Little Deuce Chute

mrcustomsteel · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject: Little Deuce Chute

I was inspired by some of Stilwell Chuck's creativity and interested in the hooplah of gravity feeds so I made this. I wanted to make sure it worked before I stuck my neck out with build pics. I figure it can do a deuce of briskets with little attention.

My father came in for father's day. He did not know what to make of this contraption since he's an offset guy, like me. The jury is still out since I'm only 5 hrs into this cook.

Here are some early pics.

You can see the heat discoloring the high temp paint after a couple of hours. Also, the surplus fire hose I used for the gasket is melting. I'll have to replace that with some real stove gasket. Temp has been pretty easy to control but it seems most constant at around 240* with the air intake about half open. I mixed in some pecan sticks my dad brought with the lump in the chute and I'm stuffing some into the ashbox every hour or so.

I'm going to take a look at the brisket in about an hour to stick a thermo probe into it and decide whether to foil and flip. I'd like to have a rig that would turn out a brisket as good ad my old offset with less tending and no foil. FAT CHANCE dad says and I tend to agree but I'm keeping an open mind.
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k.a.m. · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

D, I am really loving this Very Happy

You step off a huge build like Shannon's and create a masterpiece that is easily mobile and looks like a fantastic cooker. I look forward to seeing the brisket results. Awesome build my man Very Happy

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Hell Fire Grill · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

Thats a cool cooker. I like the GF idea.

nes_matt · BBQ Fan Joined: 04 Jun 2008 Posts: 266

OK, so I'm a little slow... you fill the 6x6 pipe with fuel and the box on teh bottom collects the ashes and distributes the smoke to the (2) 2x2 pipes up to the box?

What kind of fuel are you using?

I'm impressed you can get that kind of temperature in the box if it's working the way I think it is. That's pretty good.

Rojellio Es Caliente · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

Nice...

I saw 3 of those stainless box thingies at the recycling center / junkyard, and smoking did not occur to me at the time. I was contemplating making a fog chiller for my smoke machine.
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mrcustomsteel · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

Thanks Y'all. KAM, it was nice to make a smoker I could finish in a couple of days and test soon.

Roj, A friend of mine gave me that thing about 3 years ago and I finally figured out how to put it to good use.

AW and nes, I wish I could take credit for the design but it's a basic Stumps GF Clone. Many guys on here have made some great Stumps Clones. I adapted what I learned from them.

The brisket is out and resting. Food P**N soon.
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Texan transplanted in Billings, MT
www.mrcustomsteel.com

mrcustomsteel · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

Sorry about the kitchy name but there have been some pretty great creative threads on here lately and I was feeling the pressure to keep up.

I had some temp spikes and I had to bang and clean out the fire grate one time to get her going again but I think with some practice I can get her to hold pretty constant temps. She seemed to really work best around 250* so I guess the chute set up would support a bigger smoke chamber, especially if it was all insulated. DUH, like most othe Stumps clones!

I poked around at it at 10 hrs when it got to 200* and it did not feel done so I let it go another hour, pulled it and wrapped it in foil to let it sit for about 45 mins.

Since this was the first run I figured I'd best have a whiskey toast to wash down all the beer I drank while working so hard in this MO heat Shocked

Here is a pic right before I pulled it. The potato on the left I used to hold my probe failed early so I just hung my temp probe down the stack the rest of the time. I'll have to figure out a better therm system.

I had a good smoke ring but it was not as moist and tender as when I foil and flip like I do on my offset. It also has a different flavor.

But THIS! yes THIS is the best part of a brisket, oh yeah, and the reason I cook packers. Man, this part of the point is the best! It was great, but still different than the offset taste. Smile

You just don't get this from a flat. Heartburn deluxe but worth every bite!

All in all, I like this rig. I'll have to do a weighted comparison with the offset. I'll fire up the Orange Blossom Special:

here before too long just to be fair.

Dad's asleep but So he can weigh in tomorrow but I don't see him giving up his offset.

But I'm not giving up on the GF. JohnnyV uses all wood in a big GF he made to fuel his offset. I might try all wood chunks instead of lump to see if I get better smoke.

