Author Topic: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts  (Read 45792 times)

old sarge

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #45 on: September 11, 2019, 11:02:07 AM »
You should be ok. Just dump the ash before refilling with pellets until you no longer need smoke.
David from Arizona
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polarlys

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #46 on: September 16, 2019, 10:51:22 AM »
I'm definitely interested in a good cold smoke generator.   That's how I like to do salmon and I'm doing some as I write this.   I was trying out a new contraption and I accept that there might be a learning curve but so far I'm not impressed.  It's one of those pentagon shaped things that you spread your wood chips on and light with a torch.   The glowing embers are supposed to slowly travel around the course providing a slow source of chosen wood smoke.    Well, ain't working too good for me.   It lights but doesn't progress.   Is it that my chips are too coarse ???   Maybe .   Are they too dry ??   Maybe.   That's what I mean about the learning curve but for me, NOW, I'm going back to my Big Kahuna and that's pumping away.    Back to the Smoking-It device.   I might, just might, be interested to look closer but there might be a deal breaker for me if I'm required to buy pellets.   I'm looking for something that will use my endless supply of scrap hardwood and hardwood wood chips.   So far that's what I have and am working with but at the same time I'm interested in seeing just what they come up with.   So,   Keep at it and let's see what you've got.
Roger from NJ
Somerset, NJ
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retired Air Nat'l. Guard
US Army '69-'72 (20th Engineers Vietnam)
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old sarge

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #47 on: September 16, 2019, 08:13:21 PM »
Your pentagon device might not be getting sufficient air to keep it going. As for the new generator from SI, I don't know is Steve has tested it with chips.
David from Arizona
US Army 70 - 95
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polarlys

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #48 on: September 17, 2019, 12:49:35 PM »
ThanX Sarge,   I appreciate your input.

There was plenty of air.   I had left the door cracked open so as to lighten up on the smoke a bit.   I had an older contraption that I had built and used for years.   I had an external box ( actually a traffic light control box) where the smoke was generated.   I had a very small squirrel cage motor on the outside with a variable speed control that would blow air directed into the box through some 3/4" tubing and it would lightly blow air into a pan filled with sawdust (or fine chips).   When I got it set right it would burn for about 4 hours on one filling.  I went through a lot of sawdust with this.  The meat or fish was in an old reefer box.   Worked great until I began to do some hot smoking then there was some plastic components in the box that fell apart.  Now the salmon I did yesterday actually came out pretty nice.   I guess with repeated attempts to light things up it got enough smoke but was too time consuming.   Still working on it.
Roger from NJ
Somerset, NJ
retired Police Officer
retired Air Nat'l. Guard
US Army '69-'72 (20th Engineers Vietnam)
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old sarge

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #49 on: September 18, 2019, 05:49:19 PM »
The Bella Smoke Generator is on the site, Accessories, Outside the box.
https://www.smokin-it.com/product-p/bsmkgen.htm
« Last Edit: September 18, 2019, 09:55:50 PM by old sarge »
David from Arizona
US Army 70 - 95
SI 3D & Big Red Controller
CS 066
Lodge Sportsman Grill
Weber Kettle
Ducane Meridian 42 inch Grill
LEM MaxVac 1088A
LEM Big Bite #8 Grinder
Chef's Choice 665 and Rival Slicers
Old Hickory Knives
InstantPot Duo80 Plus

Cheezhead

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #50 on: September 27, 2019, 10:58:18 AM »
So if I order a new smoker and the smoke generator will the unit come prepared for it?  All drilling and such done?
Thanks.

Durangosmoker

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #51 on: September 27, 2019, 04:01:58 PM »
So if I order a new smoker and the smoke generator will the unit come prepared for it?  All drilling and such done?
Thanks.

Actually, that is a good question. Will all smokers in the future come pre drilled (and somehow plugged)? I wonder if Steve has thought about that?
Eric in New York's Hudson Valley, unless I can get out to Durango.
SI #1 in Durango, #2 in NY, and thinking about a 3D.

SmokinItInfo

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #52 on: September 30, 2019, 08:05:40 AM »
At this time current smokers do not come pre-drilled to accept the Bella smoke generator.  We will be offering pre-drilled doors for the model #1, #2 and #3 smokers.   We looking in the future to add a plugged drilled hole on all smoker models to accept the Bella generator.  I am just not sure of the time frame for this production change

old sarge

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #53 on: September 30, 2019, 08:06:51 PM »
Thanks for the update!
David from Arizona
US Army 70 - 95
SI 3D & Big Red Controller
CS 066
Lodge Sportsman Grill
Weber Kettle
Ducane Meridian 42 inch Grill
LEM MaxVac 1088A
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polarlys

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #54 on: November 04, 2019, 10:09:33 AM »
Well I'm back at it again.   A few weeks ago I made some smoked salmon and it came out nicely.   Somehow,  actually by dumb luck it seems, I managed to get the big kahuna external smoke generator loaded just right and it lit and smoked for several hours.   But, as it happens to be,  I don't know just what I did right that time but can't seem to get it going nicely again.  I made some more salmon yesterday and had to keep trying to re-light it every 20 minutes or so.   I use mixed hardwood scraps from my workshop that I cut into small irregular pieces along with some coarse saw dust and shavings in hopes of getting it to light and stay going for awhile.   

