Off Topic - Build Mod for HM


 
W

WBegg

TVWBB Pro
I'm currently building an insulated gravity feed smoker, and decided to deviate from the plans a bit to put a shelf in for no other reason than to house my Heatermeter.

It's slow going on the build, but I'm getting there. Starting to skin the outside, and get all the doors done.

kbNlnQ9.jpg
 
Got a little more done. All insulated and all skinned, now working on the door. HOT today (98) so making it a bit tough to stand to weld anymore. Plus, those pesky PBRs keep getting in the way!

duoaGpZ.jpg
 
I ran a test burn on it last night. The 1st 4 hours were without the HM. The last 13 hours are with the HM and my 15 CFM Fan/Damper design. I am COMPLETELY satisfied to say the least, but the graph says it all!!

OwF2cHM.jpg
 
JKalchik said:
So, for 17 hours, how much fuel (charcoal, IIRC,) did you burn?
Click to expand...

Used about 1/4 of a large bag of Royal Oak lump. The great thing about this design is that if I ever need to add more, I can just open up the charcoal chute and pour it in.
 
WBegg said:
Used about 1/4 of a large bag of Royal Oak lump. The great thing about this design is that if I ever need to add more, I can just open up the charcoal chute and pour it in.
Click to expand...

Oh.... my. <DarthVader> Impressive. </DarthVader>

I really don't want to contemplate how much I've burned through with my leaky little horizontal offset, I'll probably just go cry in the corner.

Where'd you get the sheet layout for that? I think that I'm really going to have to burn some steel next spring and build a new smoker.
 
Ah...... *NOW* I see how it works...... It's a bit sneaky. It all depends on the crossflow out of the firebox for the size of the burn pile, and having a very well sealed fuel chamber, along with control of the air inlet.

Details.... how much insulating space do you have around your cooking chamber, firebox, etc? The stack flow out of your burn chamber, does it enter into the side, or bottom, of your cook chamber? How do you light it off? I'm using a Minion method charcoal basket with a chimney starter of hot coals on my horizontal offset.... well, wait..... that WOULD work, but means filling the fuel chamber after lighting the burn pile.
 
The thicker metal (1/2") in the lower middle section is the actual fire box. It enters the CC through a U-channel baffle. The lower section is the air intake and ash section. This is where the smoke wood goes (smolders from ashes from coals). Since the top is sealed, the only charcoal that burns is that which is in the firebox.

I bought the plans from here. A bit pricey, but very detailed.
 
Yes, that fills in a lot of the details, thanks a bunch.

No taper on your fuel chamber?

Edit: that's really not all that expensive, if you can get a complete list of all of the fumbly hardware bits as well. Just chasing those could be a real time sink.
 
JKalchik said:
Yes, that fills in a lot of the details, thanks a bunch.

No taper on your fuel chamber?

Edit: that's really not all that expensive, if you can get a complete list of all of the fumbly hardware bits as well. Just chasing those could be a real time sink.
Click to expand...

Yes, there is a taper on the fuel chamber/chute. It's on the back side. Works well for preventing "bridging" of the charcoal. Ran lump just fine.
 
Wow, that looks amazing. That graph really says it all and is a testament to what a great build you've created there!
 
Just out of curiosity, how's the temperature distribution? Left/right, front/rear, top/bottom? I could go nuts instrumenting that chamber on a test smoke. With the insulated chamber, I would expect a much more even temperature.
 
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