[SandDawg]

First off I'd like to wish everyone and their families a very Merry Christmas!

Cooking the last turkey in the freezer today for Christmas dinner at the N-Laws. Threw on a couple Boston Butts on the grill for good measure! :tango_face_wink:

Hope everyone has a wonderful meal!

SD

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[littletractorguy]

Looks yummy! We had our combination Yuletide/Festivius/Pre-Christmas/all the-kids-and-their-friends can make it feast last night, and our friends used their Trager smoker to do up a salmon! Good stuff! No pictures of it, cuz there's none left!

"How long does it take to smoke a salmon?"

"Depends on how hard you inhale!"

:sidelaugh:sidelaugh

 

[SandDawg]

"How long does it take to smoke a salmon?"

"Depends on how hard you inhale!"

:sidelaugh:sidelaugh

:rauch10::rauch10::rauch10::aetsch::aetsch:

Funny guy!

Merry Christmas my friend! :tango_face_devil:

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[Flaken]

Have an Oklahoma Joe Highland with homemade mods that I used to smoke cook a small ham yesterday. This was the first use of the pecan tree that Hurricane Michael blew down on my shop. Turned out quite well.

 

[rudedawg]

Looks yummy! We had our combination Yuletide/Festivius/Pre-Christmas/all the-kids-and-their-friends can make it feast last night, and our friends used their Trager smoker to do up a salmon! Good stuff! No pictures of it, cuz there's none left!

"How long does it take to smoke a salmon?"

"Depends on how hard you inhale!"

:sidelaugh:sidelaugh

provided you can ever get it lit.....:sidelaugh

 

[Tractor-Holic]

Here in MA there are many smoking AT Christmas dinner,since the recreational pot stores opened recently..:229:

Driving is now twice as risky !--like cell phones and booze,opioids, don't cause enough accidents..

 

[rudedawg]

Here in MA there are many smoking AT Christmas dinner,since the recreational pot stores opened recently..:229:

Driving is now twice as risky !--like cell phones and booze,opioids, don't cause enough accidents..

I'd have thought smokin' pot would reduce that chance; I vaguely remember back in the late '60's thru the '70's that pot smokers couldn't even get up from the bean bags much less find their car keys after tokin'. Of course, that's only what I heard.:tango_face_devil:

 

[Flaken]

That is a rather odd statement that driving is now twice as risky. I'm not exactly sure which world you inhabit, but driving has always been a no holds barred full contact endeavor, certainly not for the faint of heart. There have always been those on prescription medications, those on various legal & illegal substances, those whose physical or mental condition is lacking and many others driving vehicles on the roads day and night.

You now have over 30 states that allow marijuana in some way.

 

[Tractor-Holic]

It's just that all the "newbies" ,first timers,who are trying it for the first time that scares me..the stuff they sell today isn't the same as the 60's,its pretty potent and will get a first timer wasted enough not to be able to drive too good..

That and the "epidemic" of users on heroin or oxycontin and other hard drugs..those are the most dangerous..

I know there has always been a certain percentage of the population that were already using pot and plenty of DWI drivers drunk or stoned,but lately there has been a spike in accidents--- and yeah,some folks don't need to be DWI to be crappy drivers!..

 

[SandDawg]

Have an Oklahoma Joe Highland with homemade mods that I used to smoke cook a small ham yesterday. This was the first use of the pecan tree that Hurricane Michael blew down on my shop. Turned out quite well.

I've enjoyed my Oklahoma Joe grill I would like to surface the smoker box with fire brick. Still miss my Char-Griller Duo with side smoker box (used smoker like a hibachi grill) It had 3 grilling surface.

https://www.amazon.com/Char-Griller...UTF8&qid=1545755370&sr=8-3&keywords=chargrill


Would like to see you modifications to your grill, can you post some pics.

Thanks!

On my way to the N-Laws, Turkey and Boston Butts turned out perfect.

Wishing everyone a MERRY CHRISTMAS!!



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[Flaken]

Unfortunately, many fail to realize that the main purpose of our beloved main stream media is to sell fear, because fear sells better. An spike in accidents is rather common around this time of year, even in the months preceding due to all the holidays and the weather. As to the "epidemics", just how many do you personally know using it?

