# GOSM Smoke Help!



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

Need Help.

I had a Brickman electric and went for a propane GOSM from Wally World so I could keep the unit in the back yard by the grill and tunes. I had no trouble getting smoke from the electric by adding wood in the lower unit. With the GOSM I seem to be having trouble getting smoke or to much smoke from the wood burning and raising the temp of the smoker.

I tried the box that came with the unit and found it to small and only produced smoke when the wood burned thus raising the temp. Then I tried a cast iron and it took forever to smoke. Then I tried foil and wraped the wood in that. The wood would start on fire and raise the temp again. I had the wife get me a foil pan and I am now using that but don't see the blue smoke after an hour??????????? 

I would like to see a slow steady blue smoke from start to finish. Help!

Thanks, Jerry


----------



## bb53chevpro (Jun 2, 2008)

A couple of questions. Are the lower vents open or closed? Are you using the thermometer on the gosm or a digital?
I have not experienced any of these problems with my gosm big block. However, it did take some time (a couple of smokes)to get used to setting vents and the amount of wood.
Hope this helps


----------



## jfoust (Jun 2, 2008)

My wally-world GOSM that I just bought only has the vent on top, not the bottom. Not sure about jrtibout's model, but I know mine is top-only. 

Once I get them going, I get a good smoke, but it seems like it takes a little too long to get the TBS rolling with the stock chip box. Someone else mentioned trashing that thing and getting a larger pan for chips. If you're having trouble with them flaring up, you can soak them in a bowl of water a little before tossing them in, and that should help that issue.


----------



## jfoust (Jun 2, 2008)

Ah here's the post from travcoman45 that I was talking about:

http://smokingmeatforums.com/forums/...54&postcount=9

Planning on doing this for my next smoke.


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

Andy,

I only have a top vent. I have been soaking the chips? I think I should just put the chips in the pie pan without soaking them?????

Anyone???????????????

Jerry


----------



## blacklab (Jun 2, 2008)

jtribout
Just a couple more ?s.
How are your vents set? I useally keep my top wide open and the bottoms adjusted accordingly . Also are you preheating first with a full water pan and chip box. Get your temp stabelized and smoke going b4 adding food. Remeber outside temps affect your smoker to. hope this helps gl


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

Hi Black,

I only have the top vent and it is open all the way. When I check my meat I find the wood in the pan doing nothing. If I open the door and crank the heat up to high the wood starts to smoke and I close the door and turn the heat down to low to keep the temp at 225-250. I notice that after awhile the smoke stops????????????????????

Jer

I have checked the thermo on the unit and it's perfect. No problems reading the inside temp.


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

PS................

I have had my smoker on for 3-hours now and the wood looks the same as when I put it in the cooker? The only time I get smoke is when I crank the heat up with the door open and then shut the door and turn the heat back down to low??????????????????

Again the smoke does not last after I shut the door and turn the heat down.

Jer


----------



## lcruzen (Jun 2, 2008)

Sounds like you have the same model I have with one top vent and none at the bottom. I've never had any trouble getting smoke going and I use the wood box that came with it. I don't soak my wood either. If your wood box is directly over the flame and your thermo is reading 225o I don't see why your not getting smoke. I get TBS within 20 minutes of starting it up and I use large chunks. 

Ya got me stumped.


----------



## jfoust (Jun 2, 2008)

This question may be a little off topic, perhaps, but somewhat relevant I think... When your chips stop smoking and you throw in new ones, how long does it take to get TBS going again? Seems like it's about 20mins or so for me to get going when I first fire my GOSM up, and then about that long, maybe a little shorter to get it going again with new chips. Are you dumping all your chips and putting in new ones or what?


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

Review the pix. These hickory chips have been in the smoker for 4 hours at 225-250. You can see I only have a little charing and that is from me turning the heat up to high when I open the door to check my food. Once I see the wood smoking I close the door and turn the heat back to low (225ish). I get smoke for 5-min. then nothing?????????????????????
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	






Jer


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

opp's, forgot the pix.


----------



## lcruzen (Jun 2, 2008)

Can you get a pic of the flame? Something just isn't right here. On mine I can turn it all the way down to its lowest setting on the dial and still get good TBS.

