Ok, just unpacked my new Bradley Cold smoker after I read all the posts . I CAREFULLY extended the hose and it tore at the bottom. >:( No way of fixing it. It just continued to unravel when I did try to fix it. I tried using a dryer hose but it did not fit and it was also made of plastic...not to sure if that would be safe or not. So now what?? ??? Call Bradley and ask for another hose or can I replace it with another hose from some where else. It seems that this hose is fragile and difficult to store, too. Its not like you can push it down and store it. For those of you that have a Bradley Cold smoker, what's your input??
Just give Bradley a call and they will help. I am very happy with my cold smoker and it will do what ever it is that you want to do without heat. My problem is that the hose is not torn, but it is not aligned properly so that the cold smoke is turned 90 degrees to the smoker. After loosening the clamps to rotate the hose position, It does not want to move. Bradley support is the best, so just give them a call.
I must admit...it does get a bit awkward hooking that thing up...and (and you know I don't complain) the box that holds the water bowl could be a smidge wider...that bowl full of water has to go in just right...but hell...it works like a charm...so...I'm happy I have it...and so is our cheese and salmon!!! ;D
I would give Bradley a call also. I understand that the hose was made of metal to act as a heat sink to cool the smoke, but as stated it is difficult to shape properly, and I have torn a few holes in mine while hooking and unhooking it.
I'm getting ready to replace mine with the more flexible hose I use when I had the cardboard box. When you stated that the replacement dryer hose would not fit; was the diameter too small to fit, or too large to tighten properly.
QuoteI CAREFULLY extended the hose and it tore at the bottom. No way of fixing it. It just continued to unravel when I did try to fix it.
I had exactly the same problem, I think these hoses are simply not robust enough for the job and perhaps it is something Bradley needs to looks at? I also needed mine to be a S shape to fit my setup and it wasn't long enough to do anything other than a simple C shape.
Getting a suitable replacement was a bit of a problem as I could not find one of a suitable diameter, the hoses in the local hardware stores were of too small a diameter and even on the internet the closest I came was a around a centimetre too big. >:(
Settled on a slightly oversize tube, used some window draught excluder type material to pad out the diameter of the hole slightly and because the new hose is thin aluminium managed to shape it to fit......once tightened with the clamps it is fine and does not leak. I just managed to use the original clamps but it was a close thing.
The modification is certainly a lot more robust then the original and I felt was better than simply asking Bradley for a replacement as the same thing would happen again IMHO.
Not a big deal but it did cost me a few £££'s extra to get a good quality hose.
I think I'll stick with my trusty cardboard box and aluminum dryer hose after reading the above. Still on the original box, no problems and the price is right ;D ;D.
QuoteI think I'll stick with my trusty cardboard box and aluminum dryer hose after reading the above. Still on the original box, no problems and the price is right .
The cardboard box set up works really well and I was in two minds about investing in the Bradley cold smoke unit.
However apart from the hose the unit is well built and does have one or two advantages over the cardboard box set up but at around £80 it should have!! It is not a "must have" but overall I am glad I invested in one but the hose does let it down IMHO.
Habernero:
My dryer hose was too large to tighten properly. Do you think the plastic-like dryer hose is safe to use providing if I can get it to work? It seems more flexible. Or maybe an adapter of some sorts that would fit to any dryer hose properly. Any ideas??
Okeejohn
Quote from: okeejohn on April 13, 2009, 09:50:44 AM
Habernero:
My dryer hose was too large to tighten properly. Do you think the plastic-like dryer hose is safe to use providing if I can get it to work? It seems more flexible. Or maybe an adapter of some sorts that would fit to any dryer hose properly. Any ideas??
Okeejohn
I'm not sure with the plastic hose, I have never touch the unit during a cold smoke so I don't know how hot it gets. I will have to check that out next time. I can't imagine that it would get any hotter then the dryer outlet. I don't have the plastic hose, they are not generally sold in my area. I purchase the flexible foil laminated type; it looks like aluminum foil. It's as flexible as the plastic, and that type stands up to heat pretty well.
Maybe if you can get your hands on some food safe silicone strips you can pad the area that is between the hose and where it connects. That may give you enough protection from the heat. I'm going to be making pastrami tomorrow. Since I'm going to finish the pastrami by steaming, I'll use my cold smoke setup when I apply the smoke. During that time I will check to see how hot the surface gets.
Okeejohn;
I forgot to reply to this yesterday. I did check how hot the box got where the hose connects. It was a calm day, the ambient temperature at the time was 58°F; and the box was in full sunlight. The hottest the surface got was 108°F. I feel you should be alright with the plastic hose; but if you can find the foil laminated type that it a little better.
I measured the diameter the best I could, and it appears to be 4.5 inches in diameter. My problem will be that my existing hose is too small, which is 4" in diameter.
QuoteDo you think the plastic-like dryer hose is safe
I have used a plastic dryer hose on my cold smoke cardboard box set up for several years without a problem.
The flexible dryer vent pipe that is available here is aluminum, very sturdy and not the foil type that Habs is referring to. It's available in 3", 4" and 5" but I'm not sure if that is inside dia. or outside dia. I do know that when I built my cold smoke setup I used 4" and the outside of it fit snugly into the approximately 4.5" hole in the Bradley. Here's a picture.
Click to enlarge.....
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/Fishing%20Photos/th_IMGP0367-s.jpg) (http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/Fishing%20Photos/IMGP0367-s.jpg)
Mike
Mike,
I clicked to enlarge but nothing happened did we forget something? ;D ;D :D :D
I clicked to enlarge and it worked for me.
???
I don't know... It works for me....
