To stop the paint from peeling on the outside of your offset smokers you need to season them just like the inside, put your canola oil on the outside, it sure has been working well for me, I keep mine oiled up like the fine machine that it is, inside and out, and have no rust problems and have no paint peeling problems.
The reason smoke was rolling out was because of the wind direction. Trust me I had the same problem. Move your pit so the wind is blowing into the firebox.
TIP: I saw another video turn the lower firebox grate the other direction it adds about 2" height for the fire basket to sit up on. Saves you from having to clean out ash during a burn and more air for the burn. I bought one of these Oklahoma Joe Highland Smokers a few weeks back after 2 years of watching on the sidelines. So far I've only had time to do a seasoning for the unit. I did the High Temp Silicone pretty much every where possible - between the firebox and main chamber, every bolt and the smoke stack. I welded up a firebox at work in our shop using my High School Welding abilities if you can call them that. My Joe (like them all) leaks smoke but mostly from the top of both lids not from the sides. I need to do the gaskets like you added on the lids, they seem to make the difference. I'll do that first, I really don't like the look of those latches, I'd prefer to avoid them if I can. You got my full attention when you started talking about the foil wrapped grate damper trick but sucks it didn't make a difference. I REALLY want one of those baffle/tuning plates, but its part ways with another $100 bucks or rely on my C+ High School shop skills and scrounging for scrap metal.
That's what I ment when I was mentioning turning the grate in the fire box. Hope you enjoy your new smoker. It sounds like you did your homework and covered a lot of the issues right away. Thanks for watching.
@@Northwoods Totally missed that comment in the video, just saw your firebox grate was the typical west-east direction. Keep on cookin', enjoy the videos.
Using the grapes that came with your stick burner is fine if you want to wrap them in tin foil and use it as a diffuser plate both holes in your tin foil so it draws it has to draw air
I use a cast iron roasting pan sitting on the grate by the firebox & filled with water & it keeps the initial heat blast coming out of the firebox from overheating that area of the smoker. You may have had the wind blowing from smoker to fire box which would impact the draw.
The temp difference is because one gauge is much closer to the fire. That is normal for all offset smokers. Closer to the fire, hotter it gets. So just rotate your meats for a more even cook
I'm in the process of reading it, but Aaron Franklin's book has a whole section on modifying a store bought smoker. Currently it's on sale on Amazon for less than $20. Also has good tips on meat/cooking/wood that you might find helpful as well.
Looks like you have boards under your firebox end, it might be keeping the smoke from rolling into your cook box. I run with foil and it works just fine. i usually put wood under the legs(not the wheels) and every once in awhile take them out, let it drain, and then put them back in.
And your thermostats in the lid is the temperature at the top of the chamber you need to put a probe on the cooking surface to see what your temperature is at grade level
Lid leaks can be mostly eliminated by adjusting the curvature of the lid. Mine had the same problem and a bit of tweaking the bend of the lid did the trick with no gasket, it seeps a little smoke but nothing serious, I probably should get a gasket though.
I couldn’t get mine off with a hammer and wrench. Pretty much stripped it. Luckily that was my extra damaged smoke chamber I had but my replacement one just had an empty hole and I wanted the bolt to seal it. Ended up having to just buy a 2nd temp gauge
Have you tried smoking with just one grill rapped in aluminum foil instead of two to balance out your temperature from end to end? Thanks for your video.
No, you have to buy it separately. There are a lot of good ones out there. Also, the thermometer is positioned near the top of the food chamber and gives a reading of about 50 degrees higher than the temp at the grate where the food actually is. It's not a huge deal unless you're trying to smoke something on the low end of the range and you think you're smoking a pork butt at 225, when you're actually just sweating it at 175. (I found that out the hard way, and really need to get one of those grate level clip on things).
I stopped relying on the chamber temp thermometers and started using an “At grating level” temp prob with a clip that goes into the grating. I adjust my vents per that reading and no longer have my chamber temp gauges installed. Completely worthless in my opinion
Honestly you should have just left it alone. Every mod you have done you keep saying ill have to re do it cause i was in a rush or i didnt clean it well when i put gasket on. Dam halfassers these days i swear.
To stop the paint from peeling on the outside of your offset smokers you need to season them just like the inside, put your canola oil on the outside, it sure has been working well for me, I keep mine oiled up like the fine machine that it is, inside and out, and have no rust problems and have no paint peeling problems.
Thank you I came to comments to look for this advice. Appreciate your knowledge
The temp difference between thermometers might be because ones right by the fire box opening and the other is by the stack opening .
The reason smoke was rolling out was because of the wind direction. Trust me I had the same problem. Move your pit so the wind is blowing into the firebox.
