Getting that old offset smoker to hold temp overnight was a nightmare

Spent a whole weekend trying to seal the firebox door with gasket tape and high heat silicone, but it still leaked like crazy. Finally got it right after watching a video from a guy in Austin who used stove rope and clamps, took about 8 hours total. Anyone else have a fix for a stubborn air leak on an older pit?

3 comments

3 Comments

david9207d ago

Just spent more time sealing that stupid door than I did actually smoking the meat last month. At this point I'm half convinced the manufacturer designed it to leak on purpose, like some kind of cruel joke for weekend warriors. My neighbor saw me out there with the clamps and cement and asked if I was building a boat.

dakota_miller937d ago

Man, that stove rope and clamp trick is a game changer for sure. Had the same fight with my old Oklahoma Joe, and the firebox door was the worst. What finally did it for me was using a high temp gasket cement along with the rope, letting it cure for a full 24 hours before I even thought about lighting a fire. That extra cure time made all the difference for a solid seal.

the_cameron7d ago

Yeah, the firebox door is always the weak spot on those. I used Rutland's 500-degree cement with the rope on my last one. The trick is to put a light coat on the door itself, let it get tacky, then press the rope in and clamp it tight. That 24-hour wait is key... no shortcuts or it just fails.