Franken Char-Broil?

[StrayBullet]

I have an extremely old Char-Broil Precision Flame that works ok but thanks to a company-wide bonus for being #7 on the "Fortune Best Companies to Work" list and beating our NOI budget last year I'm splurging on a new grill

That means the old one gets converted into a dedicated outdoor pizza oven, that will obviously need some modifications    I can't lay claim to any of these ideas, I'm just lifting ideas from what I've seen out there!

I'm thinking about a steel plate above the burner then kiln shelving or fire brick for the cooking surface; that should take care of the bottom.

For the top, I want to install an infra-red rotisserie-positioned burner just above the cooking surface, then layer a new dome of flashing material within the current gill lid.  This should encase the ir-burner within the lid and create a smaller area above the cooking surface.

To top it all off, I think the lip of the lid should be cutout and hinged as a door to minimize heat loss when checking/rotating the pie.

Any thoughts?

Mark 

[compatta]

I considered doing this, but especially when putting a rotisserie and infrared burner on top,
it may perhaps burn the cheese too fast. (lest you be using some buffalo mozzarella all the time)

Instead of placing it on the top, have you considered putting it on the side? Its the crust that
you want to "burn," and not necessarily the cheese itself. think of how pizza is cooked in a wfo.

[Jet_deck]

I have an extremely old Char-Broil Precision Flame that works ok but thanks to a company-wide bonus for being #7 on the "Fortune Best Companies to Work" list and beating our NOI budget last year I'm splurging on a new grill

For the top, I want to install an infra-red rotisserie-positioned burner just above the cooking surface, then layer a new dome of flashing material within the current gill lid.  This should encase the ir-burner within the lid and create a smaller area above the cooking surface.

Mark 

If your saying that you want to put the IR burner in the lid, pointed down, I don't believe that IR burners can be mounted in that position, they melt.  You might as well put the rotisserie motor in it and to the self rotating stone/plate/firebrick like TxCraig or Tampa (can't remember which one)

[StrayBullet]

Good thoughts guys, appreciate the feedback!  And I know for sure Tampa (Dave) has the rotating setup that is simply a neat piece of engineering!!!

I guess my aim with the rotisserie burner was to provide enough top heat to the pie/air that it would bake as fast as the bottom.  I think I've seen ir burners setup something like this but will have to check around and do some more reading first...thanks again!

[scott123]

BTUs? Inner Dimensions? Are you shooting for your typical Neo-NY bake time or hoping to shrink that and go more Neapolitan?

[StrayBullet]

Scott,

Great questions, I didn't think about those factors but will scope out those specs this afternoon when I'm back home!

As for the goal, I'd really like to shoot for Neo-NY consistently and be able to bake off a Neo if desired once in a while; if that's even possible in the same setup.  If not, I'd like to shoot for 3-4m Neo-NY

Mark

[StrayBullet]

Scott,

This model is so far out of date that the manual is no longer available 

I did however find a decal that rated the unit at 32,000BTU and the dimensions are 26" long by 14" wide by 4" deep

I appreciate the help!!!

Mark

[Vindii]

This is not really what your looking for but if you are planning to buy a new grill anyway I would look at the Big Steel Kegs.  The are a charcoal grill similar to a big green egg but made of steel.  They are great grills and great pizza ovens.  Temps max out at 800+.  I have one and its great.  I dont see how you could beat it with a modified gasser.

http://www.bigsteelkeg.com/

[scott123]

Mark, I've spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to put some sort of broiler in a gas grill.  I can't seem to find the link, but at one point, I found a commercial product that can do this, but.. it was heinously expensive.  I also gave thought to building my own broiler:

http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/showthread.php?t=28224

but that's a little daunting.

A 32K burner should pre-heat a thick conductive stone sufficiently for a quick bake, hearth wise, but I kind of doubt that you're going to be able to redirect the heat up and back down onto the pie with good results. A bayou blow torch, uh, I mean burner is 185K, and that blast, with the right deflector, works beautifully.  But 32K, I don't know.

