The Texas Ranger

[hogaboomer]

Yessir, I have an extra grill that I can use for a table.

[Brewmaster]

Hahahha, good stuff! The straight-up directional flow ala dacolson is a great design.

I did see that photo a couple pages back but couldn't discern what in heck was going on there but I can see it now, thanks. Great work!

[hogaboomer]

Hahahha, good stuff! The straight-up directional flow ala dacolson is a great design.

I did see that photo a couple pages back but couldn't discern what in heck was going on there but I can see it now, thanks. Great work!

Well, i don't know what I did wrong, but it didn't work all that great for me. I think I may have put the firebox too high. Way too hot even just 3 inches above the grate, like a hundred degrees hotter. So I cut a throat down at the bottom and put a close off flap up at the top throat, and I can tune it to make even heat, now.
It had worked real nice for ribs and burgers, but when I put a pork butt on I noticed the huge vertical temperature differences. I think it should cook better, now. I cooked that pork butt for 10 hours just to get to 185 internal.

[hogaboomer]

[hogaboomer]

The top of that flap is where the top of the firebox is.

[hogaboomer]

Live and learn, I guess.

[dacolson]

I see that. The top of the throat on mine is at grate level. Gotta be a factor.


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[Big T]

I would agree that the height of the FB and original throat is definitely the issue.

[dacolson]

… also commenting on this in my 130 Ben Hur Post. Thanks again Boomer. Great feedback.


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[Dirtytires]

Bummer it didn't work out. Lotta work goes into these things and it's a heartbreak when they fail.

What were you hoping to accomplish with the firebox mounted so high? I've not seen that in a design before so am interested in the theory behind it.

I would be concerned that you might not get a clean burn with that top damper closed and pulling hot air only from the bottom of the firebox. And running both open could create a situation where the fire pulls air in from the cook chamber and then out the top making it impossible to control. Agree that the easiest fix is probably to cut off the firebox and lower it to a more traditional location.

[hogaboomer]

It's already fixed, you worry too much.

[av8bdriver]

Great pics illustrating what you did! Boomer, how long is your cook chamber again?

Edit: Also, I know you already welded the top throat baffle and hinges, but I wonder if you would have welded the hinges on the top of the baffle so it forces air downward when open... if that would help with temp control as well?

[hogaboomer]

24 x 38 long

This seemed like the easiest way to do it. It's kind of awkward fitting and welding inside there.

I ran it last night and the temp from grate to the door thermometer which sits about 6 inches up were exactly the same, once I got the gap on the flap adjusted right.

[av8bdriver]

Ok thx... And yeah, after looking at your pics, doing it that way would also point all of that hot air directly at the grate.

[hogaboomer]

Speaking of awkward - when I tried to tack that back hinge pipe in, I accidentally tacked the flap to the baffle. Couldn't figure out why it wouldn't open till I stuck my head in and looked up close. My welding glasses are only good out to about a foot, after that it's all a blur.

[av8bdriver]

Speaking of awkward - when I tried to tack that back hinge pipe in, I accidentally tacked the flap to the baffle. Couldn't figure out why it wouldn't open till I stuck my head in and looked up close. My welding glasses are only good out to about a foot, after that it's all a blur.

[Brewmaster]

Hogaboomer, that's crazy but looks like a cool fix! Have you been cooking on it, and if so how's she work/taste?

In a way, this is sort of like the Moberg-type throat baffle in that it's splitting the heat up and down. There's no baffle at all for ~ 4" into the cooker, then there's a baffle plate angled down right off the edge of the food grate. The idea is to allow most flow to freely go upward with the baffle directing some downward. Just not fully adjustable and controllable like your fix however, I like it! I did the Moberg-style baffle to the stainless one I posted a few pages back, I played with the baffle at different angles to get the right amount of heat up and down, in the end, it works great.

Keep up the great work! Cheers

Hahahha, good stuff! The straight-up directional flow ala dacolson is a great design.

I did see that photo a couple pages back but couldn't discern what in heck was going on there but I can see it now, thanks. Great work!

Well, i don't know what I did wrong, but it didn't work all that great for me. I think I may have put the firebox too high. Way too hot even just 3 inches above the grate, like a hundred degrees hotter. So I cut a throat down at the bottom and put a close off flap up at the top throat, and I can tune it to make even heat, now.
It had worked real nice for ribs and burgers, but when I put a pork butt on I noticed the huge vertical temperature differences. I think it should cook better, now. I cooked that pork butt for 10 hours just to get to 185 internal.

[hogaboomer]

I cooked a piece of sausage on it when I was testing it out, other than that, not yet. I don't see any reason why it won't work great, though. The vertical temps being spot on, and the side to side is pretty close, it ought to do just fine. I'm gonna clean it up and try to sell it. Keep the homely one I'm doing now. That Moberg baffle sounds like an idea for this one. It's just designed for a basic standard offset right now.

[Brewmaster]

I cooked a piece of sausage on it when I was testing it out, other than that, not yet. I don't see any reason why it won't work great, though. The vertical temps being spot on, and the side to side is pretty close, it ought to do just fine. I'm gonna clean it up and try to sell it. Keep the homely one I'm doing now. That Moberg baffle sounds like an idea for this one. It's just designed for a basic standard offset right now.

It's a sweet offset somebody should snap it up. I'll post a link to the video over in the Ugly thread where I first saw that baffle idea.

[EverydayDiesel]

I didn't do a Jambo, I did a Colson.

Already too late on the dust.


This is the firebox end plate/baffle.

First of all, I want to say, beautiful work.

I have been doing quite a bit of research on this swirling effect and I am curious how this design worked out for you

[hogaboomer]

Thanks! I had to modify it, because I put the firebox too high. It's all in this thread.

[EverydayDiesel]

Did that design give you the swirling effect that you wanted?

[hogaboomer]

Not the way I built it, everything was going pretty much straight across the top. I guess it works better with the firebox lower. Dacolson seems to have pretty good results with his.

[dacolson]

So I cant see into the pit with the doors closed. Even with the sweet X-ray glasses I got from the back of the Boys Life magazine when I was a kid. But when I open the door, I do get smoke rolling up from under the grates. It either comes from convection or gets sucked down when I open the door. I get bark all around my meat - top and bottom - so maybe that’s a better clue.


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[EverydayDiesel]

So I cant see into the pit with the doors closed. Even with the sweet X-ray glasses I got from the back of the Boys Life magazine when I was a kid. But when I open the door, I do get smoke rolling up from under the grates. It either comes from convection or gets sucked down when I open the door. I get bark all around my meat - top and bottom - so maybe that’s a better clue.


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Which one of your builds would show the famous 'dacolson' method?

I would agree that the height of the FB and original throat is definitely the issue.

I have a 250 tank that I need to cut into but I am quite confused on how to select the height of the throat where the FB and CC connect. The more I read, the more confused I get.