittle

I have had mine for about 3 month now, I am looking forward to the summer months when I will have the sun and summer heat to assist in keeping more stable temps, but so far I have smoked a bunch of stuff, like salmon candy, buck board bacon, chicken cordon bleu and it has worked great, I am still learning the quirks and tricks for this one but that was expected. I did purchase 16 feet of stove rope and some high temp gasket sealer and sealed the top of the smoker and side fire box. I have used some bricks in the fire box to raise the grate up off the bottom for better air flow and added a smaller wire grate so the charcoal won't fall through. I also added some bricks tot eh charcoal basket in the smoker box to help keep a more steady heat and I used a disposable aluminum pan cut, bent and folded to extend the smoke and block the direct heat on the fire box end of the smoker box, this forces the heat and smoke to travel farther across the smoker box and in my mind gives me a better heat and smoke distribution.

Like any smoker you have to play with it and learn what makes it work at it's best, as many have said it is not a $2000 smoker, you will need to work just a bit harder to get the job done but I knew that going in. I still love to see the faces of my friends and family when they see it, there are dents all over my deck from peoples chins hitting the floor when I unveil this monster. The gas side and sear burner are awesome for a quick steak or burger. All in all this is an awesome grill and is everything I expected and more.


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## dpr3244

thanks for the info.  I have very little mechanicl aptitude and am hoping to finish assembling mine this weekend if time allows (3 young kids and lots of work to do take a lot of my time).  The last post stimulated so more questions that I thought I'd post here as well as in the charcoal smokers general forum to try and get a better idea of how to do this stuff and learn something.  I've learned a lot so far and appreciate all the info people have given me so far.

1. I bought the Nomex gasket to seal the smoker and fire box, but keep thinking it might be easier to use a caulk type substance. I thought I'd seen some instructions where someone had used Rutland High Temp Sealant or Gasket Maker or something and I think they said they'd put a bead around then put a thin strip of wax paper on top of it and closed the lid to flatten. Is that as effective as the Nomex and how exactly would I do that. Also, where can I get the material to do that if it works well? that sounds easier to me than the Nomex and I'm thinking might be significantly cheaper. I was also worried about the sealant sticking to the lid and basically glueing it shut. If someone could give me some details (and even maybe pics) that would be a great help.

2. You mention the disposable aluminum pan. I'd read about the deflector plate and was concerned about the cost of it as well as a permanence of it as I plan to use the charcoal grill aspect of this as well as learning to smoke. With the disposable aluminum pan it doesn't sound like it'd be expensive and maybe wouldn't take much to put it in and take it out. How exactly did you do this and can you just quickly and easily pop it out? Has it made a pretty significant difference? Any pics?

3. I'm also curious about sealing the corners. Most of the stuff I've found online makes it sound like there are signfiicant gaps in the conrners of the chambers, as well holes between the charcoal and gas chambers. I see the holes between the charcoal and gas side but it appears there plates welded into the corners of the smoker chamber and I don't really see any open seams. It does look like the plates are just spot welded so maybe each side of the plate is where I should seal? Also, a lot of people suggest JB Weld as the sealnt, but would the Rutland (or other brand) high temp sealant/gasket makeer work just as well and be easier with no mixing? Also how do I seal the holes between charcoal and gas sides, they're probably 1/2 and inch to an inch square (I'm not great at estimating and haven't looked since last weekend so could be way off).

4. Do I need to seal the firebox and if so what do I need to seal? I've read that you need to and also that you shouldn't as it cuts back on airflow and am a bit confused. Opinions?

I appreciate your help and am really enjoying this forum. I may copy this and post as a thread in the general charcoal smoker forum as well to try and get more views as I'm clueless and can use all the help I can get. Thanks again and have a great weekend.

DeWayne


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## kb69co

dpr3244- I bought the BGE nomex gasket that has the high heat glue already applied. It worked awesome going on but I haven't put heat to it yet so I don't know how well it will stay put. To me it just seamed better than trying to apply a glue and then stick the gasket down.