I'm wondering if the aluminium pan your using doesn't hold the heat very well. Might want to try something metal. Just thinking out loud here.


----------



## jseiber (Jun 2, 2008)

I use a coffee can setting upright, and cut off to fit under the water pan. It works really good, even when running on low.

It could be that all that aluminum on your pan is pulling the heat away from the wood. (just guessing)


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

I tried an 10'' cast iron fry pan and had nothing. That's why I went too the tin.

I thought about lowering the pan? If I get rid of the factory rack that holds the pan up and use bricks on the sides to bring down the pan lower???????

I keep a good temp in the smoker. On low I get 225-250 and I checked it with both a digital thermo and a reg. thermo?

Jer


----------



## mofo (Jun 2, 2008)

I just purchased the Big Block, and I noticed this weekend that if I dropped below 225, I would not get any smoke. My gas dial would be just to the right of center between medium and low. I am using the cast iron box and big chunks not chips. I think I'll switch over to the 9 X 9 cake pan. Just hope it doesn't burn out to soon.


----------



## jfoust (Jun 2, 2008)

Might need something between the aluminum throw-away pan and cast iron like a regular metal cake pan. That's the only thing I could think of.


----------



## keith54 (Jun 2, 2008)

Hi, I don't own a GOSM,and I've been reading all the post regarding your lack of TBS and temp. I'll take a stab at it for ya. To have smoke moving thru your unit you need to have air supply (not the musical group) and a draft. Sounds like you have the draft vent on top the unit,but are missing the air supply vent on the bottom of unit as mentioned by other GOSM owners. Sometimes products make it out of the factory and missed by quality control it they even have such a dept. Does the instruction manual show a bottom vent? I would contact the manufacture with your model # in hand and verify whether or not your unit should  have this vent on the bottom of unit.  Remember, for air to flow it must have supply and draft(exhaust). Just my .02 worth.

Good luck,
Keith


----------



## jfoust (Jun 2, 2008)

Nah that's not it. The newer model of GOSM only has a top vent and supposedly takes in enough air through the burner assembly to make up for the lack of bottom vent. It's built without one by design, not a freak that slipped out of the factory half built.


----------



## richoso1 (Jun 2, 2008)

Sounds like you may have a problem with air circulation. If you use a coffee can, be sure and put plenty of holes in that sucker. Don't expect to SEE the thin blue from start to finish, if you can smell it, it's doing the job. I've attached some pics of my setup, I ended up making the holes 3/8 in. I can smoke for 5 hrs. without a reload, and there is nothing but but white/gray ash left in the can. BTW, I foil the grease pan to make cleanup easier.Good luck.


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

Thanks Rich,

I went and dropped my pan down lower. I see that Rich has his can down on bottom of his smoker! When other's talked about the coffee can I thought they were telling me to put it on the rack that came with the smoker. I did not see how that was going to work as the height was the same... You put the can on top of the burner?

I've done the same idea only I've used brick to drop the height down so the pan is lower. Look at the pixs. It worked! I think I need a better pan for the chips though. One that will last!!

Thanks for all the help to everyone!


----------



## mofo (Jun 2, 2008)

I picked up my Big Block last week and it has two vents down low on the sides and one on top. Also, the igniter is a push button and not a dial as I have noticed in some pictures.


----------



## blacklab (Jun 2, 2008)

jtribout Glad you got her smokin


----------



## pineywoods (Jun 2, 2008)

I use the original chip pan  and bought another that is very much like it and just change them out on a long smoke. Are you sure your not getting smoke with it the way it was remember you don't need or want alot of smoke pretty much if you can smell it your getting enough. Often I can't see smoke coming out of the vent but I can smell it and when I open the door to spritz it hits me in the face.


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

No, if you look at my post with the pixs of the wood chips after 4 hours you see I had a problem.

By lowering the smoke pan that seemed to do the trick.

thanks!!!!!!


----------



## pineywoods (Jun 2, 2008)

I saw that and it didn't look good 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  I was just talking in general about the GOSM's and the boxes they come with. It seems alot of us newbies want to see smoke boiling out of the top then complain about the smokey or creosote taste. I'm glad you figured yours out each smoker seems to be a little different and tempermental in its own way.


