# Horizonal Offset Smoker Mods



## ddave

*Horizontal Offset Smoker Modifications*

For a lot of new people just starting out, their first smoker is a horizontal offset smoker with side firebox. While many of the horizontal offsets work great with no modifications, most of the entry-level ones that new smokers first get, such as the Brinkmann Smoke N Pit, the Char Broil Silver Smoker and the Char-Griller Smokin’ Pro, to name a few, can benefit from a few simple and relatively inexpensive modifications. These modifications will help create more even distribution of heat and smoke, make it easier to maintain and control temperature, give you more accurate information regarding the temperature of the smoking chamber, and generally make your early smoking experiences much more pleasant. 

Rest assured that I am not the first person to invent these modifications or discover their usefulness, Collectively, most of this information is available on the forum but it is sort of piecemeal and in various threads. I am just compiling the information that I have found in a single thead in the hope that it will save others some of the frustration that I experienced starting out. There are a variety of designs and materials that can be used for these modifications; I am just illustrating the ones that worked for me on my particular smoker, which is a Smoke N Pit.

These modifications include, in no particular order:
· Thermometers
· Chimney Extension
· Baffle
· Tuning Plates
· Charcoal Basket

*Thermometers*

The thermometers that come with these units are usually not very accurate, and they are usually not mounted anywhere near grate level. Often times they don’t even have numbers on them, just the words WARM, IDEAL, and HOT. 




For more information on what IDEAL can be on one of these thermos, read this thread. 

Also, there is usually only one in the center of the chamber. Sometimes the temperature difference from one end to the other can be quite significant. That is useful information to have so you’ll want to have two thermometers mounted at grate level, one at each end of the smoker. 




You want to measure the temperature of the smoking chamber at grate level because that’s where the meat is. I used analog dial thermometers with a 3” face and 3” stems. I think the stems are a little short though and if I had to do it over again, I would get dial thermos with 4” stems.

Although it is good to have the analog dial thermos it is an even better idea to use digital oven thermos. You can push the probes through a potato hunk or block of wood and place them on the grate.



The nice thing about the digitals is that you can set alarms to notify you if the temperature gets too high. Some models even allow you to set a low temp alarm as well.

Make sure you “boil test” the thermometers every once in awhile though. This entails inserting the probe tip in boiling water and noting the temperature. Depending on your altitude, the thermometer should read darn close to 212° when the probe is in boiling water. 

*Chimney Extension*

Most of the entry level models have the chimney hole cut in the top of the smoker and the chimney does not protrude into the smoke chamber at all.. Heat and smoke rise so what happens is the heat from the firebox rises, runs along the top of the lid on the way to the chimney, and exits the smoker without doing much at grate level. Since the meat is on the grates, we would like to encourage the heat and smoke to travel across the meat on their way to the chimney. This helps to even out the temperature across the grate and makes the smoker more efficient. To accommodate this, it is a good idea to extend the chimney down to close to grate level. There are several different ways to do this. One is to use dryer vent ducting. Another is to roll up some aluminum flashing, place it inside the chimney, let it unroll and let friction hold it there. I chose to use exhaust tubing. 

I took my lid out to the local muffler shop and had the guy cut a piece to fit and he “swedged” it so that it would stay in place when pushed up inside the chimney.



As you can see, it is pretty close to the level of the grate when the lid is 
closed.



*Baffle*

A baffle is a “deflector” of sorts that is placed at the firebox end of the smoker at the point where the firebox opens into the smoke chamber. The purpose of the baffle is to protect the meat at the firebox end from extreme heat and help the heat travel farther down the smoke chamber to even temps out a little bit. Again, there are a few different ways to do this. Some people use cookie sheets, some just use a large foil roasting pan filled with water placed against the opening. I uses a piece of 1/8” steel, cut to fit so that it lays at about a 45° angle and the bottom is about 2-3/4” inches from the bottom of the smoker. 





You will need to assess your smoker for the proper size. Making a template out of cardboard is helpful.

*Tuning Plates*

Tuning plates are usually pieces of steel laid across the bottom of the smoke chamber. They are of varying widths and are placed side by side in such a way as to leave gaps of various widths between them. The idea is to get the heat from the firebox to travel farther down the smoke chamber towards the chimney end. The placement of the plates and the size of the gaps can be adjusted to “tune” the smoke chamber temperature wise.

Again, there are various ways to do this but I used plates of 1/8” steel of 10”, 8”, and 6” widths. You will want them long enough to lay in the bottom of the smoker yet sitting high enough to be just above the bottom of the tuning plate. 




Some people put “rails” of 1/8” x 3/4” flat bar for the plates to rest on. Again, you will have to assess the width and length of your smoker to come up with the appropriate sizes. Again, making templates out of cardboard are helpful.

Another twist on the tuning plate idea is to have a plate that runs the length of the smoker with rows of holes of increasing size -- smaller at the firebox end and larger at the chimney end. The idea again is to move the heat farther down the smoking chamber to even out the temperature. I believe Horizon smokers use this set up and they call it a "Convection Plate".

Here is a diagram that I drew for a convection plate for my smoker.



Some folks have done things along this line and reported good results. I have not gotten around to having one made yet, but when I do, I will test it and post the results.

*Charcoal Basket*

Solar has a great thread on making the charcoal basket. 

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=73745

Hopefully you found this information useful and if anyone has any corrections or additions to make, please feel free.

Dave


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## bwsmith_2000

Ddave,
     Great job! It's good to see all this brought together in one spot. I have a Silver Smoker and could not believe the improvement as a result of the modifications. I don't remember all who posted the various mods but I certainly appreciated and thank them. If there are those who have an offset smoker like the ones Dave has mentioned and haven't done the mods, I'd highly recommend doing them before your next smoke. You won't believe how much better the smoker will perform. Points to you  Dave.


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## meat hunter

DDave. Great post. I was just discussing a few point with sumosmoke about the offset I am making right now. About the chimney. I have seen both ways to mount these. Flush with the top and extended down to grate level. My question for you is, when the chimney is down at grate level, would this not let allot of smoke build up? Or is there sufficient air flow to move into the chimney? What is your take on a flush mounted chimney with a baffle adjustment in the stack? Would that offer more control?

Also, one thing I have yet to find on here and maybe you can answer. Does the length of the chimney outside matter? I've seen some that appear to be only a foot or so and others about 3 or 4 feet.


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## azrocker

Here is a work book zipped. Not sure where I got it but it came from a smoker site. If this belongs to someone here let me know so I can give credit where credit is deserved! I like mine tall so I don't stand in the smoke. I can also turn the elbow on the top to adjust so the wind does not blow in my stack. I am actually thinking of raising it and adding another.


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## rickw

Meat Hunter
 Check out this site


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## azrocker

Thanks! I had saved it but did not add credit! I do want to credit this guy because this simple workbook is ingenious


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## ddave

Thanks for the nice comments, guys.

Looks like that spreadsheet is a good resource for anyone building a smoker.

I would think that as long as the chimney is not obstructed there should be plenty of airflow to keep the smoke moving.  An inch or so above the grate seems to work in these inexpensive offsets.  Some of the more expensive models have a baffle adjustment in the stack but I have been told by many experienced smokers to keep the stack wide open anytime you are cooking.  Use the intake to regulate heat -- not the exhaust.

