Need general advice

[wardlewis]

I am the "new kid" on the forum. It appears that my problems are much the same as most other members. Bottom line, I have a Terra Blue -7- with a broken ceramic "top hat". The steel assembly that holds it together and in place is frozen. Have tried everything under the sun to free it up, from a torch to every lubricant made. From the little I have read it seems as if the best bet is to saw the balance out and to jerry rig something such as a paving stone on top to control the heat?

Next question - do you know has anyone that has purchased a Kamodo Kamado? If so, how happy are they with it? How does it compare, performance, customer service, etc.?

Thank you in advance for your advice and input.

Ward Lewis

[fishtail-99]

Ward, you can rest assured that the Komodo Kamado is top notch cooker, with top notch service. They have a very active forum that you can go lurk in if you like to see if you find any of the same types of negative experiences that have flooded the Kamado forum.

[wardlewis]

Thank you for your reply. If I were to sell my Kamado 7 with a broken top hat, what do you think I could reasonably expect to get? Other than the top hat, it is in great condition and has the propane starter.

[Got my Money back]

wardlewis - as fishtail stated, the KOmodo-Kamado company is the best in the business. I have a biased opinion because I have purchased three of Dennis' masterpieces since Nov 2007, but that aside, Dennis' attention to product detail and customer service is second to none.

My short story:
I was hosed by Richard Johnson when I ordered one of his POSK, but got my money back from him 8 months and several nasty emails from Richards obnoxious wife later.

[wardlewis]

Thank you for your input on the Komodo Kamado. Congratulations on getting your money back. I purchased mine about 10 years ago. It has had light use at best. Am retired now, so now have time to work with it. The top hat only broke recently - we moved and I didn't use it for quite a while - then tried to force the top open, and that is when it broke.

I did smell a rat when I first purchased it and they were supposed to include some of the coconut charcoal - didn't get it and they never made any attempt to send me some after numerous inquires.

When I purchased the Kamado I also got ALL the extra options, turkey hanger, pizza stone, etc. I assume that those can be used in the Komodo Kamado?

[Got my Money back]

I would suggest you review the list of components that come standard with the KOmodo Kamado. It is pretty well loaded as standard.

You'll be able to use your pizza stone, however Dennis has his own he has made from the same material as the cooker body. I find it works excellent.

I am not certain the turkey hanger will translate because i don't know how it gets setup.

[Porkchop]

wardlewis, i've got a #7 as well with the very same problem; top hat frozen open. i'll address a few of your questions...

1) my jerry-rig for the top hat: tinfoil. when i have had occasion to use the #7 in its current condition, i made a "snake" out of tinfoil and jammed it in the space, leaving a gap for exhaust. that gap is easily adjusted to regulate temps. ugly, but better to make due than do without.

2) i also have a Komodo Kamado OTB, and it's almost unfair to compare it to the #7. amongst the many features, it included a stainless "bolt" for the top hat that remains as smooth as the day i purchased it.

3) i also have the turkey hanger, and it won't fit the OTB, so there you go. personally, i don't see an advantage over using a v-rack, so no loss there.

i saw that paving stone jerry-rig on the kamado site. to be honest, not a bad looking repair. the old BGE had a similar sort of cap that came standard, but lots of problems with it, because it wasn't bolted on, and would fall off and break when you lifted the dome. they solved that problem with a metal topper that had a sleeve which slips over the stack.

but honestly, if you're just biding your time til you move on up to something better like a KK or BGE, tinfoil works great
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[wardlewis]

Dear Porkchop,

Thank you for your help and taking the time to send me to your 2 replies to solve my problem.

[Whiskey Tango Foxtrot]

My hunting buddy is a stainless steel contractor. Took him about 15 minutes to fix the problem without cracking my top hat.

The welding on my top had looks like pigeon crap. The 3 legs of the spider are haphazardly welded to a central nut. From expansion of the material the legs of the spider actually compress the nut and crimp the screw mechanism creating an interference fit. You cannot just blue wrench the thing loose.

I held a sledge hammer head behind the spider and struck the nut with a center punch at each of the three "welds" Then we drilled small relief holes into the nut. Now it spins freely.

If they had welded each spider arm tangentially to the face of the nut the expansion would merely turn the nut instead of compress it.

[wardlewis]

Dear Whiskey Tango Foxtrot,

Thank you for your email and advice. Unfortunately, my top hat is broken due to trying to force it open and now in quite a number of pieces. Too bad I didn't follow your advice earlier!

[Gerard]

[Whiskey Tango Foxtrot]

Gerard, I'd be happy to post pics. It's raining now, but when the wether clears I will snap a few shots

[Gerard]

That'll be great. Won't help my K, it's in pieces under a decade's worth of poison ivy, but if you and your friend have a workable fix - you'll have bailed out a bunch of folks for now and years to come.

Better post those photos quick, before RJ patents your technique!