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ckreef

Crack-free firebox ?

By ckreef, in Komodo General

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DavidMcKay Newbie

DavidMcKay

Posted
Posted (edited)
16 minutes ago, C6Bill said:

I’m sorry but it seems strange to me that you would join this forum and ask for advice on building a competing product. Shouldn’t you discuss  those types of questions off line with Dennis ? I know you stated you were not building a competing product but then start asking about fire box design. @DavidMcKay

Hi. i have reached out to Dennis and it would be fantastic if he were able to advise. Despite my product having a firebox - it is not a Kamado BBQ or grill, it is a Tandoor - and if a Komodo Kamado owner did purchase my product it would be to supplement what they do with their Komodo grill and not compete with it. I trust that clarifies.

Home_Tandoor_STS_001.pdf

Edited by DavidMcKay
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DavidMcKay Newbie

DavidMcKay

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Posted
21 minutes ago, DavidMcKay said:

Hi. i have reached out to Dennis and it would be fantastic if he were able to advise. Despite my product having a firebox - it is not a Kamado BBQ or grill, it is a Tandoor - and if a Komodo Kamado owner did purchase my product it would be to supplement what they do with their Komodo grill and not compete with it. I trust that clarifies.

Home_Tandoor_STS_001.pdf 733.16 kB · 3 downloads

I'm exploring the use of lava rock in the refractory mix with an external coating of heatproof screed. Does any one have experience of using lava rock?

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johnnymnemonic Advanced Member

johnnymnemonic

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Posted (edited)
On 2/5/2015 at 11:39 AM, ckreef said:

My main reasons for wanting a kk (compared to the big 3 ceramics) is I really don't want to deal with cracked fireboxs. I am constantly seeing posts about cracked ceramic fireboxs from the big 3 (BGE, KJ and Primo) mainly due to high heat stress. I know they have lifetime warranties but buying something that I know I will crack makes no sense.

I do way more high heat grilling than Low-n-slow. When I do steaks I tend to do a nuclear burn steak cook. So I must ask the question - do KK's have firebox cracking issues due to high heat stress? I haven't heard any reports of this problem but I've only been looking at kk's for a short while now.

As a long time BGE owner, I can tell you that it's not "high heat stress" that cracks a BGE firebox.  I am on my second firebox on my BGE but this is because I accidentally spilled marinade down into my egg several years ago.  I have had my 2nd firebox for 8 years.  They improved their design as well.  It's not fully split like the KK firebox, but it has one cut in it that allows it to expand and contract.

I'm not trying to tell you not to get a KK. if you have the money for one, get one.  I am still waiting on mine and still using my egg.  The BGE is a fine product; nothing wrong with it - especially since they don't "end of life" their models.  You will be able to get parts for it 20 years from now.  And with the egg, if you do crack a firebox and it's not due to negligence like mine was (they can tell the difference), they will replace it for free.  They replaced a fire ring for me for free.

I have been wanting a KK for years and I'm about to get it.  We will see whether I keep the egg or not.  I am nostalgic and I did a lot of great things with it over the years.
 

 

Edited by johnnymnemonic
add detail.
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DavidMcKay Newbie

DavidMcKay

Posted
Posted
On 2/5/2015 at 4:39 PM, ckreef said:

My main reasons for wanting a kk (compared to the big 3 ceramics) is I really don't want to deal with cracked fireboxs. I am constantly seeing posts about cracked ceramic fireboxs from the big 3 (BGE, KJ and Primo) mainly due to high heat stress. I know they have lifetime warranties but buying something that I know I will crack makes no sense.

I do way more high heat grilling than Low-n-slow. When I do steaks I tend to do a nuclear burn steak cook. So I must ask the question - do KK's have firebox cracking issues due to high heat stress? I haven't heard any reports of this problem but I've only been looking at kk's for a short while now.

My thoughts exactly.

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DavidMcKay Newbie

DavidMcKay

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Posted (edited)
On 2/6/2015 at 9:16 PM, wilburpan said:

Over on the Kamado Guru forum I once asked why Kamado Joe fireboxes couldn’t be made as two piece units, since they kept cracking, and Andy Scalzo said that it would take too much in the way of resources to develop such a thing:

 

 

If ever there was a reason for me to want to get a KK grill over the other ceramics, this is it. On the one hand, Dennis has put the effort and resources into designing a firebox that will stand up to high temperatures without cracking. On the other hand, we have a business model that would rather replace a less than optimally designed part instead of redesigning it to work better.

Which is why I designed this...

FB Complete.png

Ring FB Ceramic Fillet Single.png

Edited by DavidMcKay
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