Home Grown Gravity Feed with Flameboss 500

[dacolson]

That thing looks so cool Tinspark. You built a fine product. The lights are a nice touch too.

[Cole Leffert]

[tinspark]

Thanks guys. This thing feels like I am cheating. Got pretty good sleep . Temps maintained where I set it. Graph logged everything beautifully as indicated on smartphone, and am wrapping in a few minutes. Will post pics later. Still dark here... lol! 3 hours behind east coast boys!

[Dargo]

Looking good. I can smell it from here.


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[tinspark]

Thanks Dargo,
Got some much needed rain last night, which keeps some of the cooking smell from drifting too far... One of the neighborhood cats was lurking around the back yard though. It was probably was attracted to the smell.. LOL! The rain keeps some of the night time cook smells from traveling too far. My neighbor across the street usually makes a comment or two about the smell drifting across the street, driving him bonkers. He cooks some mean bbq in an "Ugly Drum Smoker", and I get a whiff of that also..

[Dargo]

Thanks Dargo,
Got some much needed rain last night, which keeps some of the cooking smell from drifting too far... One of the neighborhood cats was lurking around the back yard though. It was probably was attracted to the smell.. LOL! The rain keeps some of the night time cook smells from traveling too far. My neighbor across the street usually makes a comment or two about the smell drifting across the street, driving him bonkers. He cooks some mean bbq in an "Ugly Drum Smoker", and I get a whiff of that also..

I would love to be smelling some nice BBQ from across the street. Hahaha. The more people the merrier.


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[tinspark]

Working on the burnt ends. Drained some juice, back in the smoker! Trying to get them to caramelize!! Flats are still in their wrap.

[shearman23]

I love the welding in this build, but I love the fabrication even more. Good stuff, your dog thinks so too.

[dacolson]

Hey Tinspark, I can't remember if it was you or someone else with a GF saying they weren't getting much smoke flavor on their meats. Any updates there? I know you are adding wood chunks - how much do you run through it? Have you done any comparisons on smoke flavor on this vs your center feed?

[tinspark]

Hey Tinspark, I can't remember if it was you or someone else with a GF saying they weren't getting much smoke flavor on their meats. Any updates there? I know you are adding wood chunks - how much do you run through it? Have you done any comparisons on smoke flavor on this vs your center feed?

Dave,
I am getting good smoke flavor. Yesterdays briskets have a 1/2" deep smoke ring in some parts.. So happy with it. It was another member who was having problems with smoke. Not sure how he built his transfer tube. I suspect he may have just welded a flat plate across teh top for a heat sink with no sides. His smoke would potentially spill at the burner inlet side. there was a post about even leveling the transfer tube each time the unit is moved (shim wheel I guess) that way the smoke bellows evenly across the bottom.. I questioned it, but receives no response. I throw a couple of chunks in the ash box on a raised mini log grate to keep them outa the ash pile that eventually drops from the lit fuel above. (6'X2-3" approx) and that is good for a 5-6 hour cook. I did (2) briskets and had for dinner yesterday. and added a couple of more chunks of wood for the unwrapped burnt ends. Separated the points from the flats at 160deg F. and made burnt ends from the points...... man those were good!! Had "samishes" for lunch today and still have some extra for a few days yum!!

[tinspark]

I love the welding in this build, but I love the fabrication even more. Good stuff, your dog thinks so too.

Thanks shearman. it was a fun build. May build a smaller one some day. A friend of a friend who has a bbq joint in a town close by may be interested in this one..I probably would NEVER fill it up. Though the wife has been hinting at opening up a corner trailer bbq. side hustle..

[tinspark]

we had some discussion on another GF thread, and I cannot find it for the life of me.... It was about adding a firebox to an existing GF smoker.
Some have complained that their GF doesn't get enough smoky flavor, I think that if this idea works, GF owners could get PLENTY of that good ol' smoke flavor.. I like the way mine tastes as it is , and my neighbor has been calling me "rib king" (but it might just be the fact that he gets free ribs... HAHA!!), but it would be nice to have the option to burn some wood in it too. I do add a few chunks in the ash compartment, which does add smoke, besides what I get from teh charcoal. I was thinking about making a slide in firebox section too at the top of the new FB. I figured if I went this far, I would go ahead and add a warming chamber on it as well. Having that option would be real nice...
Also, I think someone could potentially run dual fuel. Fill their chute with coal and burn regular wood in the slide-in FB if they wanted, and potentially run their controller fan to regulate airflow/heat a bit. Also, I Was thinking about what size to build the FB, and am kicking around building it based on the existing cook chamber size...
I threw in a hieroglyphic of my rendition of what I took out of the prior discussion, which was touched on several months ago somewhere on this site.
I have not actually seen this done yet. Has anyone seen it? Any thoughts ??

[Pete Mazz]

I still wonder if adding some wood chunks inside the CC on the diffuser plate would work.

[tinspark]

I still wonder if adding some wood chunks inside the CC on the diffuser plate would work.

Hey Pete. Appreciate the response.....
I remember that suggestion that you made to another GF owner/ builder who wanted more smoke flavor.
As a test, I actually tried it on my next cook out of curiosity more than a need for more smoke flavor. The wood got real hot, but never actually ignited, or smoked. .so...., I would say no on the wood on top of the diffuser plate. At least not in my GF cooker.
Again, much appreciated on the response. Do you see any problem in the engineering in the sketch? I know that it may actually be uncharted territory, and do respect the insight, and experience..!!

[Dargo]

I remember that thread and idea. I am intrigued by this and am glad your considering trying it out. I think the only part that kind of concerns me is how efficient these smokers are. So your fire will be smaller that an offset. I think you can still get a clean small burn but that will be the trick. I think you are right on controlling airflow for temp control. I do not think trying to use fire management for temp control will work on this new Hybrid.

