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SmoknCamo
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Joined: 16 May 2009
Posts: 395
Location: Morgantown, WV
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 Posted: Aug 15 2010 Post subject: |
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Soapm...
A couple questions:
How do you get the SFB door closed with those bolts from the basket sticking out so far?
Also, are you soaking wood then putting on your fire? That could kill your temps too. I have found in my Chargriller that I need to burn wood, not just charcoal and lump to keep up temps. I use 5"-6" chunks on top of a charcoal and lump base, it works fine. I do have the charcoal grate inverted and the dryer vent mod too...it really helped me even out temps.
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18.5" WSM
Chargriller Trio
Char Broil Professional Tru Infrared
Brinkmann Gourmet Charcoal X2 |
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Soapm
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 15 2010 Post subject: |
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| SmoknCamo wrote: | Soapm...
A couple questions:
How do you get the SFB door closed with those bolts from the basket sticking out so far? |
The bolts are sitting on the lip the grates would sit on. They don't protrude or block the door operation. In fact, I cut one just a little to short because it can fall through if I'm not careful.
| SmoknCamo wrote: | | Also, are you soaking wood then putting on your fire? |
Yes, that was exactly what I was doing. I did notice the temp would drop for about 30 minutes and the only time I was able to get to 230° was when I tossed in a bunch of dry chunks. That didn't last but about 20 or 30 minutes then I went back down to about 180 or so...
| SmoknCamo wrote: | | That could kill your temps too. I have found in my Chargriller that I need to burn wood, not just charcoal and lump to keep up temps. I use 5"-6" chunks on top of a charcoal and lump base, it works fine. I do have the charcoal grate inverted and the dryer vent mod too...it really helped me even out temps. |
Where do you get wood like this for cooking? All I see are fireplace logs... |
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SmoknCamo
BBQ Fan
Joined: 16 May 2009
Posts: 395
Location: Morgantown, WV
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| Posted: Aug 15 2010 Post subject: |
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| Soapm wrote: | | Where do you get wood like this for cooking? All I see are fireplace logs... |
There are alot of vendors that advertise on this site that you can order wood from easily. I actually have a vendor on ebay that is pretty reasonable.
IMO the soaked chips are not the way to go. The Chargrillers are best when used as a stick burner. The lack of insulation on the cooker let's a lot of heat escape so you need to keep the fire hotter and stoke it more often.
Hope this helps...
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18.5" WSM
Chargriller Trio
Char Broil Professional Tru Infrared
Brinkmann Gourmet Charcoal X2 |
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SmoknCamo
BBQ Fan
Joined: 16 May 2009
Posts: 395
Location: Morgantown, WV
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| Posted: Aug 15 2010 Post subject: |
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| Soapm wrote: | | The bolts are sitting on the lip the grates would sit on. They don't protrude or block the door operation. In fact, I cut one just a little to short because it can fall through if I'm not careful. |
Oh, I see that know, for some reason when I looked earlier it appeared that the bolt was resting where the door closes. 
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18.5" WSM
Chargriller Trio
Char Broil Professional Tru Infrared
Brinkmann Gourmet Charcoal X2 |
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Soapm
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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| Soapm wrote: | I've been doing a post motem from todays cook and believe I may see part of the problem, if you look at this picture you will see I installed the rods on my basket at the very top.
This caused the basket to sit below the opening to the cooking chamber as seen in this picture.
This would be fine I believe if I had a hotter fire like using a log but I believe my smoldering coals aren't adequately able to heat the air as it passes over the fire. I believe by moving the rods lower on the basket it will force a portion of the air to pass through the coal fire as opposed to over the top. I hope this change will give me the temp boost I need. |
I tested my theory this morning by removing the rods and setting the basket directly on the grates in the firebox (see first picture). I then loaded the basket with some kingsford self lighting coals I figured I could stand to lose then mowed the lawn. The second picture shows that after 1 hour I am already over 250° which is hotter than I got all day yesterday feeding this thing like a starving nation.
So I believe I have my lack of temp problem solved but this illuminated my next problem, I could touch the lid on the side with the exhaust with my bare hands for about seconds but the side by the firebox was noticeably hotter. You could feel the heat radiating off that side of the lid without touching it.
I am guessing this is where the baffle, tuning etc... comes into play. I may have to save this for another weekend since my wife is feeling neglected and yesterday was supposed to be the make up/give her attention day since I forgot our anniversary.
