Problems with my smoker

Its all running good. Cooking ribs right now! Will have pics soon!

How to you get fuel into the firebox? I'd get the fire going and have something to keep that door cracked open to get more air into the fire. Same with the door on the far end of the cooking chambers. You need allot of aire to go through two drums vertically rather than a UDS, which flows verticle. I built a double barrel pit and had to add a second pipe between the barrels to get good air/heat flow. Look at the size of the opening between the firebox and the cooking barrels. In a Brikman Smoke-n-Pit Pro, which is a pit somewhat like yours, the opening is about 10"x12", if not larger. Bottom line, airflow. On a horizontal offset you shouldn't be controlling airflow with ball valves.

This is recent pick I replaced the old exhaust with an 8 in pipe and also Put a slide in the front of the fire box for more intake. Solved my problems I was having with getting it to heat up.

The front side of the fire box opens up. I have no problem keeping it at the right temp now. Finding wood to burn is a whole separate issue though.

BTW Greg we will be downtown for the Springfield Blues and BBQ at the end of August competing just in case your in town!

Glad to hear you got it cooking good. One suggestion is to put firebricks in the bottom of the firebox and up the side a bit, it will help keep the metal from rusting away and can help elevate a grate to get air under the fire. Remember that ashes + water = acid so keep the ashes clean between burns.

I have a rack in the smoke box for the wood, and the vent on the end i cut in is underneath the rack.