I used the JB weld to seal up both the fire wall and Smoke chamber. If you take a flashlight and shine it inside of the box's at the seams you will see how much light comes through. I was really surprised at the gaps revealed between the bottom and sides in the smoke chamber. As for the gaps between the gas and charcoal side I took some metal flashing and cut it a little bigger than the holes then used the JB weld and covered the whole thing and it sealed up nicely.

As for the not sealing the firs box because it would cut back on airflow, that doesn't make sense to me because you want to be able to regulate your air flow by using the damper on the door. If there are to many leaks allowing air into the box you are cutting down your ability to control the airflow and thus it will be harder to control your temps.

I also feel you on the working taking up all your time. I have only had 2 days off last month and I'll get 2 off this month. It's killing me because I want to be using my new toy.


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## anoncan

The seals around the lid stay put as long as you dong get food on them and be careful when cleaning.  I used the gasket you can buy for the BGE on the smoke box and the gasket used for fireplace glass on the fire box.  I will use the fireplace glass gasket from now on, it is more durable, cheaper, easier to get and better seal.  Just remember to adjust the lid for the height of whatever gasket you use.

I used the high temp JB weld, after it set I sprayed it with oil and got the chambers as hot as I can to cure it good and to test for leaks.

I tried the bricks in the fire box, not sure about temp control but it did keep me from using  so much wood.

Got some surface rust over the break.  Scraped it down and applied some oil for now.  Wiped the whole rig down and stacked the fire box ready for quick start.

FYI, write down what you do each time you cook, like what wood used, outside temp, food type and other misc info.  I helps you to dial in the magical combo that made you cook the perfect meal.

I hunt.  And deer meat is a staple for our family but if you are like me, there isn't enough "juices".  Did some experiments and found that a 75/25 mix of deer meat/ 98% fat beef was a perfect combo.  I know most of you already mix it in but I found out something interesting with the 75/25 mix.  The beef by itself flamed alot and caused burning without attention.  The deer meat by itself didn't flame but was too dry for me.  75/25 was just as juicy as the 50/50 blend and there was little or no flames.  75/25 for the score and win.

Just some misc. stuff wanted to share.


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## smokesalittle

"1. I bought the Nomex gasket to seal the smoker and fire box, but keep thinking it might be easier to use a caulk type substance. I thought I'd seen some instructions where someone had used Rutland High Temp Sealant or Gasket Maker or something and I think they said they'd put a bead around then put a thin strip of wax paper on top of it and closed the lid to flatten. Is that as effective as the Nomex and how exactly would I do that. Also, where can I get the material to do that if it works well? that sounds easier to me than the Nomex and I'm thinking might be significantly cheaper. I was also worried about the sealant sticking to the lid and basically glueing it shut. If someone could give me some details (and even maybe pics) that would be a great help."

You can use the Rutland brand, myself I was too cheap to spend that much cash, I went to WalMart's auto dept and got a tube of high temp gasket seal, ran a bead around the lid then placed my stove rope on that. I closed the lid put some weight on it and left it like that for several hours to make sure it was good and dry, it has worked perfectly so far.

"2. You mention the disposable aluminum pan. I'd read about the deflector plate and was concerned about the cost of it as well as a permanence of it as I plan to use the charcoal grill aspect of this as well as learning to smoke. With the disposable aluminum pan it doesn't sound like it'd be expensive and maybe wouldn't take much to put it in and take it out. How exactly did you do this and can you just quickly and easily pop it out? Has it made a pretty significant difference? Any pics?"

I saw pics of the more permanent style on some ones blog on here I believe, but like you I may want to use the charcoal side sometime so I did not want to permanently attach something that would prevent that. I just cut the corners so I could flatten the pan out, stuck part of it through the hole into the fire box and bent it so it would hold, then did the same tot he under side of the charcoal rack (which I have raised all the way to the top) it was not difficult and seems to work great plus I buy 50 of those pans at a time at Sam's Club because I do a lot of cooking and they are handy to have around so they are less than $.25 each that way I think, so if I mess one up taking it out I will just make another. I am about to put a 10lb pork butt on this morning for some pulled pork, I will see if I can get some pics that will turn out before I get it started.

