# Thermostats for new Oklahoma Joe Longhorn



## manik36

Just got a Oklahoma Joe's Longhorn smoker..  I have started doing a few standard mods and was looking to replace the stock thermostat  and drop 2 better quality ones in... Can  anyone give sugestions for what thermostats would be good for this smoker.. I do know about using grate level digital probes and will be ordering one next week

please reply with a link so i can see where to order

the most i can spend is around $80


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## schaydu

Get the maverick et732 and dont waste your money on another thermometer. I have the same rig and thought about doing the same thing but went with the maverick., My stock thermometer is about 50 degrees hotter than it is at grate level. What other mods are you doing; just curious.


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## schaydu

here is the link for the maverick


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## manik36

schaydu said:


> Get the maverick et732 and dont waste your money on another thermometer. I have the same rig and thought about doing the same thing but went with the maverick., My stock thermometer is about 50 degrees hotter than it is at grate level. What other mods are you doing; just curious.


I am going to get a digital one next weekend. More then likely a Maverick. So thanks for the heads up on that model.. Looks like that one would be a nice one.

Im still gonna replace the one on the smoker with 2 new ones.. im gonna move them down closer to grate level so i still would like some suggestions on what would be some good one to do this with.

As for the mods: First off im making a convection plate, Dropping my chimney down a bit closer to the grates, I may extend my chimney as well.. not sure yet.. and im building a charcoal basket out of expanded metal. Not sure yet if im gonna need to seal up anything yet, but if so i'll get some gasket sealer for that.


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## s2k9k

One of our site sponsors also has the Maverick on sale with Free shipping http://www.amazenproducts.com/ProductDetails.asp?ProductCode=MAVET-732  and Amazon could never match his level of customer service!!!

I see this is your first post here, when you get a minute would you do us a favor and go to Roll Call and introduce yourself so we can get to know you and give you a proper welcome, also would you add your location to your profile, we like knowing where you are when we talk to you, Thanks!


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## ski-freak

You got a great smoker/grill Manik! Welcome!

I bought a 90 degree elbow from Lowe's for $4 that went right in my Longhorn's stack and brought the stack level down closer to the grill surface. The stack itself was a bit loose fitting into the sleeve that's welded into the side of the food chamber, with a substantial gap there between the stack and the sleeve - especially on the jam-bolt side. I jammed steel wool into the gap with a screwdriver, and then I spray it with PAM, along with everything else inside, each time I clean it out the inside of the food chamber with my pressure washer (just put a bucket under the drain stub to catch the food bits and goo). BTW, I had to shorten the fixed legs at the drain end of the food chamber, and lengthen the wheel legs to get good normal flow out of my drain into my normal catch can.

I also sealed the food chamber door with black high temperature automotive gasket sealant. Now I get very little smoke leakage around the door, and smoke comes out the drain stub under the food chamber!

The firebox chamber leaks/gaps around the ash drawer can be greatly reduced by a little creative bending. Otherwise it's real hot in the firebox so I have ignored gasketing the firebox doors.

Yes, charcoal baskets are helpful, and a diffuser plate evens out the temperature in the food chamber giving you more smoking surface - though you lose the searing/grilling ability at the firebox end of the food chamber. A drop-in diffuser plate lets you take it in and out depending on how you want to configure the heat in the food chamber.

Let us know what you do and how it works out for you!


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## schaydu

Sounds like you got a good start. My buddy is a welder and we are In the process of doing those same mods as well. We are just going to do the tuning plates though. I figured it would be easier doing it that way. And ski freak thanks for the good info. I had the same problem with the drain snub. I was always having to lift it up on the firebox to get  gravity working in my favor. Also do you remember exactly what kind of elbow you bought. I need to get one as well. Im still debating on getting a charcoal basket.  I dropped the firebox grill grate lower into the firebox and then laid one of the smaller grates across it. This has worked really well for me because it raised the fire off the bottom and allowed the ash to fall through. Mine did not come with an ash drawer so I put a small cookie sheet under my grates and it works fantastic!! Anyhow I'm glad I found some other Oklahoma Joe users. Let me know if y'all have any other good ideas!


