# First smoke on the BellFab



## BenCarlson (Mar 28, 2021)

Finally have been able to get the BellFab out of my garage now that the snow is finally gone and the ground dry enough to move it across my yard. I've done some chicken and jerky in it but this was my first extended cook. Took about 9 hours to do this shoulder and I absolutely loved every minute of it. Came out so good my Mother even raved about it. She's had a lot of food with dirty smoke and has never cared for smoked food before this so that made me feel good. My better half even looked at me and said, "If I knew it could make food this good I would have said yes sooner!" 

I guess you guys don't need told that even us fellas have good ideas from time to time 

Thanks for all the tips and knowledge you guys provide here, I love this co


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## pineywoods (Mar 28, 2021)

It looks good congrats on the first of hopefully many great smokes on that Bell Fab


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## jcam222 (Mar 28, 2021)

Looks like you nailed it!! Very nice smoker too.


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## SmokinAl (Mar 29, 2021)

Congrats on the new smoker, it’s a beaut!
The butt looks pretty darn good too!
Al


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## TNJAKE (Mar 29, 2021)

Very nice. Love my Bell Fab


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## BenCarlson (Mar 30, 2021)

Thanks for the replies, gents! I really love this Bell Fab rig. I'm surprised they aren't more popular around here for the price.


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## NoCoPK360 (Mar 30, 2021)

Congrats on your new smoker. I went all in and did a brisket on my recently acquired Bell Fab smoker. Turned out really good. The temp got  away from me briefly at the beginning but once I had everything dialed in it held at the temp I wanted. Really happy with the smoker and agree for the money they are hard to beat. Solidly built and perform well.


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## BenCarlson (Mar 30, 2021)

Thanks and congrats to you as well, sir! I have a brisket and a package of spare ribs in the freezer that will get on in the coming weeks. 

I still haven't gotten to use the bars Craig fabricated for me to hang sausage from, which was my only customization to the smoker, but that'll also be remedied in the upcoming weeks as I pick up some back fat from my butcher today. 

I couldn't agree more about the smoker holding temps. It almost made it seem easier than I was expecting it to go. Then again I was probably in my own head about that, haha.


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## Displaced Texan (Jul 7, 2021)

First cook on mine a few days ago as well. 3 racks of ribs. Turned out good. Will do some brisket next week.


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## BenCarlson (Jul 7, 2021)

Nice! Congratulations on the new smoker! I am absolutely in love with mine.


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## Displaced Texan (Jul 7, 2021)

BenCarlson said:


> Nice! Congratulations on the new smoker! I am absolutely in love with mine.


Thank you. Got it last Fall but with work schedules, etc., hadn't been able to pull it out until now. 

What temp gauges do you use on yours? I had Craig make. atoning plate but I think it probably is not needed.


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## BenCarlson (Jul 7, 2021)

I just bought 2 Tel-Tru gauges with the 4 inch stem. They fit the ports perfectly


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## Displaced Texan (Jul 7, 2021)

Okay thanks. My gauges read about 40-50 degrees lower than my Inkbird IBBQ-4T, however, I just figured out I was using those probes incorrectly. I'll do a boiling water check on my analog gauges.


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## Displaced Texan (Jul 7, 2021)

BenCarlson said:


> I just bought 2 Tel-Tru gauges with the 4 inch stem. They fit the ports perfectly


Just ordered 2 of them myself with the 4 inch stem.


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## Displaced Texan (Jul 9, 2021)

B
 BenCarlson
, curious where you build the fire. Do you do it on the bottom of the firebox or on the grates?  He provided me with some grates to place in there.


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## BenCarlson (Aug 15, 2021)

Displaced Texan said:


> B
> BenCarlson
> , curious where you build the fire. Do you do it on the bottom of the firebox or on the grates?  He provided me with some grates to place in there.



