Outstanding modifications to the smoker. I have done a few mods to my smoker. I really like the flashing and tuning plate. I too live in San Diego.... Keep smoking brother
Thanks for the info! I just purchased a Steel Offset Smoker & like the idea of that Heat tray, My Char-Broil rusted out & since I own a Home now I figured it was time to invest in a Higher Quality Pit since I really enjoy BBQ & Smoking my Salmon, Yum!
Awesome video! A couple buddies of mine bought me an offset smoker for my birthday. I have only used it once because I couldn't get the temp high enough. This info will definitely help me out! Thanks,
@tdjtx I've been mainly using briquettes. I like lump, but sometimes I find that a huge portion of the charcoal is very small pieces or even dust. I just feel like I have more control with briquettes. If I have a bigger piece of wood, sometimes what I'll do is put it in my basket at an angle and fill the basket with my briquettes. I get hours of smoke that way. That's great you have a buddy willing to do some metal work for you. Good way to same some cash!
@47f0 Yeah, My cooker looked like hell before I opted for TLC instead of scrapping it. Glad I did! I started off sealing the doors with braided fiberglass wood stove door seal. It came off after a while... The gasket material has been on for over a year now and works great. Good luck!
@mrmannyo81 Love to see the smoker you made. I sealed up all of the opening between the firebox and the cooking chamber that is above the grate. The opening below the grate is about 3 to 3 1/2 inches or so.
@tdjtx I use pretty big chunks of wood. My source sells to local restaurants, so it's not the little chunks. these things are pretty hefty. I use a lot of different types of wood. On pork I like apple, hickory and pecan. I grill a lot with red oak and mesquite. My father-in-law recently cut down a peach tree and I've been really happy with the flavor from that. I have a huge supply of peach (since it was free) so I'll be burning a lot of it over the summer. And I do not soak my wood.
@tdjtx I agree with you regarding the sealant. I still use my smoker, but I've pretty much shot videos on everything I smoke. I'm going to be doing a Kobe brisket here in a couple of weeks and I might shoot that and maybe smoked tuna when tuna fishing season rolls in. I only really do long smokes when I'm cooking for a group of people. By peppers are growing by the way Tom.
@ItsGoodCookin Good luck with your smoker. I know a lot of the newer offsets are made of pretty thin metal. These mods have helped me a bunch. I can reach temps of 350 to 400 if I want to, but I usually cook 200-250. Thanks for the comment! (Good luck with the contest).
@neville78 The tubing I used is called Ameri-Flex. I bought it at the Home Depot and yeah, it's used on venting and things. But it's pretty rigid and straight, not floppy and rolled up like some of the dryer venting tubes available. I bought my basket from Horizon Smokers for about $30.00. It's made out of pretty heavy expanded steel. Hope this helps.
@ItsGoodCookin Good luck with your smoker. I know a lot of the newer offsets are made of pretty thin metal. These mods have helped me a bunch. I can reach temps of 350 to 400 if I want to, but I usually cook 200-250. Thanks for the comment! (
@TheGrassmannn First off, I have a pretty large basket. it's 12.5" x 12.5" x 9 3/4". I fill it until it is heaping with charcoal (lately I've been using Kingsford Competition) and a pretty large chunk of what ever wood I'm using. Then, like you mentioned I put a very small amount of lit charcoal on the top. I think my Stoker plays a huge role in keeping my coal burning. If you watch my beef brisket video, you will see how consistant the heat stays. No wasted oxygen at all. Just even heat.
@twhessler1 You're 100% correct there! One of these days I'll have my $3,000 Horizon Smoker.... This one has served me well for over 15 years and I'm sure it has at least 15 years left!
@47f0 The chimney idea sounds good to me. If you make a basket out of galvanized steel, I'd burn the hell out of it a few times and hit it with a wire brush (or sandblaster) before cooking with it. Zinc fumes are toxic. The coating is an aluminum coating used on headers and other engine parts. I had the fire box done first several years ago and still no rust. I had the cooking chamber done a few years ago and no rust. I never cover it, even in the rain.
I don't have to deal with heavy wind and rain. I've seen guys use the same type of flexible pipe that I used to extend the inside of the smoke stack to extend the top of the stack and bend it down, like a candy cane. The flexible pipe can be purchased at hardware stores.
@Mastercylinder32 I'm using about 1/4 (maybe a little less) of a Weber charcoal chimney worth of lit charcoal to start my unlit pile of charcoal. As far as the Stoker is concerned. It's not cheap, but really ends some headaches. The biggest thing (besides the consistent temp control) is the fact that my long burns don't choke out anymore. I think any of the available systems would work. I chose Stoker because of the computer linking feature. Did you make your box?
@Nate2203 These mods were all done over the course of several years, ending with the Stoker, which is the really high tech part. If I were buying my very first BBQ today, I'd probably buy a Weber Smokey Mountain. They work great and don't cost too much money.
