Slick Tape?


 
BrettAdams

BrettAdams

New member
Hello, I am fairly new to this group, and am really appreciating the collective wisdom found here.

I just bought a Gen 1 EX6 with the Gen 2 mods (steeper hopper ramp, new auger and chute) uninstalled. I see some of you have tried a slick tape on the hopper ramp with some success. I am reluctant to install the steeper ramp, with its reduced hopper capacity, if I am still going to get bridging. So far, my longest cook has been pork steaks for about five hours. I was nearby to move the pellets around. However, I would like to do a brisket at some point, so the bridging (and/or reduced hopper capacity) will be a bigger issue if I am in bed ; )

Does the slick tape idea work? If so, any experience with PTFE vs UHMW? The UHMV looks a lot slicker and is more abrasion resistant, but does the hopper get above 180 degrees? Has anyone measured it?

Should I just install the Gen 2 ramp?

Thanks in advance.
 
@Lew Newby will chime in on the tape and upgrade parts. Mine came stock as Gen 2. I removed the finger guard to help and I still get bridging pretty bad. I have not tried waxing the ramp or the tape. Just in the habit of checking hopper and pushing pellets into a pile over the auger drop. Really pissed me off at first because it’s something you shouldn’t have to do.
 
Lew is the tape expert, if I was starting from a new clean SmokeFire I would go with the tape, I had some pellets get hung up on my last smoke while I was sleeping. It worked out but was a close call.
 
Welcome here and congrats on your SF! I agree with Darian and Bruno; Lew will be able to speak well to his use of UHMW tape. If you enjoy reading until he chimes in you can go to Search/Advance Search and then enter UHMW in the Keyword field and enter Lew Newby in the Posted by field.

My only experience is with the steeper ramp, so I cannot comment on its performance over the original ramp. I don't say this because I expect others to agree with me but my personal thought is that I prefer to walk to my outdoor cookers periodically and check matters from a safety perspective and to verify the cook is progressing without issues, even if I would be cooking during sleeping hours. Since that's my mindset I don't mind jiggling the pellets occasionally.

Good luck!
 
Welcome aboard. I put UHMW tape on my EX6 ramp in July 2020 and it's holding up 28 months later. I have never measured the temp of the ramp. I then ran the grill 12 hours at 250 and never touched the pellets. When I received the Gen2 ramp insert I put UHMW tape on it also. I used the ramp insert for 4 months and then removed it because I wanted the capacity. I have since re-thought that and put the insert back in. 20 lbs. is enough for me and is enough for an overnight cook if I need it. I belong to a Facebook Group for the Smokefire and a lot of the members have used the UHMW tape with success. Enjoy.
 
I hadn't taken time to notice that they were shorter, but I like the Kingsford pellets as well. Helping with preventing bridging would be a nice plus for sure.
 
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