I think the length of the chimney outside does matter.  There is going to be a certain amount of loss of velocity of air as it moves up a taller chimeny.  Since warm air rises, it will want to go up the chimney but as the air cools, it becomes heavier and will at some point impede the flow.  This will also be the case if there are bends in the chimney.  My physics are a little rusty so I cannot tell you exactly where this will happen but there will certainly be diminishing returns as the chimney length gets longer.  

Other people have mentioned this with the UDS.  Some people want to "trick it out" with tall chrome stacks which look cool, but then they notice that they can't keep the temp up anymore because there is insufficient draft to keep the fire going.

Hope this helps.

Dave


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## tasunkawitko

thanks for the ideas and the suggestions!


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## meat hunter

DDave, azrocker and RickW. Thanks for your input. I checked out the links, but I run a MAC. Could not view the excel spreadsheets. I just have to find an appication that will open them. Lots of good ideas from lots of folks here. Couple more weeks and I'll have my smoker going, I can't wait. I have officially retired the "Big Chief".


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## tasunkawitko

that big chief should still work great for cool-smoking fish and cheese, bud!


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## ddave

Well . . . I guess we can let that slide.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 You're here so you can't be all bad. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Just kidding. Let's not get a PC vs MAC war going now.

Here you go.

http://www.openoffice.org

Reads and writes all MS Office file types and is available for MAC OSX Intel and PPC.

And, it's free.

Dave


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## azrocker

I have saved a version in open office if you are interested. I changed it to their format as that is what I run. Don't like Billware so I have ubuntu on my laptop. My desktop came with Vista so I left it on.


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## jjmrascal

DDave and whoever else,

I know I am responding to a month old posting, but I have been mulling some smoker mods on my OK Joe for several years.  I am now getting ready to do one thing or another.  I really like your post covering all the classic methods.  

I recently got a 2'x4' sheet of scrap 1/4" steel from the scrap sales at work.  I had thought of the convection plate, then making it a reverse flow, but I have been thinking the simplest is tuning plates.  I don't have access to a welder so it would be me, a reciprocating saw and several blades doing the work.
Is there a particular distance below the meat grate the plates need to be?
Does the deflector lip need to extend below the level of the plates, or just at the same level?


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## ddave

Well, I am not an engineer so this is just my opinion.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Mine are about 5" below the grates, but I think my plates are actually too low. I think I am close to restricting the area too much. If I had to do it over again, I would shoot for making them even with somewhere close to the halfway point of the cut out from the firebox -- maybe a little higher. You don't want to block the heat too much, just move it farther down the chamber.  But make sure that if you use a water or sand pan in your smoker (I do from time to time) that you leave enough room between the meat grate and your tuning plates to set the pan on.

I would make the deflector lip of the baffle even with the bottom of the tuning plates.

Again, I have no engineering expertise to back this advice up with, just my hunch and knowledge of what worked for me.

Dave


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## jjmrascal

Caveat duly noted.  Thanks for the help and I will let you know how it goes or be back with more questions.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Thanx,


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## big_z

Thanks for this post.  the pics are very helpful.  I've read about these mods elsewhere but this post is much more concise and helpful.


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## big_z

I found a 3" elbow at Lowes I"m thinking of using to drop my smokestack down to the grate.  would there be a problem having a curve in the pipe right above the grate?

also i've seen some mention of people placing pans under the smokestack opening.  What is the purpose of this?

Thanks,
Aaron


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## ddave

I think a straight extension would work better.

I have no idea. I have placed a pan full of sand at the smokestack end but it was on the tuning plates under the cook grate to act as a heat sink and help stabilize the temp at the far end. I can't think of any reason you would want a pan under the stack above the cook grate though. Seems like it would interfere with draft.

Dave


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## billbo

Bump! Wow, how is this not a stick? All the mods are outlined here perfectly. One problem is the link Ddave posted from Solar about the firebox is not working for me. Can anybody help with that?


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## eaglewing

Some of those LINKS he has in the original need updating, or it's just me but they don't open to a thread...

I wana see that *Charcoal Basket thread....*


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## billbo

Me too Eaglewing!


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## rivet

Okay you all, here's my basket thread. It's a great design that has several members of the SMF that will vouch for it, since they have one too....

Great post by Dan, by the way. He's the one who got my idea-juices flowing and sparked my designs. 

The stock grate takes a big hit early on. After my first 14 hr brisket it was warped crazy. Still used it for almost a year, but it drove me nuts. This mod will make one of the 3 best overall improvements to your *SnP*.

 Why?

Cause the grate holds the charcoal too close to the bottom of the firebox and after a few hours the ashh chokes off your draw. Not good. I wanted a design to maintain the awesome draw the *SnP* is known for, as well as allow for fuller loading without having the coals come into contact with the body of the firebox, something that happens without a basket, and will shorten your unit's lifespan. I've seen a lot of basket mods, mostly DEEP ones, but that is not what I wanted. That just continues the ash-choking problem. I designed a basket that sits higher and wider than the ones I'd seen. 

Result was a real nice even hot burn, hours and hours and hours without worryin' about cleaning out the ash, and plenty of space to add or just use pure wood, for your fuel. I like to cook a PPB on wood alone, just like back in North Carolina.



And a shot inside-



So, my design was roughly a 13" X 14 " rectangle. 3" tall, using 1 inch angle iron for bracing all around. Length, width, and corners for warp-prevention and quality fit. It's tight in the box and bullet-proof. I cannot remember the type of expanded metal my welder said he used, but I do recall it seemed way too heavy-duty for my application when he showed me the sheet. He recommended against my original application preference as being too thin and would warp quick. He recommended a brace underneath the basket if I decided to go with my original choice, but I went with his expanded metal recommendation. Glad I did!

He did a professional job in that instead of bending the expanded metal, he cut it to length and spot welded each point to the angle iron. He understood bullet-proof, and made it the way he knew I wanted it.



Fits snuggly in the fire-box. The most important part, I think, is keeping your basket UP OFF of the bottom of the firebox. Thus, I designed mine to sit 4 and 1/2 inches up off the bottom dead center point of the firebox arc. 

You can see how much more air space there is available for flow and clean burning. It makes all the difference in the world.


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## eaglewing

OK...cool...now we're gettin somewhere!!!


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## ddave

All the links work now. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Not sure what the trouble was. They were working fine when I created the thread. I know some of the Search IDs change over time but the first link is to another one of my threads that isn't even a year old. 

Anyway, I guess I'll just have to check 'em from time to time.

Dave


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## billbo

Thanks to everyone for getting this thread alive again. I still think this should be a sticky.


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## beer-b-q

Nice Tutorial John...


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## ddave

Thank you.  And if anyone notices the links not working at any time, just shoot me a PM and I'll fix 'em again.
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Dave


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## alx

I agree on the sticky for what it is worth....

Funny,my neighbor landed one of these being thrown out and he has not used.I do not need another smoker,but i think i will fix it up for him........


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## badfrog

Excellent mod Rivet. I have been fighting with this problem for a long time and have made several different attempts to solve it...each attempt a little better than the previous; your design far exceeds anything I have done!!! I will be copying it and will engrave "Designed by Rivet" on it somewhere!!!!

Thanks


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## waytoodeep03

What can we use to keep the smoke in the grill if we do not have a tailpipe laying around?