As for your question #3, I have a couple spots that leaks very small amounts of smoke but so little I am not going to concern myself with them at this point, I think it is grill specific, depends on how drunk the welder was the night before he welded your grill. Mine must have stayed home the night before he made my grill :)

"4. Do I need to seal the firebox and if so what do I need to seal? I've read that you need to and also that you shouldn't as it cuts back on airflow and am a bit confused. Opinions?"

I sealed my lid just like I did to the smoker box with stove rope and high temp auto gasket sealer, other than that I left the rest alone, you will find that raising your charcoal grate in the fire box up on a couple bricks will allow more air flow, as for the bricks in the smoker side I am not sure if there is a ton of benefit but they have to help hold a little heat and in my small mind holding any heat is a good thing and I had the bricks so why not.


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## dpr3244

Thanks. Got my grill put together and gasket on firebox and smoke chamber today. Not sure if I'm going to do the jb weld or not as I don't see any real gaps around the bottom or corners so maybe I got a sober welder..:). Plan to season tomorrow and time and money permitting try a smoke maybe next weekend. Still need to extend the chimney and I guess block off holes in firewall between smoker chamber and gas side. Really appreciate all the advice and info here and look forward to more.


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## hunterguy

Okay, new here and I think I posted this in the wrong area, but I just purchased and put together the 4-in-1 and noticed that the tops do not fit properly on the gas or charcoal sides.  They do not sit on the base properly (it is almost like they are bent or something).  Is there a way to adjust the hinges or is that normal (there is about 1/4" gap on one side).  I am assuming that when I put the nomex seal on, it will be even worse.


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## dpr3244

I just did mine and after putting on the nomex seal I loosened all the hinges some, adjusted the lid until the seal was tight all around and then retightened the screws. Also might want to make sure to take out the rubber stoppers on the lids when you do the seal, I forgot that part at first. Planning to try mine out this weekend. Good luck.


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## cityofvoltz

option to consider- whatever gasket i used was fine- the recommended sealant dried quite brittle/rigid.  I put my gasket not on the lid, but on the actual part of the grill where the lid lays when its closed.  gravity helps the glue stay on a bit more while it is setting ;)


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## dpr3244

That's what I did as well. Gasket is on the bottom with the kids resting on them for a few days.


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## theodork

After purchasing and assembling this unit I was very disappointed to learn it was made in china.  Guess I think of this hobby as an American tradition.  I would never have bought this smoker had I known of its origin.  That being said, it does seem to do a nice job without even doing any of the mods talked about in this thread.


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## kb69co

Hunterguy- I had the same problem with my gas side cover. It was flat on the far side and sat up about 1/2 inch on the other side. I just took mine and pulled down on the high side while pulling up on the flush side GENTLY and it tweaked it enough that it sits perfectly all the way across now. I had read reviews on some sites that people called the company and were sent a new lid as well. I think it is just the sheet metal and the spot welding tweaks them out of shape a little.


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## dpr3244

I'm going to seal things up with the JB Weld today but have never used it before. Just mix it then put it on the gaps and in the gaps as best I can?  Thanks.


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## kb69co

dpr3244- yep, just mix equal parts.I used a paper plate and a plastic knife to mix it. Then put on rubber gloves and used my finger to spread it into the seams. Let it harden up and your good to go. On the package it states the cure time so let it set at least that long before doing anthing else with it like heating it up or seasoning.


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## dpr3244

Thanks.


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## kb69co

tank2.jpg



__ kb69co
__ Apr 18, 2013






Here is what mine looked like after applying the JB weld. Not real pretty but sealed it up nice.


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## pack daddy

Thanks for all the great suggestions.  FYI to any potential buyers, I just bought one (Jun 2013) and they've modified the rack in the firebox so that charcoal won't fall through.  Also, the tank is now underneath the gas grill with a metal divider in front of it and they provide a couple condiment racks that set in the front of the divider.

I should also mention I don't see any gaps in the charcoal grill - it doesn't appear it was spot welded as in the past.  The firebox is still spot welded and does have some gaps in one corner but the other three look very good.  The main gap is between the box and the access panel but that is impossible to avoid.  Bottom line, it appears the manufacturer has heard your voices and addressed some of the prior issues.