Sure, I freely admit that before I become homeless, I was addicted to prescription painkillers. My "pusher" was the doctor who prescribed me just about anything and in quantity. This was all under the pseudonym called "pain management" from a work injury. On the streets and homeless, you find out quickly that many others around you have addiction and mental problems. All those panhandlers one sees, many use their profits for the purchase of legal and illegal substances to satisfy their habits, that's where your money goes if you give them cash. Just about anything is available, for a price. I've been clean and sober going on 7 years now.

Again, many listen too much to the main stream media that are selling fear. Yes, the shops now selling marijuana are selling a much more potent product. But very little of that same product is on the streets mainly due to price and availability. What one sees mainly on the streets is the same old ragweed that has been around forever. Simple economics: That store bought goes for well over $20 a gram. One can easily get well over 28 grams of ragweed for the same price.
Personally, I feel that anyone caught driving while impaired should have their license revoked permanently and get years of hard time if caught without a license. But that is my opinion.

And on to the main subject:
The Oklahoma Joe smoker has a custom stainless steel tuning plate that I fabricobbled together from a piece of ⅛" sheet. Sealed all the gaps with copper high temp sealant, high temp gasket on the lid, made a charcoal box from perforated steel and added another temp gauge. Temps ate about ±10° from side to side in the cooking chamber. Put the finished product up on cement blocks for easier access since I'm a bit taller than most.
After smoking for many years (10+) with a New Braunfels smoker, I like a more intense smoke flavor to my meats and other than one can buy in stores. Sadly, I lost everything when I became homeless. Slowly getting back the things I lost.

 

[The_Geologist]

provided you can ever get it lit.....:sidelaugh

Here in Montana, we apparently have the answer...

 

[rudedawg]

Here in Montana, we apparently have the answer...

That'll work lol....:thThumbsU

 

[SandDawg]

And on to the main subject:
The Oklahoma Joe smoker has a custom stainless steel tuning plate that I fabricobbled together from a piece of ⅛" sheet. Sealed all the gaps with copper high temp sealant, high temp gasket on the lid, made a charcoal box from perforated steel and added another temp gauge. Temps ate about ±10° from side to side in the cooking chamber. Put the finished product up on cement blocks for easier access since I'm a bit taller than most.
After smoking for many years (10+) with a New Braunfels smoker, I like a more intense smoke flavor to my meats and other than one can buy in stores. Sadly, I lost everything when I became homeless. Slowly getting back the things I lost.

Nice set up!

I'd like to do the heat deflection plate also, been waiting on work to throw some large enough stainless steel plate scraps in the recycle bin. Main thing I need to do is fire brick surface the bottom of the fire box and then repaint box with hi-temp paint on the outside to keep it from rusting.

Glad you're getting back on your feet!

I came very close to losing it all after Hurricane Mathew came through SC which resulted in being laid off from work (actually let go but they called it laid off). Was the end of summer / tourist season and no one hires around here until March. Selling my tractor saved the house. Been working 2 jobs and every side job I can squeeze in between to catch up on the bills....I'm getting there!

Keep at it and you'll make it back on top!

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[SandDawg]

Here in Montana, we apparently have the answer...

:sidelaugh:sidelaugh

Now that adds a whole new meaning to smoke'n a fish.

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[Flaken]

Nice set up!

I'd like to do the heat deflection plate also, been waiting on work to throw some large enough stainless steel plate scraps in the recycle bin. Main thing I need to do is fire brick surface the bottom of the fire box and then repaint box with hi-temp paint on the outside to keep it from rusting.

Glad you're getting back on your feet!.

Fire brick on the bottom of the firebox is not going to do much, at all. Heat rises. Get a non-contact thermometer and see for yourself.
Fire brick is going to be too thick to line the firebox and still have enough charcoal to heat the main chamber. You "may" want to try the insulating grout used on wood stove chimneys to insulate between the flue liner and the brick of the chimney as required by code. The old time method of after every burn to rub cooking oil on the firebox works fine. After a bit of time, the cooking oil burns in making it quite rustproof. High temp paint simply burns off as max temp on that is around 500°F, a charcoal fire will burn at over 1,000°F or more if you blow air into it.

https://www.efireplacestore.com/cpf-18100.html

There is another product along the same lines called Insulcast, though I'm not too sure of the thicknesses needed for it to be stable.