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## olewarthog

Get a disposable oven liner from the grocery store/walmart, etc. They generally come in a pack of two for a couple of bucks. You can cut the size you need easily. All you do is roll it into a tube & push it a few inches into the stack opening. It will unroll with enough tension to hold it place.


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## etcher1

I think I will be doing some mods shortly!


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## tasunkawitko

shouldn't be any trouble at all to go to a muffler shop and ask if he's got any scrap (cuttings) of NEW tailpipe and then have him cut one to length, then cut the 45-degree angle in one end, then swage the other end so it fits into the base of your chimney (bring that with you to the muffler shop). my muffler guy did it in about 4 minutes and charged 4 dollars.


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## realtorterry

thank you sooo much for this post. It answered sooo many questions for me being still new. I do have a quick couple though. You explained EVERYTHING so weel except the charcoal basket & what it does to help??? Second questions is a seen a thread from Rivet on his version of a tuning plate, which simply sets in front of the firebox. Could I use that as both the baffle & tuning plates?


Thanks again for everything on your thread. I have a busy mod weekend now!!


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## jirodriguez

Charcoal basket lets you load more fuel in one go (via the minion method), which gives you much longer burn times with steadier temps. Most people get 3-4 hours with a basket, some can go as long as 6-8 (read UDS owners here).


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## ugaboz

thanks for the info


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## jrmcg1

wow dave thanks for the ideas, havent been smoking too long and own a pit like this one. i have been looking for mods since the first day i got it! how even does your heat stay with the configuration of ur tuning plates as shown? i have turned my charcoal pan over and put it in the fire box hole with some holes strategicly placed, and so far seems to be doing well thus far but not sure how long it will last.....

Joe


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## rivet

Hey Bad, you are very welcome! Glad to hear you have everything squared away, but if you need more help, give me a holler via PM. The firebasket works its wonders best in conjunction with the manifold. Lets you keep a decent fire going in cold inclement weather (especially good way up in the Northern parts of the USA) and the manifold will retain that heat and evenly distribute it along the length of the smoker.

Let me show you pics of TasunkaWitko's design that I had made up. He needed a bit longer primary manifold to accomodate a water pan if he wanted one, and had a secondary, separate manifold that he could take out if the weather was warm. 

This is how they would be arranged inside the SnP smoking chamber...



Once summer comes, the secondary, or smaller manifold is removable, to help heat flow and fuel consumption in the warmer weather. Both are 1/4 inch steel.




Yes Real, the manifold acts as both a baffle and a tuning plate. here's a pic of mine in the smoker so you can see how it will both act as a baffle for the firebox heat as well as gently radiate the heat throughout the smoking chamber due to it's design and thickness (1/4 inch steel)




Here's a shot of the manifold through the grilling grates. You can see that it extends near halfway across the smoking chamber's area, and thus its thickness will gently radiate that heat evenly throughout the same area-


Hope I've been able to answer you alls questions and clear up any confusion. If you have any more, feel free to PM or ask away, I'll be glad to help out!


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## ddave

End to end temps are usually within 5 to 10 degrees of each other.  Sometimes the firebox end is actually cooler than the stack end depending on how the plates are arranged.  Works great here in Northern California.  

But as Rivet pointed out, if you live up where it gets really cold, some added mass may be in order.  The manifold that Tas built is a great solution in that case.

Dave


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## nw pat

Can't open the link..?


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## thebattman

I'm just a year late to this thread....!!!
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






But I too am a Mac user.  I had no problem downloading and opening the xls file.  Do you have Microsoft Office (I do), or one of the open-source office suites (Like OpenOffice)?


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## davet54

Rivet, thanks for the pics of the charcoal box, gonna have a friend in the weld shop make one for me also gonna make the damper and tuner for me.  Should be ready for a try next weekend.  Also I think perhaps finding some way to tighten up the fire box door and lid, and perhaps also maybe something on the smoke chamber door to keep it all tight.  The exhaust vent is the easy part.  Thanks for the tips and pics.  Gonna have to try my first pics for you guys to view.


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## badfrog

Here is another option for the exhaust...this is a 4" exhaust stack; I made this mod several years ago and it works great! I started to cut off the stock exhaust and weld the hole, but discovered it is nice to have it as an option, especially when getting the fire started-once cooking it stays closed most of the time. 
By the way, if you look on the shelf below, you can see the sad remains of the original firebox grate! not sure why I still have it around!!! 
(and yes, I smoke with split hickory! I only use the charcoal to get the hickory started...)


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## colininottawa

Well I thought I would treat myself and order a Horizon 20" convection plate and give that a try but I'm up in Canada and I cant get one shipped up here! Does anyone know what diameter holes they use? If I had that info I would make my own.


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## stevethetech

Great thread, y'all have talked me off the ledge in regards to scraping my Silver Smoker. 

What are you guys doing about air gaps from the lids? 
Is there a food safe way to seal the <1/8" gaps in the edges and points of contact?

I don't know if my personal welding skill and patience level are up to deal with this project in my shop (everyones always got something to say), I might have to make a few phone calls. I really appreciate the hard work done by many of you guys, my smoker appreciates the 11 o'clock stay of execution.


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## ddave

I did nothing about it.  There's a big 3" hole in the top.  I didn't think 1/8" around the sides was going to be a real issue.  Some folks that added to the thread after I started it seemed to be bothered by them.  Maybe they're using theirs in much colder country than I am but I didn't think it was a big enough deal to worry about.

You can get food safe silicone and some folks have used wood stove gasket rope.  Whle technically probably not food safe, if the food doesn't come in contact with it, it should be fine.  I have a length of wood stove gasket between the inner ring on my UDS and the drum itself where the Weber lid fits.  You can't see it now and food never touches it.

I had a local fab shop cut the pieces for my mods.  Again, folks that added stuff later in the thread got a little fancier and welding may be required.  I tried to keep it simple for the "no weld" folks like myself. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Dave


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## bizones

You guys have just saved the life of another Brinkman and saved me a ton of money too! This is way cheaper than a Horizon or Yoder!


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## daddyzaring

My new Charbroils looks identical to your brinkmann, except mine doesn't have any mods done yet.  How do you keep from losing all that heat when checking on the meat?  I like all the space that having the whole top half as a lid allows, but I don't like how it allows so much heat to escape.  Is there anything to help with this?


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## ddave

The tuning plate help with temp recovery if there's some mass to them.  Mine are 1/8" thick and they help quite a bit.  The ones Taz did are 1/4" I believe and would help with heat recovery.  Sometimes I'll put a pan full of sand at the stack end for more mass.

There's really no way to get around it.  When you open the lid you'll lose heat.  Having something with some mass in the chamber helps but I think the big thing is don't open the lid unless you need to.  Only open to spritz, mop, foil, insert temp probe, etc.  And do what you need to do quickly and close it up.  Mine recovers in 5 or 10 minutes at ambient temps of 40° and above.  If you smoke where it's really cold, then it may take longer.

Dave


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## bizones

ok...I built a charcoal basket, extended the exhaust down, and built a convection plate. I did the burn in last night. BUMMER! It never made it over 225*at grate level. I think maybe the cp is to restrictive. I started with a Weber chimney full of charcoal and added a half full load later. Is this enough? I am going to add pics when I figure out why my pc wont read the SD card. Any suggestions?


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## ddave

Sounds like not enough charcoal.  

