I am gathering components for a cooker. In the way of thermometers, there
seems to be a wide variety. And (I think) there are a lot of ways and
places to mount them, which may or may not give one an accurate idea of the
"actual" temperature.

Personally, I kinda am leaning towards the metal dial ones with the long
probe for a couple of reasons. They're cheap. They're accurate. They're
moveable. They're easy to mount.

Should I be looking at anything more, such as a digital? And how about
placement?

And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should the
whole thermometer be inside? I know some are made to be stuck through a
hole, or work through a sheet of metal, or such. And I know there are some
that are made to sit on the shelf inside the oven.

What would you do?

Steve

On Jan 11, 9:22*am, "Steve B" > wrote:
>
> Personally, I kinda am leaning towards the metal dial ones with the long
> probe for a couple of reasons. *They're cheap. *They're accurate. *They're
> moveable. *They're easy to mount.

If you find to the metal installation easy, then by all means, this
would be the ticket.
My Klose has (a good) one and have been glad to not need a third party
one.
Make sure it's mounted near grate level, not up high somewhere
useless.

> Should I be looking at anything more, such as a digital? *And how about
> placement?


Hell no, get one of the big dial ones, mount it through the lid near
the grate in the center of the chamber and you'll be set.

> And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should the
> whole thermometer be inside?

Do you suspect that this might, just might, be dependent on the type
or design of the thermometer?

"tutall" > wrote

> And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should the
> whole thermometer be inside?

Do you suspect that this might, just might, be dependent on the type
or design of the thermometer?

*******

Yes would be my short answer.

As I indicated, that might be a stupid question. I did not elaborate,
sorry. I have seen some thermometers that are intended to be fully exposed
inside the stove/oven/cooker/whatever, and will survive that. I have seen
others that are intended for the probe to be inside, and the plastic dial
cover to be outside, as it might get damaged if brought up to the full
temperature inside the enclosure. Where I live, I have a lot of wind,
sometimes so much that I cannot even use the gas grill. I was thinking that
the wind and such may have so much an effect on that that it would give a
bad reading. I have a Vermont Castings grill, and I'm not sure about the
temperature when it's windy, but I hardly grill when it is cold or windy
because I can't get the heat up enough.

Maybe I should have said, "Which one is better, oue built for inside the
enclosure, or probe with dial outside." Apparently, they both have their
good and bad points.

When I do any project, I like to ask knowledgeable people ahead of time, as
this takes away some of the trial and error out of the learning curve. And
redoing after it's all together is almost always much harder. In that post
that gave the instructions and blueprints for the big brick smoker, he had a
"Things I'd Do Different" category, which I thought was cool, and the first
time I'd seen that. There were a couple of MAJOR changes he would make on
the next one.

Steve

www.heartsurgerysurvivalguide.com

On 1/11/2012 10:56 AM, Steve B wrote:
> Maybe I should have said, "Which one is better, oue built for inside the
> enclosure, or probe with dial outside." Apparently, they both have their
> good and bad points.

we have a simple triangle cage (2 sides and flange feet) with the temp
dial on one side of the triangle

certainly not high tech, but the single best thermometer we have for
inside the oven, bbq or...... whatever

it wasn't very expensive, it can be used at home or out camping or.....
very light, very portable and very low maintenance

kate

On 1/11/2012 11:22 AM, Steve B wrote:
> I am gathering components for a cooker. In the way of thermometers, there
> seems to be a wide variety. And (I think) there are a lot of ways and
> places to mount them, which may or may not give one an accurate idea of the
> "actual" temperature.
>
> Personally, I kinda am leaning towards the metal dial ones with the long
> probe for a couple of reasons. They're cheap. They're accurate. They're
> moveable. They're easy to mount.
>
> Should I be looking at anything more, such as a digital? And how about
> placement?
>
> And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should the
> whole thermometer be inside? I know some are made to be stuck through a
> hole, or work through a sheet of metal, or such. And I know there are some
> that are made to sit on the shelf inside the oven.
>
> What would you do?
>
> Steve
>
>

I use a dial probe at the top grate level of a WSM. It is in the
chamber and a very sloppy fit. But it works for me. You can also use a
Taylor digital and stick the probe into a potato resting on the grate
you want to monitor. I have also used an oven thermometer sitting on the
grate. But they get too smoked to read after some use.