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__ Jun 23, 2013


















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__ pack daddy
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__ Jun 23, 2013


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## tr1ple8

Hi Pack Daddy.  Just curious if you have had a chance to use the smoker yet? I have this same model, and have done the basic mods.  Put fire rope on the fire box, cooking chamber, and RTV to seal all the small cracks. When I smoked some ribs, it was about 75 outside and I had a heck of a time keeping it at 230.  With the vents wide open, it would sit right at 230.  If i even closed it a little, it would drop about 5 - 10 degrees.  I had to keep it wide open to maintain 230.  I was using Kingsford and went through a whole bag for the 6 hour smoke. Felt like a lot of charcoal to me. Just curious to see how its working out for you and others. Oh, and used a charcoal basket made out of expanded metal... I paced it on top of the included rack to elevate it a little.


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## dpr3244

I struggle to keep mine at temp sometimes as well. Not too bad this past weekend when hot out here but if cooler or windy doesn't get up too high.


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## bigwillybrewing

Check out my thead. It works great.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/143858/smoke-hollow-4-in-1-combo-grill-47183t-mod-build


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## cityofvoltz

tr1ple8 said:


> Hi Pack Daddy.  Just curious if you have had a chance to use the smoker yet? I have this same model, and have done the basic mods.  Put fire rope on the fire box, cooking chamber, and RTV to seal all the small cracks. When I smoked some ribs, it was about 75 outside and I had a heck of a time keeping it at 230.  With the vents wide open, it would sit right at 230.  If i even closed it a little, it would drop about 5 - 10 degrees.  I had to keep it wide open to maintain 230.  I was using Kingsford and went through a whole bag for the 6 hour smoke. Felt like a lot of charcoal to me. Just curious to see how its working out for you and others. Oh, and used a charcoal basket made out of expanded metal... I paced it on top of the included rack to elevate it a little.


That about summarizes my experience with the offset Smoker I followed some mods that another did on the forum-  it helped but i guess i was impatient;)  I just built my own block smoker and i use the 4in1 as a grill- or for smoking something quicker like a slab of ribs-  I do however want to cook a steak atop the firebox on a mesquite log fire/coals :)   I however DO like the design instructions posted above.   Far better looking than what I did ;)  My only concern is the use of galvanized metal-- but i digress


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## pack daddy

tr1ple8 said:


> Hi Pack Daddy.  Just curious if you have had a chance to use the smoker yet? I have this same model, and have done the basic mods.  Put fire rope on the fire box, cooking chamber, and RTV to seal all the small cracks. When I smoked some ribs, it was about 75 outside and I had a heck of a time keeping it at 230.  With the vents wide open, it would sit right at 230.  If i even closed it a little, it would drop about 5 - 10 degrees.  I had to keep it wide open to maintain 230.  I was using Kingsford and went through a whole bag for the 6 hour smoke. Felt like a lot of charcoal to me. Just curious to see how its working out for you and others. Oh, and used a charcoal basket made out of expanded metal... I paced it on top of the included rack to elevate it a little.


Have not smoked anything yet.  Having read through numerous posts, it appears the nomex gasket is the way to go but couldn't find it locally so waiting for that order.


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## smokesalittle

I purchased and started using mine in February, I have used store bought wood and have had a hard time keeping the heat regulated it jumps as high as 491 then down to low 100's it kind of drove me crazy. About a month ago I was given a good amount of aged sugar maple logs that had been split and most are a perfect size for the fire box. I generally smoke something every weekend and have used this maple for the last 4 or 5 times and my temps are soooo much better. I start out with 1 chimney of Kingsford charcoal then lay a 1 big piece of maple or a couple if they are smaller, I leave the side vent wide open and close the chimney almost all the way and use this to raise and lower my temps. Usually at some point I have to stir and roll the wood but I have even smoked a Boston butt for 8 hours with 1 maple log and was able to hold a 250 degree temp steady for the entire time. My conclusion is it is the wood not the smoker, but just like anything that is new to you, you have to figure out what make it work for you, you have to play with the vents etc... until you figure out the character and personality of your smoker, no 2 are alike, but mostly I am saying the wood is the key, store bought wood seems to be very light is comparison to the maple logs so my theory is it burns really hot very fast but then burns up very fast and you have to add more and more and that is what the companies that sell this wood depend on so you buy more and more, find a supplier of "real" wood near you or cut your own and give that a try, Craig's List is loaded with wood suppliers and a great place to start, I am looking into other types of wood to start playing with, oak, cherry, apple, mulberry etc.... it seems to be plentiful in my area and the prices are not unreasonable especially if you only need 1 or 2 logs for an 8 hour smoke a rick could last you several smoking seasons unless you are like me and smoke all year round then it may last a couple years. HAPPY SMOKING