Dave


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## daddyzaring

I have some questions about fixing my smoker. I can't keep a good heat on it more than an hour, and the firebox was red fricking hot, well the side door, and the charcoal grill rack. Would anyone happen to be able to tell me how thick the metal has to be for the baffle and heat/tuning plates? I was thinking of cutting some metal out of an old washer, dryer or stove, or would that be too thin? Also where, and what would be the easiest thing to use and find to seal off between the firebox and the base of the smoker? Every time it heats up they warp apart from each other making a noticable gap.


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## caveman

Some people have used 1/4" steel for their baffles.  I use foil & a water pan.  At least until I move up.  Good luck.


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## daddyzaring

I watch the craigslist all the time, and I am always seeing people giving away stove, washers. and dryers for free.  I was thinking of getting one and using the metal from one to cut up into a baffle and tuning plates, and maybe use the gasket out of a stove to seal off my firebox.  I'm just not sure if that would be thick enough?


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## jrichv

Here's a couple of pictures of my tuning plate mods on my CharGriller...

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/101_3074.jpg

http://i285.photobucket.com/albums/l...s/101_3081.jpg


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## dick foster

I looked it up once and think they start off at 1/2" at the inlet and step up to 1 1/2" at the far end. Just space them out evenly.

I made an attempt from on old cookie sheet but got better results using fire bricks as tuning plates and varying the gaps between the bricks from narrow to wide. 
Since the brick also acts as a heat sink and increases the thermal mass of my small pit, it really helps to keep the temps even across the smoke chamber. 

I foil wrapped the bricks to keep them from getting greasy from drippings should the drip pan shift.


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## dick foster

I had the same problem with the uber cheapo Char Broil I got from Wally World. The attractive part was it's small size and I wanted a horizontal offset so I could use it as a grill from time to time.

I took care of it by doing all the usual mods that you'll find on the web and here for the off sets. On top of that, I also took the thing apart and added some metal to it. 

I used a combination of aluminum flashing and both 22 gauge and 16 gauge sheet metal from the corner hardware store. I used flashing and 22 gauge to beef up the top of the cooking chamber, the bottom got flashing only but two layers at the inlet end where the deflector plate now is. 

The fire box got flashing and 16 gauge in the top half with flashing 22 gauge in the bottom half. 

I also changed the bottom of the fire box to have a slide out tray that I fashioned from 22 gauge to make dumping ash easy.

It helps to perform the sheet metal some with a dead blow hammer and a crack or gap of some sort. A rubber mallet would work just as well. I used a space in my Workmate for the forming gap. Just move the sheet metal back and forth as you whack it over and over with the hammer or mallet. It will soon take on the shape you want. 

To hold it all in place, I used steel pop rivets.    

The flashing and 22 gauge you can cut with tin snips. For the 16 gauge and the semicircular end pieces I used my saber saw with a fine tooth metal cutting blade. 

Put the aluminum flashing between the steel sheet metal. This helps spread out the temps and insulate the whole thing.  

Now I can hold my hand on top of the smoke chamber when it is at 225, my target cooking temp. The fire box no longer burns the paint off, not even the top. 

Adding the extra metal along with the other mods helped a great deal and it also did a lot to reduce fuel consumption and a lot of trips back and forth to add fuel.

BTW I simply moved the stack from the top to the side using a 3" elbow and piece of stove pipe with a rain cap I also got at the hardware store. The sheet metal I added also blocked off the big hole in the top where the stack once was.

Using a piece of scrape, I also fashioned a damper inside the vertical stack to aid in keeping the temp where I want it.


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## ivanh17

i think i am going to give up on snp. I did different mods on it and still dosent seem to cook even enough.  i still get a 50 to 75 degree difference from end to end.  I am new to smoking and i love bbq but this damn snp makes me want to give up allready


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## thestealth

I don't think you'll ever be able to make the temps completely even from end to end.  I used some 16 gauge steel for a deflector/plates and the best I can get is about a 25* difference from end to end.  Maybe with a 1/4" thick deflector, it would be less, but all the heat is coming from the one side...just the nature of the beast.

edit:  I have an SnP as well.


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## ivanh17

does any one have an idea on how long of a burn i will get using the minion method on  my snp. i will b usibg kingsford, with a charcoal basket that is 12x12x6 inches.


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## thestealth

Too many variables to say for certain (amount of wind, direction of wind, ambient temps, rain) but you should be able to get 2-3 hours out of it.  At least that has been my experience.


----------



## ddave

With properly placed tuning plates, I can get my end to end temps within 10° of each other.  I used 1/8" plate.

That is as long as the wind isn't blowing too hard. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  It's a little trickier with my windbreak but it can be done.

Dave


----------



## ivanh17

hey dave how thick is the baffle that u use?  mine is about an 1/8 thick but still have a difference of 50 degrees from end to end. both of my therms r the same but could it b my therms.


----------



## ddave

My baffle and tuning plates are 1/8" thick plate.

Dave


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## fishpokergolf

I'm not a welder, but what do you guys think about using a quality high temp aluminum tape to seal gaps on my Brinkmann Smoke-n-Pit, horiz offset $199 Home Depot starter smoker? Thanks for the mods/pics Dave. That is a wealth of info! Cheers.


----------



## mrpogi71

is it recommended to use tuning plates? can you get away without using them?


----------



## uncled

My first smoke I didn't have any modifications, and although it turned out a bit dry, it was still good :)

The only thing I have done so far is add the thermometers at each end. I don't understand how they expect a person to do any smoking using a thermometer without degree markings on it. After adding those, my smoking improved greatly.

This weekend I'm planning on adding tuning plates, and doing the stack extension to about 1-2" above the grate.


----------



## pintobean

Great ideas I have been considering making all of these mods to my Brinkmann. I also thought one additional one would be nice...I want to use wood stove gasketing to seal up the smoking chamber lid, and also the firebox, as I have noticed in my first few smokes, that alot of smoke was escaping from around these two doors. I think it would help with temperature control, as well as keeping the delicious smoke where you want it.

http://www.acehardware.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=1260920


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## azrocker

I don't recommend putting the rope gasket on. It frays and gets everywhere.


----------



## stewdawg68

to all of you guys, GREAT thread.  Thanks for all the info.  Just got my first Brinkman SNP from Hone Depot 2 weeks ago, first ever try at smoked ribs went well last Sunday, but did have major temp problems, like those alluded to here.


----------



## stewdawg68

OK, had the family over for Christmas, and went a little untradional with fried turkey and smoked ribs.

It was great!   I used some mods mentioned here, but with a poorman take on things (ie:, little skill in power tools, sheet metal working...)  To put a damper in place, I took a tin foil lid to large buffet tray and folded it in half, then placed it in place over the offset heat opening.  I took a half size lid and molded it around a whiffle ball bat and made a chimney extention, which I then slid up the chimney, greatly lowering it into the heating area.  Both mods seemed to work great, tested week before Christmas and again on Christmas...but used the rub and sauce sold here, and it was GREAT!!


----------



## jdt

since this got resurected I'll link my baffle and convection plate mod

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/94617/baffle-and-convection-plate

and heavy duty coal/wood box

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/forum/thread/74623/hd-wood-charcoal-box


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## jack3608

Awesome info!!   I was wondering, being a rookie smoker with an offset model, if the hole from the firebox to the smoke chamber would be a problem but the easy solution with a baffle provided here made me feel dumb for not thinking of it myself!!! lol. Tuning plates are on the list too now.