So i tried using the grates for the first time yesterday, per Jake's recommendation. Absolutely hated it. Will NEVER use them again


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## Displaced Texan (Aug 15, 2021)

BenCarlson said:


> So i tried using the grates for the first time yesterday, per Jake's recommendation. Absolutely hated it. Will NEVER use them again


Does yours have the ash dump? Do you use it to help moderate temps in the chamber?


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## BenCarlson (Aug 15, 2021)

BenCarlson said:


> So i tried using the grates for the first time yesterday, per Jake's recommendation. Absolutely hated it. Will NEVER use them again





Displaced Texan said:


> Does yours have the ash dump? Do you use it to help moderate temps in the chamber?



I have an ash dump, but don't use it to moderate the temps. The air intake is plenty big to burn a clean fire. I moderate temps by adding or not adding wood. Too much lump fell through the grates to get the wood ignited properly. Maybe I did it wrong but I hated the grates


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## Displaced Texan (Aug 15, 2021)

BenCarlson said:


> I have an ash dump, but don't use it to moderate the temps. The air intake is plenty big to burn a clean fire. I moderate temps by adding or not adding wood. Too much lump fell through the grates to get the wood ignited properly. Maybe I did it wrong but I hated the grates


I see. My damper is not tight. I talked to Craig and he said it is welded so I can't do anything ti tighten it. I have been using the ash dump to moderate temps, but I agree it would be a better coal bed w/o the grates. Maybe Jake will tell us his technique.


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## TNJAKE (Aug 15, 2021)

BenCarlson said:


> I have an ash dump, but don't use it to moderate the temps. The air intake is plenty big to burn a clean fire. I moderate temps by adding or not adding wood. Too much lump fell through the grates to get the wood ignited properly. Maybe I did it wrong but I hated the grates


You have the big grate with the expanded metal grate that sits on top of it?


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## TNJAKE (Aug 15, 2021)

Displaced Texan said:


> I see. My damper is not tight. I talked to Craig and he said it is welded so I can't do anything ti tighten it. I have been using the ash dump to moderate temps, but I agree it would be a better coal bed w/o the grates. Maybe Jake will tell us his technique.


I don't really have any secrets to how I do it. I just dump a chimney of lit coals on the grate and load up 3 splits and let it roll from there


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## NoCoPK360 (Aug 15, 2021)

I recently put a charcoal basket in my Bellfab offset. I originally bought it for my PK360 but hated it in that grill because I think it blocked airflow. In the offset it works great. I just put a chimney of lump in the basket and a couple of splits on top and I'm good to go. My smoker runs pretty hot no matter what I do. I'm just adjusting my cooking since it will consistently run 300 with minimal fuel but it always burns a clean fire. 








						PK Grills Charcoal Basket - PK360
					






					theburnshopwf.com


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## Displaced Texan (Aug 15, 2021)

NoCoPK360 said:


> I recently put a charcoal basket in my Bellfab offset. I originally bought it for my PK360 but hated it in that grill because I think it blocked airflow. In the offset it works great. I just put a chimney of lump in the basket and a couple of splits on top and I'm good to go. My smoker runs pretty hot no matter what I do. I'm just adjusting my cooking since it will consistently run 300 with minimal fuel but it always burns a clean fire.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Can we see the pit?


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## NoCoPK360 (Aug 15, 2021)

Here you go


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## Displaced Texan (Aug 15, 2021)

Your ash dump seems to not be flush with the bottom of the firebox just like mine. My grease drain in the cook chamber is the same way. I think I'm going to get a grinder to grind down at least the lip on the grease drain. It just doesn't drain, naturally, due to the lip shown in the pic attached. Also a pic of my ash dump lip. 

I see your a righty lol. My firebox is on the left.


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## Displaced Texan (Aug 25, 2021)

Still having a lot of trouble getting even temps in this thing. Right said is always 30-40 degrees warmer than the left. Crated a bigger gap on the left with the tuning plates and it seems worse. Very frustrating. 

I imagine I will figure it out one of these days, maybe.


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