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## cityofvoltz

Great comment about wood used.  I was using either store bought chunks (hickory) or hickory mini logs,  When compared to wood you cut yourself, kiln dried burns quicker and hotter-   I should have mentioned- i also made a charcoal baseket from expanded steel- that helped me get alot closer to where i needed to be-  though keeping them all from igniting at once, thats a different story;)


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## jimmieb

I recently purchased this grill, I completed all the mod's as listed above. I used JB weld to seal the fire box and the holes between the gas and charcoal grill side( I JB welded and flashing to seal the holes) , and made an expanded metal charcoal holder as listed in one of the other posts. I used the Big Green Egg gasket to seal the lid of the fire box and smoker lid. For my first smoke I chose something easy to try....I did 3 fatty's, the smoker work GREAT I was able to maintain a constant temp of 230-240 degrees through out the whole process( I used the Maverick 2 prong thermometer, the stock thermometers were off by 15 degrees when i checked them prior to use).

I also extended the chimney inside with flashing.

I used Royal Oak Lump charcoal, and the Apple wood chunks from Wally World for the wood.













Smoker.jpg



__ jimmieb
__ Jun 30, 2013


















Fatty.jpg



__ jimmieb
__ Jun 30, 2013


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## tr1ple8

Well I got around to using the smoker again this weekend. Had some issues with getting it up to temp. I finally figured out that it was because I had too much charcoal in the basket. With the basket elevated, charcoal was pretty much blocking the inlet to the smoking chamber. This is just a theory but it seemed as the charcoal started going down, my temps got to about 230 and was really easy to maintain. Here are the ribs I did... Came out pretty good. 












image.jpg



__ tr1ple8
__ Jul 2, 2013


















image.jpg



__ tr1ple8
__ Jul 2, 2013


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## neo123

Do you have any picts of the Mods you made?  they would be extremely helpful. thanks.


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## neo123

where exactly do you put the fire blankets? in the bottom? top? sides?


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## pack daddy

I opted to purchase the gasket material in a 15' roll for $17 but the site I was on did offer precut gasket specifically for the 4 in 1.  I haven't read through all the posts on this topic so this may be old news but  am posting the URL for anyone interested.  The kit cost $30.

http://bbqgaskets.com/catalog_6.html


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## biguglysmoker

I have this unit at this time and the only mods I did was take off the rubber feet on the lid and adjust the hinges to bring the lid down. Did have to add a Deflector plate at the inlet from the fire box to the cook chamber. I use it mostly as a stick burner and the flames liked to jump through the opening. The only issue I have now is cook chamber is not big enough for more then 3 slabs of BB. I am fixing that by building a new smoker. Keep smoking LOW AND SLOW.


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## tr1ple8

Biguglysmoker, any chance you can provide some details on the deflector plate you added? Maybe some pictures?


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## sdnative1964

Just my 2 cents but why would you buy something that you know is cheap Chinese made POS, that you know you have to mod from here to hell and gone in the first place just to make it acceptable? It just seems to make more sense to me to spend the extra $$$ and get something worth while straight out of the box. Just my humble opinion.


