I liberated a smoker from being disposed of as the previous owner had
purchased a WSM. Until I get a WSM of my own this one will probably
have to do, but I'm sure it 'needs' something.

I don't know exactly what model this is as I wasn't able to find it on
Brinkmann's web site of current models. It is tall, rectangular, has a
chimney spout on the top rear corner, a large door in front that opens
for easy access to charcoal, water pan, and food racks. There don't
appear to be any vents anywhere on the smoker for air control, holes on
the bottom, and the chimney on top, how does one regulate the temp?

I fired it up for a test run, empty and wasn't able to get the
temperature up to over 200 degrees. I used a full chimney of charcoal
(hardware store chimney, not Weber, Kingsford briquettes) a full water
pan of hot tap water and nothing else in the smoker.

The charcoal pan is 'old style' which means it does have one hole in the
bottom center. My guess is that I will need to add holes to improve air
flow.

Any other thoughts, or experiences of people with similar smokers?

Troy

In article et>,
Troy Lubbers > wrote:

> I liberated a smoker from being disposed of as the previous owner had
> purchased a WSM. Until I get a WSM of my own this one will probably
> have to do, but I'm sure it 'needs' something.
>
> I don't know exactly what model this is as I wasn't able to find it on
> Brinkmann's web site of current models. It is tall, rectangular, has a
> chimney spout on the top rear corner, a large door in front that opens
> for easy access to charcoal, water pan, and food racks. There don't
> appear to be any vents anywhere on the smoker for air control, holes on
> the bottom, and the chimney on top, how does one regulate the temp?
>
> I fired it up for a test run, empty and wasn't able to get the
> temperature up to over 200 degrees. I used a full chimney of charcoal
> (hardware store chimney, not Weber, Kingsford briquettes) a full water
> pan of hot tap water and nothing else in the smoker.
>
> The charcoal pan is 'old style' which means it does have one hole in the
> bottom center. My guess is that I will need to add holes to improve air
> flow.
>
> Any other thoughts, or experiences of people with similar smokers?
>
> Troy

Is this the one? http://tinyurl.com/agnq9

If it is, you can also download the user manual for it in PDF format.
(Link at the top right of the page.) If it's not the smoker you have,
you can navigate around the Brinkmann website from that URL to find
yours.

Stan

Stan Marks wrote:
> In article et>,
> Troy Lubbers > wrote:
>
>
>>I liberated a smoker from being disposed of as the previous owner had
>>purchased a WSM. Until I get a WSM of my own this one will probably
>>have to do, but I'm sure it 'needs' something.
>>
>>I don't know exactly what model this is as I wasn't able to find it on
>>Brinkmann's web site of current models. It is tall, rectangular, has a
>>chimney spout on the top rear corner, a large door in front that opens
>>for easy access to charcoal, water pan, and food racks. There don't
>>appear to be any vents anywhere on the smoker for air control, holes on
>>the bottom, and the chimney on top, how does one regulate the temp?
>>
>>I fired it up for a test run, empty and wasn't able to get the
>>temperature up to over 200 degrees. I used a full chimney of charcoal
>>(hardware store chimney, not Weber, Kingsford briquettes) a full water
>>pan of hot tap water and nothing else in the smoker.
>>
>>The charcoal pan is 'old style' which means it does have one hole in the
>>bottom center. My guess is that I will need to add holes to improve air
>>flow.
>>
>>Any other thoughts, or experiences of people with similar smokers?
>>
>>Troy
>
>
> Is this the one? http://tinyurl.com/agnq9
>
> If it is, you can also download the user manual for it in PDF format.
> (Link at the top right of the page.) If it's not the smoker you have,
> you can navigate around the Brinkmann website from that URL to find
> yours.
>
> Stan

No that's not it, although it is somewhat similar. I've already browsed
the site and haven't found it. In the course of further searching I've
found it here
http://www2.northerntool.com/product-1/200046124.htm

No manual or documentation available there though.