I like that you will add the warming cabinet, I have been reading about how the hold will help with the consistency of the brisket and you would be able to try this out with the warmer.

Knowing you, you already started welding. Let us see progress pics as always.


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[dacolson]

I’d be curious how it holds up to the existing offset calculators. You’re basically building one. Figure out the volume of your cc, fb and throat. I’d think you could mock something up with thinner material and see how it drafts, temps hold, etc. It’s kind of a great idea. If it’s effective, having the option for running straight wood fuel might be attractive.


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[Dirtytires]

Interesting idea....

Seems like you would just be making an offset out of a gf. Get the firebox sized properly and it should work just fine. Only problem is you are back to feeding a fire every 45 minutes....

[tinspark]

Appreciate all of the feedback fellas. I was also considering that if I place the normal vent openings in the FB that the smoke from the new FB would just escape through those inlet vents since it is searching for the path of least resistance to escape. It may be a fail to try to load it with charcoal , since the charcoal may tend to plug the secondary stick burner section, But may be worth a shot to play around with it for experimental purposes.
I am thinking it will work though the way it is sketched but I wouldn’t be able to manage the fire properly by trying to run both at the same time ...
I Have a few other projects on the dockets this spring, I have a contractor coming over tp pour a slab out back to put in an outdoor kitchen. Running gas water and electrical out there. Will be building a large pergola ..but may be able to start this one on the side too.. Spatchcocked chicken going in the RF stick burner tonight. Wife’s done with the ribs and brisket for a bit, and has been hitting m up for some white meat..Just picked up some oak and am dying to try it out..
.

[tinspark]

Interesting idea....

Seems like you would just be making an offset out of a gf. Get the firebox sized properly and it should work just fine. Only problem is you are back to feeding a fire every 45 minutes....

Was thinking of only using it on some of the shorter cooks. Chicken and thinner cuts of beef and pork. My last 3 or 4 briskets have been 25 lb plus. And have been 18 hour cooks, so the GF is awesome for that, and love some sleep during the night. Ideally, if I could use either one or the other, or both at the Same time that would be awesome. I think I may have figured out a way to run both at the same time . I would need to add a small grate to hold the charcoal up halfway above the transfer tube sliding it in the cook chamber side. That way I wont choke the fire on the new section. I would just pull the existing charcoal coal grate out when switching to dual fuel. This way I have no blockage of the charcoal bed choking out the new firebox stick burner section. Don’t know if u guys remember that I made an access door on the top of my transfer tube. (Page 2 of this build thread).
I think that just may work!

[Pete Mazz]

If you're doing all this just for more smoke flavor, consider one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZZ ... UTF8&psc=1

If you need something for longer cooks there is a rectangular tray version.

[Dargo]

I do not want to speak completely for Tinspark, but I think he is happy with the smoke flavor. I think it was just an intriguing idea to have a convertible GF so you can also make it a stick burner.

Pick what you want to do that day.


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[tinspark]

I do not want to speak completely for Tinspark, but I think he is happy with the smoke flavor. I think it was just an intriguing idea to have a convertible GF so you can also make it a stick burner.

Pick what you want to do that day.


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Yep. After kicking it around some more I think I will just add it to the other end of the transfer tube, and make it permanent. . That makes total sense, and was my original conclusion back a few months ago on that other thread when we we blew up the OP's thread.., which started out as a totally other subject haha! .. Will be pretty easy. I do need a warming chamber to rest meat. and other things. I would put a slide damper at the transfer tube as well and one at the warming chamber. Could run em both together for the main cooker, or run em' separate that way too. Mama has me up to my eyeballs in other projects too. but this'll be fun!!

[tinspark]

If you're doing all this just for more smoke flavor, consider one of these:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06ZZ ... UTF8&psc=1

If you need something for longer cooks there is a rectangular tray version.

That looks like a good option for that fella who wanted more smoke flavor in his new GF a few months back...I have never seen one of those things before. I do Appreciate the wealth of knowledge!!

[dacolson]

can’t wait to see some more Tinspark fab work.

[tinspark]

Tried another go at brisket style tritip.
The last batch came out good but i pulled right at 200° and once in the house it got a little hotter and wanted to fall apart a bit. This time I did (4) things different and it came out fantastic. The first go at brisket style tritip didn't have too much bark, so i wanted to try to get some. So after i salt and peppered, I swathed it in mustard. Then I seasoned it with a locally made rub here in fresno called “Pappys” basically a red rub (paprika etc-support local businesses, right?)
Set smoker at 225° and wrapped at 155°
Here is the trick i saw an a video from Harry Soo. where the OP (who has won many awards nationally for smoking etc.) PRE-oiled his peach wrapping paper with the tallow from his brisket .HE heard that is what Aaron Franklin does. He set up a few tests and wanted to try it out, because he too heard about it and never tried it. The oil trick worked, I didn't want the mess, so I used spray oil on the inside of the peach paper. I also added a little pan of water on the transfer tube. Pulled the meat at 195° and it rose another 5° while resting. (only 15-30 minute rest) A second tritip that I cooked was a little heavier and took another hour to get to temp, so we ate and let that one ride.... man!!! It was da bomb diggity!! Melt in the mouth good!! First one took about 5-1/2 hours, and second (heavier one) took about another hour ...
You need no “teef to eat this beef!! “

Here is Harry Soo's Facebook video page. I like his methodical approach to getting better results smoking meat..If interested Look at the tallow videos. He is still in the process of posting more results. I am hooked!!! lol!! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC4dtbT ... RBw/videos