----------



## jocosa (Jun 2, 2008)

Glad you got things rolling along!  I got the W-M $98 GOSM and love it.  I still use the original wood box and have had not problem getting TBS in a decent time frame.

I've had my GOSM for about a year now and all the stuff I've learned.  It;s all been good! And the food resulting from it too.  :)


----------



## richoso1 (Jun 2, 2008)

Ok, I admit I didn't make things very clear. The grate I was talking about is called a Wood Box Stand as per GOSM Big Block manual, see pic on far left. Usually it sits within rack supports. i don't use the rack supports, thus dropping the Wood box Stand lower as it sits on the grease pan, the coffee can sits on the wood box stand,see middle pic. I use a rack support from a smaller GOSM to hold the water pan with enough room so I didn't have to cut the top of the coffee can, see pic on right. Please excuse the dirty smoker, I just completed a salmon smoke. Good God, I think I may have done it right this time!


----------



## jtribout (Jun 2, 2008)

Pleeeeze Rich............ I would have never figured things out if you did not help! I just had to reread your post 284 times LOL. The pixs are great,  thanks for your help. This may help other newbies!

Smokin in Ohio


----------



## tn_bbq (Jun 3, 2008)

You might want to try a cast iron smoker box or pan.


----------



## hank (Jun 3, 2008)

Go to a pet store and look for a stainless steel dog bowl, I found one that is 12" round but only about 2" deep. Next take out the original firebox rack and replace it with a piece of flat grill. I then use HD Al. foil about 8" long, double up on it and position it over the middle of the dog bowl, fill it with wood ( I use a band saw and cut up my wood into small 1-2 inch pieces) now fold over both sides nice and tight. Then take it out of the pan and flip it so that the seam is on the bottom, use a nail to poke holes, and you're done. At 225 that pan will last you for hours, I only use one pan for long smokes. If you keep the  wood too high, heat gets concentrated on a small area only, lowering it will do the trick....good luck


----------



## jtribout (Jun 3, 2008)

Thanks Hank,

Do you have a pix of your setup?


----------



## hank (Jun 3, 2008)

My pleasure, you can also find these bowls at Wally World, they are galvinized and a lot cheaper, just season the pan before using it to burn off any chemicals. Also if you plan on smoking alot, go to BJ's and get an industrial roll of Heavy Duty Al Foil, you will use it up.


----------



## mofo (Jun 3, 2008)

Ever have any grease fires in there?


----------



## bondvader (Jun 3, 2008)

I have the same unit, I keep the top vent opened about half to start. Add 4-6 chunks of wood but leave the top off of the box. You should get in 15-20 min at 225 temp.


----------



## hank (Jun 3, 2008)

Grease???  That's just a seasoned smoker that's used every week.......

Actually it's getting a bath next week, maybe even getting a big brother, Fathers Day is coming, and this Dad just may get one, thought about getting myself a new tie, but the kids may do that


----------



## dingle (Jun 3, 2008)

Question for Richoso and Hank. Do you put holes in the bottom of the coffee can or dog bowl??


----------



## hank (Jun 3, 2008)

No holes for me, only in the foil to let the smoke out, about a dozen for a 12" bowl.


----------



## mofo (Jun 3, 2008)

I was just kiddin ya anyway Hank. Wish I could do that much smokin.


----------



## jtribout (Jun 3, 2008)

Thanks Hank! 

Hey when you go to clean that puppy, start a new post and take some pixs! I want to see what I'll be up against when it's my turn.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I picked up that dog bowl today. Great tip.


----------



## hank (Jun 4, 2008)

Glad to help, but my dog sure is mad, he keeps looking for his bowl


----------



## richoso1 (Jun 4, 2008)

I don't have amy holes on the bottom of the coffee can, too much ash would fall out and into/onto the burner area. The holes are 3/8 in. and I have about 5 rows of them, all the way down to the bottom lip, I haven't had any flare-ups, so I haven't had to cover the can. I do get some ash droppings when moving the can in and out, but that's why I use the wet/dry vac.


----------



## dingle (Jun 4, 2008)

Thanks for the detailed answer


----------