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## hambone1950

sdnative1964 said:


> Just my 2 cents but why would you buy something that you know is cheap Chinese made POS, that you know you have to mod from here to hell and gone in the first place just to make it acceptable? It just seems to make more sense to me to spend the extra $$$ and get something worth while straight out of the box. Just my humble opinion.


for a lot of people , its hard to justify spending a lot on a real good smoker when its just kind of a lark and youre not sure if youll even use it a lot. if you spend a few bucks on a cheapie and then dick around with it a little to get it to work halfway good , you don't feel like youre wasting a lot of money if it turns out that smoking isn't really your life. I know I had a brinkmann gourmet for a while and it drove me crazy , but the experience convinced me I wanted a better smoker.


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## biguglysmoker

I used a piece of 1/8 inch thick aluminum about 6inches wide. I measured the top of the opening and did some bending then cut the sides back at angels, bent the sides 90 degrees in and the top edge down so it covered the sides part way. Drilled a couple holes and bolted it in. So far it seems to do the trick. I made it at my shop were I work and had to change it slightly to clear the charcoal basket raise handle.


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## oddball

Just bought one of these myself.  Although I didn't buy it as a smoker.  It's primary use will be as a replacement for my deteriorating Brinkman Professional model charcoal grill.  I've wanted a gas grill for awhile, just for those occasions that I can't or don't want to wait for charcoal, or cooking time exceeds my charcoal.

I have a dedicated smoker, and plan on upgrading that next year to a Rec Tec.

I will also point out that the unit is much cheaper at Sam's Club than the price listed at Gander Mountain.


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## biguglysmoker

It sure is I got mine for $350.00


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## calivol

I've had this combo for a few years now and love it as a daily driver. My personal opinion is that any time you buy anything that's a multipurpose tool you're going to have to give on some things. You always buy a better smoker...grill...etc. but if you are unwilling (or unable) to buy high quality individual pieces this is a nice way to go. Like some others, I do have a dedicated smoker so I don't use the smoking chamber that often. However, I do use it occasionally and will concur that it does not have a tight seal and modifications are recommended. 

The sear burner works as advertised and the gas grill surface and heat output is adequate. The charcoal grill is superb and gives excellent ventilation and temperature control with the adjustable charcoal basket. I did remove the warming rack on the charcoal side to allow more room for beer can chicken.













AIR_20140516_00001.jpg



__ calivol
__ May 30, 2014






For those wanting to look at some possible modifications this is a good place to start. Apologies if this link has already been posted.

http://www.nibblemethis.com/2011/09/smoke-hollow-smoker-modifications-part.html


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## warmcowboy

I just got this grill for Fathers day, and I love that I can choose to use the propane, or charcoal, or even smoke our meals, in one unit.

 I have a few questions to those of you that have one.

1) The smoke box has a grill on it. Is this to grill right over the smoke wood you are using?

2) Do you use just wood in the smoke box, and add charcoal in the charcoal side to cook a brisket? Or do you place nothing in the charcoal box, and just use the smoke box for both heat and smoke?

I have read some of the mods and I will fix the seals in the smoke box and charcol box as needed, before using it. Did you add seal around the vent door on the smoke box?

I am tempted to cook some burgers on the gas, and charcoal, and smoke box, to taste the differences.

Thanks for tanking the time to read and reply, always tryin to learn.


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## keith cahill

I use charcoal in the Smoke box to get going and then use my smoking wood. You will need to seal the smoke Box inside and the lid too. I also put a gasket on the lid for the charcoal grill. Helps hold smoke & heat. Good luck.


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## johnnyairtime

Hey folks...  new here, and... just assembled my 4-in-1 last night!
Picked it up from Sams Club, using their one-day-shopping-pass. $369 plus tax.

I've heard of "seasoning" the grill, is it truly necessary? I've never done such a thing, to any of my BBQs.
What does it do for the grill or BBQ itself? And what's your process?  

... Help a guy out... ;)  Who's never seasoned anything but my meat. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






*Apparently, Smoke Hollow has listened to some of the complaints;*

- The grill is no longer leaking like the Titanic in the charcoal side.

  I tested it last night, and I only had smoke out the charcoal basket adjuster and vent.
  I fixed most of that, by removing the (3) pins and installing small bolts/nuts which allowed me to tighten it up a bit.

