Collector styles: Franklin vs. Jambo

[Connor_Macleod]

Continuing my research, I'm noticing that two of the main collector (where the stack attaches) styles seem to be the Franklin style, which is more horizontal, and the Jambo style, which is more vertical.

I have heard people say the Franklin style is better for providing more even temperatures across the cooking surface, while the Jambo style creates some useful variations in temperature across the grates.

What thoughts do you guys have about the differences between these collector styles? How big of a deal is the collector style in the scheme of things for cooking performance?

"Franklin style" (generally)

"Jambo style"

 

[gtsum]

As far as the end result, I don’t think it matters…any high quality offset will cook well…with slight variations and characteristics unique to them. Just pick one, learn the pit and be happy. That said, I’m not a fan at all of the tiny firebox on the jambo and outlaw type cookers…seems like they are made to burn charcoal in a basket with a single log on it for smoke……vs an oversize round firebox like on workhorse, Franklin or others. but that’s just my observation.


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[FishinMusician]

That said, I’m not a fan at all of the tiny firebox on the jambo and outlaw type cookers…seems like they are made to burn charcoal in a basket with a single log on it for smoke……vs an oversize round firebox like on workhorse, Franklin or others. but that’s just my observation.


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At the end of the day (<- cliche) you're still talking a large cook chamber with a decent sized exhaust pulling from an offset firebox. Maybe you gotta use smaller splits, but it seems the process would be the same: Start fire (lump, briquette, propane, whatever) --> Add splits every hour or so for smoke and to replenish your heat source.



You can cook with charcoal on any traditional offset, you're just not cooking very long if you're not maintaining your fuel. Now obviously, with a dedicated basket in a smaller fire box that time increases.

 

[Nuco59]

I'm not sure which is better. I can say I like the look of the Franklin collector. If I ever get off my azz and convert the 60 gallon compressor tank to a smoker, I will use that style. I think the collector is a piece of the puzzle but is it the most important thing to make sure and get the "right" collector? Stack height, diameter, throat relation to grate height, and what sort of baffle might play parts of equal importance. They all play nice together and it could be a beautiful thing.

 

[1MoreFord]

............... That said, I’m not a fan at all of the tiny firebox on the jambo and outlaw type cookers…seems like they are made to burn charcoal in a basket with a single log on it for smoke……vs an oversize round firebox like on workhorse, Franklin or others. but that’s just my observation.


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I spent a couple of days at a comp with a guy(our own MIA Double D's BBQ) who had just picked up a Jambo and went to the comp on his way home. Kinda gutsy!

He started his fire with charcoal and fed it full firewood sized sticks from then on. He spent a couple of days at Jamie's where he showed him fire management at his shop. Beautiful thin blue the entire time and no temp problems.

He came back to the same comp the next year with the same method and results. YMMV

 

[sudsandswine]

As far as the end result, I don’t think it matters…any high quality offset will cook well…with slight variations and characteristics unique to them. Just pick one, learn the pit and be happy. That said, I’m not a fan at all of the tiny firebox on the jambo and outlaw type cookers…seems like they are made to burn charcoal in a basket with a single log on it for smoke……vs an oversize round firebox like on workhorse, Franklin or others. but that’s just my observation.


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Every time I've seen a Jambo in person the firebox has appeared quite large in comparison to the cook chamber.

 

[Dustin Dorsey]

I think the Franklin style collector gives you a space outside the cook surface where that hot spot can be and kind of funnels that air into the stack. I don't see how the Jambo style collector could do that. I'm not saying anything against the Jambo, I just don't think it's the same concept.

 

[SmoothBoarBBQ]

Those Jambo fireboxes are actually quite large...there's enough room to have your fire in separate locations if you desired. When I took Tuffy Stone's competition class he had his "double barreled" Jambo out there (2 full cookers on the same frame), and the fireboxes were enormous and extremely spacious. Great smoker all around and it drafted perfectly so I think Jamie got everything just right. I do remember him (Jamie Geer) telling a story about how he spent a while moving the angle and placement of the intake until he got it exactly where he wanted it, and that has been his design ever since.

Aesthetically I like the "Franklin collector" but I think there's so much more to the equation than just "Franklin vs Jambo" exhaust stack designs. Neither of them is better than the other as it depends on many other factors. Go with whatever you prefer and make adjustments as necessary.

 

[Connor_Macleod]

I spent a couple of days at a comp with a guy(our own MIA Double D's BBQ) who had just picked up a Jambo and went to the comp on his way home. Kinda gutsy!

He started his fire with charcoal and fed it full firewood sized sticks from then on. He spent a couple of days at Jamie's where he showed him fire management at his shop. Beautiful thin blue the entire time and no temp problems.

He came back to the same comp the next year with the same method and results. YMMV

Cool story! I've heard a guy say that he likes the Jambo setup for competitions because of the temperature variations across the cook chamber for cooking the various categories.

Also, the Jambo fireboxes look proportionately large to me, but I recognize some of that may be since they are insulated.

 

[gtsum]

Every time I've seen a Jambo in person the firebox has appeared quite large in comparison to the cook chamber.

The outside yes, but the inside?? Maybe I’m getting outlaw confused with jambo?


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[rque]

That may be, the Outlaw Patio has a fire basket that only fits a split or two at a time, the idea being it’s mostly coals. You can see that in this video:

https://youtu.be/z0kSf2IiEjY

 

[1MoreFord]

.........I've heard a guy say that he likes the Jambo setup for competitions because of the temperature variations across the cook chamber for cooking the various categories...........

I've heard the same thing more than once.

 

[Lynn Dollar]

I've heard the same thing more than once.

Local guy who dominates in Oklahoma and has won the American Royal and the Jack Daniels, Travis Clark , cooks on a Jambo.


He says when he practices a new recipe, he cooks all the meats on his Jambo just as he would during a comp. He said if he did not do that, the meat would cook differently.

 

[sudsandswine]

I took a class from an accomplished team that used a Jambo. There was some temperature variation across the grate surface which I don’t think is particularly unusual for an offset but it was used strategically for the comp cook. It wasn’t egregious and the upper shelf definitely had a bigger difference than any variation across the main grate. My Shirley had various areas I preferred to cook certain things too.

Aside from the thread hijack, I’m not a fluid dynamics expert, but if I were going to fab up my own offset I would go more the Franklin style. I think it would result in less turbulence at the end of the cooker but maybe not. The results seem to speak for themselves.