Master forge charcoal idea/input please

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walley_eye

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So a while back I got my Master Forge charcoal smoker and did the Brinkman mods to the charcoal pan, ball valve air intakes and weber top vent.

The problem I found is that using the minion method is that the charcoal would burn in the direction of the open air intake nipple or ball valve and I couldn't keep the temp where it needed to be.

So here's my new idea.

I'm thinking of using the Weber smokey Joe silver tuna can air intake under the charcoal grill and using the ball valve to maybe add more air in flow to try to keep the temp where it needs to be.

What are your thoughts and ideas please?

 
We're temps too high or too low? What temp were you trying to maintain? If trying for 225* but running hotter just go with it anywhere 300* n under. I think 275* is Best All Around Everything BBQ Temp.

If temps were too low try Briquetts instead of Lump. Hot usually burns a little Hotter but needs more airflow in my experiences.
 
I have the same pit
13a242da-df54-4a69-aed7-11aa61ad6d98.jpg


I installed 3 3/4 close nipples and have a ball valve on one. You have to block the big hole in the bottom of the ash catcher I used an electrical box cover plate. Put some bolts through the coal pan to hold a charcoal grate for a Weber 18" kettle so your coals are not sitting in the ashes. I run mine at 275 -350 most of the time my start up is to burry 3-5 chunks of wood in a full pan and light up 20 briquettes once they are ashed over dump them on top and spread them out you will get an even burn. I run with my ball valve 2/3 open and 1 nipple open. I get about 10 hrs run time.
 
Like Blu mentions, cover the bottom hole, I used an elec. cover plate.

If you want to be able to smoke for 18hrs un-touched, cut out the bottom of your coal pan.

A Webber coal grate, some expanded metal, 3 or 4 (your choice) 2.5" bolts/nuts for legs to make a real coal basket.



Seal up the lid/barrel interface, you can use smaller fire pit rope and high temp RTV, this was all they had at the time at the hardware store.

You have your intake set up and should be good to go if you want to go this route. Just a suggestion.
 
Bludawg said:
I have the same pit
13a242da-df54-4a69-aed7-11aa61ad6d98.jpg


I installed 3 3/4 close nipples and have a ball valve on one. You have to block the big hole in the bottom of the ash catcher I used an electrical box cover plate. Put some bolts through the coal pan to hold a charcoal grate for a Weber 18" kettle so your coals are not sitting in the ashes. I run mine at 275 -350 most of the time my start up is to burry 3-5 chunks of wood in a full pan and light up 20 briquettes once they are ashed over dump them on top and spread them out you will get an even burn. I run with my ball valve 2/3 open and 1 nipple open. I get about 10 hrs run time.
Click to expand...

I have the model pictured as well--however when I ordered it about 2 years ago from a Lowes in a neighboring state, it was a clearance item, being succeeded (at least at Lowes) by a Master Forge model that was only a little over 20 inches tall. (!) So I'm wondering, since it isn't apparent from OP's photo, if he has our model.

I installed 3 nipples with 3/4 inch conduits at the bottom sides, and covered the bottom intake with a large "decor" magnet [whatever that is] from Harbor Freight. Drilled 3 3/4 inch holes in the top, and put an oven rope on the lip of the dome to keep smoke from flowing out there, then simply used high heat aluminum tape for the other seams.

The tuna can sounds like an interesting idea. I put a tuna can with holes punched into it over the decor magnet in mine, in order to provide support for the piece of expanded metal that I set down into the bottom of the fire pan (having cut out the bottom of the pan)--just in case in might otherwise sag and need support. Don't suppose there would be any safety concerns with the OP's idea, as long as the smoker is sitting directly on a fireproof surface.
 
creekwalker said:
ebijack, what width is the Weber coal grate you used for your coal basket?
Click to expand...

That smoker is out on loan, but I believe it was the one for a Jumbo Joe weber. Just measure your aluminum coal pan bottom and get a grate that is close to that and you should be fine. The aluminum coal pan is easy to cut with tin snips. You need the top ring of it so the barrel still has something to sit/seal on and still lock to the bottom.
Hope that helps.
 
I'm not a fan of fiberglass rope around my meat. I used cotton close line rope on mine works just fine and available even at Walgreens IIRC a 50' hank was 2.00. I cut my Weber style exhaust damper from some scrap aluminum. My biggest expense was the the charcoal grates from Weber for 18" charcoal grills.
 
I already did the charcoal pan cutout replacing it with the weber smokey Joe grill.

Today I took off the electrical placate covering the hole on the bottom and covered it with my tuna can with holes drilled in it so we will see how that works tomorrow.

I did try something interesting though. I put the smoker body on to of the weber smokey Joe gold and it fir daily well but was an exact fit. How do you think this might work?

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"The problem I found is that using the minion method is that the charcoal would burn in the direction of the open air intake nipple or ball valve and I couldn't keep the temp where it needed to be." around 220F.
 
I don't think you will be able to control your temps like that. But give it a go.
 
That Idea is as useful as a screen door on a submarine. Stop fartin around GO here read it and do the mods as described. It's how I did mine with the exception of the intake mods you already have. What is so special about 220?? Let 'er rip and cook where it settles in, you keep fighting it to keep the temp down you will end up with a dirty fire and a creosote baste on the ribs. I don't cook below 300 no reason not to.
 
Around 225 I have read is supposed to be ideal.

I did those mods except for the air intake on the bottom. I did mine on the sides and found if I didn't have all three open the coal would burn in the direction of the air hole and then go out using the minion method.

I'm trying to keep the coal burning more evenly by using the tuna tin with the air coming from right underneath the lit coal and not making a mess under the smoker.
 
Well I reckon you got'er all figured out buddy I guess I've been cooking things to hot maybe thats why I don't need to put my teeth in to eat it.
 
225* is Old Hat, 275* is Where It's At. :mrgreen: you gonna have a hard time maintaining 220-225* - esp with Lump.
 
ebijack said:
That smoker is out on loan, but I believe it was the one for a Jumbo Joe weber. Just measure your aluminum coal pan bottom and get a grate that is close to that and you should be fine. The aluminum coal pan is easy to cut with tin snips. You need the top ring of it so the barrel still has something to sit/seal on and still lock to the bottom.
Hope that helps.
Click to expand...

That's exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks!
 
Customer service sent me extra smoker body sections for mine since a couple of them were badly out of round. I decided to knock the extra (small) smoker body section that I was left with partly back into shape and add it to the assembly. (The process of attaching it got it wrenched the rest of the way into proper shape) This gave me enough height to make sure I could cook directly over the fire on both grill levels without a diffuser of any sort.

I've been cooking that way, with direct radiant heat, and mostly at about 300 degrees--and have not had any tenderness problems on that account. Moreover, for whatever reasons, I find that everything comes out exceptionally moist in this cooker, used this way. Butts are moist enough that I have to super-concentrate my tossing sauce in order to get as much flavor as I prefer into the meat.
 
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