Bi-Metallic Strip

[EverydayDiesel]

Hello,

Does anyone have an information on the "bi-metallic strip" on the franklins new pit? It is suppose to help create a vortex to help 'bathe the meat' in smoke. Sounds like a great idea but how does it work?



Thanks in advance for any help you can give

[JKalchik]

Uh, WHAT? My bogosometer just pegged. What product is that for?

Bimettallic strips for temperature control are thin & small. Except for gross variations in temp (a couple of hundred degrees,) I doubt that any more than a 20ga sheet would show more than a small deflection. Vorticity? That chunk of phrasing leads me to believe that someone is really trying to blow smoke up my <BEEEEEEEEP>.

[EverydayDiesel]

Thats a page right out of the manual for arron franklins pit. https://franklinbbqpits.com

I had to google what a bi-metalic strip was

[Dirtytires]

They use bi-metallic strips for automatic choke assemblies on a motor. It bends once it heats up....not really sure how anything in a smoker would need to bend in relation to the temp.

Sounds like an excuse to raise the price of their pit.....

[JKalchik]

Thats a page right out of the manual for arron franklins pit. https://franklinbbqpits.com

I had to google what a bi-metalic strip was

Wow. I think that I may have just lost a lot of respect for Franklin. Granted, Franklin himself probably has little to do with that document, but I've have to see that in person and in operation (or at least see good pics,) to believe that there's effectively a self-controlled movable damper in there.

[EverydayDiesel]

According to what I have researched (and its in the manual). The object is to create a swirling of the smoke through the chamber instead of just straight through. This is really what I am after, I am just wondering if anyone has ever attempted to do anything like this.

[Brewmaster]

According to what I have researched (and its in the manual). The object is to create a swirling of the smoke through the chamber instead of just straight through. This is really what I am after, I am just wondering if anyone has ever attempted to do anything like this.

My thought is perhaps if said bimetal under the baffle bends enough to throw more convection/gases more to one side to get a swirling convection started, but I really have no idea. If it is doing something like that I'd think you could just make the baffle plate a bit taller on one side/end, or have it installed slightly offset to one side creating a similar effect. Mill Scale uses what appears to be the identical design, (was initially slated to be the manufacturer of Franklin pits) although in a considerably larger 94-gallon offset, haven't heard any mentions of a bimetal strip in theirs, yet.

I've sort of tried it in my little 20x36 offset, used a foil pan as a mock-up/test. It worked excellent but more testing is required. My firebox is installed really low compared to the Franklin-style which has the firebox installed at food grate level. Because of that I feel like my testing here won't be an accurate representation of the effect.

[EverydayDiesel]

Great post. Thanks for replying!

From what I understand, mill scale is the one building the pits for franklin.

So you cut the pan at an angle to create the smoke agitation?
This is exactly the kind of stuff I am looking for. Thanks for posing it.

On a lighter note, Im curious how the ratchet extensions taste after being smoke?

[JKalchik]

Okay..... bi-metallic strips (in my very limited experience) are intended to change physical position based on temperature. From what I see of what you're posting (and yes, I do appreciate it,) I don't see that happening in this application. I would be happy to be proved wrong.

Shoot, a company in my home town make incredibly durable tool slides by effectively laminating a layer of bronze on tool steel. AFAIK, they don't advertise as bi-metallic. Yes, they're two metals involved, but this stuff just does not change dimension or position based on temp. Based on their customer's usage, that would also be a bad thing.

[Brewmaster]

Happy to chip in! Btw I messed up about the Franklin firebox, realized after I posted that, it's a double-walled on his, so the top of throat is probably 2" or so below the food grate, making my experiment perhaps a little closer.

Mill Scale was going to manufacture but ended up not for whatever reasons. I'm not sure who the builder is.

That roaster was like the exact perfect size to fit side to side and to the end all in one go! I didn't angle the pan on this test but I am going to try it with some biscuit tests (or chicken thighs) I tried to roll the front lip/outlet area of the pan just a bit, the Franklin plate is rounded a bit there, the Mill Scale more pronounced with a vertical lip about 1" high at the outlet. During my bacon smoke test session I populated the rest of the food grate closet to the baffle with chicken legs but failed to get any pics. Nothing burnt or cooked unevenly though, pork belly and chicken were all awesome.

My test baffle would not stay in place no-how til I found just the right weight to hold it in place

Great post. Thanks for replying!

From what I understand, mill scale is the one building the pits for franklin.

So you cut the pan at an angle to create the smoke agitation?
This is exactly the kind of stuff I am looking for. Thanks for posing it.

On a lighter note, Im curious how the ratchet extensions taste after being smoke?