I have also used a dial type with a long probe(designed for deep frying)
and put that in a vent on the dome of the cover. It worked. But I like
the shorter probed one into the barrel better. The fit is sloppy, but
nice to rotate it so the temp I want to cook at is at 12 o'clock
position. I can see from a distance if my temp is up, down or at my
ideal temperature.

BBQ

BBQ

--
Vegetarian

An old Indian term for poor hunter...

On 1/11/2012 12:24 PM, bbq wrote:
> I have also used an oven thermometer sitting on the grate. But they get
> too smoked to read after some use.

Easy Off oven cleaner

works a treat

kate

On Wed, 11 Jan 2012 09:22:25 -0800, "Steve B" >
wrote:

>I am gathering components for a cooker. In the way of thermometers, there
>seems to be a wide variety. And (I think) there are a lot of ways and
>places to mount them, which may or may not give one an accurate idea of the
>"actual" temperature.
>
>Personally, I kinda am leaning towards the metal dial ones with the long
>probe for a couple of reasons. They're cheap. They're accurate. They're
>moveable. They're easy to mount.

Smart. Get one that screws into a pipe thread. Weld in a coupling,
screw in the thermometer and that is all you need. It should be large
enough that you car "read" it from a distance; 3" or 4" is good. I
can look out the window at mine. I can't tell you if it is 255 or 260
from there, but I do know if the needle points between 10 o'clock and
12 o'clock, I'm cooking right.

The mount should have the probe just above the grate, about food level
where it counts.

Digital is no good as a permanent mount. It needs batteries, it will
black out in the sun, it is subject to weather.


>And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should the
>whole thermometer be inside? I know some are made to be stuck through a
>hole, or work through a sheet of metal, or such. And I know there are some
>that are made to sit on the shelf inside the oven.

Inside is OK, but you have to lift the lid and lose heat to see if it
is cooking right. If you have to make adjustments, you won't know
until you lift the lid again and throw the heat off again. Crazy. In
breezy and cool weather, that lid opening costs time and wastes fuel.

On 1/11/2012 4:27 PM, Ed Pawlowski wrote:

>
> Inside is OK, but you have to lift the lid and lose heat to see if it
> is cooking right. If you have to make adjustments, you won't know
> until you lift the lid again and throw the heat off again. Crazy. In
> breezy and cool weather, that lid opening costs time and wastes fuel.
>

I neglected to mention the disadvantages of the oven type. The opening
and closing of the cover. In upper midwest winters, opening the cover
is a very bad thing. Summer not so bad, if not doing it often.

I still use the oven type on the grate opposite of the dial I have
outside. I do this partially because I have them and also at the end of
the cook, I can see if it was hotter or cooler at the opposite side. I
don't recall the differences being much more then 10-15°

BBQ
--
Vegetarian

An old Indian term for poor hunter...

"Steve B" > wrote:
> I am gathering components for a cooker. In the way of thermometers,
> there seems to be a wide variety. And (I think) there are a lot of ways
> and places to mount them, which may or may not give one an accurate idea
> of the "actual" temperature.
>
> Personally, I kinda am leaning towards the metal dial ones with the long
> probe for a couple of reasons. They're cheap. They're accurate.
> They're moveable. They're easy to mount.
>
> Should I be looking at anything more, such as a digital? And how about
> placement?
>
> And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should
> the whole thermometer be inside? I know some are made to be stuck
> through a hole, or work through a sheet of metal, or such. And I know
> there are some that are made to sit on the shelf inside the oven.
>
> What would you do?

I like the Polder clones, Steve. The temperature probe goes inside the
cooker, either at grate level or in the meat (I have two, so do both), the
digital readout sits outside the cooker. I think there are even wireless
ones.

My New Braunsfel Cattleman offset came with a dial thermometer on top. It's
good for watching for flareups or flameouts.

HTH Good Qing.

--
Nick, KI6VAV. Support severely wounded and disabled Veterans and their
families: https://semperfifund.org https://www.woundedwarriorproject.org/
http://www.specialops.org/ http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk/ ~Semper Fi~
http://www.woundedwarriors.ca/ http://www.legacy.com.au/ ~Semper Fi~

[Q
And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should the
whole thermometer be inside?[/i][/color]


not stupid at all , but you want the reading part on the outside so you can check the temp without opening the smoker or grill....like they say...if you're lookin you ain't cookin

Hambone

Hambone > wrote:
> [Q
> And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should
> the
> whole thermometer be inside?
>
>
> not stupid at all , but you want the reading part on the outside so you
> can check the temp without opening the smoker or grill....like they
> say...if you're lookin you ain't cookin
>
> Hambone
> [/i][/color]

End of summer bought digital thermometer at kmart for $12
Stainless cable, alarm, etc. but, its 10 degrees off. I don't see any model
# or brand.