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## ski-freak

Here is a picture that shows my additional "Tel-Tru" thermometers as purchased from FireCraft - they were $25 each:













temp gauges.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Jul 30, 2012






Here is a picture of my interior stack extension I bought from Lowe's for $4:













Stack Ext.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Jul 30, 2012






Yeah, it's galvanized but at the temperatures it sees it really doesn't matter - plus it was coated with a nice layer of smoky sealant after the first couple of smokes.

A nice quality cover is available from Char-Broil on their website for $30 plus $10 shipping, if you're interested (this picture taken in the rain):













OK Joe Cover1.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Jul 30, 2012


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## ski-freak

Here's a picture of my home-made labyrinth charcoal basket, made from store-bought expanded metal:













OK Joe Labyrinth Charcoal Basket.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Jul 30, 2012






It's just 2 sheets of 18 Gauge expanded metal (steel) from Lowe's, bought for $10 a sheet - they came 1 foot X 2 feet from the store. I bent both of the two sheets each into a "U" that was 1 foot on the bottom and a half foot on the sides. Then I sat them one over the other, but offset them a quarter turn to each other, to get four side walls and a double thickness bottom for longer burn-thru life. I welded the edges/corners with a small 120 VAC MIG welder with the power dial turned way down, making short quick welds to not liquify too much of the thin stock materials. The baffles are cold rolled sheet steel (0.060" - 16 Gauge), each 6" high X 8" long, also delicately welded in place onto the expanded metal. It holds a half cubic foot of charcoal. The idea is that you fill the basket with mostly unlit charcoal and put a half a chimney full of lit briquets on one end, then the "fire" slowly works its way through the unlit charcoal maze giving you a long burn time. My above picture showing the additional 2 thermometers I added also shows my Weber chimney burning away at the right side of the picture.


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## ski-freak

Here's a picture of my "fancy" catch can - just a coffee can with two punched holes and some baling wire:













OK Joe Drip Can2.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Jul 30, 2012


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## schaydu

Im still trying to figure out the dimensions for the plates and for the baffle. Currently i am planning on doing a 10x10 for the baffle and 16x10, 16x8, and 16x6 for the plates. Any idea as to whether or not that would work well. There are 4 inches of clearance between the bottom of the smoker and 6 inches between the cooking grate.


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## manik36

Thanks for all the input.. I am ordering 2 tel-tru thermometers this evening.. maybe i can get them by saturday (crossing fingers).

Finished my convection plate today on my lunch break at work .. I made it with 11 gauge steel. Plz let me know whatchall think













2012-07-31 16.25.08.jpg



__ manik36
__ Jul 31, 2012


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## manik36

Very nice mods Ski-Freak!!!  Are those 2" thermometers? 2 1/2 or 4 inch stems?


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## schaydu

That looks awesome Manik!!! Can you share the dimensions?


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## ski-freak

manik36 said:


> Very nice mods Ski-Freak!!!  Are those 2" thermometers? 2 1/2 or 4 inch stems?


Manik, the two thermometers I added were the less expensive 1.75" dial Tel-Tru 30523.0006. The probes are around 2" long. They mount through a 0.25" hole with only slight reaming, and are secured by a supplied wingnut on the inside. $24.95 each from www.firecraft.com

I located them 7.5" in from the left and right edge of the door so that the left one is directly under the OEM one, and I went 3" up from the bottom edge of the door so as not to hit most food onthe grill. I have the electric Maverick one but hardly use it since the dial units are just easier and accurate enough for me.

You did a really nice job making your diffuser plate, you will be happy! It's like the Horizon version I ordered but seems like it will never come. Good idea to keep it drop-in, so you can have the whole food chamber surface for when you're smoking with it in place, and removing it returns the searing ability at that last 6 or so inches right up against the firebox for corn on the cob, asparagus, romaine lettuce, and thin steaks.

