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Amazing Smoker not too amazing right now

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Austin Egghead
Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
in EggHead Forum
Trying to take advatage cold weather and smoke some cheese and butter.  Purchased an Amazing Smoker, followed the directions for lighting the pellets but they won't catch.  Get good flame, wait ten minutes for flame to extinguish, place in the small and smokes for about 4 minutes and then nada, no more smoke.
This is 4th attempt to get it to work.  Was worried the small would concentrate the smoke too much, now wondering if there is enough air flow to sustain the pellets.  
Set up:
     Mini grate in fire box to make the AS fit, placed AS on grate, Woo and then grate with cheese and butter at felt line.  
Not crowding the top grate, plenty of space around cheese.  
Anyone have any ideas/suggestions.  
Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    Bottom vent open?
    Top daisy vent open?
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Thecoiman
    Thecoiman Posts: 134
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    I have had the same problems. I let mine burn for about the first 2 inches
    Garland, TX

    2 Large, 1 Mini Max, 1 Mini
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
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    Photo Egg said:
    Bottom vent open?
    Top daisy vent open?
    Yes, bottom opened all the way and no daisy wheel.  Afraid the daisy wheel will choke down the AS.

    @Thecoiman, did at least 2 inches. 

    Put the AS on the mini, relit and let burn for ten minutes.  Placing it back in the small.  Will wait to see what happens.

    Thanks

    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • Thecoiman
    Thecoiman Posts: 134
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    I have also heard of people baking the smoke pellets in the oven at 200. I did not understand it so I did not do.
    Garland, TX

    2 Large, 1 Mini Max, 1 Mini
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
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    Thecoiman said:
    I have also heard of people baking the smoke pellets in the oven at 200. I did not understand it so I did not do.
    Heard that too.  Moisture maybe?, don't know.  The pellets should not absorb much moisture though.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • pantsypants
    pantsypants Posts: 1,191
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    I have baked my pellets and it definitely helps .
    Also try lighting  the Pellets and let them flame for 10 minutes and then blow them out . That is what I do and dont have an issue any more
    Toronto
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
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    about 20 minutes into the process and there is a steady stream of light smoke coming out.  Will probably leave the daisy wheel off for now.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • Zmokin
    Zmokin Posts: 1,938
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    Maybe your pellets absorbed moisture.  I recall someone told me they bake their pellets in the oven before lighting.  You might try a 250 bake for 1/2 an hour, then light and place in the Egg.
    Large BGE in a Sole' Gourmet Table
    Using the Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter,
     and a BBQ Guru temp controller.

    Medium BGE in custom modified off-road nest.
    Black Cast Iron grill, Plate Setter, and a Party-Q temp controller.

    Location: somewhere West of the Mason-Dixon Line
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
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    Question:  The smoke smells like hickory.......how long should I smoke the cheese?
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
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    Your original thought might be the problem.
    Not enough room in the Small Egg. To much smoke will kill the AS even with the daisy off. Also not filling the channels with enough pellets can be an issue. A friend tried to fill to half level and never smoked right.

    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
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    Just set timer for ninety minutes.  Will monitor every 10 or so minutes.
    Photo Egg, I only filled 2 of the three chambers.  The cheese we tasted at CGS Tom had smoked using only the 1st chamber (and it was really good...good smoke taste and not over powering).  
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • NDG
    NDG Posts: 2,431
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    @austinegghead . . . I was frustrated with it too, but Cen-Tex made a nice Tuturial that really helped me.  Check out this thread for great tips.  Good Luck.

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1158809/a-maze-n-smoker-tutorial/p1
    Columbus, OH

    “There are only two ways to live your life.  One is as though nothing is a miracle.  The other is as if everything is” 
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  • Photo Egg
    Photo Egg Posts: 12,110
    edited February 2015
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    "Also not filling the channels with enough pellets can be an issue"

    This was not referring to how many chambers/channels were filled but rather the level/height of the fill.

