Deflector Tweaks

[DDave]

Another chapter in the continuing saga of the UDS deflector.

Still looking for that elusive balance between burn time and control.

A while back I found this pizza crisper from Walmart.



It was a great start but still knocked a little too much off of the burn time for my liking. I'd still like to get 10 to 12 hours of good cooking time after an hour or two of warm up time. Don't know if it's realistic but we'll see.

So . . . I need a little more airflow through the plate. Got a step bit but it's a pain with a hand drill so I went to the maintenance shop at work. They have a drill press.



No, I didn't borrow Rich's camera. It's my Blackberry camera.

Anyway, clamped it down and started drilling.



And here's what I ended up with.



I'm thinking I might need another ring of somewhat smaller holes insided the first ring, but decided to go a different route than I normally do and try 1 change at a time instead of 27 or so.

Probably won't be able to test it until next Saturday but am looking forward to the test run.

Dave

[Richtee]

Dave... in the Weber I use HD foil over a grate. And I can custom cover only under what the meat's on, leaving the "unmeated above" areas open. I do a loin, I have a strip of foil. I do 3 racks in the holder I still have 2" open on either side for heat.

[BBQ Engineer]

Dave,

My thought was If you take much more metal away, you will be left with a grate...which gave me this idea...by taking 2 pieces of expanded metal and rotating them 90° from each other and positioning them so the open space of one is on the closed and connected part of the other, you get a lot of coverage but still have some open spaces like what you are going for. May be worth a look if the pizza crisper doesn't "pan out". It would be variable too. This works more if it is a smaller opening expanded metal.

[THE__DRIFTER]

Along the same idea, and I have not built one of these yet, what if you use 2 plates of equal size? Center drill them, bolt together in the center, then drill your series of larger equal size holes. Then it could be adjusted simply buy turning a bit at a time, either allowing more or less flow as needed? Has this already been tried?

[DDave]

Dave... in the Weber I use HD foil over a grate. And I can custom cover only under what the meat's on, leaving the "unmeated above" areas open.

That's a good idea. But my main purpose is to interrupt the airflow. I could do that with foil too, I suppose. And I don't know that I want to block it completely in the center. I think the smaller holes do a pretty good job of dispersing the fat drippings. I'll be able to judge that better the next time I do a butt. Not really enough fat dripping down with the ribs to get that overpowering fat vaporizaton.

Dave,
by taking 2 pieces of expanded metal and rotating them 90° from each other and positioning them so the open space of one is on the closed and connected part of the other, you get a lot of coverage but still have some open spaces like what you are going for.

Another good idea. I thought about that or even trying a piece of the smaller expanded metal in the center.

Along the same idea, and I have not built one of these yet, what if you use 2 plates of equal size? Center drill them, bolt together in the center, then drill your series of larger equal size holes. Then it could be adjusted simply buy turning a bit at a time, either allowing more or less flow as needed?

Yet another good idea. Making them adjustable would aid in the trial and error process. But what I am envisioning won't need to be adjustable. When I get the proper balance of "burn time" to "sensitivity" for my drum anyway, it should be constant.

Thanks.

Dave

[wutang]

I like this one. Easily removable. I really like my drum the way it is ...but wouldn't mind using a deflector when smoking certain things.

But soon I am plotting on some cold-smoking mods for a UDS too. Maybe a deflector would aid in that even more. I will be watching for your test runs and review.

[Richtee]

I like this one. Easily removable. I really like my drum the way it is ...but wouldn't mind using a deflector when smoking certain things.

I think that matters alot. I mean a chicken, or parts, or even fatties, things only on the smoker an hour or so...it might matter less. But a butt or brisket going 8+ hours in greasy smoke... that'll leave a mark.

[minnbill]

Love the waterpan on the wsm,catches all the bad fat and deflects the heat

[Slanted88]

No heat sink today! WFO...rocked! Pic's... Louie took the memory card...to Walgreen's...On Natty...dern sure a good butt on the rotator...n' spatched bird...

[DDave]

But soon I am plotting on some cold-smoking mods for a UDS too. Maybe a deflector would aid in that even more. I will be watching for your test runs and review.

I bet the Amazen Smoker (or however you spell it ) would do the trick in a UDS.

I think that matters alot. I mean a chicken, or parts, or even fatties, things only on the smoker an hour or so...it might matter less. But a butt or brisket going 8+ hours in greasy smoke... that'll leave a mark.

That's my view. Ribs don't seem to bother me much. But a butt or brisket after several hours, sheesh, a little overpowering for me.

No heat sink today! WFO...rocked!

Yep, all intakes WFO . . . no deflector . . . good coal bed . . . hits 400°+ . . . good chicken . . . and tri tips too.

Dave

[Pandemonium]

That's my view. Ribs don't seem to bother me much. But a butt or brisket after several hours, sheesh, a little overpowering for me.




Overpowering for you or your wife? hmmm lol I see the real problem I think haha She cant see here, you can tell us lol

[lcruzen]

Overpowering for you or your wife? hmmm lol I see the real problem I think haha She cant see here, you can tell us lol

Dude, they see everything everywhere!

On that note the BB's I did for my 1st UDS smoke were awesome and the wife loved em but siad she had heartburn the rest of the day, but I didn't foil them so they had 5 hours of smoke. Didn't affect me that way though and since I wear the pants.........I'll be foiling after a couple of hours!

[DDave]

Overpowering for you or your wife? hmmm lol I see the real problem I think haha She cant see here, you can tell us lol

For me. Not so noticeable if I foil but if I don't foil, after awhile the smoke starts getting white from all the grease, not very appetizing. Sometimes doing a brisket it will get that way even before the foil stage.

I think it's like smoke in general. A little is good, more is not necessarily better. This deflector has lots of holes in it so some of the fat dripping will get vaporized. The meat just won't bathe in greasy smoke.

Dude, they see everything everywhere!

On that note the BB's I did for my 1st UDS smoke were awesome and the wife loved em but siad she had heartburn the rest of the day, but I didn't foil them so they had 5 hours of smoke. Didn't affect me that way though and since I wear the pants.........I'll be foiling after a couple of hours!

A deflector will help with that, too, Lou. Last rack of spares I did -- 6 hours, no foil, RO lump, used the deflector. Ann said they were the best ever!!

She tended to get heartburn early in my smoking career too.

Dave

[Nowake]

I finally tried out my plate this past weekend. 17" diameter .120 plate no holes. I was very pleased with how it performed and really tamed down the lid lifting spikes I was getting. One chimney full of lit coals over a half full basket gave me a solid 6 hours of cook time. My basket is pretty large but I'm thinking a 12 hour cook with the plate as is would be pushing it.

In time I might be looking for a similar mod for extended times. Then again, I like the performance of the solid plate so well, I may just make a larger basket for the long smokes.

[Hippy]

Had a brinkman vertical cheapo as my first smoker. Similar to a drum but not nearly as efficient. I hated having to remember to add water to the water pan. But it helped catch grease and helped with the heat deflection.

I filled the brinkman pan with sand, covered it with foil. Made a well in the middle for trapping grease and it worked well. Both as a heat deflector and also a grease trap.

Never have used a UDS, not sure if it would work for them or not.