One thing to start thinking about is how you're going to regularly clean the food chamber since it's fairly low itemperature ndirect heat and it collects a lot of thick drippings and food debris. Much of the thinner liquid dripping goes into my regular catch can, but the heavier debris often doesn't - even after improving the pitch. I have a tiny Karcher pressure washer I already had for getting salt off the cars in the winter, and that's what I use. I swap a joint compound bucket under the drain stub for my little normal can, and blast it out for maybe 5 minutes, or until the bucket is full of smooze, whichever comes first. Then I leave the doors open to dry in the sun, and once it's dry I spray the whole inside with PAM.


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## manik36

schaydu said:


> That looks awesome Manik!!! Can you share the dimensions?


I used an 11gauge steel cut at 32" x 18" ... holes punched at 1/2" 3/4' 1" 1 1/4" 1 1/2"  ... bends at 2" and 9 1/2


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## schaydu

Thanks. I will probably do this instead of doing the plates.


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## ski-freak

Thanks for sharing your diffuser dimensions Manik! I ended up making my own when I called Horizon about my already late diffuser plate shipment, and that's when they decided to tell me it was now on backorder - so I cancelled the order. More fun to home-brew it myself anyway!













Convection Plate 2.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 28, 2012


















Convection Plate 2.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 28, 2012


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## ski-freak

A plain charcoal basket to dump a lit chimney of coals into, and then to layer wood chunks, lump, and sticks into is also very useful in my OK Joe:













Basket 2.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 28, 2012


















Basket 1.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 28, 2012


















Basket 3.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 28, 2012






Dimensions: 1 foot X 1 foot X 6 inches tall.


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## ski-freak

Basket 1.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 28, 2012






Just cut 2 pieces of 3/4" expanded metal (steel) to 1 foot X 2 feet and bend each into a "U" that is 1 foot on the bottom and 6 inches tall on each side. Some box stores sell it already cut to the 1 foot X 2 feet size! I used a small bench mounted bending brake but you could bend them around a 2X4 piece of lumber too (wearing leather work gloves of course).

Then sit one "U" at right angles to the other "U" so that there are four sides that are 6 inches tall, and a double thickness base that's 1 foot by 1 foot (will last twice as long before burn-thru). I welded my corners together, but there's no reason some steel wire couldn't be used to simply twist tie the corners together...


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## manik36

Hows the basket working... I am wanting to make one as well.. getting tired of using soooo much coal!!!


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## ski-freak

The plain basket works great for regular grilling and also for most smoking. This size basket fits just under the cooking grate tabs so it's just under your cooking grate when you use one on the firebox side for direct grilling. It sits right on top of the old charcoal grate to keep it centered in the firebox with a lot of circulation around it.

It really allows you to control your burn by piling the lit charcoals together, and keeping them from spreading out all over the firebox and up on the walls - which just makes them fizzle out faster. Plus, you can mix in your chunks, sticks and add lump better.

An ash hoe is also a nice tool to have too - something simple like a 3 foot long wood handle with a straightened out and small bladed hoe on the business end. The Steven Raichlen one is a good one to model after as it works really well, and so is his coooking grate lifter which is a lifesaver when using the cooking grate on the firebox side for direct cooking WHILE ALSO managing your burn, and adding to it!


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## stro3579

This is some really good reading. I am thinking of purchasing the longhorn this week. Have you made any other major mods since your last post? If so can you provide me with links and pics like above. If don't really have access to a welder, but can probably take the grill to someone.


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## cman55

Hi all. I just got my Okie delivered on Monday and I was wondering what was the best way to season the smoker before first burn?


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## remmy700p

I heavily sprayed the inside with a can of Pam and wiped it good with a clean, dry cloth, then used a cheapo 3" paintbrush and a bowl of vegetable oil and "painted" all inside surfaces of the cooking chamber. After it was good and coated, I lit up a seasoning run of coal.