Maybe I can take her to dinner and run my ideas for evening the heat out in the cooking chamber by her... 
J/k... I think I am at the end of her patience right about now. I would hate to see her take it out on the grill  |
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Soapm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2010
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Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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I wonder if I can make this with aluminum flashing?
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Cory Hess
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Joined: 03 Jun 2010
Posts: 240
Location: Twin Lakes, WI
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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Couple of thoughts, the thermo that comes stock on the CG is notoriously way off. If you are using this to gauge your temps you are handicapping yourself pretty badly. Secondly, if you go back a couple of pages you can see where I did exactly what you're talking about in making a baffle out of aluminum flashing.
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"Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy." |
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Cory Hess
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Joined: 03 Jun 2010
Posts: 240
Location: Twin Lakes, WI
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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| daddywoofdawg wrote: | | Giggles:I just noticed your from twin lakes WI.I was vending there at country thunder did you go? |
Didn't make it this year. I live on the road that ends at the back of the main stage. The people that used to run it would give us free tickets every year because our road has to get blocked off, kind of a way to keep the locals happy. The last two years some out-of-town company has been running it and they don't give us tickets. We had parties at our house though, and smoked a bunch of pork. You can hear the music pretty clearly from my backyard, so it worked out pretty well.
Who knew you were less than 1/4 mile away smoking as well? (On Saturday night/Sunday morning I was in the driveway firing up my cooker around 2:30 and had "cowboys" yeehawing at me as they stumbled back to their cars.)
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UDS
"Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy." |
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Soapm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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| Giggles wrote: | | Couple of thoughts, the thermo that comes stock on the CG is notoriously way off. If you are using this to gauge your temps you are handicapping yourself pretty badly. Secondly, if you go back a couple of pages you can see where I did exactly what you're talking about in making a baffle out of aluminum flashing. |
I've ordered a new thermo along with a digital one so I guess I will wait on it before proceeding. How hot can you get your grill using the SFB?
Also, I think the holes in my vegetable are too small and not allowing air flow like it should once ash start accumulating in the bottom. I may have to make the larger like your basket. |
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Cory Hess
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Joined: 03 Jun 2010
Posts: 240
Location: Twin Lakes, WI
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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| Soapm wrote: |
I've ordered a new thermo along with a digital one so I guess I will wait on it before proceeding. How hot can you get your grill using the SFB? |
I haven't exactly tested to see how hot it can go, but I'd guess that it wouldn't be too tough to break 500 degrees just using the SFB, with no fire in the main cook chamber. I have gotten it up over 350 trying to get the minion method to work when I first got it, and that was without trying for a high heat. When I first seasoned it I had a chimney of lump in each side and the intake all the way open and I broke 650 pretty easily.
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UDS
"Tact is the art of making a point without making an enemy." |
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Soapm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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| Giggles wrote: | | Soapm wrote: |
I've ordered a new thermo along with a digital one so I guess I will wait on it before proceeding. How hot can you get your grill using the SFB? |
I haven't exactly tested to see how hot it can go, but I'd guess that it wouldn't be too tough to break 500 degrees just using the SFB, with no fire in the main cook chamber. I have gotten it up over 350 trying to get the minion method to work when I first got it, and that was without trying for a high heat. When I first seasoned it I had a chimney of lump in each side and the intake all the way open and I broke 650 pretty easily. |
I am finding that I'm not getting an efficient transfer of heat from the SFB to the cooking chamber. The SFB will be so hot you don't want to stand anywhere near it yet I can put my bare hand on the cooking chamber and over the exhaust stack.
I wonder if it has to do with the covered patio I am using it under? Maybe I am loosing part of the updraft pulling power??? |
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the_hunchback
Newbie
Joined: 01 Jul 2010
Posts: 57
Location: Kansas City
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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The mods I've done on my Chargriller w/sfb are extending the vent to grate level w/3" dryer duct, main chamber gasket and the lowe's basket.