- There's no holes between gas and charcoal sides. No need to block off anything, to seal up the charcoal side for smoking.

- The hole for smoke between smoke box and charcoal, is now slightly ducted into the charcoal side. Only an inch or so, but I'm sure it'll help. I'm still thinking to make a divider type smoke plate like others have, below the charcoal tray. We'll see.... this will be my first 'smoker' and attempt at smoking anything. 

I did still have to seal up the smoker box. It was welded and the pesky little gaps between tack welds are still noticeable. I used a clear 5min epoxy...  as I like to keep my stuff nice. And grey, orange, or other sealants are ugly enough on their own.

I too will eventually make an expanded metal tray for the smoker box, and will add a metal plate to the bottom for some heat retention. I'm thinking of lining the walls a bit too... it's easy, as I have a plasma cutter, electric shears, welders, etc. Seems it helps those who have done it thus far.

What does everyone do for a 'water tray'?
... what exact brand of tray or dish? Etc?  I'm guessing I should invest and make sure I have that too, before trying to smoke.

*Any other hints that haven't been covered already??*  Any help for a first time smoker is greatly appreciated!! 







John
(San Diego)


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## dknow

JohnnyAirtime said:


> Hey folks...  new here, and... just assembled my 4-in-1 last night!
> 
> Picked it up from Sams Club, using their one-day-shopping-pass. $369 plus tax.
> 
> I've heard of "seasoning" the grill, is it truly necessary? I've never done such a thing, to any of my BBQs.
> 
> What does it do for the grill or BBQ itself? And what's your process?
> ... Help a guy out... ;)  Who's never seasoned anything but my meat. :sausage:
> 
> *Apparently, Smoke Hollow has listened to some of the complaints;*
> 
> - The grill is no longer leaking like the Titanic in the charcoal side.
> I tested it last night, and I only had smoke out the charcoal basket adjuster and vent.
> 
> I fixed most of that, by removing the (3) pins and installing small bolts/nuts which allowed me to tighten it up a bit.
> 
> - There's no holes between gas and charcoal sides. No need to block off anything, to seal up the charcoal side for smoking.
> 
> - The hole for smoke between smoke box and charcoal, is now slightly ducted into the charcoal side. Only an inch or so, but I'm sure it'll help. I'm still thinking to make a divider type smoke plate like others have, below the charcoal tray. We'll see.... this will be my first 'smoker' and attempt at smoking anything.
> 
> I did still have to seal up the smoker box. It was welded and the pesky little gaps between tack welds are still noticeable. I used a clear 5min epoxy...  as I like to keep my stuff nice. And grey, orange, or other sealants are ugly enough on their own.
> 
> I too will eventually make an expanded metal tray for the smoker box, and will add a metal plate to the bottom for some heat retention. I'm thinking of lining the walls a bit too... it's easy, as I have a plasma cutter, electric shears, welders, etc. Seems it helps those who have done it thus far.
> 
> 
> What does everyone do for a 'water tray'?
> 
> ... what exact brand of tray or dish? Etc?  I'm guessing I should invest and make sure I have that too, before trying to smoke.
> 
> *Any other hints that haven't been covered already??*  Any help for a first time smoker is greatly appreciated!!
> 
> :beercheer:
> 
> 
> John
> 
> (San Diego)


I did all the mods as well Just got mine a month ago. Here r some pics













0122160743.jpg



__ dknow
__ Jan 22, 2016


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## dknow

Dknow said:


> I did all the mods as well Just got mine a month ago. Here r some pics
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> __ dknow
> __ Jan 22, 2016















0121161944.jpg



__ dknow
__ Jan 22, 2016


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## johnnyairtime

Dknow said:


> I did all the mods as well Just got mine a month ago. Here r some pics
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> __ dknow
> __ Jan 22, 2016


So...  did you permanently remove the charcoal grate lifter arm?

I'm not interested in making my unit a permanent smoker, as I often just grill using charcoal.

In fact, today my pops offered up his 'charcoal smoker' for me to use and try...  so, that will be my go-to smoker with this as backup (once all mods are done).