Troy

"Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
> There don't appear to be any vents anywhere on the smoker for air
> control, holes on the bottom, and the chimney on top, how does one
> regulate the temp?
>
> I fired it up for a test run, empty and wasn't able to get the temperature
> up to over 200 degrees. I used a full chimney of charcoal (hardware store
> chimney, not Weber, Kingsford briquettes) a full water pan of hot tap
> water and nothing else in the smoker.
>
> The charcoal pan is 'old style' which means it does have one hole in the
> bottom center. My guess is that I will need to add holes to improve air
> flow.

Air flow is regulated by the leaks around the lid. A few more holes in the
bottom of the pan will help. More charcoal may help and be sure to get it
going good.

Start saving for a WSM.
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> "Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
>
>> There don't appear to be any vents anywhere on the smoker for air
>>control, holes on the bottom, and the chimney on top, how does one
>>regulate the temp?
>>
>>I fired it up for a test run, empty and wasn't able to get the temperature
>>up to over 200 degrees. I used a full chimney of charcoal (hardware store
>>chimney, not Weber, Kingsford briquettes) a full water pan of hot tap
>>water and nothing else in the smoker.
>>
>>The charcoal pan is 'old style' which means it does have one hole in the
>>bottom center. My guess is that I will need to add holes to improve air
>>flow.
>
>
> Air flow is regulated by the leaks around the lid. A few more holes in the
> bottom of the pan will help. More charcoal may help and be sure to get it
> going good.
>
> Start saving for a WSM.

There is no 'lid' on this smoker. It does have a chimney. There seems
to be no way to regulate air flow through the unit, so I'm almost
concerned about too much because there are just holes in the bottom of
the smoker, seems it would pull a draft right through and if too much
air gets to the coals run too hot.

Troy

Doesn't sound like you are having an over heating problem. If you wanted
some control you could open a hole at or near the bottom and rig some sort
of sliding cover for it. I have a smoker that is similar to yours and it
has two round openings on either side, near the bottom that have rotating
covers that allow you to open or close them. If you need more heat, just
add more charcoal. It would be nice to have at least some air flow control
though. Don't try and close off the chimney to control air flow. You want
to control air intake where it enters the smoker not where it exits it.
Reason being is the fire won't have enough air and it will produce creosote.
"Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
ink.net...
> Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>> "Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
>>
>>> There don't appear to be any vents anywhere on the smoker for air
>>> control, holes on the bottom, and the chimney on top, how does one
>>> regulate the temp?
>>>
>>>I fired it up for a test run, empty and wasn't able to get the
>>>temperature up to over 200 degrees. I used a full chimney of charcoal
>>>(hardware store chimney, not Weber, Kingsford briquettes) a full water
>>>pan of hot tap water and nothing else in the smoker.
>>>
>>>The charcoal pan is 'old style' which means it does have one hole in the
>>>bottom center. My guess is that I will need to add holes to improve air
>>>flow.
>>
>>
>> Air flow is regulated by the leaks around the lid. A few more holes in
>> the bottom of the pan will help. More charcoal may help and be sure to
>> get it going good.
>>
>> Start saving for a WSM.
>
> There is no 'lid' on this smoker. It does have a chimney. There seems to
> be no way to regulate air flow through the unit, so I'm almost concerned
> about too much because there are just holes in the bottom of the smoker,
> seems it would pull a draft right through and if too much air gets to the
> coals run too hot.
>
> Troy

cc0112453 wrote:
> Doesn't sound like you are having an over heating problem. If you wanted
> some control you could open a hole at or near the bottom and rig some sort
> of sliding cover for it. I have a smoker that is similar to yours and it
> has two round openings on either side, near the bottom that have rotating
> covers that allow you to open or close them. If you need more heat, just
> add more charcoal. It would be nice to have at least some air flow control
> though. Don't try and close off the chimney to control air flow. You want
> to control air intake where it enters the smoker not where it exits it.
> Reason being is the fire won't have enough air and it will produce creosote.
> "Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
> ink.net...
>
>>Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>>
>>>"Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
>>>
>>>
>>>> There don't appear to be any vents anywhere on the smoker for air
>>>>control, holes on the bottom, and the chimney on top, how does one
>>>>regulate the temp?
>>>>
>>>>I fired it up for a test run, empty and wasn't able to get the
>>>>temperature up to over 200 degrees. I used a full chimney of charcoal
>>>>(hardware store chimney, not Weber, Kingsford briquettes) a full water
>>>>pan of hot tap water and nothing else in the smoker.
>>>>
>>>>The charcoal pan is 'old style' which means it does have one hole in the
>>>>bottom center. My guess is that I will need to add holes to improve air
>>>>flow.
>>>
>>>