    Sounds like you are going good now... 
    Thank you,
    Darian

    Galveston Texas
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  • Chubbs
    Chubbs Posts: 6,929
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    Joan yes the key is in the oven for 20 minutes or so. My pellets always went out until I did that. Now it runs the whole maze without going out. 
    Columbia, SC --- LBGE 2011 -- MINI BGE 2013
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  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,674
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    Pics please
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
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    120 minutes into this debacle and smoke went out again.. maybe drying in oven is the key.
    I would think if the small can sustain a low and slow for 11 hours, then it should be able to have enough air flow to keep this going..
    i have relit for the last time...if it goes out again, so be it.  
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • henapple
    henapple Posts: 16,025
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    See you in Salado. ...pellets will be baked. =)
    Green egg, dead animal and alcohol. The "Boro".. TN 
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  • Deviledegger
    Deviledegger Posts: 271
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    Only other thing I can add it's really packing the pellets in tight.   I doubt this is Your issue but I thought I would throw it out there.   I've had great luck with my ANPS. Good luck! 
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  • Legume
    Legume Posts: 14,624
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    Same problem here, I baked the pellets and it helped, but the smell in the house was very persistent.  Suggest baking in the egg or a gasser outside.
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  • fletcherfam
    fletcherfam Posts: 935
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    A couple of lessons learned from my experience with the Amazing Smoker:
    1. I always bake them for 20 minutes. (It dramatically seems to help the process).
    2. Cheese = 90 minutes. Tastes better after 2 weeks of sitting.
    3. No daisy wheel, fully opened.
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  • mahenryak
    mahenryak Posts: 1,324
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    So what would the temperature be inside the Egg?  Does it vary much?  It looks like it is next to nil from the photos.  Not much heat generated from the pellets smoldering like this, right?
    LG BGE, KJ Jr, Smokin Bros. Premier 36 and Pizza Party Bollore



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  • mahenryak
    mahenryak Posts: 1,324
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    ...Sorry my question was for the Tutorial discussion.
    LG BGE, KJ Jr, Smokin Bros. Premier 36 and Pizza Party Bollore



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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
    edited February 2015
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    it was 31-32 degrees on bak porch and needle never got passed the below zero mark.
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    mahenryak said:
    So what would the temperature be inside the Egg?  Does it vary much?  It looks like it is next to nil from the photos.  Not much heat generated from the pellets smoldering like this, right?
    It does not really raise the ambient temp of the egg. 
    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • caliking
    caliking Posts: 18,731
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    I think the very first time I tried using this, I did not pack the pellets in tight enough and so it went out. Packed em in tight, and smoked in the SBGE (I think) for about 2 hours or so.

    Could your pellets have gotten wet somehow? I have not had to bake my pellets.


    #1 LBGE December 2012 • #2 SBGE February  2013 • #3 Mini May 2013
    A happy BGE family in Houston, TX.
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  • Griffin
    Griffin Posts: 8,200
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    I think I remember there being in issue with some of the brands of pellets, not sure which ones, though.

    Rowlett, Texas

    Griffin's Grub or you can find me on Facebook

    The Supreme Potentate, Sovereign Commander and Sultan of Wings

     

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  • Austin Egghead
    Austin Egghead Posts: 3,966
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    Thanks everyone for the help. I think i never got the pellets to light properly.  Now armed with good suggestions, I will try to smoke rest of the cheese this weekend.  
    Large, small and mini now Egging in Rowlett Tx
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  • JRWhitee
    JRWhitee Posts: 5,678
    edited February 2015
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    I baked mine in the oven the first time and it worked great.
                                                                
    _________________________________________________
    Don't let the truth get in the way of a good story!
    Large BGE 2006, Mini Max 2014, 36" Blackstone, Anova Sous Vide
    Green Man Group 
    Johns Creek, Georgia
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  • The Cen-Tex Smoker
    The Cen-Tex Smoker Posts: 22,970
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    i use Traeger pellets. Not sure that makes a difference but they don't ever go out and I never pre bake the pellets. Joan- I have a 10 yr supply of apple. please take some. They will disintegrate before I use them all.






    Keepin' It Weird in The ATX FBTX
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  • minniemoh
    minniemoh Posts: 2,145
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    I see that you're using hickory pellets - one thing I discovered is that I/we much prefer apple over hickory for smoked cheese. The hickory is really strong a more bitter. I also over-smoked the first batch (4 hrs) so that may have contributed to our dislike of hickory. The second batch that I only did for 2 hrs was better. In my opinion, 2 hrs with the amazin smoker is enough. Glad you got it to stay lit. 
    L x2, M, S, Mini and a Blackstone 36. She says I have enough now....
    eggAddict from MN!
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