jef400dread

How well does that ceramic insulation work? I'm having a hard time locating a propane tank large enough, not to mention a professional service that can render it safe to cut open and weld. I'm considering using a 55 gallon drum for my cook chamber, and lining the exterior with ceramic insulation, and wrapping that in a 14 gauge skin. I think barrels are only 20 or 22 gauge thick. For my firebox, I'm considering a 1/4" steel for the roof and door, but 14 gauge on the 3 sides and bottom, with firebricks on the inside bottom. Then I'd make some slabs of 1-2" thick rocket stove cement (concrete and vermiculite mix) in place of the insulation...Unless that insulation works REALLY well, and I can save the weight.

If I had any more of that 1/2" bar, (before I painted it) I would've added a second handle on the front too. Probably sticking up at a 45 degree angle.

I've made/fixed a few ethernet cables in my career, but never been a "cable-guy" so I don't know the correct names...but there are RJ45 jacks, and a certain style of crimpers that will allow the wires to pass through the ends of the jack - and the crimpers snip the excess wire. With these, you don't have to have even wire lengths to shove into the jack. You can also send them through far enough so that the cable sheath is up inside the jack when it gets crimped. Changing to these cut the time to reterminate a cable in half.

It seems the slack your article refers to could be achieved by either adding ropes to each end of the hammock, or shortening the Green Boards. If one didn't want deal with ropes/knots each time, how much length would you recommend taking off the Green boards?

Thanks, and I did. Its made out of fiberglass. While I wouldn't want fiberglass inside the cooking chamber, in a place that could come in contact with my food. However welding blankets draped on top of them are pretty common (and condoned) by more experienced cooks that me. I've been reading the writings of (self proclaimed?) "meat scientists" on amazingribs.com for a few years now. They seem pretty knowledgeable on various potential dangers involved with cooking with fire and many topics in food safety. This page specifically highlights a reader's usage of a welding blanket by (I believe) the site's founder - Meathead Goldwyn. I've taken many infrared thermometer readings along all surfaces of the smoker during use. I've never seen more the 600F - well below the 1000F "...

Thanks, and I did. Its made out of fiberglass. While I wouldn't want fiberglass inside the cooking chamber, in a place that could come in contact with my food. However welding blankets draped on top of them are pretty common (and condoned) by more experienced cooks that me. I've been reading the writings of (self proclaimed?) "meat scientists" on amazingribs.com for a few years now. They seem pretty knowledgeable on various potential dangers involved with cooking with fire and many topics in food safety. This page specifically highlights a reader's usage of a welding blanket by (I believe) the site's founder - Meathead Goldwyn. I've taken many infrared thermometer readings along all surfaces of the smoker during use. I've never seen more the 600F - well below the 1000F "working temperature" claimed by the manufacturer of the blanket.

Another reason why I love this site. While reading through this, I followed your link to the flame thrower/ weed burner thing, which gave me an idea on a better way to deal with weeds sprouting up in my patio.Thanks!

Watched the video...boshee claim rescinded. The "next day...sand down edges...repeat..." part makes all the difference. Nice work.

"Just before it dries"...whats a typical time frame for the proper amount of mud to dry to the point that a damp sponge can be used?

OK, I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, that the pictures are a reenactment of the task, using your model to show your steps (there is no way her hair looks that perfect after sanding drywall compound), but I'm still calling boshee on the finished result. Not only is the last pic of the sanding task taking place AFTER the wall has been painted, but based on her distance from the corner in the last pic compared to the first 4, your model is clearly "sanding" a different spot.

Regarding the questions about building ice shelves or filling the whole thing with ice...and this maybe a dumb question...but is there any reason why you can't NOT dismantle the fridge? Could you build all this cladding on a working fridge, plug it in and allow it to keep your (few) bags of ice and food cold? Would attempting to operate the fridge outside and on it's side cause a problem (other than the obvious, don't leave it plugged in and running during a rain storm)?