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New mini max, need help

feef706
feef706 Posts: 853
in EggHead Forum
So my lovely wife decided she had enough of me talking about buying a mini max and surprised me with one for Christmas, we are going out of town for New Years so I'd like to take it with us and smoke a Boston butt for New Years, she didn't get a plate setter and I'm happy as I heard they aren't designed well for the MM. I'm wanting to get a woo from CGS, which are currently out of stock, and I'm not sure it would arrive in time to our destination even if they were in stock, so I'm looking to improvise.

Any ideas? Any help is appreciated 
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  • Hawg Fan
    Hawg Fan Posts: 1,517
    Buy a 15" ceramic pizza stone at Home Depot and cut it to make your own plate setter with wings to rest on the fire ring.  Use the scraps or ceramic egg feet to raise your grid and you're set.  When you get your woo, slide the cut down. Pizza stone in the bottom for indirect cooks.  Just an idea.  The ceramic stones cut easy with a cutoff wheel on a small grinder or hack saw.

    Any road will take you there if you don't know where you're going.

    Terry

    Rockwall, TX
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  • Tbent
    Tbent Posts: 225
    edited December 2015
    My wife surprised me MM too, also without the plate setter. I'm thinking I'll improvise with a cheap grid then bolts, nuts, and washers to hold a second grid at cooking level. Fire bricks on the lower grid for heat deflection. I haven't put anything together yet, so I don't have bolt length or upper grid size specs that I can give you. 
    I have a similar setup that I use on my small, so let me know if you'd like to see a picture and I'll go take one. Of course there's not as much height to play around with in the MM so it won't be quite as easy. 
    I'm hoping the CGS has the woo available again soon. 
    L, S, MM, Mini
    Washington, IL
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,936
    How big is the butt you want to do?
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • Jai-Bo
    Jai-Bo Posts: 584
    Me and the ole lady are getting a MM fer our Bdays this upcoming month and have been reading the same about the plate setter.  Seen alot on the Woo but will ultimately decide at the end of the month.  I'll be searching fer ideas and pics too!
    Hunting-Fishing-Cookin' on my EGG! Nothing else compares!
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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
    Hawg Fan said:
    Buy a 15" ceramic pizza stone at Home Depot and cut it to make your own plate setter with wings to rest on the fire ring.  Use the scraps or ceramic egg feet to raise your grid and you're set.  When you get your woo, slide the cut down. Pizza stone in the bottom for indirect cooks.  Just an idea.  The ceramic stones cut easy with a cutoff wheel on a small grinder or hack saw.
    This is a brilliant idea, thanks I actually have an old stone I could use for this.
    Tbent said:
    My wife surprised me MM too, also without the plate setter. I'm thinking I'll improvise with a cheap grid then bolts, nuts, and washers to hold a second grid at cooking level. Fire bricks on the lower grid for heat deflection. I haven't put anything together yet, so I don't have bolt length or upper grid size specs that I can give you. 
    I have a similar setup that I use on my small, so let me know if you'd like to see a picture and I'll go take one. Of course there's not as much height to play around with in the MM so it won't be quite as easy. 
    I'm hoping the CGS has the woo available again soon. 
    I was debating on a fire brick setup temporarily but I think HawgFan has a easy solution.

    I wouldn't mind seeing a picture if you don't mind before I decide for sure.
    JohnInCarolina said:
    How big is the butt you want to do?
    This was my next question, I'm not sure what the max is that would fit, we will be feeding 4 adults and six kids minimum, maybe a few more, so I'm hoping a at least a 6-7 pounder, they are on sale for $1 a lb at win Dixie so I can but whatever size will fit 

    Thanks for all the feedback thus far!
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  • Cuda1965
    Cuda1965 Posts: 71
    Wow how many of us got a MM for Christmas? I was about to make a post asking a similar question, should I get a PS or Woo for the MM?
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  • Eggcelsior
    Eggcelsior Posts: 14,414
    JohnInCarolina said:
    How big is the butt you want to do?
    36 at the hips, it's a winning hand 
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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
    Cuda1965 said:
    Wow how many of us got a MM for Christmas? I was about to make a post asking a similar question, should I get a PS or Woo for the MM?
    Woo hands down from what I've read, my plan is to order the woo less the stone as they want was much for the stone as the woo itself, not sure what I small stone should cost $33...

    Eggcelsior said:
    JohnInCarolina said:
    How big is the butt you want to do?
    36 at the hips, it's a winning hand 
    Too funny! :o
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  • micheggin
    micheggin Posts: 39
    i agree that the platesetter doesn't work well in the mm.  my wife found 10" x 5/8" pizza stones on amazon made by california pizza stone co.  i've abandoned using the ps and just use two 10" stones for indirect cooks like pizza/nacho's.  works great but i'm still trying to figure out the mm.  not as fool proof as my large and medium.

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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,936
    I have done a 10# butt on the MM.  It's a tight fit but you can manage.  

    TWSS
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
    JohnInCarolina said:
    I have done a 10# butt on the MM.  It's a tight fit but you can manage.  

    TWSS
    So a 8 lb'r shouldn't be a problem?
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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    Remember to put a cork on the thermo stem outside of the dome.  This will give you more space and the probe won't be touching the meat and giving you false readings.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
    YEMTrey said:
    Remember to put a cork on the thermo stem outside of the dome.  This will give you more space and the probe won't be touching the meat and giving you false readings. 
    Yes I've seen this, I assume it needs to be a real cork, not these manufactured corks like most wine comes with these days
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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    feef706 said:
    YEMTrey said:
    Remember to put a cork on the thermo stem outside of the dome.  This will give you more space and the probe won't be touching the meat and giving you false readings. 
    Yes I've seen this, I assume it needs to be a real cork, not these manufactured corks like most wine comes with these days
    That's what I use.  Not sure how those synthetic corks will hold up to the heat.
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
    YEMTrey said:
    feef706 said:
    YEMTrey said:
    Remember to put a cork on the thermo stem outside of the dome.  This will give you more space and the probe won't be touching the meat and giving you false readings. 
    Yes I've seen this, I assume it needs to be a real cork, not these manufactured corks like most wine comes with these days
    That's what I use.  Not sure how those synthetic corks will hold up to the heat.
    Got it, thanks, we know a few wine drinkers...
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  • Cuda1965
    Cuda1965 Posts: 71
    Any other advice for the MM?