@azbushrat Mine is as least 1/4 inch. The RTV will fill it, no worries there. Make sure you buy the large tube (the type you need a caulking gun for). Enjoy your NBBD! It's a great pit and a bummer that they are no longer made. Huge difference in quality compared to the Charbroils that are being sold.
@j1mmyhutch There is no bending involved. The steel is cut at each point (of the diamond expansion) for a total of five square sections. Then, each tip is welded together. I have a simple angle grinder and a stick welder that I was going to use. But after crunching the numbers and time involved, I ended up buying one from Horizon Smokers. It's top notch quality and pretty inexpensive.
@47f0 The place I had my cooker coated at just called it "high temp aluminum coating". The place that did this does a lot of powder coating and stuff like that. In fact, I had the legs on my smoker powder coated. Just google, "Aluminum coating for headers" and a bunch of stuff pops up. As far as my basket, I went the easy way and bought mine from Horizon Smokers out of Oklahoma. It's not stainless, just steel in the white.
@azbushrat I used a high-temp epoxy (the kind that is like a two part stick of clay). You kneed this stuff until it is like a soft dough. I just rolled it out into a noodle and wrapped the outside seam, where the chimney goes into the cooker. I bought this stuff at the Home Depot. Ask all the questions you want! This is why I posted this vid in the first place.
Google "Traeger Chimney Cap". There is a company called Monkeys Pellet Grills that sells these things for about $20. Looks like these may solve your problem.
@sd4547 I bet the previous owner added the screws to hold the grates. The screws are inline with the bolts that hold the table boards which are also level with the top of the firebox opening. In other words, the grates are level with the bottom of the door. It seems like this should negate the need for a baffle since the grates are already above the firebox opening.
@azbushrat No I did not. That is just seasoned from 100s of cooks. A lot of guys spray on a little vegetable oil and bring the smoker up to temp. I just left mine alone and started cooking. As long as you don't use the cooking chamber as a grill, the cooker just keeps getting more and more seasoned. I've found that if I grill inside of the cooking chamber the higher temps burn off the seasoning. I do all of my grilling on a Weber now.
@bigblkdj Continued- I'd fiddle around with raising and lowering the stack from where I suggested in the video and go with what works for you. Nothing is in stone with these mods. There are so many factors involved, including the climate where you live. Experiment! Thanks for the comment! Greg
@azbushrat Could have been the previous owner. Strange thing with mine though is it didn't come with a drain hole either, so who knows? The other thing to think about (when considering mods) is, even though your grate is higher, the heat is still blasting out at one end. A baffle WITH a tuning plate causes the heat and smoke to rise evenly from below the food. The heat rises up from all of those holes. Something to think about.
@bigblkdj Haven't heard that one yet. I did a bunch of research before I did my mods and the number one modification was lowering the stack. That being said, I run my pit with the chimney damper wide open and make all of the heat adjustments with the firebox damper. I also have the stoker, so there is a fan blowing air into the pit. Seems to me if smoke is getting trapped, it's getting trapped and the amount of wood being used isn't going to solve much of the problem. -more-
Thank you for this video I just bought a off set Friday and fired it up yesterday worked well for my first time but I had to add coals about 4 times (chimney starter) amounts Where can I get a basket like that from & sealing the lid is a must -Jason
@sd4547 - Thanks much - I know better what to ask people now. I've got one of the last pre-Chinese Bandera smokers, and she's served heroically, but it's time to give her a little TLC. I thought about building up the edge of the smoke-box with metallic tape to get the door to seal better, but the high-temp gasket material is hugely smarter, easier and more cost-effective. Great tip. Again, many thanks.
@azbushrat The grates that came with my smoker burned out after several years of use, so I bought a new set. Since NB went out of business, I bought a set from a BBQ store (a different brand) and had to cut them to get them to fit right. My cooker didn't have screws? In any case, I'm using the baffle to funnel the heat and smoke below the tuning plate, so all of the heat and smoke rise evenly below my food. Gets rid of the hot spot.
Great set up!! I just bought the same smoker. I am so excited to get started and so glad I found your channel. I will be making some of the same mods. Quick question, did your NBBD have a fairly large gap between the lid and the body up near the hinges? The gap on mine is probably a 1/4 inch. The gap quickly goes away towards the bottom of the lid. I hope the RTV will fill it in.
@mnajera310 The stuff I used mentions that one of the uses is for oven doors on the label. But think about it. Most of your cooks (when smoking) are going to be in the 200's... That's not very hot when you're talking about ovens.
Super Video! Thanks so much for taking the time to make and post this very helpful info! Do you remember the cost of the stoker by chance? Thanks in Advance! Have a very Blessed Week!
great video, ive already got the tuning plate from Horizon, I'm using a serpentine minion box solid walls with an expanded steel bottom. im still wondering if the Rock's Stoker is worth it or not. I looks like a good investment. how much starter charcoal are you using on your burns?
When you had your smoker powder coated, how thick did you have the coating applied? Also, which formulation did you select (acrylic, epoxy, nylon, vinyl, polyester TGIC, polyurethane, etc)?