I'm really interested to hear what you Stumps/Clone guys think and how I might improve this.
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D. Tillery
Texan transplanted in Billings, MT
www.mrcustomsteel.com

daddywoofdawg · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

I have been trying to think of how I could do a GF horizontal pit but every time I come up with a vertical.now looking at the "smoke tubes"2x2" tubes from the chute I think I have figured out how I can do it.TY for the pics.I'll post some pics for everyone to look over and tell me if it would work.
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mrcustomsteel · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

daddywoo, check out JohnnyV on here. He did a big GF that works great on his big horizontal offset. I think he burns straight hickory chunks in his.
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D. Tillery
Texan transplanted in Billings, MT
www.mrcustomsteel.com

BBQMAN · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

Cool set-up D, thanks for sharing. Very Happy

I was forced (by diffault) to use a GF to cook something as simple as salmon. The flavor was not the same as my all wood offset.

Not to offend the legions of Stumps fans, but it just wasn't the same.

Great idea for the set-and-forget crowd.

YMMV, but from the sounds of it probably won't. Cool

Very cool that you got to do some cooking with your dad.

Looks like you been starving the man over the years! Razz

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mrcustomsteel · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject:

Thanks Mike. Never trust a skinny chef.
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D. Tillery
Texan transplanted in Billings, MT
www.mrcustomsteel.com

Chuck · Posted: Jun 22 2009 Post subject: pit

Hey D I like your new little pit, easy to move around the back yard.
Sometimes having a small pit is a good thing, easy to fire up.
What was in the glass besides ice Very Happy

Maybe one of these days we can build one together

Stilwell Chuck

daddywoofdawg · Posted: Jun 23 2009 Post subject:

I just like the idea of set it and forget it and sleep during comps I'm a one man team.I have three others on the team just seems they have to work during most comps so don't go.and not to start a fight just wondering why would a gf taste diffrent than using an offset?
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Good BBQ is all smoke and beers!
The Dawghouse Custom vertical Gasser
Custom Made offset smoker
Char grill smoker
Weber kettle

Johnny V · Posted: Jun 23 2009 Post subject:

That thing is awesome!! Do ya have it set that high so you can have it pushed in the kitchen window? Laughing

That would be cool!! You are da man!
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mrcustomsteel · Posted: Jun 24 2009 Post subject:

Chuck, I'd love to build a pit with you. Maybe we can find someone else to pay for it.

Daddywoof, no problem or a fight. I think you get the same taste from a WSM or BGE or any charcoal smoker. It's just not as smokey, which some people like. I'm just used to more smokey flavor I get from my offset. I'm going to put a lot more wood in it next time. I really like the set it and forget it too.

JohnnyV, Thanks. Good idea about the window but I made it that tall so I could reach right in without bending over.

My wife says I can't keep it though. One smoker limit. Maybe I can hide it from her.
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D. Tillery
Texan transplanted in Billings, MT
www.mrcustomsteel.com

daddywoofdawg · Posted: Jun 24 2009 Post subject:

Just set a plant on it and call it an outdoor planter!or Yard art.
_________________
Good BBQ is all smoke and beers!
The Dawghouse Custom vertical Gasser
Custom Made offset smoker
Char grill smoker
Weber kettle

vexter1 · Posted: Jun 24 2009 Post subject:

D that turned out awesome - glad to see ya do a cook and looks like you had a great time.

I saw this cooker in person about a week ago - it's really cool - once again a neat interesting job done by D. Looks like it cooked up a mean brisket - but being from Texas like D and his Dad - had nothing to do with it. LOL!

If the wife won't let you keep it - then I might be able to store it for you D - just let me know if you need me to pick it up - Razz

Congrats on another job well done!

QObsession · BBQ Fan Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 243

What a great test set up. I love it.
Thanks for hte heads up on JohnnyV I will look for that thread now.
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ChuckieD · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 07 Oct 2009 Posts: 1129

Mrcustomsteel,
As always nice job on the baby clone I like it� and the not bending to look inside is a nice touch. Whenever I see your name as author it is a must read for me and you never disappoint! Wink

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Big Green Egg XL
UDS build
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mrcustomsteel · Posted: Aug 18 2010 Post subject:

Sorry for the late reply guys. My computer time is feast or famine.

QObsession, Thanks. JohnnyV is s great guy. He always has some cool pit in the works.

chuckied, Thanks.
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D. Tillery
Texan transplanted in Billings, MT
www.mrcustomsteel.com