OK, here I go. For the past couple of years, I've been making some pretty
passable Q with my Mecco electric bullet. I finally got around to digging
out an old ECB from the shed that my dad gave me a while back. This thing
is at least 20 years old. Anyway, I did the modifications to it and all
seems to be well. A couple of questions:

The threaded stock that I got at Ace wasn't labelled as 'galvanized'. How
would I know otherwise? How dangerous is it to use galvanized? It seems
that the only part of the stock that would heat up at all would be right
where it goes through the fire pan. Would it actually heat up enough to be
an issue? I don't smell any 'off' smells, if that means anything.

Can I add the lump to the existing fire without burning it in the chimney
first? Or should I burn it down like I did the first load?

Is there a way to cool the thing down besides opening the door on the side?
When I add a new load of lump, the temp spikes to 280+ for a while. I know
that isn't the end of the world, but I'd like to work on my temp
control...Damn, the electric was a whole lot easier to keep between 200-250!

Thanks for all the past help, and for any light you can shed on my current
plight. Next thing you know, you b**tards will have me buying a Kamado...

David

--
"If husbands are expected to go to work and earn money and visit relatives
they don't like, why can't wives put out on demand?
- Dr. Laura Schlessinger

21Twelve wrote:
> OK, here I go. For the past couple of years, I've been making some
> pretty passable Q with my Mecco electric bullet. I finally got
> around to digging out an old ECB from the shed that my dad gave me a
> while back. This thing is at least 20 years old. Anyway, I did the
> modifications to it and all seems to be well. A couple of questions:
>
> The threaded stock that I got at Ace wasn't labelled as 'galvanized'.
> How would I know otherwise? How dangerous is it to use galvanized?
> It seems that the only part of the stock that would heat up at all
> would be right where it goes through the fire pan. Would it actually
> heat up enough to be an issue? I don't smell any 'off' smells, if
> that means anything.
>
> Can I add the lump to the existing fire without burning it in the
> chimney first? Or should I burn it down like I did the first load?
>
> Is there a way to cool the thing down besides opening the door on the
> side? When I add a new load of lump, the temp spikes to 280+ for a
> while. I know that isn't the end of the world, but I'd like to work
> on my temp control...Damn, the electric was a whole lot easier to
> keep between 200-250!
>
> Thanks for all the past help, and for any light you can shed on my
> current plight. Next thing you know, you b**tards will have me
> buying a Kamado...
>
> David

If it didn't say "galvanized" it prolly isn't. Galvanizing leaves a
pewter-colored coating on metal, if that helps you tell. Yes, you can add
unlighted lump to the pan and that should help keep your spikes down. As
you noted, brief spikes don't matter.
Yes, the ******* contingent here will eventually persuade you to buy a
Kamado. ;0)
Jack Curry

Jack Curry typed:
> 21Twelve wrote:
>> OK, here I go. For the past couple of years, I've been making some
>> pretty passable Q with my Mecco electric bullet. I finally got
>> around to digging out an old ECB from the shed that my dad gave me a
>> while back. This thing is at least 20 years old. Anyway, I did the
>> modifications to it and all seems to be well. A couple of questions:
>>
>> The threaded stock that I got at Ace wasn't labelled as 'galvanized'.
>> How would I know otherwise? How dangerous is it to use galvanized?
>> It seems that the only part of the stock that would heat up at all
>> would be right where it goes through the fire pan. Would it actually
>> heat up enough to be an issue? I don't smell any 'off' smells, if
>> that means anything.

You won't notice any smell unless you have a lot of the zinc coating. Yours
probably weren't galvanized, anyway. You've probably already burnt off any
coating that is in the food chamber.

>>
>> Can I add the lump to the existing fire without burning it in the
>> chimney first? Or should I burn it down like I did the first load?

Add the lump un burned. You'll save on lump doing it that way, too. All the
burning is going to cook the food.

>>
>> Is there a way to cool the thing down besides opening the door on the
>> side? When I add a new load of lump, the temp spikes to 280+ for a
>> while. I know that isn't the end of the world, but I'd like to work
>> on my temp control...Damn, the electric was a whole lot easier to
>> keep between 200-250!

Can't help you there. On my Kamado, I close down either the vent of the door
just slightly. It takes a long time to reduce the heat.

>>
>> Thanks for all the past help, and for any light you can shed on my
>> current plight. Next thing you know, you b**tards will have me
>> buying a Kamado...

Look on alt.binaries.food about next Tuesday. I should have a picture or so
of a K-Trio <eg>

>>
>> David
>
> If it didn't say "galvanized" it prolly isn't. Galvanizing leaves a
> pewter-colored coating on metal, if that helps you tell.

And usually costs more than the bolts in the normal displays.

> Yes, you can add
> unlighted lump to the pan and that should help keep your spikes down. As
> you noted, brief spikes don't matter.
> Yes, the ******* contingent here will eventually persuade you to buy a
> Kamado. ;0)
> Jack Curry

Jack, you need another K
(another <EG>)

BOB

BOB wrote:

snipped stuff -

> Jack, you need another K
> (another <EG>)
>
Yeah, I know. I still think about gettin' a #1. So you're *finally*
getting your 5?
Jack

In article > , "Jack
Curry" > wrote:

> Yes, the ******* contingent here will eventually persuade you to buy a
> Kamado. ;0)
> Jack Curry

"*******s with Kamados" -hmmm I could see us all wearing colors
gloriously emblazoned across the back with a chugging #7...

monroe(vroooom)

In article > ,
"Jack-Curry" > wrote:

> BOB wrote:
>
> snipped stuff -
>
> > Jack, you need another K
> > (another <EG>)
> >
> Yeah, I know. I still think about gettin' a #1. So you're *finally*
> getting your 5?
> Jack

A 1 or a 3
heads or tails

monroe(deciding on another beer at the moment)

Jack-Curry typed:
> BOB wrote:
>
> snipped stuff -
>
>> Jack, you need another K
>> (another <EG>)
>>
> Yeah, I know. I still think about gettin' a #1. So you're *finally*
> getting your 5?
> Jack

My 5 is the one I got first. The #1 came several months later. The #3 will
be here Friday, just in time to talk with me to the Q-Fest in Ocala. Still
in the crate. Still waiting on the K-Lump to get off the ship.

BOB
Drive up to Ocala for the day on Saturday!

"21Twelve" > wrote in message
news:1yhgb.7637$hp5.4940@fed1read04...
|
| The threaded stock that I got at Ace wasn't labelled as 'galvanized'. How
| would I know otherwise? How dangerous is it to use galvanized? It seems
| that the only part of the stock that would heat up at all would be right
| where it goes through the fire pan. Would it actually heat up enough to
be
| an issue? I don't smell any 'off' smells, if that means anything.
|

If you wanted to play it real safe, wash the rods down with a vinegar/water
solution (using a scrub brush) and let it dry. That will take the zinc
coating off.