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## jacobtia

Wow!!!! Thank you!!!! I'm a newbie to the site and to smoking. This info was everything I was looking for. Hopefully doing some of these other mods will help. I have used my smoker 3 times and each time i fight to get the temp up over 175 degrees. I am going to try some of these and hopefully I will have a lil more luck!


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## will85w4

Still being new to making mods to my smoker, I am wondering since my Char-Broil AGD offset came with a charcoal grate/drip pan in the cooking chamber, if I were to do a baffle over the firebox opening, I would have to remove the charcoal grate/drip pan in the cooking chamber correct?  Also, I have an upper warming rack in the cooking chamber as well.  I used it most recently during my last rib smoke and used it for ribs and corn.  If I were to do the exhaust extension, I would either have to remove the upper warming or cut a hole in the rack in order for the exhaust extension to go all the way to grate level.  As of right now, the warming rack comes within about an inch of the exhaust opening.


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## thestealth

One thing that's always bothered my about my S'nP is the time it takes for heating up, especially when it's cold and windy.  Due to where I have my unit placed, there is always a good chance of wind...wind blowing from the wrong direction.  I put the smoker where I did for ease of use and access, so it's not really movable.  I was cleaning up the garage a while back and when I started sorting through my electrical supplies, I came across an old muffin fan.  It got me thinking...so, this is what I came up with.







It's fairly low rpm, just enough to move some air.  It gets the coals going rolling pretty good, pretty quickly.  I will also kick it on when I have the smoke lid open, keeps me from losing too much heat.  I've also found that it works great at the end of a smoke, you know the time, when the smoker starts losing heat, but the meat is almost done.  Don't really want to add more coals, so I'll kick on the little fan and extract all every BTU that's left in the coals.

I know there are products on the market that will do the same thing...I just whipped this together with stuff I had hanging around the garage.  I'm just one, 120v high temp thermostat away from having an automated fan. ;-)


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## saitotiktmdog

Luckily when I built mine the drain for the tank was center at the bottom so I put my stack there and it turned out to be about grate level. This was before I knew much about smokers. I have used info such as your post above to add a baffle and such to my smoker. I also  lowered the firebox etc. Trying to find a good insulation for it. It is not made of super thick metal. Maybe 1/8 inch or so. Thicker than some cheapies but not the quarter inch which seems to be popular. Someone needs to invent some sparay on expanding insulation that withstands high heat and is food safe.


----------



## chasingbbq

So I got the SnP from home depot last year for $199. I figure with all the modifications I can get a good smoker out of it. So I did the chimney extension, added a baffle, tuning plates (both out of 1/8 thick steel plates), stove gasket rope and 2 thermometers, about 10 inch from each side, at meat level. Unfortunately I still get a temperature difference of 75deg F between the thermometers. I'm very disappointed. I was hoping for better results after spending over $100 in parts. I have gone back to using my Webber Gold for smoking since it uses 1/3 of the charcoal and once I stabilize the temperature, I don't need to do much. It will be hard to convince wife to let me get rid of this and spend $1000 for a better smoker. Anyone else having difficulty getting steady temperature in the smoker section?


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## thestealth

How much have you played with the tuning plates.  Contrary to a post of mine earlier in the thread, I've got it down to 10-15* difference in temps after tweaking the tuning plates a bit.  I just used some 6" wide 1/8" thick steel sheets.  I slid them back and forth until I finally got it pretty close.  This is of course once it's settled in and running.  While it's heating up, the temps can be as much a 50* difference.


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## chasingbbq

That's the funny part,  notice no difference when moving the tuning plates around, which is puzzling.


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## d burbank

I can't seem to open this great work book you referred to. Could you repost it please?

Thanks

D Burbank


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## chard

Im thinking about getting and SnP from Home Depot.. Does seem a little ehhh..  What about the holes in the cover that allow for a rotisserie? DO you block those off some how? SHould I save my money up and get a new braunfels smoker?


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## g0bez

I just picked up a SnP from Home Depot and assembled it tonight. If I had an option for something a bit better (both in terms of cost and my available options in this area) I probably would've waited... but all things considered, after I got it assembled I actually think this $170 is going to do fairly well as a first Smoker/Grill.

I also picked up a chicken and some ribs to smoke, and a variety of my normal grill favorites to play a bit.

In terms of mods... I'll probably be replacing some of the grates, but beyond that it'll be a trial/error (hopefully more trial than error) to fine-tune it.
 


Chard said:


> Im thinking about getting and SnP from Home Depot.. Does seem a little ehhh..  What about the holes in the cover that allow for a rotisserie? DO you block those off some how? SHould I save my money up and get a new braunfels smoker?


----------



## cajun a

I have done almost the exact same thing, great minds do think alike. The temps. did get better, but still about 50 deg. difference end to end.  What i did different was cap off the top exaust and had my local exaust shop bend a 90 deg. to the bottom of a 6 ft. peice of 3 in. pipe. i attached to the end just below the rack level. temps now 30 deg. diffrent. Problem is getting pit over 250 deg.  Thought about going 4 in. and relocating 3 in. higher. Dont get me wrong, i can make a pork butt while i sleep. The basket i use for the minnion method last 8 hours, best if i insulate cook chamber with a welding blanket. Any other ideas you folks think of please let me know before i move fire box. May just need a better pit ?


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## aussiepete

These mods are great!  I was having major problems with temperature control and uneven cooking from one end of the grill to the other in my horizontal smoker.  I made a charcoal basket, increased the size of the original baffle and put in some tuning plates.  Still have some fine tuning to do but can now maintain temperature and have a difference of only 10 degrees from one end of the grill to the other.








Above - Before mods. Note how this pork roast is burning on the firebox side, even though it's in the middle of the grill 12-14 inches away from the firebox.

Below - My first smoke after making the mods.  These pork ribs are in exactly the same spot on the grill as the above roast but you can see they all cooked evenly.

Very happy with the results!


----------



## toekneemac

Anyone have luck without a baffel and/or tuning plates?  

I am going to try smoking without these mods because:

1)  They did not seem to work for me so good.
2)  It seems like a large fire in the box, which actually heated up so hot that the steel expanded to the point that the door would not close all the way. I have massive heat in the box, and little in the chamber. 
3)  I reached 250 degrees near the fire box and 150 at the opposite end.
4)  I tried 20ga. steel for tuning plates AND ceramic tile, and neither one worked for me.
5)  I still had a massive heat inequality.  And not only from end to end, but from front to back.  I used a digital thermometer in the center if the first half of the smoker chamber and my dial thermometers in the chamber cover.  All at grate level. the digital read 200 and the dials read 250.  We are talking like 6-7 inches apart.  With that much difference, I may as well lose the mods and just learn how the smoker works by itself and adjust the meat accordingly.

This is relatively new to me, and I have a Bar-B-Chef.  Does anyone else NOT use internal mods with success?  Thanks


----------



## chef jimmyj

I would suggest posting some pics of your Equipment and your fire set up...I don't have any mods to my Horiz.NB but the temp difference from end to end is 25*F not 100*F! Show your Mods as well maybe we can tweek what you have. Describe how you get your fire going and which type of fuel you use...Stop by Roll Call and introduce your self, with your experience level and location. Then start a new thread about these problems. This thread is old...JJ


----------



## toekneemac

Chef Jimmy,

Thanks!  I will followw your instructions.