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## cman55

Remmy700P said:


> I heavily sprayed the inside with a can of Pam and wiped it good with a clean, dry cloth, then used a cheapo 3" paintbrush and a bowl of vegetable oil and "painted" all inside surfaces of the cooking chamber. After it was good and coated, I lit up a seasoning run of coal.


Tanx for the reply Remmy. Did you run your temps high (350F or higher) during the seasoning run?


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## remmy700p

I'm fairly certain I had it up close to 300-325, at least for an hour or two at the beginning.

The idea is to burn off any residue left from manufacturing (that you didn't manually clean off before you started), seal the pores, and cure the paint. I used cheap lump (Cowboy) and a couple small splits of seasoned oak from my firewood stack. The burning wood starts to coat the inside surfaces with carbon (which helps prevent condensation buildup) and imparts a nice smoke aroma as well.

The total run time was about 4.5 hours, mostly for calibration and fuel management practice and to see how many unsealed cracks I had to address (not many, as it turns out... must have gotten lucky with my TMLE). I took the grates out after 2 hours or so.


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## cman55

I'm burning at 375F and this is about the 3rd hour into it. My gasket adhesive burned off on the smoker box but the gasket fiber strips are undamaged so I purchased some high temp adhesive and will redo my seals tomorrow once The Joe cools down. I made the mistake of putting the gasket on the smoker instead of the lid in the main cooking area and I still had leaks because of that. It will be reversed tomorrow and I will add some high temp (500F) caulking around the grill and put the gasket on the lid. That should plug all of my leaks. I also added a 3" 90deg bend to the smokestack to get the stack closer to the cooking area.. I have some Mesquite chunks I can use as well for flavoring.


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## ski-freak

Check out this OK Joe intake damper mod thread:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/129311/side-burner-air-intake-butterfly-modification


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## cman55

Ski-Freak said:


> Check out this OK Joe intake damper mod thread:
> 
> http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/129311/side-burner-air-intake-butterfly-modification


Nice! BTW, would you consider making an identical baffle plate for a fee?


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## ski-freak

I would be happy to make you an identical upper air intake damper "valve" for a small fee to cover my material and shipping costs - if that's what you're asking for. I would just remove mine and use it as a template to make yours. PM me...


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## floyd

I love the way you did the diffuser plates. It looks like you can remove the one near the fire box for searing if you want. I do not have any way of getting the metal with holes of varying sizes cut into them. Would you consider selling a set? I would be most appreciaitve and you would be helping a new meat smokin' fanatic get started the right way. LOL!  If so, feel free to contact me at [email protected]  . Even if not, thank you vey much for all the great ideas and info.

/s/ Floyd


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## cman55

I finally got a shipping notice for my horizon convection plate. Only took 4 weeks. I cant wait to use it on my next big smoke.


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## dburne

Cman55 said:


> I finally got a shipping notice for my horizon convection plate. Only took 4 weeks. I cant wait to use it on my next big smoke.


Good to hear, I ordered mine about 3 weeks or so ago so hopefully I will get mine before too long now.

Don


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## cman55

New Convection Plate came today! Box was hammered but thank goodness, the plate was undamaged. One thing to be aware of is that the plate stands off from the rear wall roughly 1/4" which means to put the cooking grates side by side, you'll have to cut one of the grates for both to fit in the unit w/ the plate. I'll be cutting the longer of the two cooking grates roughly 1/8" which should be enough.

Here's some photos:













NewJulyPics008_zps6be0283d.jpg



__ cman55
__ Jul 24, 2013


















NewJulyPics009_zpsb234fa49.jpg



__ cman55
__ Jul 24, 2013






Can't wait to see the new temp distribution. I'm hoping for a big difference..


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## ski-freak

Looks Great!


