DennisLinkletter Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 In following my mission statement and driven by an unyielding desire to build the best that is possible, I set out to make a list of what I'd change if I was to start from ground up and build a new Gen II. These were features that in hind sight or from customer feedback were found to not be as good as they could be. Changes/Upgrades: 1.) A lower rear Stainless spine not only the one over the hinge. 2.) To improve the ease of installing the rear stainless cover. 3.) More room between the main and lower grill and enough room for the heat deflector and new larger drip pan to fit under both the lower grill and an 8" EZQ cradle with a big bird in in it. 4.) To change the shape and size of the charcoal basket to give more airflow resulting in more even burn patterns and better airflow for high temp searing. 5.) A digitally milled interlocking lip. The original interlocking lip was milled in my woodworking factory in MDF which in hindsight lacked the rigidity needed for the mold making process. The back right side did not completely fit the upper half perfectly. 6) During inevitable expansion from very high temps the grout could not move with the cooker which created cracks that opened while hot and closed when cold. Some customers needed to fill expansion cracks with silicone which could handle the movement and temperature. This just was not acceptable. The problem with expansion was most noticeable in the textured cookers which eventually led to me discontinuing building them. For almost two years, I scoured the internet and tried numerous products that either were unable to handle the high temps or were impossible/difficult to work with. Many of the materials were NASA and military spin offs and ridiculously expensive. Including the one that I finally went with. Last summer I started testing an elastomeric industrial insulation that incorporates nano ceramic spheres created in a high temp vacuum.. It is marketed as an outdoor spray on insulation for reducing heat loss as well as OSHA rated protection from exposed high temp pipes (designed to be used as an insulation for the space station/shuttle. A 385ºf high temp steam pipe can be sprayed with 1.5mm of this material and you can grab the pipe with your bare hand and not be burned. It not only wears great but drastically improves the cookers performance buy reflecting heat waves back into the cooker. I'm also now using it as an adhesive to attach my most current production. The magic is in it's being elastic and does not crack or tear when the cooker expands from high temps. It's not been announced to the public yet as not to kill sales of cookers in stock although All cookers shipped since last December have been grouted with it and all current Gen 2.2 OTB's tiles are attached with it. The grout problem was KOmodos last Achilles heel. Both the lip of the Gen II and new 19.5 OTB were CNC milled with a .15mm tolerance. The two cookers actually do not need gaskets to prevent them from leaking only to cushion the two halves when the cookers is closed. I have also changed the design of the two layers using a ribbed design that adds strength to the cooker and has more of the insulating material which now is made with aero foam cement equipment to make them lighter and have a higher R value. New larger Gen 2.2 baskets on left, previous Gen II basket on right. I'd like to note that Gen II's can easily burn 25 hours on a well packed bowl of charcoal.. The 2.2 with it's larger capacity, better airflow, better insulation and the new insulation holding on the tiles and being used as grout will set low and slow records. New round Gen 2.2 firebox on left.. This shot shows the new heights of the grills, new firebox and charcoal basket CNC milled master for the 2.2 mold Yes, I can sleep better and night now.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanny Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 There was just a tsunami in the ceramic cooker world, and everyone else washed away. Only the KOmodo left standing. Incredible... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 outstanding - i cant wait! Hey, the middle pic looks like there is light coming from the rear left - has the gas door moved to the left instead of the right? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThreeDJ16 Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Amazing stuff as always dude! Continually improving things to make us happy! -=Jasen=- Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PaulR Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 Wow, what can I say? All these improvements........ too bad my KK will last me a lifetime and I won't need an upgrade anytime soon! I reckon it's great (as we can expect from Dennis) that the product is still improving... will it ever reach BBQ nirvana/perfection? getting close in my opinion. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zorro Posted June 14, 2008 Report Share Posted June 14, 2008 I can't wait! I know mine (Black Beauty??) is in the crate several days ago. I didn't even know what new features the Gen 2.2 had. I am thrilled and sure hope it gets here soon. I just hate cooking on the big steel gasser. Zorro Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetzervalve Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 "It's not been announced to the public yet as not to kill sales of cookers in stock" Guess it has now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 The Gen 2.2 has it all! outstanding - i cant wait! Hey, the middle pic looks like there is light coming from the rear left - has the gas door moved to the left instead of the right? It does look that way but it's still on the right. It must be late afternoon light shining through the front door.. I always use a tripod and the timer to take low light shots in the factory.. But the door is higher and wider (so ash won't pull out with the burner), thicker metal in the door plate and there is a SS burner support that sits in holes in the floor and takes the weight off the burner door rods.. Oops more unannounced 2.2 features! "It's not been announced to the public yet as not to kill sales of cookers in stock" Guess it has now! Most have now been sold.. the Gen II's without the new grout/insulation have been reduced and if you look there are new build classifications. The Gen 2.1 has the new grout/insulation. The Gen 2.18 has the new lip and the new grout/insulation but not the new firebox. The Gen 2.2 has it all! So from this announcement on.. upgrades will appear as different numbers just like software and there will be a chart showing what the changes are. The larger the number the more significant the change. Just remember last years Mercedes still looks great and drives beautifully and this years model is always going to have improvements... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanny Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Re: The Gen 2.2 has it all! Just remember last years Mercedes still looks great and drives beautifully and this years model is always going to have improvements... I think a KOmodo has better gas mileage. AND looks just as good by the side of the garage. Maybe even MORE spectaculous. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bobvoeh Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 The Gen 2.1 has the new grout/insulation. The Gen 2.18 has the new lip and the new grout/insulation but not the new firebox. The Gen 2.2 has it all! Is there a way to tell which I have? I know it has the new grout, but I'm not sure about the lip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted June 16, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Digital World.. The Gen 2.1 has the new grout/insulation. The Gen 2.18 has the new lip and the new grout/insulation but not the new firebox. The Gen 2.2 has it all! Is there a way to tell which I have? I know it has the new grout, but I'm not sure about the lip. I'll have to go thru my production manager's notes... but she's in Germany on holidays. I obviously pay her too much. I think you might have the new lip but not the new grill spacing.. But don't stress.. The lip you have is still great. I just wanted zero tolerance and you can't get that from hand made. As you know we now live in a digital world, so I had to go digital for the new Gen 2.2 lip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetzervalve Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 That's all I can take! Please cancel my account and block my ip so I can't access this forum. I don't want to know about anything that is better than what I have........ I've never been able to resist a software version change and I'm afraid the same is true here. It's been fun, but I'm not wired that way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sanny Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 Yah, but you are a secret agent. You could come back in disguise, and we'd never know! Sorry, but you'll have to sort that out on your own. The BEST KOmodo, you know, is the one you have and can cook on right now! Different one could have features, but you'd have to weigh that against the benefit of instant gratification. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetzervalve Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 ... you'd have to weigh that against the benefit of instant gratification. When Dennis figures out downloadable KK's or at least upgrades' date=' [i']then I'm in trouble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sumrtym Posted June 16, 2008 Report Share Posted June 16, 2008 This material you're using as the grout material....does it still need to be sealed periodically like regular grout? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DennisLinkletter Posted June 18, 2008 Author Report Share Posted June 18, 2008 This material you're using as the grout material....does it still need to be sealed periodically like regular grout? Never needs sealing.. It's an outdoor industrial insulation and very durable.. You can hit it with a hammer and not chip it off.. It's elastomeric enough that you can spray it on copper sheet, fold in in half open it up and it's fine.. At high temps you can put your fingernail into it like a hot tire.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted June 18, 2008 Report Share Posted June 18, 2008 Never needs sealing.. It's an outdoor industrial insulation and very durable.. You can hit it with a hammer and not chip it off.. It's elastomeric enough that you can spray it on copper sheet, fold in in half open it up and it's fine.. At high temps you can put your fingernail into it like a hot tire.. Hmmm...Sounds like its time to revisit that hammered copper dome. Why couldn't it be attached with this stuff? I'll go ahead and take the prototype, and let you know if the dome falls off Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
trish Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 Firemonkey wrote: Hmmm...Sounds like its time to revisit that hammered copper dome. Why couldn't it be attached with this stuff? I'll go ahead and take the prototype, and let you know if the dome falls off Go ahead and kick sand at me. Are you sure the pink Kamado wouldn't be jealous? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Firemonkey Posted June 19, 2008 Report Share Posted June 19, 2008 Nah, it appreciates haute couture when it see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