I wonder if you can take a standard grill replacement burner, drill a hole on the side of the cover and run the burner through it, supported by some sort of brackets.  

[StrayBullet]

Vindii...appreciate it but I'm looking to mod the old existing grill so it doesn't go to waste, the new grill is for entirely different pursposes and already purchased

I wonder if you can take a standard grill replacement burner, drill a hole on the side of the cover and run the burner through it, supported by some sort of brackets.  

I do have a burner like that I used the past 2 years for turkey frying, but I don't know if it's a 185k.  I think it would be fairly easy to mount that under the existing grill housing using the drip catch opening.  I could cut out that small bar and open as needed to fit the burner/flame.

Who knows, at least it'd be a fun project to try

Mark

[gtsum2]

I would be surprised if you can get that old char griller up to temp enough for good pies.  They just dont have the btu's per inch of heat output that higher quality grills have

[Jet_deck]

I would be surprised if you can get that old char griller up to temp enough for good pies.  They just dont have the btu's per inch of heat output that higher quality grills have

I agree, you would have enough time for the dough to proof while it tried to heat up a good 1/2 or 3/4" stone.  Go with the turkey fryer burner.  Cut a square hole in the front of the lid (to load and unload through)  Use a similar setup that Chau has by blocking the air/heat properly on the sides of the stone.  Let the heat come up the back of the grill, up over the stone, and exit at stone level.  Just my .02.

[scott123]

I do have a burner like that I used the past 2 years for turkey frying, but I don't know if it's a 185k.  I think it would be fairly easy to mount that under the existing grill housing using the drip catch opening.  I could cut out that small bar and open as needed to fit the burner/flame.

I think I might have been unclear in my last post.  While swapping out the bottom burner for a stronger one might be a good idea, what I'm proposing is Buceriasdon's over under burner oven concept- keeping the burner in the bottom of the grill and adding another burner to the cover. An IR burner isn't built to work in the hot environment of a lid, but a regular propane burner (perhaps mirroring the one beneath) should work fine.

Who knows, at least it'd be a fun project to try

That's the spirit, Mark  Grill modifications are always incredibly challenging, but, you will learn a lot along the way and end up with something to be proud of, when all's said and done.

[buceriasdon]

Mark, I'm not sure I would combine a high pressure and a low pressure burner as the respective regulators operate at different pressures. Otherwise you would have to have a seperate regulator for the low pressure burner. My idea is to split the two lines after the single tank regulator. Two low pressure burners above and below should be more than enough, with added advantage of using less fuel per burn.

Vindii...appreciate it but I'm looking to mod the old existing grill so it doesn't go to waste, the new grill is for entirely different pursposes and already purchased

I do have a burner like that I used the past 2 years for turkey frying, but I don't know if it's a 185k.  I think it would be fairly easy to mount that under the existing grill housing using the drip catch opening.  I could cut out that small bar and open as needed to fit the burner/flame.

Who knows, at least it'd be a fun project to try

Mark

[StrayBullet]

Hmmm....now that would be an interesting setup!  I'll have to search out a regulator with a split that can feed 2 manifolds; if I can find that, then it's just a mounting and shrouding issue

Mark

[scott123]

Or... how about just using two regulators/two tanks?

[Jet_deck]

Hmmm....now that would be an interesting setup!  I'll have to search out a regulator with a split that can feed 2 manifolds; if I can find that, then it's just a mounting and shrouding issue

Mark

You can make either type of regulator feed 2 manifolds.  And have dual control.   http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,11402.msg124607.html#msg124607

[StrayBullet]

Good idea Scott, you can see how much I've thought through this thing

You can make either type of regulator feed 2 manifolds.  And have dual control.   http://www.pizzamaking.com/forum/index.php/topic,11402.msg124607.html#msg124607

Awesome,thanks!