You are right of course... no overheating problem yet.. but I haven't
improved the air supply to the charcoal yet either. What if I
'over-improve' airflow? Doesn't really seem like anyone familar with
this model has chimed in yet. Doesn't seem too well designed to me
though, just wondering if I can get good Q off of it.

Eventually a WSM will be mine, just have to convince my wife that it is
a necessity.

Troy

In ink.net,
Troy Lubbers > said:
> cc0112453 wrote:
>> Doesn't sound like you are having an over heating problem. If you
>> wanted some control you could open a hole at or near the bottom and
>> rig some sort of sliding cover for it. I have a smoker that is
>> similar to yours and it has two round openings on either side, near
>> the bottom that have rotating covers that allow you to open or close
>> them. If you need more heat, just add more charcoal. It would be
>> nice to have at least some air flow control though. Don't try and
>> close off the chimney to control air flow. You want to control air
>> intake where it enters the smoker not where it exits it. Reason
>> being is the fire won't have enough air and it will produce
>> creosote. "Troy Lubbers" > wrote in
>> message ink.net...
>>
>>> Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
>>>
>>>> "Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>> There don't appear to be any vents anywhere on the smoker for air
>>>>> control, holes on the bottom, and the chimney on top, how does one
>>>>> regulate the temp?
>>>>>
>>>>> I fired it up for a test run, empty and wasn't able to get the
>>>>> temperature up to over 200 degrees. I used a full chimney of
>>>>> charcoal (hardware store chimney, not Weber, Kingsford
>>>>> briquettes) a full water pan of hot tap water and nothing else in
>>>>> the smoker.
>>>>>
>>>>> The charcoal pan is 'old style' which means it does have one hole
>>>>> in the bottom center. My guess is that I will need to add holes
>>>>> to improve air flow.
>>>>
>>>>
>
> You are right of course... no overheating problem yet.. but I haven't
> improved the air supply to the charcoal yet either. What if I
> 'over-improve' airflow? Doesn't really seem like anyone familar with
> this model has chimed in yet. Doesn't seem too well designed to me
> though, just wondering if I can get good Q off of it.
>
> Eventually a WSM will be mine, just have to convince my wife that it
> is a necessity.
>
> Troy

I have a similar product. Try enlarging the air hole to 1 and 1/2 inches,
install a coal grate to keep the coals off the borrom of the pan, and learn
the Minion Method. I get 250 to 270 and a 5 hour burn using this config.

"Troy Lubbers" > wrote

> You are right of course... no overheating problem yet.. but I haven't
> improved the air supply to the charcoal yet either. What if I
> 'over-improve' airflow?


My charcoal bowl looked like I'd blasted it from 50 feet with double ought
buckshot.

I used a half inch drill bit and just put a buncha holes in it. It worked
great

I reckon I put about eleventeen holes in it.

Your speculation will get you nowhere. Just do it.


TFM®

> You are right of course... no overheating problem yet.. but I haven't improved
> the air supply to the charcoal yet either. What if I 'over-improve' airflow?
> Doesn't really seem like anyone familar with this model has chimed in yet.
> Doesn't seem too well designed to me though, just wondering if I can get good
> Q off of it.
>
> Eventually a WSM will be mine, just have to convince my wife that it is a
> necessity.

This looks like the vertical 1/2 of a New Braunfels Bandera.

My experience with various Brinkmans is you need to actually tighten the airflow
up b/c they are made so sloppy.

Then I'd cut air intakes on 2 or 3 sides way toward the bottom and rig some sort
of sliding contraption to control intake.

Probably need to leave the exhaust wide open.


