Barrel Servo or Roto Damper?


 
W

WBegg

TVWBB Pro
So, I've been using Tom Kole's Barrel Servo/Fan design for a while now on my 18" WSM, and love it. I'm able to keep temps within 2 degrees of set temp. I was thinking about using Ralph Trimble's Roto Damper design, but can't seem to find the files. Not that I really need to, but I would like to compare the two.

I have reverse enginNERD a few versions from pics, so just more reason to print the actual to see how I did.

What design do most people use here, and what are the results?

Cheers,
W
 
I have read your rather insulting PM messages and there is no way in hell YOU are getting my files. WOW.
I have worked on designing damper systems and other aspects of the HM for a couple years now, spent a huge amount of time working this stuff out and shared it here in the forum. You have taken my work and reverse engineered it and then decide to insult me? (scratching my head?) You say you have reverse engineered my damper and made something that "blows my design out of the water", so why ask for my files then?
If you think I am not a person who has shared with this forum you need to re-read the RD thread, most of that stuff didnt exist until I worked to develop it and shared it in the forum for you to "reverse enginNERD". I have given out the original RD and RD3 files to tons of people, but you will not be one of them. Please just go your own way and leave me alone.
 
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Don't know why you and Tom are so adverse to each other. From YOUR pm, sounds like you are the one throwing stones. I was just asking a question.
 
WBegg - As the saying goes "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar" If you pester people via PM's, that's bound to backfire on you.

Ralph - I'm still not sure why you don't make your RD3 files public. The entire HeaterMeter project is open and free for anyone to download and modify.
 
The reason I do not make my files public is because some people will take them, print them, sell them, and then the people they sell to come to ME via email for support. I give out a LOT of free support and am glad to do so, but I am not willing to give out support for someone that has pirated and profited from my work. Does that sound reasonable?
 
Sounds perfectly reasonable, but I personally think that the risk of that happening is quite low, but I might be wrong. My personal thought is that this is a pretty niche project and anything that can be done to create a more frictionless experience is best. I doubt I would have even got started with the HeaterMeter if I had to first send an email asking for the files to send to OSH park, and then a parts list, etc. Nobody would fault you for turning people away who want private support via email that haven't exclusively purchased a unit from you.
 
WBegg - As the saying goes "You catch more flies with honey than you do with vinegar" If you pester people via PM's, that's bound to backfire on you.
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I never pestered. I never asked for any files.
 
The reason I do not make my files public is because some people will take them, print them, sell them, and then the people they sell to come to ME via email for support. I give out a LOT of free support and am glad to do so, but I am not willing to give out support for someone that has pirated and profited from my work.
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So ........ Bryan should stop developing the HM because of pirating? It's open source, mate, and I thought that this forum was to share information so others may profit in the knowledge. The only reason I built Tom's Barrel/Servo in the 1st place is because he supplied the files on this OPEN forum. I love his design, I love the results. I've made a few of my own designs, but still come back to Tom's. It just works. Unfortunately, some members are too arrogant to share designs, thinking it might be terrible if someone may profit on a cheap, simply designed piece of plastic.

W
 
Steve_M said:
Sounds perfectly reasonable, but I personally think that the risk of that happening is quite low, but I might be wrong. My personal thought is that this is a pretty niche project and anything that can be done to create a more frictionless experience is best. I doubt I would have even got started with the HeaterMeter if I had to first send an email asking for the files to send to OSH park, and then a parts list, etc. Nobody would fault you for turning people away who want private support via email that haven't exclusively purchased a unit from you.
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No, the horse is properly before the cart here Steve...

I sent out my original RD files to a lot of people and get a LOT of emails asking questions about this and that, this has escalated even more since the RD became a sticky thread... I am happy to answer as time permits, since I spend a lot of time at the computer I do pretty good job answering and generally get a feel good from helping people out, but...

A while back I started getting emails from people with strange problems, things they were telling me did not add up. They said they bought the RD and it doesn't work, they were upset etc. So I asked them to send me pics and sure enough the parts were printed in a color I have never purchased and were pretty flawed. They understood I didn't take their money and their problem wasn't with me after I explained, so they changed their tone and I helped him work things out in the end. That was an eye opener for me and made me look at things a bit differently. Like I said, I help out a lot of people via email and here in the forum, and have shared a lot of things with HM community, but the feel good diminishes rapidly when you get emauled for doing so....

WBegg, please understand the above is a reply to SteveM and not directed toward you, and personally I want nothing more than to get along with everyone here in the forum. Today when I powered up my computer there were two PM's from you, this thread and the little jab in the RD thread, so I cannot help be feel under some sort of assault here. From my point of view all I did was work very hard trying to figure this stuff out and shared with everyone here in the RD thread along the way. If I haven't shared ENOUGH to satisfy you, like the source files for my work or whatever, that still leaves me on the good side of giving if you ask me. So please take that into account, I don't want to argue but I don't want to be poked at either.

Peace
 
WBegg said:
So ........ Bryan should stop developing the HM because of pirating? It's open source, mate, and I thought that this forum was to share information so others may profit in the knowledge. The only reason I built Tom's Barrel/Servo in the 1st place is because he supplied the files on this OPEN forum. I love his design, I love the results. I've made a few of my own designs, but still come back to Tom's. It just works. Unfortunately, some members are too arrogant to share designs, thinking it might be terrible if someone may profit on a cheap, simply designed piece of plastic.

W
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I'm not Tom or Bryan, I am my own person and do things my own way, it is not up to you or anyone else to dictate how I do things, or what works I must share etc. If you don't like what I do or how I do it please just ignore me and my work, is that too much to ask?
 
WBegg, please understand the above is a reply to SteveM and not directed toward you, and personally I want nothing more than to get along with everyone here in the forum. Today when I powered up my computer there were two PM's from you, this thread and the little jab in the RD thread, so I cannot help be feel under some sort of assault here. From my point of view all I did was work very hard trying to figure this stuff out and shared with everyone here in the RD thread along the way. If I haven't shared ENOUGH to satisfy you, like the source files for my work or whatever, that still leaves me on the good side of giving if you ask me. So please take that into account, I don't want to argue but I don't want to be poked at either.

Peace
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No Worries, Mate. All good.
 
I just want to ask which damper would be a better match for my rig and do not want to stoke any more frustration. I have great respect for both Tom Kole and Ralph Trimble as long time mainstays of this forum and do not want to add any additional friction.

I have been thinking of doing an automated damper for a long time. My most recent brisket had a 2:00 AM temperature runaway and I am now convinced that I need to make a decision and move forward. I have a 20+ year old, 18.5" WSM, a HM 4.0, and a 10 CFM BBQ Guru Pit Viper fan with the BBQ Guru WSM adapter. I do plan to upgrade my existing HM 4.0 to the current version of the HM with the four wire fan/damper configuration and would like to continue using the existing BBQ Guru Pit Viper fan and BBQ Guru WSM adapter.

Which damper would be better for me?
 
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The RD3 has a larger opening in the damper valve and should be capable of moving more air ultimately for high heat cooks, and should be more capable of controlling low and slow cooks in passive air flow mode (without the assistance of the fan). The RD3 also has the option to hand wire or use build in the RDTC board to connect a TC Pit Probe and two food probes over the CAT5 cable, allowing the HM to be many feet (up to around 50ft) away from the grill. The RD3 also has customizable output so you can work with a wide variety of grill adapters, while Toms rotary valve works only with that rectangular output I believe.... Though I haven't actually printed Toms rotary design so I am no authority on its form or function....
 
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