Am I doing something wrong here ????   When I attempt to light it with my torch it smokes very well for awhile but just won't stay lighted as I hoped it would.   

I was looking at this Bella device that Smoking-It is offering and like the concept ( seems to be much like the Kahuna) but I don't like that it takes pellets.  So that might be a deal breaker for me.

So, still working on a workable (for me) cold smoke method.

ThanX all,
Roger from NJ
Roger from NJ
Somerset, NJ
retired Police Officer
retired Air Nat'l. Guard
US Army '69-'72 (20th Engineers Vietnam)
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Walt

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #55 on: November 04, 2019, 06:07:06 PM »
Roger, I light the Big Kahuna with a mapp gas torch (for soldering copper). once it's smoking good (with fish pump on max) I put the top cap on & leave the bottom cap off. When i check on it, 20 min later, once all is smoking well, I put the bottom on.
When smoking bacon, I usually work in the yard all day which gives me an opportunity to check in every couple hours to refill & augment with a bit more heat if needed. I only use chips or slivers & have great success.  I try for 6 to 8 hours of cold smoke finishing it off with a 2 hour hot smoke (useing no wood).  When I eventually upgrade to a 3 I will probably give this new SI unit a try as well. I wonder how it would do with chips & slivers. I have a small orchid  of about 40 trees and access to plenty pecan so would prefer to continue useing available source, like you seem to be doing. Good luck
« Last Edit: November 04, 2019, 06:13:59 PM by Walt »
Walt from South East Louisiana
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polarlys

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #56 on: November 06, 2019, 03:00:25 PM »
ThanX Walt.   I use a propane torch and get it smoking but I put the bottom cap on right away.   I'll try leaving it off for awhile maybe I'm causing too much air flow restriction and smothering it.   I would resist trying out the one they are talking about only because of the need to drill holes to mount it and supply the smoke.   

Thanx for the input. 
Roger from NJ
Somerset, NJ
retired Police Officer
retired Air Nat'l. Guard
US Army '69-'72 (20th Engineers Vietnam)
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Glock_21

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #57 on: November 29, 2019, 11:10:01 AM »
I have a couple of questions on the Bella.

Does it need to be removed when not in use for hot smoking?  The FAQ page says to remove the firebox when using the smoke generator.  Can both pieces coexist?

Could the washers / bushings that are welded to the door be provided with the Bella unit?  I assume those are stainless and are TIG welded to the production doors??

Thanks in advance.
Travis from North Central Oklahoma
SI #3 with Bella Smoke Generator, Traeger Texas Grill, Kamado Joe Classic 3 and Joe Jr, Anova WiFi 900 watt

old sarge

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #58 on: November 30, 2019, 11:39:07 AM »
I have a couple of questions on the Bella.

Does it need to be removed when not in use for hot smoking?  The FAQ page says to remove the firebox when using the smoke generator.  Can both pieces coexist?

According to Steve, the Bella can be used for hot smoking so they can indeed co-exist.  If you are going to hot smoke and use the Bella, keep the wood box on.

Could the washers / bushings that are welded to the door be provided with the Bella unit?  I assume those are stainless and are TIG welded to the production doors??

What you see in the photos are welded.  You need to ask Steve if the washers and bushings are available for separate purchase. 

Thanks in advance.
David from Arizona
US Army 70 - 95
SI 3D & Big Red Controller
CS 066
Lodge Sportsman Grill
Weber Kettle
Ducane Meridian 42 inch Grill
LEM MaxVac 1088A
LEM Big Bite #8 Grinder
Chef's Choice 665 and Rival Slicers
Old Hickory Knives
InstantPot Duo80 Plus

Glock_21

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Re: External Smoke Generator - What's your thoughts
« Reply #59 on: December 06, 2019, 03:05:01 PM »
Bella is on the way.  Time to figure out this smoked cheese thing.

Travis from North Central Oklahoma
SI #3 with Bella Smoke Generator, Traeger Texas Grill, Kamado Joe Classic 3 and Joe Jr, Anova WiFi 900 watt