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## goofus

I just got a Char Griller and it has several leaks. I used wood burner stove door gasket material to seal up the lid. Works like a champ. I used aluminum brackets and high temp silicon.

This thing holds temp for hours!! Real easy to use!! Wind??/ No worries!

I also extended the stack and put in some flashing to block direct heat.


----------



## mater

That's what my grate looks like. I have got to do something about that soon. Your smoker is just like mine except for the chimney.


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## pvillecomp

Quick question. 

I got a deflector and tuning plates for my Trailmaster this afternoon and put them in after a quick cleaning and a spray of Pam to season. I loaded a full chimney and change of Lump into the basket and went to town. Man what a difference. Before the right side, nearest the firebox was way too hot, but tonight it seemed like I could not get up to temp no mater what. The deflector is what I believe to be close to a 45 degree angle to the opening, I have 5 2" strips after the baffle, then 1/4" or so gap then an 4 2" inch strips and a 1/2" gap and then 3 2" strips and open to the end of the grill. (I was shooting for the 10", 8", 6" formula in the OP)

The hottest I ever saw it, with the baffles open full, was 210 on the fire box side and 150 on the chimney side. It seems like I'm not getting enough draw through the chamber to bring the heat in. 

Here is a pic of the baffle. 







And the plates







It's dark so I'll get better pics in the morning, 

I''m not sure where I should remove plates to increase the airflow. Each plate is 2" x 14 1/2 10 gage cold rolled steel and the baffle is 6" x 14 1/2 10 gage cold rolled steel.

Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated. 

Updated with better pic.


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## chef jimmyj

Make sure there is a sufficient Gap at the bottom of your Baffle. 4-5 inches seems to provide sufficient heat from the Fire Box to the Smoke Chamber...JJ


----------



## pvillecomp

Thanks Chef - 

I found this morning, now that the unit is cool, that there was more space between the top of the fire hole and the top of the baffle. I moved it down and increased the angle so that the top of the baffle is at the top of the hole. I measured and found that the distance is almost exactly 5". 

Here is a picture looking into the smoke chamber from the fire box. As you can see I have the baffle and tuning plates resting on the lower grill itself and the bottom half of the fire hole is unobstructed. I'll try again tonight and see if I get a better draw and heat distribution.


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## jbird

*@Goofus What size stove rope did you use? I want to try all your mods, i have the brinkman offset and has a lot of leaks!*


----------



## schaydu

ive been looking for a thread like this for a loooooong time!!! very informative thanks!!


----------



## coyote-1

As a baffle I use a large baking sheet set on bricks. Works well. I keep a small bit of a gap at the firebox end, with a much larger gap at the other end. A bit of temp difference from end to end can actually work for you in many instances, while a hard baffle will actually prevent much of the heat from even making it into the smoke chamber. It will instead be lost out the top of the firebox.

I don't seal the grill. My rationale: everyone is making chimney mods to bring it down to grate level. So then... what exactly is the difference between a bit of the smoke leaking out the sides at grate level or not? If cold wind were blowing in those side gaps I could see it being a problem, but that mostly does not occur; mostly it is smoke coming out. Which is fine by me.

IMO the single most valuable mod is to get the chimney down to grate level.


----------



## tasunkawitko

>>>I don't seal the grill. My rationale: everyone is making chimney mods to bring it down to grate level. So then... what exactly is the difference between a bit of the smoke leaking out the sides at grate level or not? If cold wind were blowing in those side gaps I could see it being a problem, but that mostly does not occur; mostly it is smoke coming out. Which is fine by me.

IMO the single most valuable mod is to get the chimney down to grate level.<<<

BINGO - once i brought the chimney down to grate level, the vastly-improved draw eliminated the "leaking" smoke, making the gaskets/seals/etc completely unnecessary. having said that., i did address this:

>>>What about the holes in the cover that allow for a rotisserie? DO you block those off some how?<<< 

very easily, and at very little cost. at first, i used dryer-vent tape, but this looked a little cheesy, so instead i bought two small screws (machine screws, i think, the kind with a flat tip and a slotted screwdriver head), two locking nuts to fit the screws and four flat washers (the kind with very small holes in the middle - just big enough for the screws to go in). then i covered the rotisserie holes with a washer on each side of the hole secured by the screw - repeat for the other side and that's it. if they are the zinc-plated hardware, be sure to burn the coating off, and once they are on teh smoker, give them a spray of PAM-type cooking spray now and then to keep them "seasoned;" that's it.


----------



## jbird

*Thanks guys i'm going to extend my chimney tonight*


----------



## chappy4o

what angle was the stack extension cut at?? and how long is the pipe? i really like that design using exhaust tubing.

i too am curious about the charcoal basket . . . sound interesting.

last question - do you have any links to some good thermos analog and digital?? for analog i think a 3" face with 4" stem would be the ticket

thanks

Chappy


----------



## vichi lobo

I realize that it has been quite some time since this thread was active, but i do have a followup question.  Does anyone see a problem with making the tuning plates and the deflector out of quarry tile; the same tile that many people use for their pizza stones?


----------



## sirloinoftexas

Thanks for this thread! Just wanting to let you know it still the best example of smoker mods out there.


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## hickorybutt

These are perfect mods for my CharBroil American Gourmet...  I started out on this pit with no mods, and recently bought a reverse flow as my primary unit, and now the CharBroil is my secondary unit that I never use given it's inherent issues.  I'm planning to do these simple mods to my CharBroil this summer and hopefully make it a solid second unit to where I can have both smokers running at once.


----------



## overwe1ght bbq

I was about to spend a lot of money on a new smoker. I think theses mods might just save me. There is only one brisket size section on my smoker that's the right temp. Everything else just burns. To close to fire box. Thank you again


----------



## overwe1ght bbq

I too have a question I have this style exhaust. (Shown in pic). How would I add a chimney extension to my smoker. 













image.jpg



__ overwe1ght bbq
__ Sep 13, 2014


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## sparkie1952

Hello all;

I just recently found all this new info about smoking meat. I have had smokers for several years with varied results. Reading here has really enlightened me. Here are a few of my ideas and modifications.

First, instead of buying a baffle for $90 I went to the local Home Improvement store and bought 4 bricks with holes in them. (49 cents each) I staked them like shown in pictures. This is working great. I have been able to hold between 210 and 240 degrees easily. I used a couple pieces of foil to block the holes.













2014-09-19 16.45.51.jpg



__ sparkie1952
__ Sep 19, 2014
__ 3






You will notice the coals are in a tray with holes in it and that cost $5.99. A lot cheaper than the stainless ones sold on some of the sites.

I am doing my first test righ now and have been able to hold the temp for over an hour on one chimney of charcoal and a couple handfuls of chips.













2014-09-19 17.17.18.jpg



__ sparkie1952
__ Sep 19, 2014






I bought this smoker at Lowe's to replace a much cheaper side-by-side from charbroil. This is labeled Royal Oak but I have not seen anyone else post about this brand.