Very well put together video
TIP: I saw another video turn the lower firebox grate the other direction it adds about 2" height for the fire basket to sit up on. Saves you from having to clean out ash during a burn and more air for the burn. I bought one of these Oklahoma Joe Highland Smokers a few weeks back after 2 years of watching on the sidelines. So far I've only had time to do a seasoning for the unit. I did the High Temp Silicone pretty much every where possible - between the firebox and main chamber, every bolt and the smoke stack. I welded up a firebox at work in our shop using my High School Welding abilities if you can call them that. My Joe (like them all) leaks smoke but mostly from the top of both lids not from the sides. I need to do the gaskets like you added on the lids, they seem to make the difference. I'll do that first, I really don't like the look of those latches, I'd prefer to avoid them if I can. You got my full attention when you started talking about the foil wrapped grate damper trick but sucks it didn't make a difference. I REALLY want one of those baffle/tuning plates, but its part ways with another $100 bucks or rely on my C+ High School shop skills and scrounging for scrap metal.
That's what I ment when I was mentioning turning the grate in the fire box. Hope you enjoy your new smoker. It sounds like you did your homework and covered a lot of the issues right away. Thanks for watching.
@@Northwoods Totally missed that comment in the video, just saw your firebox grate was the typical west-east direction. Keep on cookin', enjoy the videos.
Do they sell the diffuser plates or is that something you have to come up with on your own?
I have same pit smoker combo love it
Using the grapes that came with your stick burner is fine if you want to wrap them in tin foil and use it as a diffuser plate both holes in your tin foil so it draws it has to draw air
I use a cast iron roasting pan sitting on the grate by the firebox & filled with water & it keeps the initial heat blast coming out of the firebox from overheating that area of the smoker.
You may have had the wind blowing from smoker to fire box which would impact the draw.
The temp difference is because one gauge is much closer to the fire. That is normal for all offset smokers. Closer to the fire, hotter it gets. So just rotate your meats for a more even cook
Or you could get the baffle plate... lol!
I'm in the process of reading it, but Aaron Franklin's book has a whole section on modifying a store bought smoker. Currently it's on sale on Amazon for less than $20. Also has good tips on meat/cooking/wood that you might find helpful as well.
@@moireb6089 Franklin Barbecue: A Meat-Smoking Manifesto
Looks like you have boards under your firebox end, it might be keeping the smoke from rolling into your cook box. I run with foil and it works just fine. i usually put wood under the legs(not the wheels) and every once in awhile take them out, let it drain, and then put them back in.
this leak any smoke when it's covered if you dont do any mods?
Nice video.
Where can we purchase the real diffuser plates?
Nice! What are the dimensions of your fire basket?
Hey buddy buy you some high temp black spray paint. That will take care of that. You can get it at Walmart or Amazon. Make sure it says High Temp.
And your thermostats in the lid is the temperature at the top of the chamber you need to put a probe on the cooking surface to see what your temperature is at grade level
Lid leaks can be mostly eliminated by adjusting the curvature of the lid.
Mine had the same problem and a bit of tweaking the bend of the lid did the trick with no gasket, it seeps a little smoke but nothing serious, I probably should get a gasket though.
I am having a hard time getting the bolt out for the second temperature gauge. Any recommendations
Put your wrench on it and tap the end of it with a hammer. It comes right off. My was on very tight was well.
I couldn’t get mine off with a hammer and wrench. Pretty much stripped it. Luckily that was my extra damaged smoke chamber I had but my replacement one just had an empty hole and I wanted the bolt to seal it. Ended up having to just buy a 2nd temp gauge
If you heat up the grill some it should loosen easier... if you do start to strip the plug put ya a pipe wrench on it
Have you tried smoking with just one grill rapped in aluminum foil instead of two to balance out your temperature from end to end? Thanks for your video.
I was thinking the same thing. It seems like it would put alot of heat right under the meat with 2 baffles like that.
you have links of the mods you used ?
Did this smoker come with the basket in the firebox?
No, you have to buy it separately. There are a lot of good ones out there. Also, the thermometer is positioned near the top of the food chamber and gives a reading of about 50 degrees higher than the temp at the grate where the food actually is. It's not a huge deal unless you're trying to smoke something on the low end of the range and you think you're smoking a pork butt at 225, when you're actually just sweating it at 175. (I found that out the hard way, and really need to get one of those grate level clip on things).
You can buy the Okl Joe gasket kit. Idk I don’t even have mine yet I could be a dummy.
I stopped relying on the chamber temp thermometers and started using an “At grating level” temp prob with a clip that goes into the grating. I adjust my vents per that reading and no longer have my chamber temp gauges installed. Completely worthless in my opinion
You have to season it. Just oil it down
Dude the firebox basket is awesome. Is your father in law open to selling these Asking for a friend 😉
Has anyone tried the mods Oklahoma joe offers?
Yes and definitely worth the money but get an actual defuser plate
Lmao!
Get a baffle
Honestly you should have just left it alone. Every mod you have done you keep saying ill have to re do it cause i was in a rush or i didnt clean it well when i put gasket on. Dam halfassers these days i swear.
Actually it's been a couple years and the mods have held up great.
Bbq probably taste like plastic because of mods