Here's the full size picture.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/Fishing%20Photos/IMGP0367-s.jpg)
Mike
The picture wasn't there before. When I clicked on it.
Ahhh.... ya.... sure Chris. ::)
Late night? :D :D :D :D ;D
Mike
Yeah I would guess too many barley pops.... ;D ;D ;D ;D
Quote from: smokeitall on April 15, 2009, 08:05:25 AM
Yeah I would guess too many barley pops.... ;D ;D ;D ;D
Not a Single one. I was a good boy last night. Had to teach some Boy Scouts how to make Brats. Stuffed another 25lbs last night for their camping overnight. They did pretty good.
Mr. Walleye, I admire your setups. Great work.
FYI all hoses and pipes are measured ID. Connectors and fitting for pipe and hoses are only named for the pipe or hoses they fit on. Example is a 3/8" nipple. There's nothing on the nipple that measures 3/8 of an inch but it'll fit onto a 3/8" pipe which measures 3/8" ID.
Quote from: Tenpoint5 on April 15, 2009, 09:16:22 AM
Not a Single one. I was a good boy last night. Had to teach some Boy Scouts how to make Brats. Stuffed another 25lbs last night for their camping overnight. They did pretty good.
Thats great Chris, I am looking forward to the days when my boys are in scouts. I can't wait to go to Philmont with them. I have a offer to go this year with a good friend of mine who is a scout leader with his troop. Some of my best childhood memories are of camping with the scouts and hiking in the New Mexico Rockies.
Mike;
The type of hose you have is the type that Bradley ships with the cold smoke box. I'll try to post a picture of the laminated foil type of hose tomorrow, just to give everyone an idea of what it is. I'll check to see if any stores carry it in 5" diameter.
I used the same kind of hose on my home made cold box Mike. It is very sturdy and works well. It is a 4" diameter.
I wasn't real careful with mine and put a couple of small dents in the tubing...still works fine and compresses back to the way it came out of the box.
Quote from: Habanero Smoker on April 15, 2009, 02:05:41 PM
Mike;
The type of hose you have is the type that Bradley ships with the cold smoke box. I'll try to post a picture of the laminated foil type of hose tomorrow, just to give everyone an idea of what it is. I'll check to see if any stores carry it in 5" diameter.
Habs
I can't emagine it's as thick or beefy as this stuff. You can work this stuff over pretty good before causing any damage. I've torn my setup down several times for my various changes I have made and have never had a problem with the pipe.
Mike
I damaged my hose last night as well...cut the crap outta my finger on a piece...but managed to hook it up ok anyway...I may call Bradley and ask some questions...
Mike,
It's probably similar in looks only. The Bradley hose must be made of much thinner aluminum. If you pull it too hard, it will tear. Or if you grab it too hard you can put your finger through it.
Here is what I am told is called laminated foil hose. I had a new dryer installed in 2007, and that is what the service man who installed my dryer called it. He stated he couldn't use it, and used a type of hose similar to the one you used.
(http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Formatted/Misc/th_Hose.jpg) (http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y174/Formatted/Misc/Hose.jpg)
That's interesting... The stuff I used you would never poke your finger through it that's for sure. It must be available in different weights but around here all I have ever seen is the heavier stuff that I used in my setup.
Mike
It was around the collar of the hose Fishman...seem to just start "flaking" off....I'm fine...no worries...but I may ask for another hose? Not sure if I should? The collar ring kept falling off no matter how much we tightened down the ring itself as it won't fit if you screw it down too far....it was a conumdrum...
:o :o :o Not a conumdrum! :D ;D
I would give Brian a call though.
Mike
Perhaps I will Fishman...I'm not really sure if I tweeked the thing or if it's not a good stable hose...I don't know...I do know that it's kinda funky to hook up....it is what it is...all I do know...is I'm not gonna sue em for my cut....I hate that people do that... ??? Call me a kook...but...I'd never do it and I know they would make it right anyway.... :) All good companies do....
I am Curious as to Brians advice on these hoses is. My cold smoker works like a champ, but I need to rotate the hoses a bit. I tried again today, but I'm gonna destroy it. My guess is the hose was assembled to the snout while the paint was still wet and bonded somehow. I want my cold smoke box to face in the same direction as the Bradley. It just won't do it.
QuoteMy guess is the hose was assembled to the snout while the paint was still wet and bonded somehow.
When I took my damaged hose off to replace it I noticed there is either some glue or double sided sticky tape or the like fixing the hose in position and I literally had to tear the hose away from it, damaging it still more in the process.
If it does not line up as it should methinks the whole assembly needs replacing! :o
The other day I took my hose off, because I intend to replace it. The type of hose they use is not practical for frequent setups and take downs.
Their is some type of sealant or glue they use on it, so you can not adjust it by just loosening the clamp and turning it. When I took mine off I used an old serrated knife to cut the hose off, removed the clamp, then used a pair of needle nose pliers to peel the remaining hose off the connector plates. When cutting the hose, that is when I found out you can poke your finger through it. :)
For my use the metal hose is not practical, because of the way I want to bend it. It is not flexible enough, and it won't fit flush against the cabinet. I went back to using my 4" flexible hose until I can find one in a larger diameter. The 4" hose will just fit over the rim on top of the box, and can be clamped secure, the other end I just run through the side of the cabinet; the way I did when I used my cardboard box.
Habs is correct there is a double sided tape on the collars preventing the mounting plate from being rotated.
This was installed to prevent smoke leakage.
I will forward your comments and concerns on to the designer and see what changes we can make.
Thanks
Brian
Thanks Bradley! :)
Sure didn't know I would get as many responces.
Okeejohn
We're all one big fanily here ;D
Lumpy
Ditto!! All for one and one for all!!!
Okeejohn