# ECB SmokeNChill mods and pics



## smokinrun (Aug 26, 2012)

Whats up everyone! 

Finally got into smoking after being on these forums for the past few months and would like to share my ECB SmokeNChill.  I have to say I really considered getting a WSM right off the bat but was convinced the Brinkmann would do the job just fine.  So last week I picked one up for 40 dollars and over the course of the week performed the following mods.  Total build cost was 62 dollars.

First up is the grill complete with mods.













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__ smokinrun
__ Aug 26, 2012






Next we have the vent I made at work (0 dollars) and the temp gauge (8 dollars) from Home Depot.  The vent holes are 3/4in. Funny thing was in the paint locker at work was some grill paint (0 dollars), so I was able to match the vent with the grill.













2.jpg



__ smokinrun
__ Aug 26, 2012






Again from Home Depot I picked up some expanded metal (12 dollars), which I cut in half, and some 3/4in threaded rod (2 dollars) for the legs. I plan on replacing the expanded metal with something a little more stout when I can.













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__ smokinrun
__ Aug 26, 2012






I drilled 4 3/4in holes in the bottom of the fire pan and 4 3/4in holes in the sides to get some nice airflow.  I also made a vent cover for the bottom hole but do not think it will be necessary.













4.jpg



__ smokinrun
__ Aug 26, 2012






Someone at work was getting rid of an oven so I was able to get the stove gasket (0 dollars) to seal off that nasty gap between the lid and the body. I also was able to get some high temp silicone adhesive (0 dollars) from work.













5.jpg



__ smokinrun
__ Aug 26, 2012






8:00 AM I greased the inside and fired up the grill with some hickory and applewood. She came up to almost 300deg before adjusting the temp and held steady at 220deg for the last 5 hrs dropping in temp only when I had to add water to the water pan.













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__ smokinrun
__ Aug 26, 2012






9hrs later I had a delicious pork butt.













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__ smokinrun
__ Aug 26, 2012






Final thoughts.  I left room to add another vent at the top and a vent cover for the bottom, but do not think these mods will be necessary.  The only thing I would change would be making less holes in the meat when injecting and watching my food temp a little more closely.  I think a probe thermometer will be my next purchase.

Love the community any questions are welcome!


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## deanoaz (Sep 14, 2012)

Just wanted to give you some feedback on a piece of my ECB experience.  I did all the things you did, but had to modify a mod I did that wasn't really that effective.  I notice in your pictures that you have a good design on the damper on the lid.  I originally tried a piece of flat sheet metal, with a holding bolt to the side.  It really didn't cover the holes very well that I put in the lid and leaked smoke out.  I had an old Weber kettle in the back yard and decided to remove the damper from that.  It was on with a rivet, which I drilled out and removed the damper.  I then used it as a pattern to fit and installed it on the ECB.  It now really fits to the curve of the lid and I am looking forward to trying it this weekend.  You can see on the left that I used some adhesive from the package of wood stove sealer rope to fill in the holes I put in for my original damper mod.
 













Damper Mod.JPG



__ deanoaz
__ Sep 14, 2012


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## deanoaz (Sep 28, 2012)

Well, I've had a failed mod fix.  That rope adhesive I smeared over my original damper install, just keeps sloughing off, so I am going to have to find another way to seal the old holes.  Any ideas?

I don't have access to a lot of the materials some of you seem to have available, so readily available ideas would be appreciated.  I'm even thinking of putting some small bolts into each of the originally drilled holes to seal them off.

By the way, thanks for that input on the pork butt, as I am going to try one in the near future and have been concerned about having the time to get one smoked in a single day (no digital, remote alarm)


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## smokinrun (Sep 29, 2012)

If you can get ahold of a small thin piece of sheet metal to cover those holes before you apply the sealant it would probably hold a bit better. Maybe like a beer can or canned food can.


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## deanoaz (Sep 30, 2012)

Well, not being really concerned by looks and having a shop with lots of screws/nuts/washers, I found a quick fix.



Apologize for my pic problem.  Having trouble with PhotoBucket.


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## smokinrun (Sep 30, 2012)

Link doesn't work. But yea looks don't mean anything if it won't hold temp. I have since done St. Louis ribs baby back ribs and drunkin chicken.  Smoker seems to be doing great. It can really get up in temp with no water in the water pan. But with a little water and a nice bed of coals it holds 220 for hours.


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## deanoaz (Sep 30, 2012)

Lets try the photo link again.  Don't know why I even went to PhotoBucket......old habits from another forum.

Fixed the failed damper fix (#1) with bolts/nuts/washers.













OldDamperFix.JPG



__ deanoaz
__ Sep 30, 2012


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## smokinrun (Nov 19, 2012)

Just a little update,

Have been using the smoker almost every weekend since the mods were added, and it continually puts out good food.

A few issues I am having now that the weather is starting to get a bit colder, are that it is not holding temps as high as it had been and I find I need more airflow to maintain higher temps.

To resolve this I will be adding more holes in the fire pan, around the lower section, and possible dropping the fire pan a bit lower to the ground to expose more of the holes.  I find I get plenty of flow through the top as the seal around the lid is not air tight but restricts a good bit of heat from escaping and I can always choke it back with the holes in the lid.

Going to make these additions before the turkey gets on there and post some pics.


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