This is tough for me because I started it in spring worked on it a week then stopped due home remodeling and gardening, next thing ya know its sept.
Also yual have to put up with my bad spelling,poor composistion skills, warped sense of humor and typing with 1 finger(not the middle one). Also my camera broke so some build pics are not there but I just bought a new camera so i'll have most pics. This is probably going to be a bit boring at first but I hope it will come out ok.
Oh,I'm still working on It and hope to have it done in two weeks'
Bought the JJ to use it as a dedicated smoker because I can't be spending $325 or more on one and I think I can build a nice one for $125-$150 (including the JJ).Also there is no way I'm spending $100+ on a steamer pot.
I want this to be a versatile, good looking, strong ,inexpensive smoker. Oh good looking to me means NO ugly bolts or nuts protruding into the cook chamber also no unnessary bolt heads on the outside either.
First thing I did was to build a remote.
The remote and hardware costs $3.29
There are 2 reasons why I didn't want to bend the tab because there is a chance that I would screw up the daisy wheel.
Wacked the head off the lag bolt to shorten it and threaded it, also cut the other end to shorten it.
Bent my own piece of scrap alum and mounted it.
Remote installed. The heat sink bolt in preloaded onto the ash dish and is necessary because I don't want to cook my cock or my finger.
That's as far as I got now its Sept and I'm continuing on it.(some build pics not available as camera broke).
This project is reminding me of the days when I was a youngster playing baseball, I either struck out or hit home runs.
Bought a 14''x25' roll on Alum flashing and use a 1''x1/16 alum bar at the bottom because I thought it would be easier to bend. Also have '69 cook grate I cut up for the bottom(mistake?). I noticed that the new cook grate has less metal and is only .135 for the horizontals and the ring and handles are .160.
The old grate is .180-.190 everywhere and 3.5oz heavier.
Used a3/4x1/8 alum bar for the top ring and made brackets 1/16 alum for handles.
These are the only fasteners that can be seen on the outside when the extension is used.
Flashing picture showing aluminum rivets @bottom and handles installed.
Top Aluminum ring and fastener detail. Note nothing protruding into the chamber over 1/8 inch.
Inside view of the '69 grate and ring install. BTW when installing the lower or upper grate they don't just drop or fall in, you must start them in at a angle and push them down which is a good thing. Nice, tighter than hillaireies NRA-ILA donations.
Another view of the fastener and grate to ring detail. Ring is 3'' down.
Outside seam shot no ugly fasteners shown. Actually you can only see a maximum of 2 fasteners at any angle of the extension and sometimes only 1 which the SS acorn nuts are not bad looking. You can barely see a rivet in this shot.
Next thing I did was to disassemble the daisy wheel, enlarge 2 holes ,remove the stops ,fix the ash dish so it can't move and put index marks on it for wfo, 1/2 and 1/4 openings. The reason for opening the holes is when ''full open'' 2 holes were not fully open.
Flip phone pics ,sorry camera was broke.
The enlarged holes and stops removed.
Reinstalled with the bolt/nut backwards (opposite of weber's JJ assembly) and index marks put on. Note the dish is fixed with aluminum wire so it doesn't move when changing air flow rates. (The heat sink is preloaded to the dish).
This is a WIP and not finished yet but so far it's lookin Purdy (good).
Stay tuned as I hope to at least get it 99% done. Also I'm not sure if I'm going to use the snake,weber baskets or a center basket or ?whatever as a fuel set up.
How it looks so far with only 2 fasteners showing in front view.
Questions, comments ,suggestions, ataboys or flame aways are always welcome.
More stuff going on with this wip.