My New Masterbuilt 560 Gravity Feed

[rexster314]

Today I was sitting nonchalantly at my computer and my wife came in and asked me "do you want that smoker?" I had posted a picture of the new MB on Facebook a day or two ago and said it looked interesting.

Any way, we danced around it a couple of minutes, telling her it was 500 bucks and all. She told me why don't you get it? HOLY CRAP!! I checked on Walmart site and a local store had one in stock! Bought it on the spot and about an hour later I got the email saying it was ready to be picked up at the store.

Drove down, got it loaded in the Expedition and I was homeward bound.

Got it unloaded by myself (carefully) and began unboxing. I would like to meet the guy who computer designed the packing method at MB. Wow!

Got everything separated and all parts laid down on my deck. I started timing the operation when I put the first screw in the hold. Someone mentioned on a forum the assembly manual. It's mostly pictures and fairly easy to follow. With a few 10 minute breaks, I was finished in 2 hours. The worst part is starting the mounting screws for the lid handle. Mostly a blind operation and if you drop a screw in between the walls of the lid, you're pretty much out of luck getting it out. And, I did. It must be jammed somehow, cause it's not rattling. Maybe I'll get a magnet from Harbor Freight and try to get it, but it's ok if I don't.

After dinner, I got back at it to do the initial burn in and pair the cooker with my phone's MB app. Everything went good, haven't got a wi-fi connection yet, but the bluetooth connection is solid. Tomorrow I'll fiddle with the wi-fi again.

I'm probably ordering the cover for it tomorrow. I plan to do a couple racks of ribs and maybe some bbq beans tomorrow for a shakedown cook and have a 18 pound brisket waiting for me to have time to put it on.

A big, huge thanks to my wife for letting me indulge my hobby

[SMOKE FREAK]

Wow. Give your wife a hug. That's cool.

I've never seen a GF Masterbuilt. Pics would help.

[zippy12]

OH Brother... there is 2 sides to every coin!

[SMOKE FREAK]

OH Brother... there is 2 sides to every coin!

Yeah I expect there is a motive

[rexster314]

Well, I know there is THIS purse she wants

[Mark R]

I can't see nuthin, callin NPDH!!!



That purse, it albino gator with gold hardware.....or sumtin like that??

[Mark R]

It look like this?


This looks kinda scary to me? How does it keep from lighting the bricks in the hopper?

[SMOKE FREAK]

I've never seen one work. But I hear nothing but good about their stable temps. We'll see how the MB unit compares.

[crusty ol salt]

Very cool

As long as the screw is not in the electronics, I am with you. Let sleeping dogs lie.

Post pics of your adventure I am (we) are looking forward to them.

Good luck.

[HawgHeaven]

Wow. First off yer wife is definitely a keeper! Get her that purse for sure!

Never seen that smoker before... very interested in how it performs for ya'!

[SMOKE FREAK]

Very cool

As long as the screw is not in the electronics,

Just because ya got a screw loose doesn't mean ya can't turn out some pretty good Q.

[rexster314]

Very cool

As long as the screw is not in the electronics, I am with you. Let sleeping dogs lie.

Post pics of your adventure I am (we) are looking forward to them.

Good luck.

There is NO screw in the hopper. Like it's name implies, Gravity Fed. The hopper is filled with charcoal or briquettes. It's ignited by either the newspaper crumpled up or a charcoal starter. Once lit, the hopper is pretty much sealed from any downdrafts that would ignite the whole stack. In principal, it works almost like the Masterbuilt cold smoker unit only on a larger scale. The picture showing flames is when it's turned up to 700 deg for searing steaks. When I burned it in yesterday, it started out @ 250 for an hour then 400 for 30 minutes more. I would open the lid every so often and there were no flames coming out of the manifold.

[Mark R]

There is NO screw in the hopper. Like it's name implies, Gravity Fed. The hopper is filled with charcoal or briquettes. It's ignited by either the newspaper crumpled up or a charcoal starter. Once lit, the hopper is pretty much sealed from any downdrafts that would ignite the whole stack. In principal, it works almost like the Masterbuilt cold smoker unit only on a larger scale. The picture showing flames is when it's turned up to 700 deg for searing steaks. When I burned it in yesterday, it started out @ 250 for an hour then 400 for 30 minutes more. I would open the lid every so often and there were no flames coming out of the manifold.

I'm sure the pic is an exaggerated illustration. Have to take a look see how they work.

[rexster314]

Gravity fed charcoal, weight of the charcoal feeds the area where the coals are burning

[Mark R]

Gravity fed charcoal, weight of the charcoal feeds the area where the coals are burning

Okay, I get that (really). What keeps the fire from burning up through al of the bricks?? Fire does tend to burn upward and it looks like the "fire" is directly below with no seperation?