Im interested to know if you still have this smoker. I just was given one as a gift, same model. It was in great shape except for rust and Ive taken care of that. So funny you had one ten years ago, Ive watched your channel for years but never found this one. Love your videos!
I sold this smoker a few years ago, but it was still in great shape. I really wish this quality was still available at the big-box stores, instead of the flimsy stuff they're selling nowadays. I really appreciate your views! Cheers!
I am new to smoking and have a cos in a vertical configuration. I'm doing mods to it to make it work. Should i extend the chimney to the bottom of the lowest grate?
I have a NB hondo. Did the exhaust mod, sealant mod & made a baffle with a double walled cookie sheet. My question is, i noticed you cook,lower in the grill. I grill on the stock grilling grates. I have a thread on bbq bretheren to show my very first cook. Would i get any benefit from cooking lower? It seems your exhaust mod is twice the length of mine.
I am in the sheet metal manufacturing biz, wherein, we also do powder coating. I've been looking for a powder that can withstand the temps of the firebox but after reviewing a few, they didnt work out as planned. If you know the specifics to this paint, let me know. Thanks
@sd4547 - Thanks - is there a trade name for the coating? When I look for aluminum coatings I just keep getting listings for places that either anodize aluminum parts, or powder coat them. I'm in central FL, where the humidity is about 2 zillion percent, so anything I can do to slow down that iron+H2O+O2 chemistry would be great. What kind of expanded steel did you get? Stainless? And do you have a source?
No, there is no benefit. The reason my grates are lower is my original grates got burned out from when I used to do direct heat grilling on this cooker. I had to replace them and since NB went out of business, these were the closest to the originals I could find.
I've got a Bandera smoker, so running the chimney down would interfere with the shelves - maybe punch a hole at the bottom of the smoke box and run an external chimney? Any ideas whether galvanized is safe for the expanded steel charcoal basket? The diffuser plate is sexy - but for those of us with fewer bit sizes, it would probably work as will with one size bit, fewer holes next to the firebox, and more further away. . I'd LOVE to learn more about the external coating. Everything rusts here.
What size basket did you order? That one looks larger than the one they recommended for the 16" smoker (10"x10"x10"). If it is larger, do you think it is beneficial to go larger than the 10" box?
@azbushrat Actually I see what is going on. Your grates are in 90 degrees different than mine. My grates set on screws in the smoking chamber. Did you remove those on purpose?
I just noticed your grates are lower than the grates on my NBBD. Did you lower them? My grates are right at the firebox opening. Maybe I wont need to add a baffle?
@sd4547 I have been wanting to add a RTV seal around the lid but I am nervous about it being near the food do you know if this one that you mention is food safe? Thanks
@sd4547 - quick question....I heard that extending the smoke stack as low as you have causes smoke to get trapped and become stale. Is that true? And if so, would a simply remedy be to use less smoke if this such mod has been done?
Correct. You never want smoke "falling". You always want smoke "moving" over your meat. If you've ever been to a restaurant and ordered ribs, and the meat is a blackish gray, you know that's what happened. Think of hot smoke as an upside-down pool of water. It is hot, so it rises. It doesn't care where the "drain" is. Think about trickling cold water into a bucket, but the hole to let it out has a pipe in it, and has been raised almost all the way to the top of the bucket. The coldest water will be down at the bottom of the bucket. As the water warms, the warmest water will rise to the top and pour out of the bucket into the drain pipe. You slow down the speed of the water everywhere except above the level of the drain pipe. Now flip that mental image upside down. You are now letting your meat stand (if you are using rib racks) in stagnant (or worse - condensing) smoke. Not good. I would suggest you determine the max height of your meat in all cases, and not lower the stack below that height. Other than that, I LOVE all the mods done to this smoker! I think you (Ballistic BBQ) did a GREAT job, and will be stealing the baffle out of aluminum flashing idea for myself. I would be worried about that fan blowing ash all over the meat, but I guess it is too weak to make the ash fly that far? Can you confirm?
on some of the videos I have watched, they had said you could use oak. but wouldn't the regular wood make the food taste bad? the fire box they said was just like a fire place. I would think you wood only use wood that was made for smoking like cherry or apple or hickory? would someone who knows about this please tell me if this is true?
+zack Hutton Oak is great for smoking, tons of people use it. The general rule is if it produces a fruit or nut it's good for cooking. Stay away from resinous wood like pine and cedar.
I thought i was linking my video here, but I'm new to uploading video. check out my video of my NB Hondo, you can see my fire box there. search NB Hondo it should pop up. Thanks
Awesome video! A couple buddies of mine bought me an offset smoker for my birthday. I have only used it once because I couldn't get the temp high enough. This info will definitely help me out! Thanks,
Great set up!! I just bought the same smoker. I am so excited to get started and so glad I found your channel. I will be making some of the same mods. Quick question, did your NBBD have a fairly large gap between the lid and the body up near the hinges? The gap on mine is probably a 1/4 inch. The gap quickly goes away towards the bottom of the lid. I hope the RTV will fill it in.