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## dknow

JohnnyAirtime said:


> So...  did you permanently remove the charcoal grate lifter arm?
> 
> 
> I'm not interested in making my unit a permanent smoker, as I often just grill using charcoal.
> 
> 
> In fact, today my pops offered up his 'charcoal smoker' for me to use and try...  so, that will be my go-to smoker with this as backup (once all mods are done).


I can take it out when I want and install the grate


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## johnnyairtime

Dknow said:


> I can take it out when I want and install the grate


Hmmm...  sounds like a pain in the butt.  

... But I like the grate.  Nice job on the hole sizing and placement.


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## johnnyairtime

I'm still waiting on my seal for around the tops of the charcoal side and smoke box... So...

While I was out in the garage today... I built my elevated charcoal rack for the smoke box.













2016-01-23 14.32.16.jpg



__ johnnyairtime
__ Jan 23, 2016





   













2016-01-23 14.32.01.jpg



__ johnnyairtime
__ Jan 23, 2016






Consists of a top, and an elevated base.  If the top wears out, I can easily replace it.
The bolts are in place just to keep the holes aligned with rack base and top plate. Easy peasy.













2016-01-23 14.31.39.jpg



__ johnnyairtime
__ Jan 23, 2016





Might have to drop it down a bit for charcoal clearance. We'll see how it works as is.

From top down... you can see holes all lined up and ready for charcoal (below picture). 

And it's tight... barely fit in there. Enough, that charcoal can't fall down around the sides until it's ash.












2016-01-23 14.31.33.jpg



__ johnnyairtime
__ Jan 23, 2016






However... I have to go in through the side opening at a 45° angle. And walk it in, using the holes for more clearance. I think I'll have to trim 1/4 to 3/8" off to make it fast and easy when cleaning out the fire box. I don't want to walk it in/out every time.

Then... I added the top stainless cover for under my grate.
(Saw someone else do it, had the stainless sitting around and cut it to fit.Sized at 12.5 x 12.5")












2016-01-23 14.41.20.jpg



__ johnnyairtime
__ Jan 23, 2016


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## dknow

JohnnyAirtime said:


> I'm still waiting on my seal for around the tops of the charcoal side and smoke box... So...
> 
> While I was out in the garage today... I built my elevated charcoal rack for the smoke box.
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
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> __ johnnyairtime
> __ Jan 23, 2016
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> 2016-01-23 14.32.01.jpg
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> __ johnnyairtime
> __ Jan 23, 2016
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Consists of a top, and an elevated base.  If the top wears out, I can easily replace it.
> 
> The bolts are in place just to keep the holes aligned with rack base and top plate. Easy peasy.
> 
> 
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> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 2016-01-23 14.31.39.jpg
> 
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> __ johnnyairtime
> __ Jan 23, 2016
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> 
> Might have to drop it down a bit for charcoal clearance. We'll see how it works as is.
> 
> 
> From top down... you can see holes all lined up and ready for charcoal (below picture).
> 
> 
> And it's tight... barely fit in there. Enough, that charcoal can't fall down around the sides until it's ash.
> 
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> 2016-01-23 14.31.33.jpg
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> __ johnnyairtime
> __ Jan 23, 2016
> 
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> 
> 
> However... I have to go in through the side opening at a 45° angle. And walk it in, using the holes for more clearance. I think I'll have to trim 1/4 to 3/8" off to make it fast and easy when cleaning out the fire box. I don't want to walk it in/out every time.
> 
> Then... I added the top stainless cover for under my grate.
> 
> (Saw someone else do it, had the stainless sitting around and cut it to fit.Sized at 12.5 x 12.5")
> 
> 
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> 2016-01-23 14.41.20.jpg
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> __ johnnyairtime
> __ Jan 23, 2016


nice


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## newberrykc

Just purchased this 4 in 1 over the weekend.  Sam's club has them for $369 and my Char Grill 50/50 is on it's last leg so I went for this one.  Seems to be a heavier unit than the 50/50, hope it holds up as well as the Char grill.  I do plan to work on the mods you guys have mentioned in this thread.  I will be following this thread and others to see how well everyone likes their unit.


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