Greg

On Jan 24, 12:23*am, gregz > wrote:
> Hambone > wrote:
> > [Q
> > And one last question, which may or may not be stupid ......... should
> > the
> > whole thermometer be inside?
>
> > not stupid at all , but you want the reading part on the outside so you
> > can check the temp without opening the smoker or grill....like they
> > say...if you're lookin you ain't cookin
>
> > Hambone
>
> *End of summer bought digital thermometer at kmart for $12
> Stainless cable, alarm, etc. but, its 10 degrees off. I don't see any model
> # or brand.
>
> Greg[/i][/color]

why complain. use advanced math and compensate for the 10 degrees.

I am still unable to understand that whats exactly it is
what u want to be express kindly some widely





______________________
Fishing Lodges Alaska

I also use a Taylor but put the probe through a big cork stopper. Unlike the tater, the cork doesn't cook up, get mushy & fall apart when I want to move the probe to another section of my grate to check temp variances.

-frohe

Moveable?? Not hardly. Once you drill your hole, that therm is there to stay unless you plan to plug up the hole each time you want to move it. -g-

As I mentioned elsewhere, I have a digi-therm with the probe through a big cork stopper. Every fire in your cooker is gonna burn a little bit differently based on the weather conditions at the time and you'll want to identify those cool/warm spots as well as any hot spots on your grate.

While I'm at it, I have a general observation for you. Most folks starting out in the BBQ Club wanna "go big" thinking that's the way to go. Then they spend tons of money only to find out they should have started small and graduated up a bit at a time once they have more knowledge about BBQing and their true love for the art.

If I were you, I'd buy a moderately priced cooker and first concentrate on learning the art of making great BBQ. Mind you that'll take you a few seasons. By then you'll have a much bettter idea of what it takes to make great BBQ, what you want from your next cooker and will make an educated purchase based on what you've learned. Right now it appears you're not sure what you want and as such you're likely to buy something you'll find out later you should have spent for cold beer instead.

Buying a cooker and all the stuff you need to make great BBQ is like making BBQ in the first place - go low & slow.

-frohe

"frohe49" > wrote in message
...
>
> 'Steve B[_13_ Wrote:
>> ;1702955']Personally, I kinda am leaning towards the metal dial ones
>> with the long probe for a couple of reasons. They're cheap. They're
>> accurate. They're moveable. They're easy to mount.
>>
>
>
> Moveable?? Not hardly. Once you drill your hole, that therm is there
> to stay unless you plan to plug up the hole each time you want to move
> it. -g-
>
> As I mentioned elsewhere, I have a digi-therm with the probe through a
> big cork stopper. Every fire in your cooker is gonna burn a little bit
> differently based on the weather conditions at the time and you'll want
> to identify those cool/warm spots as well as any hot spots on your
> grate.
>
> While I'm at it, I have a general observation for you. Most folks
> starting out in the BBQ Club wanna "go big" thinking that's the way to
> go. Then they spend tons of money only to find out they should have
> started small and graduated up a bit at a time once they have more
> knowledge about BBQing and their true love for the art.
>
> If I were you, I'd buy a moderately priced cooker and first concentrate
> on learning the art of making great BBQ. Mind you that'll take you a
> few seasons. By then you'll have a much bettter idea of what it takes
> to make great BBQ, what you want from your next cooker and will make an
> educated purchase based on what you've learned. Right now it appears
> you're not sure what you want and as such you're likely to buy something
> you'll find out later you should have spend for cold beer instead.
>
> Buying a cooker and all the stuff you need to make great BBQ is like
> making BBQ in the first place - go low & slow.
>
> -frohe
>
>
>
>
> --
> frohe49
>

What he said. You can rig up one of these for the $19.00 it takes to buy
the grid.
The rest can be had for little or nothing. Take care sourcing your drum.
(make sure it didn't contain anything flammable or poisonous)

http://www.bigdrumsmokers.com/about.htm

That worked for me about 5 years before I thought I needed anything more
complicated.
(I still whip it out upon occasion.)