    Did my first cook in it tonight (two burgers). It got hot pretty quick, ended up with flames shooting out of the top =-)
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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    It gets hot and wants to run hot.  Best to catch it early and let it creep up.  I'll try to post the thread, but one of the mods that was suggested that I did was partially bending the corners on the lower vent cover.  It was pretty loose and wasn't airtight.  This has allowed better temp control and much quicker cool down time after use. 
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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  • YEMTrey
    YEMTrey Posts: 6,829
    Ah, I had it bookmarked.  All credit goes to @jollygreenegg

    http://eggheadforum.com/discussion/1187549/quick-and-easy-fix-for-a-floppy-lower-vent-on-the-mm#latest
    Steve 
    XL, Mini Max, and a 22" Blackstone in Cincinnati, Ohio
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  • Hotch
    Hotch Posts: 3,564
    No cork needed. Just put the retaining clip on the thermo probe first and then drop it in the dome.
    Large BGE, MiniMAX BGE, 2 Mini BGE's, R&V Fryer, 36" Blackstone Griddle, Camp Chef Dual Burner 40K BTU Stove
    BGE Chiminea
    Prosper, TX
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,936
    feef706 said:
    JohnInCarolina said:
    I have done a 10# butt on the MM.  It's a tight fit but you can manage.  

    TWSS
    So a 8 lb'r shouldn't be a problem?
    No I think you'll be fine with an 8 pounder.  You can always trim a bit if needed.  

    One thing to be aware of: if you're going Low and Slow, you may well need to reload the lump at some point.  Just be prepared for that possibility.  Some folks have gotten 10 hrs out of a full load of lump in the MM, but I think that's stretching it.  
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • kwdickert
    kwdickert Posts: 308
    edited December 2015
    If you don't wanna do the pizza stone...

    Find a northern tool store near you and call ahead. for $20 you can get six of these
    http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/product_200325974_200325974

    Use 2 or 3 if you can make them fit laying down as the indirect ceramic. Then use a water pan (with water in it) sitting on the bricks. Use the remaining bricks standing on their edge on the fire ring to hold up a second grid. The end.
    Memphis TN - Large Green Egg
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  • Cuda1965
    Cuda1965 Posts: 71
    @YEMTrey Thanks for sharing that about the lower vent. I noticed mine had lots of play in it.
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  • Powderhound
    Powderhound Posts: 139
    The plate setter for mine works great! 
    Large, Medium, Mini, and Mini Max, a few too many accessories, 2 kids, 1 dog, and original wife.  Lover of winter, powdery snow, and lots of golf.  
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  • JohnInCarolina
    JohnInCarolina Posts: 30,936
    Powderhound said:
    The plate setter for mine works great! 
    I agree, I haven't really had any issues using it as a heat deflector.

    I don't know what issues people have seen/reported.  It is very shallow, so if you want to put a drip pan on top of it - that's not going to work out.  
    "I've made a note never to piss you two off." - Stike
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
    Cuda1965 said:
    Wow how many of us got a MM for Christmas? I was about to make a post asking a similar question, should I get a PS or Woo for the MM?
    Fyi....the Woo for the MM is out of stock. Saw this after hours so don't have a date of availiblity.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • thatguy662
    thatguy662 Posts: 24
    edited December 2015
    Call CGS if you have an older style fire ring in your MM. They have them in stock for the old style. The style firebox doesn't perfectly match up with fire ring. If it a new style, they told me that they are still in R&D
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  • Cuda1965
    Cuda1965 Posts: 71
    I bet mine is probably a new style, but how do you tell?
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  • feef706
    feef706 Posts: 853
    thatguy662 said:
    Call CGS if you have an older style fire ring in your MM. They have them in stock for the old style. The style firebox doesn't perfectly match up with fire ring. If it a new style, they told me that they are still in R&D
    So the new style ring lines up perfect with the fire box?
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
    edited December 2015
    Cuda1965 said:
    I bet mine is probably a new style, but how do you tell?
    By measuring the distance accross the inside circumference of the fire box and the distance from the fire ring to the felt line. I think mine was 12inches and 1 1/2. Respectively.  Was told I had the new one. They suggested that I was from Georgia and that they hadnot made Iit to the midwest /west as yet. I live in SC and purchased just befor Christmas. My guess is it depends on the most recent order from the factory. If you call CGW, they will walk you through it. Suggested I call back on Thursday.....and they may be able to process the new order then. Definatelly communicate witith them to make sure you match up the right one.
    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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  • northGAcock
    northGAcock Posts: 15,164
    feef706 said:
    thatguy662 said:
    Call CGS if you have an older style fire ring in your MM. They have them in stock for the old style. The style firebox doesn't perfectly match up with fire ring. If it a new style, they told me that they are still in R&D
    So the new style ring lines up perfect with the fire box?
    They said they are in design....so would on be speculative at the moment. They said they shouold have worked out by end of week ( might as well say next year at this point).

    Ellijay GA with a Medium & MiniMax

    Well, I married me a wife, she's been trouble all my life,
    Run me out in the cold rain and snow
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