2014-09-19 16.57.16.jpg



__ sparkie1952
__ Sep 19, 2014






Steve


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## lemans

Looks like a horizon pit. What did pay for it? Your mods...to say the least.. Innovative 
 As long as it works


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## sparkie1952

Lemans said:


> Looks like a horizon pit. What did pay for it? Your mods...to say the least.. Innovative
> As long as it works


I bought it on sale at Lowe's for less than $300. ($279 I think) I was just at Lowe's getting some chunks and they have another one that is similar (Oklahoma Joe maybe) for $479. Mine has ceramic grills and has six separate grill plates. The one at Lowe's now has two pieces on the left side and 1 piece n the fire pit side. They grills don't look like they are as well coated as mine.

We will know about 7 PM if the mods are going to work like they did on a small sausage for an hour and a half yesterday. I am doing 2 racks of ribs and a chicken starting in about  30 mins. I got a big bag of lump charcoal too.

Steve


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## sparkie1952

Sparkie1952 said:


> I bought it on sale at Lowe's for less than $300. ($279 I think) I was just at Lowe's getting some chunks and they have another one that is similar (Oklahoma Joe maybe) for $479. Mine has ceramic grills and has six separate grill plates. The one at Lowe's now has two pieces on the left side and 1 piece n the fire pit side. They grills don't look like they are as well coated as mine.
> 
> We will know about 7 PM if the mods are going to work like they did on a small sausage for an hour and a half yesterday. I am doing 2 racks of ribs and a chicken starting in about  30 mins. I got a big bag of lump charcoal too.
> 
> Steve


 Ok, 1 hour into this and all is well. I am pretty excited to be able to control the temp like this. The bricks are doing great. Holding around 250 deg and just adding a few pcs of pecan chunk and then a few lumps of charcoal. I think I have the air flow right where it should be now. I have always had problems with this thing running away with me.













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__ sparkie1952
__ Sep 20, 2014


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## sparkie1952

2014-09-20 14.49.40.jpg



__ sparkie1952
__ Sep 20, 2014






Here's some more pics. I guess next is getting this thing sealed up. I have a plan for that also.













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__ sparkie1952
__ Sep 20, 2014


















2014-09-20 14.01.01.jpg



__ sparkie1952
__ Sep 20, 2014


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## sparkie1952

Everything was great. I think I will let the temp come up a bit more the next time. I was a little scared of a runaway but know now that I can control it. I smoked the ribs for 7.5 hrs. (3-3-1.5) I did the chicken for 5+ and it finally reached 160 deg. Ribs could have been a little more tender but the flavor was great.

Steve


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## overwe1ght bbq

Just finished installing my baffle and tuning plates. Test them out tomorrow. Cooking the bacon wrapped chicken thighs from the news letter. 













image.jpg



__ overwe1ght bbq
__ Sep 26, 2014


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## sparkie1952

Well being the frugal one(aka cheap, tight) I came up with this for a charcoal basket. I use these things for crabbing and it occurred to me that with a little wire and some creativity I could make a charcoal basket out of one. They are only about $5 at Walmart. I made the bottom double by using the top.

Sparkie













2014-10-19 21.11.58.jpg



__ sparkie1952
__ Oct 20, 2014


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## stokinsmokebbq

Hiw is it with cleaning the coal as? When u take it out to dump the coal does alot of ash fall out the bottom?


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## sparkie1952

This basket sits on top of the original grate. I open the side door on my smoker and use a fireplace shovel to scoop ashes hat fall through the basket and grate into a metal can that sits right next to the smoker. I don't try to lift this out . I use a larger shovel to clean the firebox before starting a new fire.

Sparkie


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## sparkie1952

Ok, here's the setup I plan to try tomorrow. I added the 90 deg elbow at the stack and have my new cheap charcoal basket ready to go. I took the foil wads out of the bricks to allow a little more heat in the smoke chamber. Going to do a Butt and a fattie tomorrow. 













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__ Oct 22, 2014


















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__ Oct 22, 2014


















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__ Oct 22, 2014


















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__ Oct 22, 2014


















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__ sparkie1952
__ Oct 22, 2014


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## sparkie1952

Sparkie1952 said:


> Ok, here's the setup I plan to try tomorrow. I added the 90 deg elbow at the stack and have my new cheap charcoal basket ready to go. I took the foil wads out of the bricks to allow a little more heat in the smoke chamber. Going to do a Butt and a fattie tomorrow.
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Had to put this off for a day. Very windy here today anyway.

Sparkie

"there I go quoting myself again"!!!


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## sparkie1952

Ok, I got started on my first real "fattie". Did the bacon lattice and everything. Using the cheapo charcoal basket I made out of the crab trap. It has been holding steady at 265. I checked the accuracy of the thermometer with my digital hanging right next to it and found it to be pretty accurate. That seems to be where it is happy and I don't have to "tend to it" so much. Started checking temp every 20 mins, now every hour. Added wet Apple chunks twice so far.

Fattie was done at 2 1/2 hour point at temp of 165.

Added maybe 1 1/2 lbs of lump about 45 min ago. Started with mix of lump and briquets.

Took 90 degree elbow off at 40 mins to try to get temp down a few degrees. Made no difference. Hangs around 265 deg.  Stack wide open and the firebox vent just barely open. I see stove rope in my future and ordered a set of latches from Amazon today. ($9 for 4)

Pictures in reverse order.

Sparkie













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__ sparkie1952
__ Oct 24, 2014


















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__ Oct 24, 2014


















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__ Oct 24, 2014


















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__ Oct 24, 2014


















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__ Oct 24, 2014


















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__ Oct 24, 2014


















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__ Oct 24, 2014


















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__ Oct 24, 2014


















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__ sparkie1952
__ Oct 24, 2014


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## sparkie1952

WoW

This my best effort yet. The butt stalled at 159 degrees for about 3 1/2 hours. I added coals two times and it took 10 hours. It was worth the wait and we settled for turkey club sandwiches for dinner. I used Jeff's rub on both the butt and lightly on the fattie before I rolled the sausage in bacon. Course black pepper on fattie. I am looking forward to the next big family gathering so I can do three or four of these butts. I also have a recipe from a pilot I worked with from NC. I don't want to call it a sauce so  here it is ...

1 gallon of apple cider vinegar

one small bottle of A1 sauce

3.6 oz. of Worcestershire sauce

1/4 cup course black pepper

1/4 cup kosher salt

cayenne pepper to taste ( I use about a teaspoon)

crushed dry red pepper (pizza pepper) to taste (I use about a 1/4 cup)

Good squirt of ketchup

Good squirt of pancake syrup

Combine all the above in a sauce pan that has a cover. Heat to slow boil COVERED and simmer for 20 minutes COVERED. Stir frequently.  It will really stink up the house if done indoors and gets real thick in the air if it has a lot of cayenne.

I usually put mine in a big jug after it cools.

I have used this stuff for years when I cook whole pigs. When the pig is ready I slash the meat all over the pig, hams, shoulders and split the loin to open it. Then I shake up the jug and pour the mixture all over the pig stopping and shaking it so all the settled spices get on the pig. Then let the pig rest for about 10-20 minutes and eat the thing.

This is what I did with this little butt and it was every bit as good as any pig I have ever done. I made up a quarter batch of the "Juice". This is true East Carolina style pig cookin sauce.

Sparkie


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## bkaps

Thanks to all the great ideas...I did a few small and cheap mods this weekend with good results.

$8 roll of roofing flashing rolled up into smoke stack to lower it to grill leveL. Bought at Home Depot near roofing supplies.












