Insulating Timberline850, a Covid Project.

[RemE]

Good work! Personally, if the sidewalls could accept the 1/2 material I'd use it. I used some of the thin gasket material in my cold smoke addition and found that it becomes very brittle and crumbles, it is designed to be contained between metal plates and compressed. I ended up wrapping it up in foil then inserting it where needed. The 1/2 stuff as you know is pretty wool like, but it too shouldn't be exposed either, as grill vacuuming would damage it.

Do insulate inside of the exhaust ports, the hottest part of the grill is where the ports blow into the back box, that's where the paint takes the hit.

 

[Slimpicker]

FEEDBACK:

gonna order a 24ga Stainless and try something like this (below) to keep the left from being too hot... of course the heat will now rise closer to the middle but I'm thinking this might distribute enough.

 

[Greg G]

Good work! Personally, if the sidewalls could accept the 1/2 material I'd use it. I used some of the thin gasket material in my cold smoke addition and found that it becomes very brittle and crumbles, it is designed to be contained between metal plates and compressed. I ended up wrapping it up in foil then inserting it where needed. The 1/2 stuff as you know is pretty wool like, but it too shouldn't be exposed either, as grill vacuuming would damage it.

Do insulate inside of the exhaust ports, the hottest part of the grill is where the ports blow into the back box, that's where the paint takes the hit.

On the IW650 the "double wall" is almost the same depth as the superwool high temperature gasket at 1/8 in, it may not be compressed across the whole back but should be fairly well contained. I'll post feedback here if I see any issues with it.

Thanks for the feedback. I am considering picking up some more stainless steel to help with the baffle. Have you continued to have success in not melting foil?

 

[RemE]

On the IW650 the "double wall" is almost the same depth as the superwool high temperature gasket at 1/8 in, it may not be compressed across the whole back but should be fairly well contained. I'll post feedback here if I see any issues with it.

Thanks for the feedback. I am considering picking up some more stainless steel to help with the baffle. Have you continued to have success in not melting foil?

Yes, this 26ga metal is impressive, the overheating left side of the drip pan is completely solved. The baffle's discoloring shows the highest heat areas. It's doing the job well!

 

[John S.]

RemE
Got the insulation, insulated the belly, back and sides, will do the lid this PM.
‘still waiting on the rope for the sides... do you think that there would be an issue to cook before the rope gets here... ?

 

[RemE]

FEEDBACK:

gonna order a 24ga Stainless and try something like this (below) to keep the left from being too hot... of course the heat will now rise closer to the middle but I'm thinking this might distribute enough.

That would cool that left side and protect that side drip channel. Yours is different than the Timberlines but in general I'm seeing that adding some extension over the left side of the stock hotpot cover helps that left side. From there bending down will deflect some heat away from the drip channel, does yours burn up the drippings?

 

[RemE]

RemE
Got the insulation, insulated the belly, back and sides, will do the lid this PM.
‘still waiting on the rope for the sides... do you think that there would be an issue to cook before the rope gets here... ?

Looking good! There is no problem operating without the rope, it just insulates the corners more. I added mine later after taking thermal pictures and seeing the corners were leaking heat.

 

[Slimpicker]

does yours burn up the drippings?

A little bit, but I also lose a lot out that drippings port... but mostly what I hate is that left hot spot...
Going to have to drill the shield for the "Smokin-it" to come thru

Current template (pay no attention to the half moon cut out.. that won;t be there)

Question: What insulation can I put under that thin liner they give the 575???
Does that 1/2" squish down??

 

[RemE]

A little bit, but I also lose a lot out that drippings port... but mostly what I hate is that left hot spot...
Going to have to drill the shield for the "Smokin-it" to come thru

Current template (pay no attention to the half moon cut out.. that won;t be there)

View attachment 3009

View attachment 3010


Question: What insulation can I put under that thin liner they give the 575???
Does that 1/2" squish down??

This is the thinner "gasket" material that Greg G is using on his sides;

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B072HQ2B2N/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Regarding the baffle, on my Timberline, heat circulates all around the outside of the drip pan. This creates the convection type cooking. My baffle stops 1" short of the left side so that the heat still goes up the left side and the rear. The front is blocked some on the left to protect the drip channel in front. The baffle takes the first hit from the fire so the drip pan doesn't overheat on the left.

So in creating yours, do think about the heat flow and where to let it go and where to re-direct it a bit.

 

[Slimpicker]

So in creating yours, do think about the heat flow and where to let it go and where to re-direct it a bit.

I AGREE
So I might add tuning holes, I DO NOT want to create a heat trap and that would harm the unit walls, but this is only resting on about 1" of the Traeger heat baffle and really only mimics the drip pan by angling up

The 575 is a complete different design as the drip tray is on left wall, I'll start with the design as is and maybe add a couple holes down the CENTER only to let some escape

THNX for the link RemE

 

[John S.]

RemE;
I owe you big time for the suggestion to insulate the corners from the back.
I fabricated 2 x 1.5 “ wide boxes and wrapped them with insulation from the back, double insulation on the outside corner (where the paint bubbles). See below, taking the back off, fabrication of the frames, insulation and putting it back together took less than an hr... this leaves a 1.5 “ gap for the smoke to vent, between the frame and the back
kudos to you for the idea....

Any thoughts on facing the insulation with stainless steel foil ?

 

[RemE]

RemE;
I owe you big time for the suggestion to insulate the corners from the back.
I fabricated 2 x 1.5 “ wide boxes and wrapped them with insulation from the back, double insulation on the outside corner (where the paint bubbles). See below, taking the back off, fabrication of the frames, insulation and putting it back together took less than an hr... this leaves a 1.5 “ gap for the smoke to vent, between the frame and the back
kudos to you for the idea....

Any thoughts on facing the insulation with stainless steel foil ?

I would fold those boxes so they don't protrude into the rear box except on the bottom and sides. I would extend the insulation across the bottom.

The fire blows into this box and fans out, so the sheet metal back panel takes a big hit, so I'd have a stainless plate in the corners taking the heat, with insulation behind that, protecting the sheet metal.

 

[John S.]

RemE....
I worked on it this AM, I ran a 450 temp burn in last night, and had a 100 degree gradient. Changed the exhaust from the box to the shield and ran it again, this time started at 165 as it looks like I am going to need a gradient map now that the Traeger is insulated. Pre-insulation 400 to 200 took 7 min ,insulated it takes 64.
With all probes showing an internal grill temp of 165-178 the infrared thermometer shows 83 -87 depending on where you take the temp.TheTraeger set to 165 the FB right side shows 173 , the left side shows 183. I don’t konw how I will be able to use “keep warm” if I can not set it to a temp below175....

 

[Greg G]

RemE....
I worked on it this AM, I ran a 450 temp burn in last night, and had a 100 degree gradient. Changed the exhaust from the box to the shield and ran it again, this time started at 165 as it looks like I am going to need a gradient map now that the Traeger is insulated. Pre-insulation 400 to 200 took 7 min ,insulated it takes 64.
With all probes showing an internal grill temp of 165-178 the infrared thermometer shows 83 -87 depending on where you take the temp.TheTraeger set to 165 the FB right side shows 173 , the left side shows 183. I don’t konw how I will be able to use “keep warm” if I can not set it to a temp below175....

I like how you did the exhaust hole shields, I am going to take some of the scraps I have left from doing the barrel and do the same

 

[John S.]

Shield were 20 gauge 316 SS, 3.5 x 5, then just bend to fit the barrel.... I put insulation in the corner and under the shield but not behind it’s I did not want to inhibit the air flow...
WIth the 20 Gauge thickness that seems to be taking more heat that the thinner material