Restoring my buddy's Grandpa's Smoker

[GMDGeek]

Hoping to get some thoughts on the firebox ...

[h20loo]

Firebox looks good to go with just a low grate to keep your fire together. That door will have to be left part way open for a good fire. The hinge looks like a cut down house door hinge. If the pin is rusted off then I would drill it and put a new pin in.
The warming chamber hinge needs a BFH to loosen it up. You could maybe bolt some fence gate hinges on.
That looks like a two man que- one to keep the fire going and one to get everything off before its overcooked. And both to look after the jug of whiskey!

[Panthers65]

Looks like a fun project to me. You can always fine the drive around welding guys to come in and do the work for you, but if you've ever had any interest in learning to weld now's as good a time as any to start. At 1/8", just about any 120V welder can make a good bead on that. Search craigslist and see what you can find, you may be surprised.

As for he hinges, the look like normal barrel hinges to me, you can make your own with some metal tube available at any of the big box stores. You'll need a way to cut the metal out and replace it. It's messy, but a 4.5" angle grinder and a couple cutting discs would get ya done. Get a 4.5" rough grit sand paper pad too to clean all the rust up, won't take any time at all.

Flow looks good. I might add a little plate on the top opening between the box and the cooking chamber to divert some of the direct heat, but I'd cook on it first before I made unnecessary work for myself.

[Hoosier1960]

Look for bullet hinges. Check Grainger or Northern Tool.

[GMDGeek]

Thanks gang.

[SmittyJonz]

Why do I see no air intakes? Firebox seems small for the smoker? I'd maybe close off the hole between the FB and cook chamber some.

[GMDGeek]

It's old school... the firebox door is the air intake ... the latch has 4 notches used to control how open the door is in turn controlling air intake. As for heat ... one 4" round of pecan manages about 60 minutes @235-245 in the main chamber. We've no idea on the vertical as we can't get it open.

[HankB]

Originally Posted by DaveAlvarado

It's about controlling your draft, not necessarily losing heat or smoke.

If the whole smoker leaks too badly, you don't have good air control, which means you don't have good temperature control.

This is the case with a charcoal smoker like a WSM. With an offset (wood burner), temperature is controlled by metering fuel rather than air. It is not as important that the smoker be tight.

[Bludawg]

Originally Posted by GMDGeek

Hoping to get some thoughts on the firebox ...

Cut it off it's way to small it needs to be 1/3 the total volume of the cooking area. get you some 1" strapping and double flange all the doors to seal it up all that gasket stuff is temporary at best. Do it right do it once and will it to the grand kids .