PK 300 - meet the Snake Charmerâ„¢ (for looong low 'n slow)

[holehogg]

Very enterprising Sir.

[radshop]

I like it.
This maybe a bit of a tangent, but I know I've read in official PK user manual or somewhere - not sure if I could find it or not, but I know I saw it - that they say to never have lit charcoal directly against the cast aluminum capsule. That's not a critique of your device, because I've been violating that guidance consistently for years with no ill effects (briquettes, lump, and wood chunks). I'm just curious if anybody has ever seen damage to a PK from coals in contact with the aluminum.

[Henrik]

Yes, that would be interesting to hear. Haven't experienced it myself on the old one at least.

[glitchy]

First the Hot Box, now the Snake Charmer. What’s next?

Great work! Love them both.

[Henrik]

Thanks! Gotta entertain myself :-)

[jfmorris]

radshop I found it in the PK360 user manual. All of the PK manuals are here:

https://www.pkgrills.com/manuals/

Henrik here is what PK says in the PK360 user manual - they only have assembly instructions for the PK300. This COULD impact your design such that you need an outer layer of metal between the sidewall of the grill and the charcoal if you were to make this for resale:

5) The grill capsule of your PK360 is made of an aluminum alloy with a melting point of 1080 degrees. Do not exceed this threshold by using blow torches, excessive amounts of lighter fluid or other accelerants like gasoline or alcohol to start your grill. PK recommends using a charcoal chimney to start your grill.

And later on the same page:

7) The lower charcoal grate must always be in place. Never put hot coals directly on the aluminum cast as this could cause damage to the cast.

Jim

[Henrik]

Thanks Jim and radshop ! Didn’t even think that a grill couldn’t take high temps. The snake, like I run it doesn’t create high temps anyway, but might just use it as a personal accessory instead of selling. I did this in my old PK, never noticed any issue.

[jfmorris]

Henrik I think a really HOT charcoal fire could reach the melting point, but as you point out, when doing a snake for smoking, it won't be burning that hot.

[Jessterr]

There are a number of instructive YouTube videos issued by PK Grills themselves showing full chimneys of lit coals, both briquettes and lump, being dumped on the charcoal grate but directly up against the sides of the grill, no basket. While the language could be more explicit, I interpret point 7 above to indicate that coals should not be piled directly onto the bottom of the aluminum capsule, while PK’s own instructive videos support the practice of coals contacting the side surfaces.

[Spinaker]

I love it! Simple, practical and effective.

[Henrik]

Thanks John!

[Michael_in_TX]

This is incredibly clever. I really like how it keeps the "aspect ratio" of the grill.

[Henrik]

Thanks!

[au4stree]

Great work!

[Huskee]

Have you though about making it a v-channel instead of a solid wall, for a water reservoir, or otherwsie equip it for water?

[Polarbear777]

Could work but I’ve smoked a bazillion things in my pk and after the first few cooks I realized that water was completely unnecessary.

There’s that article by blonder about how if your water pan isn’t evaporating a LOT of water, the humidity from it is inconsequential. It’s mainly/usually there for a heat sink, but not really needed in the pk in my experience.

https://genuineideas.com/ArticlesIndex/dryasabone.html

[Henrik]

I'm with Polarbear777, I never use a water pan in my PK (old or new).

[Polarbear777]

Of course in the SnS on a kettle the water is also useful as a heat shield. So still a thermal regulation role vs a humidification role.