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## tbjoebbq ss

I have an adjustable plate on my horizon and can get it balance out between 5-10 degrees.  I usually "settle" on 10 depending on what I am cooking.  I have found that if you leave it agains the fire of side. The opposite end can actually get hotter than the fire I'd side.   I generally start it out about an inch off the firebox.


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## remmy700p

Boy, that plate design sure looks like it would stomp on the airflow from the firebox...


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## cman55

Remmy700P said:


> Boy, that plate design sure looks like it would stomp on the airflow from the firebox...


I'll find out soon enough.. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






The plate sits high enough over the opening so that decent smoke and heat should filter into the chamber with the stack end full open. Up until now, I've had to burn a lot of fuel to get my grate temps high enough to be useful because all my heat went straight to the top of the OKJ. This should change that scenario. Plate weighed in at 24lbs and fit perfectly. I'll take a angle grinder to the longer of the two cooking grates for the slight modification.  I got a 15# brisket and a 11# picnic on deck. I'm thinking one of them will wind up in the MES and the other on the OKJ. Any suggestions?


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## tbjoebbq ss

I would think they both would fit on the ok joe?  What not do them together?


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## ski-freak

Here's a thread with a picture of a handy homemade clean-out tool - especially good for those OK Joes without the ash drawer, but I use it quite a lot with mine that has the ash drawer:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/126222/made-a-simple-firebox-clean-out-tool


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## cman55

Tending a fire all night long vs setting and forgetting. I'm thinking the Brisket on the OKJ for the smoke ring and perhaps a 7hr smoke at 275F. Putting the picnic in the MES with hickory chips for a 13hr smoke at 225F overnight for really tender/juicy pulled pork. I'm human after all and I know damn well I'd fall asleep on the brisket overnight on a slow smoke. Its happened once already but I lucked out when my fire died. Remarkably, the brisket came out pretty tender albeit a tad overdone.


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## james gordon

One of the best threads I have seen on thermometers convection plates and coal baskets for the OK Joe.I plan to take the pics and specs I got from here and take them to a metal/welding shop to see if someone can make these for me.I hope you guys don't mind me doing that. Let me know.


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## smokey bruin

What did you do about the gap on the side by the fire box? I have about a 1/4" gap because of the curvature of the barrel, I was thinking about stuffing tin foil in the gap..bad idea? what do you suggest?


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## bill kennedy

Here is my new Oklahoma Joe and a sketch I made of my tuning plates and firebox baffle. I used 1 sheet of 1/8 and bent the baffle instead of welding 3 pc's. I am going to add

thermometers and a fire box cage next.













20150424_103429[1].jpg



__ bill kennedy
__ Apr 24, 2015


















SK1.jpg



__ bill kennedy
__ Apr 24, 2015


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## bill kennedy

baffle installed looks great













20150424_150656[1].jpg



__ bill kennedy
__ Apr 24, 2015


















20150424_150704[1].jpg



__ bill kennedy
__ Apr 24, 2015


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## wishicouldplay

I just got the ok joe highland. Can any of you guys that have had this joe give any tips/tricks?  Do those plates work for you?


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## rhaugle

Ski-Freak said:


> Here is a picture that shows my additional "Tel-Tru" thermometers as purchased from FireCraft - they were $25 each:
> 
> 
> 
> 
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> 
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> 
> temp gauges.JPG
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> __ ski-freak
> __ Jul 30, 2012


Skifreak,

Did you do any sort of RTV sealant (or similar) on the back side of your new thermometers? Or did you just drill a hole that was tight enough to not lose smoke? If the ladder, what size hole, if you recall?

Also, I cant find the post, but you had talked about using a drop in baffle instead of the diffuser plate (until you made one). Do you remember how thick the drop in baffle was along with the tuning plates?


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## ski-freak

I just drilled the holes and installed them, and didn't use any RTV. The holes were somewhere between 1/4 and 3/8 inch and I just picked the right drill bit. It took a little while to drill through the steel, but the thermometers came with all the right hardware. There were no leaks.


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## rhaugle

Cool, thanks Ski


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