i used rtv 500 foodsafe for sealing the FB and CC together, it did smell bad after the first couple of cooks (like toxic), but smell has gone away and it partially melted, but now is holding up
i kind of agree with what has been said that it's more important to start cooking with the thing, then mod it
i don't really know what the benefit of all the mods are since i don't have a reference point (unmodded) to start with
one could say that sealing things up makes the thing work worse. since i definitely don't get enough airflow through to the firebox, so sealing it up seems counterproductive. the same can probably be said for the cooking chamber, since if it is sealed up too well, then not enough air will be drawn through the smoke stack. that is of course me speculating
the only thing i will be able to see the difference in will be the convection plate, if i ever get it from horizon... that and the 4" personal fan i plan on using to blow some air into the FB
Sealing things up doesn't necessarily make things worse. I have now "sealed up" 3 smokers over the past 20 years, each one performed better after sealing them up. The idea is to get the heat where you need it, across your cooking grates, not have it leak out before it does it's job.
If you seal up the cooking chamber, you may, in fact increase the amount of smoke going through the stack, not decrease it. Leaks, or leaks in the right place on the cooking chamber can slow the velocity of the air across your cooking grate, because it is escaping somewhere else.
When i sealed the cooking chamber on the OKJ, I increased the overall velocity of the smoke going out the top of the stack, which in turn, increased the air being sucked into the firebox from the outside atmosphere. At the same exact firebox damper adjustment, I have a hotter smoker. That was my proof.
My best analogy is when the cooking chamber leaks, leaks enough, and/or leaks in the right places it is akin to shortening your stack length.
Exhaust gasses escape before reaching your actual stack, and air flow (velocity) is actually decreased. A shorter stack can be detrimental to your burn, just like a shorter chimney can affect a wood stove draft.
It is an easy experiment: fold some aluminum foil to make a temporary seal and place it anywhere you see smoke escaping around the entire cooking chamber, door, sealing area, and where the stack joins the cooking chamber. Monitor the performance to see if this helps your flow, heat, and draw.
Just my 2 cents on sealing the less expensive smokers out there.
Ozsmoker, I just re-read your post, it sounds like you already sealed it. Ok, gotcha. Other things to check are your fuel source, charcoal with moisture in it, or wood that is not completely dry can be culprits. Prevailing wind is another factor. Placement too, I had my last smoker at the corner of my workshop for a while, and even on days with little or no wind i had some issues. I moved it 20 feet away from the building and my air/draft issues disappeared. Buildings can have an affect even on a day with extremely light winds. Then there is the whole stack length issue...but before we go there, another thing can be if the smoker is in a low lying area. Or in a humid, rainy climate. Low barometric pressures also cause problems, at times.
I guess my best suggestion at the moment, easiest to do, would be, try moving your smoker to another location, even 25 feet away and see if it still has an air problem. If possible a place that has a higher elevation, even a foot or two can make a difference.
Better than trying a bunch of mods first without finding the cause. Best of Luck!
