# GOSM - accessories and extra vent questions



## robfreundlich (Oct 17, 2009)

I've had a GOSM for a few months, and I'm pretty happy with it. I have a few questions, though, that I can't seem to find answers to (here or anywhere else).

1. I've read here that some GOSM models have bottom vents, which helps get the temperature down. I've got the model whose box measures 20 x 14 x 34 (no bottom vents), and I've been having trouble getting the temp below 225. How hard is it to add vents? How would I go about doing that?

2. It's got holders for 4 racks, but only came with 3. Where can I get another rack?

3. I'd like to make jerky (or at least smoked strips of beef). It seems like I'd be better off hanging the strips instead of setting them on the racks, as I'd get better smoke penetration and be able to put a lot more strips in. I can probably hang them off the top rack, but that leaves a lot of wasted space in the top of the unit. I'm envisioning some sort of raised rack - it slides into the rack holders, but instead of going straight across it would go up a few inches and then straight across (picture a rack with legs). Is there anything like that out there, or does anyone have advice on making such a thing?

4. Alternatively to #3, I'd like to do some sort of stacked racks (go to Amazon and look for King Kooker Jerky Rack to see what I mean, but that one is too big and I haven't found another).

5. I can't find a model number anywhere for my smoker (or the manual). It seems like if I had that, I could do better searches for accessories. Given the dimensions I gave, can anyone identify this smoker?


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## rw willy (Oct 17, 2009)

...and stop by Roll Call, to tell us a little about your set up.
There are some mods to GOSMs in the propane section.  I'm sure someone can help you with a linkl.  I have a larger GOSM but like you no bottom vents.There is a web site that sells the round weber" style that I have seen people attach.  I placed a needle valce inline to lower my temps, but I think the vent idea would help also.  During high winds I get a little nervous about the flame going out.
Good luck yo you.
And welcome.


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## rw willy (Oct 17, 2009)

Try this!
With pics scroll around.  He uses a ball valve.  I did this earlier then found the needle valve has better control, for me.  They both will work.


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## rw willy (Oct 17, 2009)

http://www.bayouclassicdepot.com/nv1...urner_part.htm

This is the one and the site I used.

BECARFUL OF THE FLAME GOING OUT.  ALWAYS OPEN DOOR TO RELIGHT.


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## richoso1 (Oct 17, 2009)

By the description, it might be model 3405GW. BTW, be sure your top vent is wide open, you don't want to create the possibility of stale smoke and or creosote. This also may effect temps, which leads me to ask at what rack level are you getting your temp reading. The top rack will usually be the coolest, that's on a big block with both bottom vents closed. As far as I know Landmann bought GOSM, and here's some contact info.

Landmann-USA, Inc
101 Old Mill Road
Building 300
Cartersville, GA 30120
770-606-8903 *Toll free 1-877-347-4557*


Good luck my friend.


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## justpassingthru (Oct 17, 2009)

Hi Rob,

Welcome to SMF glad you joined us.

1. You might consider drilling a few holes in the sides of your cabinet.

2. What Rich said, they have them in stock.

3. How are you going to hang the meat from the top shelf?  Why not put another shelf in under the meat and hang more meat from that one?

5. If you google "Smokey Mountain Series Owners Manual" you will find a 28 page pdf file that covers 8 types of GOSM smokers.

I have added the needle valve to my smoker and can smoke as low as 180°, but common sense must be used to make certain there isn't a flame out, my smoker is protected from the wind and I use a remote therometer that is set at 10° below my cooking temp so that if there is a sudden drop in temps I'm alerted.

Have fun and enjoy your smoker,

Gene


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## Dutch (Oct 18, 2009)

Hey Rob, welcome to SMF.

It is the older models of GOSM's that have the bottom vents. If you really think that your GOSM will benefit having bottom vents, check out this link for add-on vents.

As for hanging jerky in my GOSM, I thread the top of jerky slices onto a thin bamboo skewer and then feed the skewered jerky between the wire grids. What I have found is that I can smoke a little bit more jerky using the racks than I can by hanging the jerky from the rack.


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## robfreundlich (Oct 18, 2009)

Thanks - I'll check that out. I'm doing a smoke today (42* and rainy), and am having no trouble keeping the temp down, so I may be OK without vents until the weather warms up again.



That's a great idea. I draped the jerky over the wire grids, and it worked OK. But next time I'll try this.

Rob


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## robfreundlich (Oct 18, 2009)

I thought about that, but I think I'd like to have the ability to cover them if need be as well. I'll take a look at the links to add-on vents other folks have posted.

I'm smoking today, and draped the meat over the wires on the grids. IT worked OK, but there were some parts untouched by smoke.

As for more grids, I've got some ribs and other stuff going too, and I didn't want the different pieces of meat interfering with each other. Plus, of course, more grids == more meat, so the more the merrier :-)

Is there an icon for "smack self on head"? My google-fu is usually excellent, and I didn't even think of this option!

Rob


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## justpassingthru (Oct 18, 2009)

Rob,

Yeah, it happens to me too, lots of times, duh...,

You might try covering the holes you drill with some flexible magnetic strips that you can cut to size, however I'm not sure that would lower the temp problem your having, my thinking is instead of increasing draft air (IMHO we don't need draft in a gas fired smoker, heat rises) I would decrease the BTU's produced by the burner and that is what the needle valve modification does.  Before the needle valve mod my flame lengths on low were about 5/8 inch with orange tips, after the mod they are about 3/8 without any orange and that seems to work fine, once upon a time there was a post here showing pics of the flame before and after the modification, you might try a 'needle valve' search.

I smoke a little differently than most here and maybe that is why I have the results that I have, I installed a baffle in the top of my GOSM to _slow_ the heat down that was escaping, I bent the tabs flat on the top vent and close it down to about 3/8 inch and I close the two bottom vents to their tabs, I have a WSM too and that is about the square inch area of the vents top and bottom on it and it smokes great, after doing this mod I found that my flame is less angry, so to speak, it doesn't move around alot, it is steady like the flame on my stove.  Also, I have found with this mod that I can smoke 14 hours on 4 golf ball sized chunks of wood and 2 pieces of lump the same size, works for me, ...but every smoker is different.

There was an excellent post by forluvofsmoke on how he crammed his smoker full of jerky, might want to check it out in the jerky section, personally when I finally get around to try making some jerky or beef sticks I'm gonna use some small mesh expanded metal to lay on my racks and then lay another piece on some 4 cm (1 1/2") square aluminium tubing to double the capcity.

Gene


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## mballi3011 (Oct 18, 2009)

I have a newer Gosm and it too doesn't have vents but if you notice that almost the whole bottom is open. So you mite not need the vents after all.


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