New puck idea

jb9 · December 15, 2005, 12:11:37 AM

Today, I came across a couple topics about pucks, about making your own faux bubba pucks, ways to use wood chips in the Bradley, etc. I whipped up this design and thought I'd run it by folks. Do you think it would be useful? Would you buy one (or 10 :-)? I could send out an order for a few dozen or a few hundred with almost no additional effort. The price would probably be similar to what bubba pucks sell for, maybe a little lower if a bigger run was done. The material would be aluminum or stainless steel (SS is a little more $$). I'd be happy to take care of the manufacturing end and have Chez Bubba sell them if there's interest from him and other members here.

Oldman · December 15, 2005, 12:14:36 PM

From a business stand point I think Chez would have a problem with Bradley as Bradley is in the business of selling wood and not smokers as most would have someone to believe.

In my mind processing any wood so it will "burn" at the same level of the pucks would be challenging.

While your idea/ design looks good, I personally don't have the time to make my own pucks. This not to say the idea is not valid.

Olds

nsxbill · December 15, 2005, 02:59:59 PM

I can see the benefit of these hollow pucks, and certainly would like to try them. Most of us apply smoke for 4 hours. That would mean there would be a need to have 12 of them, filled with the kind of wood/sawdust that we wanted to try smoking with. I think we would also have to have a larger water pan because these pucks would not disintergrate in the water like the BS pucks, and they would have to have some place to go.

I think they would work. Might need more holes in the bottom, but smallers ones so sawdust wouldn't gum stuff up when they are going through the chute and onto the hot plate. i don't think I would use them all the time because the BS bisquettes are just so easy to use (and I already have cases and cases of boxes of them), but I can see a benefit of using alternative woods once in awhile.

Keep up the innovative good work!

Bill

There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.

jb9 · December 15, 2005, 03:13:18 PM

I had similar thoughts about needing a lot of them. I've spent some time working on a cheaper design for that reason. I'm having some software trouble now, but I'm hoping I can get another revision done soon. I thought more/smaller holes may be a good idea, so that's also one of the things I'm working on. Thanks for the input.

iceman · December 15, 2005, 05:56:34 PM

jb9 you might be on to something there but I think Olds is right about the Bradley thing. Computer makers don,t make money on the units but they rape you on the software (sorry Bradley). I wish I had time to make my own but that's a pipe dream for me. I'll just have to keep paying the forty bucks a box for now. Anyhow keep us posted on the design thing. Take care.[8D]

Big or small you can smoke'm all!!!

Phone Guy · December 15, 2005, 08:27:48 PM

I am not sure that the 20 minute cycle time is enough to heat this puck and burn the chips. Since the Bradley Bisquettes are directly in contact with the heat source they burn clear through. I have not tried anything like this but would be curious to hear the results of a test.

TomG · December 15, 2005, 11:52:50 PM

Kind of been there and done that, but haven't tried holes or saw dust yet.

<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Posted - 13 Dec 2005 : 02:54:34
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That was my posting for half buck pucks. Make sure you get the test caps, although you could use regular 2" caps, cut to a height of 5/8" without having to use pipe. You really don't need perforated tops as long as you keep the level of chips or bisquette crumbs below the cup's rim, they can be stacked in the generator's magazine and seem to feed without problems.

Cheers-Tom-
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<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Posted - 13 Dec 2005 : 16:04:18
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TomG,
Do your pucks work well? I have been trying to get some made and the best I could find was 2 and an eighth diameter, but I measured pucks this weekend and they appear to be a full 2 and a quarter.

I was concerned about making them smaller than normal, but perhaps this is needless concern.

whitetailfan
"Nice Rack"
Lethbridge, AB
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<blockquote id="quote">quote:<hr height="1" noshade id="quote">Posted - 13 Dec 2005 : 17:20:38
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Hi John, the 1/8" was a minor problem when I would stack 5 or more pucks in a row. So every 2 or 3 pucks I'll use either a bisquette or 5/8" slice from a standard 2" copper cap which has an OD of 2 1/4". As far as filling the pucks, I don't have a source for chips, but have pulverized pellets and used either crumbs or pieces of BS bisquettes. The latter burn well in both cold and hot smoking conditions. The pieces of pellet will only work well in 180-210* oven temps. What I haven't tried yet is priming the generator ramp with three slices(rings)from the standard cap and filling them with pellets which would come in direct contact with the generators heating element. My original intent was just to make an inexpensive pair of metal blanks which would allow for complete burning of the last two bisquettes.The project has obviously become a work in progress and since the costs of materials, necessary tools( a tube cutter or hacksaw),and fabrication time are minimal, lends itself to relatively easy experimentation.

Hope that helps-Tom-
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TomG · December 16, 2005, 11:32:32 PM

Here's a puck, the same size as a bisquette(2 1/4ODx5/8")that almost anyone can make with a $3 copper plumbing cap, a hacksaw, and an electric drill.

Smoke on-Tom-

jb9 · December 17, 2005, 12:20:59 AM

I've been having fun designing stuff, but only spent a little time on this. I managed to finish a new version today. I focused on making the walls thinner (cheaper) and making more, smaller holes. I removed the ridges from the bottom. I figure it doesn't need too much airflow and the holes may be enough to get some air through. I don't have a feel for what kind of wood people would want to put in them, so help determining the size of holes is important.

The outside diameter is 2.25" and it's 0.55" inches tall. I had a hard time determining the optimal height. Anyone have a better idea than me? It seems 0.5" might work, but is borderline too short.

By the way, anyone want an anodized aluminum checkers set? It's really light and only a few hundred dollars :-)

Oldman · December 17, 2005, 12:35:04 PM

Where I might see the value in this is not as a holder for loose wood that is place on the burner, but a mold to create your own pucks. For example: Whenever I want to smoke a little something or other using Grapefruit or Orange woods I cannot do it in the bradley.

Olds

iceman · December 17, 2005, 04:20:45 PM

Good idea on the mold thing Olds. Has anyone come up with a doable binding agent yet to hold the saw dust together? I tried wetting the saw dust and putting it in a tube and compressing it in my hydralic press and letting it dry. I think I'm real close there but not perfect. It still needs help holding together.[V]

Big or small you can smoke'm all!!!

nsxbill · December 17, 2005, 04:24:23 PM

Iceman...might try some glycerine as a binding agent. Haven't tried it, but heard that might be the binding agent.

Bill

There is room on earth for all God's creatures....on my plate next to the mashed potatoes.

TomG · December 17, 2005, 05:01:04 PM

I think someone else suggested gelatin. Here's a link for reasonably priced saw dust. http://www.butcher-packer.com/pg_smoking_hickory_sawdust.htm

The other problem is finding a mold or extruder that will form "bisquettes" with an OD of 2 1/4".

iceman · December 17, 2005, 08:20:45 PM

Thanks Bill. Where would I start looking to find glycerine? I'm lost in a snowbank on that one.[:0] Also concerned that geletin would leave some residue. I'm not familiar with the stuff but heck I'll try it once. Is that the kind used in baking Tom?[?]

Big or small you can smoke'm all!!!

Thunder Fish · December 17, 2005, 11:55:18 PM

Glycerine can be found at any drug/pharmacy store