20150503_141140.jpg



__ bkaps
__ May 3, 2015






Vegetable grill basket for fire box; the small holes allowed me to retain most ash in the basket so that airflow is not blocked.  1 1/2 chimneys of Kingsford burned hot for almost 4 hours.












20150503_141155.jpg



__ bkaps
__ May 3, 2015


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## hogtownsmoke

Old thread, I know... But I just cut an aluminum pan to use as a baffle and it fit perfectly I to my CGSP.  If you cut it right it fits snugly against the wall braced on the upper side by the charcoal tray brackets and on the lower side by the bolts connecting the SFB to the main body. Now all I need is some ⅛ inch steel and she's ready to go!













20150507_190346_005.jpg



__ hogtownsmoke
__ May 7, 2015


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## the1pearson

Years later I still refer to this thread... I just figured out why I need to drop my stack on my newest smoker!!!! Nothing like shared wisdom...
	

	
	
		
		



		
			
















image.jpg



__ the1pearson
__ May 19, 2015


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## kc dave

I know this is an antique thread but...

THANK YOU !

Two of the mods have saved throwing away the Charbroil Offset. 

Namely, the chimney extension and deflector plate. 
I was able to put in a temporary fix that has my exhaust temp actually higher than my input from the fire box. 
FINALLY, have some control over the thing. 

I bent some flashing around the upper grill plate on the firebox end 

and cut a tin can from a can of peas to make the chimney extension. 

I will probably screw this up but here's a link to some pictures of the temporary mods on Flickr. 

Temporary smoker mods

The deflector image isn't very good, but the right end of the flashing is laying on the lower, charcoal grill. 

This thing has been mostly a disappointing headache to use until this weekend.


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## hogtownsmoke

I took my latest mods out for a spin this weekend with two 10 pound butts. An overwhelming success. I took it for a dry run the night before and it got to temp in about 45min and held a steady 225-230 without issue. The temp differential was less than 10° end to end on my CGSP. I did the usual mods; aluminum duct to extend the stack, lined the barrel with foil and dumped 7 lbs of lava rocks in for thermal mass and built a charcoal box. For the baffle/tuning plate I cut a cheap aluminum pan in half and fit it so that it was propped between the bolts holding the SFB to the main chamber and the brackets which hold up the fire pan (the firepan works as a good heat plate in a pinch if you flip it upside down and raise it so it covers the hole from the SFB BTW).  I cut a arch I the middle to open it up a bit.  Up against it I put a sheet of offcut 1/8inch steel that I drilled 1/2 inch holes in, 8 in the first half, 16 in the second. I put a water pan along the grill and with these mods held 225 for 12 hours with no issue!I had to load the basket every 2 hours I. the early morning cold but in the sun it was every 3 hours but what are ya gonna do? Can't afford those beauty Yoders yet.


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## sc smoke

This should be a mandatory read for those of us newbies wanting info, pictures, advice.  Excellent.  :yahoo:


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## angusl

I have enjoyed reading the mods and getting ideas for bringing my offset back to life.  It had some very annoying issues that made smoking a pain, with not such great results when it came to ribs. Some of these will hopefully resolve the issues, along with the fantastic recipes and cooking methods you all have posted (thank you for those).  The mods I have decided on are as follows:

1. Use a charcoal basket and the Minion method - benefit will be longer burns, lower temp that is more controlled.

2. Raise the basket up higher than the supplied grate - will prevent smothering the flame from ash

3. Seal the firebox and grill chamber doors using fireplace cord - will reduce the loss of heat and smoke

4. Install an aluminum conduit to bring the chimney vent down to the level of the cooking grate

I am not one to over engineer anything, preferring to keep things as simple as possible.  So, to my questions:

1. Other than to help increase the heat retention in the cooking chamber, do I need the bricks?  They will reduce the overall volume inside the smoker, limiting the capacity for smoke carrying "air", and causing it to flow quicker to the exit tube (fluids flow faster in tubes with a smaller cross section).  This seems like a waste since we want the smoke to slowly and languidly "flow" over the meat.

2. Once we add the down pipe to the chimney, bringing the exit to the level of the cooking grate, we will have created a "pocket" within which the meat will sit.  Since heat rises, the smoke will rise to fill this pocket before venting out of the chimney.  Do we therefore need the baffles/vented sheets under the meat?  It seems that this will direct a lot of the smoke and heated air a little too quickly toward the chimney, wasting the precious smoke.  I can see the necessity if the chimney is at the firebox end, but not if it is on the opposite end.

3. Now that we have that pocket of smoke above the grill, is there any value in reducing the gap from the firebox to the cooking chamber and forcing the hot smoke downward?  Currently, the gap is large enough so that the grill level splits it in half.  Surely we want to get the heat and smoke up into the pocket as quickly and directly as possible to create a more uniform temperature range across that smoke pocket?

Thanks for any feedback!!  I have more ideas, but thought 3 was a good start for a newcomer.


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## farmerjohn

I have had a Medina River OS for a few years and have added a 1/8 inch deflector plate with 1/8 inch slits ground in. Also an expanded metal charcoal box sitting higher than the original charcoal grate.  I  now use a DIGIQ [email protected] Temperature Control to control the air flow which helps tremendously.  Also I found natural hardwood charcoal briquettes, such as "Cowboy Natural Hardwood Briquettes", burn cleaner and longer than others.  With the mods and using the hardwood briquettes I am able to maintain an even temperature across the cooking chamber and only having to add more fuel about every 4+ hours. 

Great ideas and "Thanks" everyone.   I am always trying to keep the ""Q" hot!


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## smokin jaynh

I see how old this thread is, but that's the beauty of this forum. I recently started having major issues with my five year old char grilled pro smoker. Heat was so hot then so cold, seemed noting would work. I was about to drop another 300 on another smoker till I decided to give smf a visit and look for some possible solutions/mods. I had to replace all the bolts holding the Fb to the chamber and started reading about adding a baffle. I had a scrap piece of sheet metal hanging around which I bent and screwed to the inside as explained in this thread. I also took some advise on heat transfer. Instead of plate steel as described, I used some old heat brick from a wood stove I had around. The Charcoal adjustable tray in the bottom of the grill now sits on top of four of those bricks set ate the corners. 
I must say, running this ol Smokey for about two hours the temp gouges set at either end  read almost exact. The temp is so much easier to control. I did add a water pan in the bottom of the smoke chamber to also help distribute the heat. I'd say it's working well,  really well. Thank you for posting these mods and helping a guy out. Saved me a few hundred bucks.


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## smokin jaynh

20160904_132155.jpg



__ smokin jaynh
__ Sep 4, 2016


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## smokin jaynh

20160904_132141.jpg



__ smokin jaynh
__ Sep 4, 2016


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## valleypoboy

Angusl, 
You're asking the right questions. Unfortunately in my limited experience I've found that it's pretty much trial and error as each of us has found different things work better or worse.


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## simsfmly

Can't tell you how much I've enjoyed reading all the mods.  Spend the summer in Ohio and winter in Texas.  My vertical charcoal smoker didn't make the trip, so decided to go with an offset for down here in TX.  Picking it up tomorrow.  Went cheap with the Char-Broil 816 inch Horizontal.  It was $46, and I knew with the mods I could find on this forum, I could make it work for the winter.

Will try and post pics once I see the guts and refer back to this thread.


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## kb3ejw14

Simsfmly,good luck with the new smoker.
Can't wait to see and hear all about it.


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