# Seasoning my OK Joe/ Testing my convectiong plate and Temp gauges



## manik36 (Aug 8, 2012)

Just fired up my new OK Joe Longhorn getting her all seasoned up.. My temps look to be holding within 10 degrees or so left to right.. I was really surprised to see the convection plate i made acually work!!! lol













2012-07-31 16.25.08.jpg



__ manik36
__ Aug 8, 2012


















2012-08-08 17.16.21.jpg



__ manik36
__ Aug 8, 2012






right gauge closest to my firebox













2012-08-08 17.16.27.jpg



__ manik36
__ Aug 8, 2012






Left gauge

These gauge pics was taken within seconds from one another


----------



## schaydu (Aug 8, 2012)

looks good! I've got to pick up the rest of my steel for my tuning plates tomorrow and hopefully get the baffle installed as well. I was planning on doing this exactly but my buddy said that he did not have the equipment to do then bends, so I had to go to plan B, baffle and tuning plates.


----------



## manik36 (Aug 8, 2012)

schaydu said:


> looks good! I've got to pick up the rest of my steel for my tuning plates tomorrow and hopefully get the baffle installed as well. I was planning on doing this exactly but my buddy said that he did not have the equipment to do then bends, so I had to go to plan B, baffle and tuning plates.


Dang wished u lived a little closer.. i would just make ya one :D


----------



## ski-freak (Aug 8, 2012)

Manik: Congrats on your success and the really nice convection/diffuser plate!


----------



## schaydu (Aug 9, 2012)

ha thanks! If i would have known it was going to be this much of a headache i would have driven up there, well maybe not but still this thing is driving me nuts. I drew everything up and cardboard and thought everything was going to fit. Well when i got my steel i realized that I did not take into consideration the fact the heat would still escape from the sides because I was only using a 10x10 and that it does not run the entire width of the smoker. I previously used a 16 1/2 x10 (the largest tuning plate) to estimate a new baffle. It fit good, as far as the bottom being even with the tuning plates, but i was wanting to eliminate the gaps between the sides of the smoker and the baffle.  So today I picked up a 17 11/16 '' x10 plate. It fits in the smoker great, but the angle was way off and it was setting about an inch above the other plates. So I guess i am just going to cut another 16 1/2 x10 and then fill the gap with aluminum foil. After this little modification i have a new found respect for metal workers. It is definitely a skill that I wish i had.

I also picked up two thermometers to put on the ends, and i am about to go get the chimney extension and some new grill paint. The firebox is just about completely rusted. So I am hoping in the next couple of days to get everything installed and be cooking again by next weekend or at least by sept 1, I hear there is a big football game haha.

Anyhow cant wait to see some of the food you do on that thing!


----------



## ski-freak (Aug 13, 2012)

Thanks to the dimensions and encouragement provided by Manik I made my own convection/diffuser plate, although I ended up going a bit shorter with a 24" long X 18" wide steel sheet. I also used thinner 16 Gauge steel and welded on some simple bent 5/16" rod handles, and after a trial run I am pleased that it works really well at evening out the temperature in the cooking chamber!

I had originally ordered one from Horizon but they took my order and promised 3 weeks, until I reached out to them at the 3 week point and they told me they were now back-ordered - and I told them to forget it. I started off searching for a thicker piece of steel and eventually gave up and went with the thinner stock I could source at the big box store, which also turned out to be pretty easy to drill with a hand drill and bend on a small inexpensive benchtop sheet metal bending brake. Thicker steel would have been much harder to drill and bend.













Convection Plate.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 13, 2012


















Convection Plate 2.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 13, 2012


----------



## manik36 (Aug 18, 2012)

LOOKS GOOD!!!!!!


----------



## killbane (Aug 19, 2012)

I am digging the handles.


----------



## ski-freak (Aug 19, 2012)

Thanks Manik and Killbane! The handles do make it easier to remove for cleaning.

Hey Killbane, have the weakfish come back to the Delaware Bay in numbers like the past?


----------



## killbane (Aug 20, 2012)

They have not in my opinion but I can ask some of my Capt. friends and see what they are catching


----------



## ski-freak (Aug 21, 2012)

Here's a slice of a whole Brisket made in my OK Joe with the new convection/diffuser plate and water pans:













Brisket2.JPG



__ ski-freak
__ Aug 21, 2012


----------



## denden28 (Nov 13, 2012)

manik36 said:


> Just fired up my new OK Joe Longhorn getting her all seasoned up.. My temps look to be holding within 10 degrees or so left to right.. I was really surprised to see the convection plate i made acually work!!! lol
> 
> How has you're diffuser plate worked over some time? Does you plate sit in the smoker, or is it bolted (or welded) in? I'm getting a Oklahoma Joes longhorn this weekend,  I need to do this mod. Most important, what size is your plate? How far does it drop down from the point in the smoker where the chamber is bolted together? Any help you can give would be great, I need to duplicate this as soon as possible, I'm smoking two butts and some baked beans Sunday.


----------



## ski-freak (Nov 27, 2012)

denden28: My convection/diffuser plate does a good job of evening out the temperature across the indirect food chamber of my OK Joe. It's certainly within 10 degrees F. It drops right in and is made from an 18" X 24" sheet of steel from Lowe's, and is easy to remove for cleaning - though the last few cleanings I have left it in place and just pressure washed the whole inside. Scroll up for pictures...


----------



## mickeyd77 (Jun 18, 2013)

so much great information and pictures !!!! Thank you so much !!

I will be adding these mods to my ok Joe ASAP !

I couldnt wait for the mods so I made a batch of Ribs Last Sunday ! They came out great but temp was a constant battle all day !!!!

again Thanks for the pictures and the measurements !!!!

Mick


----------



## ski-freak (Jun 19, 2013)

Check out this OK Joe intake damper mod thread:

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


----------



## truckerkatt (Apr 2, 2015)

what sizes are the holes you made????


----------