In the beginning I had trouble getting my temp up above 200 as well. Since then I've been using a water pan in the main chamber, sometimes just one but sometimes two. The past several times I've cooked the temp has been at 250 on the right side and 225 on the left side. This is using kingsford but I'm going to be changing after my last bag of it (got it really cheap) so I'll be relearning the adjustments. I'm going right around 4 hours on a full basket of coals before I need to change. |
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patruns
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 03 Mar 2010
Posts: 3193
Location: Long Island, New York
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| Posted: Aug 16 2010 Post subject: |
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| Soapm wrote: | | Giggles wrote: | | Couple of thoughts, the thermo that comes stock on the CG is notoriously way off. If you are using this to gauge your temps you are handicapping yourself pretty badly. Secondly, if you go back a couple of pages you can see where I did exactly what you're talking about in making a baffle out of aluminum flashing. |
I've ordered a new thermo along with a digital one so I guess I will wait on it before proceeding. How hot can you get your grill using the SFB?
Also, I think the holes in my vegetable are too small and not allowing air flow like it should once ash start accumulating in the bottom. I may have to make the larger like your basket. |
I have no problem getting my CG up to temp. In fact, I have the opposite problem on a hot day in trying to keep it around 225. I use lump, not briquets which burn faster but much hotter.
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Char-Griller Outlaw with SFB
Weber Smokey Joe
Weber Q 220
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Soapm
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 17 2010 Post subject: |
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| patruns wrote: | | Soapm wrote: | | Giggles wrote: | | Couple of thoughts, the thermo that comes stock on the CG is notoriously way off. If you are using this to gauge your temps you are handicapping yourself pretty badly. Secondly, if you go back a couple of pages you can see where I did exactly what you're talking about in making a baffle out of aluminum flashing. |
I've ordered a new thermo along with a digital one so I guess I will wait on it before proceeding. How hot can you get your grill using the SFB?
Also, I think the holes in my vegetable are too small and not allowing air flow like it should once ash start accumulating in the bottom. I may have to make the larger like your basket. |
I have no problem getting my CG up to temp. In fact, I have the opposite problem on a hot day in trying to keep it around 225. I use lump, not briquets which burn faster but much hotter. |
I guess I'll hang in there then. I plan to try and light it in the middle of the back yard to see if the patio is limiting in some way. Like I said, the firebox is plenty hot but I can touch the exhaust and cooking chamber with my bare hands. This is after an hour or more of pre-heating... |
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Soapm
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Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 17 2010 Post subject: |
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Got another theory, I had a tough time knocking out those plates between the firebox and chamber. I wonder if I am sucking air or exhausting heat at the connection.
Is there a substance like caulking I can put around that gap to make sure it's air tight? |
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Soapm
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 17 2010 Post subject: |
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I got her so hot yesterday I peeled the powder coating on the firebox. Still got about 250 on the cooker.
She is cool this morning so I could see my suspicions were correct, below you will see two pictures of the seam between the firebox and smoking chamber. I have obvious and very visible light easily seen in that seam. I bet my hot air from the firebox is drawing in cool outside air and the mixture is lowering the temp in the cooking chamber.
I was thinking of getting some of that engine gasket stuff, it should be able to take the heat. Anyone have thoughts of something better or something more made for this purpose?
Edited to add = Nevermind, I see back a couple of pages Giggles used wood stove gasket sealant. I will look for some of that... |
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the_hunchback
Newbie
Joined: 01 Jul 2010
Posts: 57
Location: Kansas City
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| Posted: Aug 17 2010 Post subject: |
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| I can't tell how much of a gap you have but I would bolt it together, making the gap smaller. You could do this after putting the high temp silicone between the two and that should make it very air tight. |
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patruns
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 03 Mar 2010
Posts: 3193
Location: Long Island, New York
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| Posted: Aug 17 2010 Post subject: |
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Hmmmm... not sure why you have a large gap like that. Mine doesn't have much of a gap at all. That's almost large enough to stuff wood stove gaskets into. If it's really distorted, you could try using several clamps and then building another fire while clamped and then let it cool before removing the clamps.
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Pat
Char-Griller Outlaw with SFB
Weber Smokey Joe
Weber Q 220
LIAR#49 |
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Soapm
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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| Posted: Aug 18 2010 Post subject: |
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I had a rough time getting those knockouts out. I ended up taking a chisel and 2lb sledge and going around the edges in some places. I also had to drill all the holes since only the ones by the edge would knock out.
I then laid it flat on the concrete and hammered around the ends trying to fix the deformity but I guess I didn't do so good. I ended up using longer screws in a few of the holes just to draw the metal together.
I will go by a wood stove place to see what they have but I think I found my problem... |
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Soapm
BBQ Super Pro
Joined: 06 Aug 2010
Posts: 2087
Location: Mile High City
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