the Prairie BBQ Association

Re: Stumper repairs required

Hotdog — Sat May 28, 2011 6:43 am

Author: Hotdog

Posted: Sat May 28, 2011 6:43 am

Very good read here!

Just wondering if some of the changes you all made have worked now that its been several years? Would any of you do anything different today?
Sounds like 1/2" thick plate is a must for the fire box area. What about the insulation around the firebox area, would you all still do that?

Im wanting to get mine started, but haven't had time the past year or so, WAAAAYYYYyyyyyyy to busy at work (but that a good thing).

THANKS

Re: Stumper repairs required

smokinJim — Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:37 pm

Author: smokinJim

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:37 pm

Well Steve, outside of the length of time it took to get up to cooking temperature, mine held at 270-275F for the longest time, with no adjusting. I forgot that the actual temp on the shelves was 50 deg F hotter than the thermometers and that is why I was running at the higher temp. I know it will be different with meat and other food in it, but it keeps a steady temp without assistance. Even Stump has gone back to the "original" GF, so that leads me to believe that the Stokers and Gurus are not really necessary. Each to his own on that though.

Re: Stumper repairs required

SStory — Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:19 pm

Author: SStory

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:19 pm

Glad to hear your stumper is breathing again. Now you just gotta learn to coom on it again.

I'm still learning home mine cooks since the repair work. The Stoker does help though, but I think I use more lump with it -- but I'll take that to maintain steady temps all day.

Re: Stumper repairs required

jet_deck — Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:11 pm

Author: jet_deck

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 6:11 pm

It is good to know that someone gets good fuel mileage. And again, if you deviate from the know clone size, fuel mileage will probably suffer.

Re: Stumper repairs required

smokinJim — Sun Jun 15, 2008 4:38 pm

Author: smokinJim

Posted: Sun Jun 15, 2008 4:38 pm

Well I went out this am at 8:30 and the temp on the shelves was still at 150F, which is a good "holding temperature". So from 10:30pm until 8:30 am the cooker dropped about 100F in 10 hours. The fire was all but out at 8:30. That is a lot of mileage out of about 9 lbs of lump.

Re: Stumper repairs required

smokinJim — Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:37 pm

Author: smokinJim

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:37 pm

Just went out and checked the stumper. It is rock steady at 225F on the door, top and bottom (that is about 260-270F on the shelves). All I put in was about 5 chimneys of lump. That is 7.5 hours running. I am curious as to what the temp will be in the morning. I sure like the idea of not having to be constantly feeding and checking the fire. Good to have it back up and running again, for sure.

Re: Stumper repairs required

Oz — Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:12 pm

Author: Oz

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 10:12 pm

I feel your pain Jim. Bottom racks are for yardird and briskets with my clone. I put the big cuts and the fast cookers on the bottom 2 shelves. I am cooking 3 briskets for Fathers Day. Isn't that the day Fathers work? Enjoy!

Re: Stumper repairs required

smokinJim — Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:31 pm

Author: smokinJim

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 5:31 pm

At 4:30 I took the sausage off. They were all at 195F, just a little more done than I would have liked, but they tasted just fine. I forgot that when the door is indicating 250F, that it is actually about 40 deg hotter on the shelves. Got to learn how to cook on that thing again now.

Re: Stumper repairs required

smokinJim — Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:51 pm

Author: smokinJim

Posted: Sat Jun 14, 2008 3:51 pm

Well, back from the fishing trip and needing to get the stumper going for next weekend catering, I got it out of the shop and a fire it as I type. Started with 1/2 chimney of lit Basque's lump at 1 pm, 1:15 I added another 1/2 chimney in the ash pan. 2" ball valve wide open. By 2:30 the bottom thermometer was at 350F and the top at 225F. I closed the ball valve to about 1/4 open and let her go until 3 pm. Temp stabilized to 250F top and bottom. 3:45 I put 3 sausages on, 1 on the bottom, 1 next up and the last one next up again. Nothing on the top shelf. I want to see how even they cook on each shelf. I will let them go for 1 hour and check. Sure smells good.

Re: Stumper repairs required

smokinJim — Sat May 17, 2008 6:35 pm

Author: smokinJim

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 6:35 pm

Thanks Tom, I appreciate that.

Re: Stumper repairs required

Oz — Sat May 17, 2008 6:30 pm

Author: Oz

Posted: Sat May 17, 2008 6:30 pm

Personally, I have been holding off due to the elder respect thing and all that.

Re: Stumper repairs required

smokinJim — Fri May 16, 2008 8:25 am

Author: smokinJim

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 8:25 am

Well Steve, between Bertha, 2 WSM's, 1 drum and my offset, I have not had to use the gasser for any "smoke cooked foods". It will be good to get the Stumper back working though. And why shouldn't YOU take a shot, everyone else that gets a chance does.

Re: Stumper repairs required

SStory — Fri May 16, 2008 7:38 am

Author: SStory

Posted: Fri May 16, 2008 7:38 am

Jim, that's great news. Congrats! It's a good thing you have other pits to use while this one was out of commission. Or have you just been using the gasser? Sorry, I had to take my turn at poking the big bear.

Re: Stumper repairs required

smokinJim — Thu May 15, 2008 10:28 pm

Author: smokinJim

Posted: Thu May 15, 2008 10:28 pm

Well I gave the repair job its final coat of high heat paint tonight, and when I get back from Sask. I am going to give it a good cleaning and then fire it up. Should be fire in the hole one week from tomorrow. Maybe have to throw on some meat as well and see if it still works as good as it used to. Will take pictures when I get back and get it fired up.

Re: Stumper repairs required

Oz — Sat May 10, 2008 8:24 pm

Author: Oz

Posted: Sat May 10, 2008 8:24 pm

Jim, Glad to hear you are close to the end.