T

"Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message

> There is no 'lid' on this smoker. It does have a chimney. There seems to
> be no way to regulate air flow through the unit, so I'm almost concerned
> about too much because there are just holes in the bottom of the smoker,
> seems it would pull a draft right through and if too much air gets to the
> coals run too hot.
>
> Troy

OK, re-reading the original post, this is not the one I was thinking of.
Sounds like the old R2D2 but rectangular.

You keep the stack wide open.

In your original post you state you could not get the temperature up above
200 degrees. Now you are worried that a draft would get the coals too hot.
WTF do you want? Is it too hot or too cold? Did you open the stack? What
happened?
--
Ed
http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/

Edwin Pawlowski wrote:
> "Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
>
>
>>There is no 'lid' on this smoker. It does have a chimney. There seems to
>>be no way to regulate air flow through the unit, so I'm almost concerned
>>about too much because there are just holes in the bottom of the smoker,
>>seems it would pull a draft right through and if too much air gets to the
>>coals run too hot.
>>
>>Troy
>
>
> OK, re-reading the original post, this is not the one I was thinking of.
> Sounds like the old R2D2 but rectangular.
>
> You keep the stack wide open.
>
> In your original post you state you could not get the temperature up above
> 200 degrees. Now you are worried that a draft would get the coals too hot.
> WTF do you want? Is it too hot or too cold? Did you open the stack? What
> happened?


Without modification it is too cool to be sure. There is absolutely NO
WAY to control air flow on this beast though. Holes in the bottom and a
open stack up top. Thus my concern that if I improve air flow to the
pan I might actually make the fire too hot because it seems like large
quantities of air COULD flow right through.

Perhaps I should just work on getting the temp up for now, but it is far
easier to drill holes in the charcoal pan, but not so easy to fill 'em
back in.

Just trying to find out if anyone has experience with this smoker or one
similar, and find the best way to use it.

Troy

"Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
> Without modification it is too cool to be sure. There is absolutely NO
> WAY to control air flow on this beast though. Holes in the bottom and a
> open stack up top. Thus my concern that if I improve air flow to the pan
> I might actually make the fire too hot because it seems like large
> quantities of air COULD flow right through.


Yes. there is.
the STACK
the STACK
the STACK
the STACK
the STACK
the STACK

Try it. Honest, people have been doing that since the Franklin stove 200+
years ago.

"Troy Lubbers" > wrote

> Perhaps I should just work on getting the temp up for now, but it is far
> easier to drill holes in the charcoal pan, but not so easy to fill 'em
> back in.


Did I forget to mention that eventually the bottom of my coal pan rusted
out? This caused the use of a circular saw blade as a replacement bottom.

Hillbilly ingenuity. (hell, it already had a hole in the middle!)


TFM®

> Perhaps I should just work on getting the temp up for now, but it is far
> easier to drill holes in the charcoal pan, but not so easy to fill 'em back
> in.

Similar to what TFM said about shot gunning his fire pan; I used to use a
perforated wok pan in the K7. It was heavy duty aluminum and coated but one run
at 750 took care of that. ;o)

I think I bought it at Lowe's for like $4.


T

"Edwin Pawlowski" > wrote in message
m...
>
> "Troy Lubbers" > wrote in message
>
> > There is no 'lid' on this smoker. It does have a chimney. There seems
to
>snip
> > Troy
>
> OK, re-reading the original post, this is not the one I was thinking of.
> Sounds like the old R2D2 but rectangular.
>
> You keep the stack wide open.
>
> In your original post you state you could not get the temperature up above
> 200 degrees. Now you are worried that a draft would get the coals too
hot.
> WTF do you want? Is it too hot or too cold? Did you open the stack?
What
> happened?
> --
> Ed
> http://pages.cthome.net/edhome/
>
Does this thing have a water pan! If so, and if he is putting cold water in
it, it might be holding back on the temp, that is, until the water in the
pan finally heats up.

--
Mike Willsey (Piedmont)
The Practical Bar B Q'r at,
http://groups.msn.com/ThePracticalBarBQr/_whatsnew.msnw