Shawn Martin wrote:
> Dave Turner wrote:
>> Bill wrote:
>>> In article <tdGvi.13685$eY.1820
>>> @newssvr13.news.prodigy.net>, says...
>>>> Morning folks,
>>>> Been following the group discussions trying to get a free education,
>>>> and since none of you are able to read my mind I guess I have to ask.
>>>>
>>>> On the use of sand as opposed to water in the smoker, what effect
>>>> does that have on temperature control? Would the unit tend to run
>>>> hotter with sand, or do I not understand the principal involved? I
>>>> thought that since water will usually hover at 212 degrees it acted
>>>> as a stabilizing force whereas sand can go much higher in
>>>> temperature. I'm going to do a rack today, and I am really
>>>> interested in this because of the ungodly mess that is left in the
>>>> water pan to be cleaned up.
>>>>
>>> <snip>
>>>
>>> The idea is to dampen wide swings in temperature in your smoker with
>>> a heat sink.
>>>
>>> What happens with water is that it absorbs heat, slowing down the
>>> rise in temperature in your smoker. At boiling point it becomes steam
>>> but will still absorb heat. The drawback is the steam escapes out the
>>> flue wasting heat energy. Eventually you run dry and have to
>>> replenish, which further wastes heat energy by opening the door to
>>> fill the water pan.
>>>
>>> Sand also absorbs heat but doesn't evaporate so energy isn't wasted
>>> through evaporation or replenishment, lessening fuel use.
>>>
>>> When you open the smoker to add/remove food, add fuel, mop, etc.,
>>> you cause a temperature drop, the heat sink releases heat to the
>>> smoker to bring the temperature back up to operating temps more
>>> quickly to lower the overall cooking time.
>>> They're are folks here that will tell you that heat sinks aren't
>>> necessary and they would be correct, they aren't. What I find the
>>> heat sink does for you is to allow you to be a bit less zealous in
>>> your pit tending.
>>>
>>> You can make good barbecue with/without water, with/without sand,
>>> with/without ant heatsink at all. It all depends on how you want to
>>> do it.
>>>
>>>> Dave
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> Bill
>> It all makes sense. The only thing that was on my mind is that I
>> haven't yet bothered to buy a decent smoker, so controlling
>> temperature is not as easy for me as for some. I have a small
>> Char-Broil that is open on the bottom, and has only one damper on the
>> top. I intend to get a WSM but have not done so yet. I grill more than
>> anything else on my Weber performer and one-touch, and am satisfied
>> with the results I get, but I need to move on to doing more barbecue.
>>
>> Thanks to all for the info...
>>
>> Dave
>
>
> check out this smoker. If I recall correctly, one of our posters built
> one a while back for about $35.00 He said it was the best smoker he had
> ever used.
Man, am I loosing it! Here's the link

http://www.bigdrumsmokers.com/

(Damn! Haven't even started drinking yet.)