 

[SandDawg]

Fire brick on the bottom of the firebox is not going to do much, at all. Heat rises. Get a non-contact thermometer and see for yourself.
Fire brick is going to be too thick to line the firebox and still have enough charcoal to heat the main chamber. You "may" want to try the insulating grout used on wood stove chimneys to insulate between the flue liner and the brick of the chimney as required by code. The old time method of after every burn to rub cooking oil on the firebox works fine. After a bit of time, the cooking oil burns in making it quite rustproof. High temp paint simply burns off as max temp on that is around 500°F, a charcoal fire will burn at over 1,000°F or more if you blow air into it.

https://www.efireplacestore.com/cpf-18100.html

There is another product along the same lines called Insulcast, though I'm not too sure of the thicknesses needed for it to be stable.

I must of kicked in the TURBO! The fire box burnt off the paint on the bottom during the first firing of the new smoker.

Fire brick would be 1-1/4" thick but hard to fit into a barrel shape without grinding each brick to fit:

https://www.amazon.com/Rutland-Prod...A6NDWBT1KDR&psc=1&refRID=2Q2789D3NA6NDWBT1KDR

You've gotten me thinking....I've used clay kitty litter to line my stationary blacksmith forge and small blast furnace to smelt aluminum for casting. The kitty litter mixture can be formed into any shape. Maybe a good idea but clay holds moisture and the fire brick will breathe (dry out underneath). Have to look at pros and cons. Hi-temp Painting interior then plastering on the refractory mix might be the way to go???

Forge build:

https://www.mytractorforum.com/108-...50-building-blacksmith-forge-scrap-metal.html


Thinking more along the lines of engine manifold paint 2000*F.

https://www.amazon.com/VHT-SP102-Fl...qid=1545958704&sr=1-2&keywords=manifold+paint

I've used this on my mobile plowdisc blacksmith forge (bare metal without refractory material) with good result and it's forced air with a hand crank blower....will melt 1/4" steel bar if you are not paying attention to the heat.

Thanks for giving me ideas and discussing options of improving the smoker grill! :thThumbsU

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[Flaken]

Interesting post there, thank you!

On the first firing of your smoker, did you season it with a very liberal coating (think dripping) of cooking oil inside and out? That helps the paint, oddly enough, withstand the heat.

Another thing is that the Oklahoma Joes and many others have replaceable fireboxes. The New Braunfels had what they termed replaceable belly plates which were about ⅛ inch thick plates curved to match the bottom of the fire pit. I had that smoker for over ten years and it was outside with no cover in Denver, CO year round. No problems with rust or burn out. Every couple of years, I would spray the outside with the high temp paint. What I'm saying there is to get another firebox now to have on hand when in X amount of years your firebox burns/rusts out. You could also make mods to it while still being able to smoke.

When I got that New Braunfels smoker, the smoking industry was in its infancy and there were almost no places to make the things work. That is very unlike today where there are many places. Back then, the wood stove industry was where we got the vast majority of things to modify them with varying levels of success. They had gaskets and various fittings and whatnot we could try to adapt.

I can kind of understand wanting the smoker to look good with the high temp (manifold) paint. Rather concerned though if there would be any outgassing of various things that could contaminate the food. People don't generally eat off the manifold although we did use to place foil wrapped stuff there quite often.

 

[SandDawg]

Interesting post there, thank you!

On the first firing of your smoker, did you season it with a very liberal coating (think dripping) of cooking oil inside and out? That helps the paint, oddly enough, withstand the heat.

Another thing is that the Oklahoma Joes and many others have replaceable fireboxes.

I can kind of understand wanting the smoker to look good with the high temp (manifold) paint. Rather concerned though if there would be any outgassing of various things that could contaminate the food. People don't generally eat off the manifold although we did use to place foil wrapped stuff there quite often.

I did spray vegi-oil inside after the very first burn to clean manufacturing oils out (without any food) but haven't done it on the outside.

Had a skid plate underneath the fire grate in the smoker box on my old Char-griller, might be a good option for my current fire box....would have to raise the fire grate for enough air flow / ash collection room.

I'll have to agree, paint on the inside of the grill is a bad idea.

Happy Grilling! :tango_face_wink:

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