First real smoker..... - Page 3

ButtBurner · 10-23-2013, 09:40 AM

If you mean the smoke box has a hinged door, you could seal that up.

I would not weld up the firebox door, thats how I empty the ashes.

I would try blocking off the upper part of the firebox opening with something temporary like a cut foil pan to see if that helps. it might choke off your air flow

I think that opening is way too high, I dont know how well it works like that

Of course if you could cut the firebox off and lower it that would be good, but i would experiement with blocking part of it off first

jshull · 10-23-2013, 09:42 AM

Compared to other smokers I've looked at that hole is huge! I'll get some measurements tonight.

DickQ · 10-23-2013, 08:08 PM

Tuning plates would be great, but since its your first smoker that's a lot of work. Start with just a heat deflector where the heat enters the smoking chamber. It can be as simple as a throw away tin pan cut up just to keep the fire end from getting to hot. I hope that makes sense, I had pretty much the exact smoker as my first smoker years ago and that helped me a lot.

jshull · 10-25-2013, 06:22 AM

I've been so busy getting ready for duck season (opens 10/26) I haven't messed with the smoker yet. Tonight though we are going to fire it up untouched and do some grate temp measurements.

jshull · 10-27-2013, 01:55 PM

Well killed a quick couple limits of ducks and decided to play with the smoker. First off I've relized this Might be a bigger project than first thought. None of the doors are square. Needs a bit more tlc also. Here's some pictures of the ends and the HUGE chamber hole.

I fired it up today with 1 full chimney of briquettes. With three evenly spaced thermometers I'm at starting closes to fire box 400f, 275f, 300f, that's with the smoke stack 1/2 open and the fire vent closed. Since I fired it I'm gonna give a run with my first fatty right now. Updates soon!

jshull · 10-27-2013, 03:47 PM

Well I've got it leveled off and cooking decent seems to use a lot of fuel. Once I let the first round come down to 350-245-250 I'm burning about 24 briquettes an hour. I've been stoking 12 every 30 minuets. that's keeping the burn pretty even.

jshull · 10-27-2013, 05:59 PM

And finished! Family loved it.

SmittyJonz · 10-27-2013, 09:47 PM

Food Looks Good.

SmittyJonz · 10-27-2013, 09:53 PM

Weld that flap under smoke stack shut, put a latch on other one ( it for ash clean out) plate off top half of that opening from firebox. Running it with exhaust 3/4-full open, get a bed of hot charcoal coals then add a split log (1/4 log) every 45 minutes - 1 hr . Wood Burns Hotter than Charcoal.

this can be a decent smoker with minor work.

Check out tuning plates on YouTube - several styles to try

SmittyJonz · 10-27-2013, 11:09 PM

Actually I'd Plate top 1/4 and bottom 1/4 and use middle 1/2 of hole between FB And Cook Chamber.

jshull · 10-28-2013, 08:04 AM

I plan to fire the welder up before saturday. I have my self thinking about reverse flow now. Sure looks cool....

SmittyJonz · 10-28-2013, 08:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jshull

I plan to fire the welder up before saturday. I have my self thinking about reverse flow now. Sure looks cool....

I think that works better on the larger smokers? Tuning plates for yours.

jshull · 10-28-2013, 09:10 AM

I see, Maybe I will keep it simple. The Q turned out pretty good anyway. It's just a fuel hawg! I went through almost 20#'s of fuel for 4 hours.

jshull · 10-29-2013, 08:16 AM

Link to BBQ Pit Calculator

This is my plan as of now.

SmittyJonz · 10-29-2013, 10:05 AM

Burning log splits will use less fuel than straight charcoal.

10-23-2013, 09:40 AM	#31
ButtBurner Babbling Farker Join Date: 12-18-12 Location: Dearborn Mi, Manton Mi	If you mean the smoke box has a hinged door, you could seal that up. I would not weld up the firebox door, thats how I empty the ashes. I would try blocking off the upper part of the firebox opening with something temporary like a cut foil pan to see if that helps. it might choke off your air flow I think that opening is way too high, I dont know how well it works like that Of course if you could cut the firebox off and lower it that would be good, but i would experiement with blocking part of it off first __________________ Michigan Custom 'Que "Serving Those Who Have Served US" Shirley Fabrication Custom Smoker Member Great Lakes BBQ Assn ServSafe Food Handler Certified [URL]https://www.facebook.com/pages/Michigan-Custom-Que/327994370697180?sk=timeline[/URL]

10-23-2013, 08:08 PM	#33
DickQ Knows what a fatty is. Join Date: 09-30-09 Location: Farmington, NY	Tuning plates would be great, but since its your first smoker that's a lot of work. Start with just a heat deflector where the heat enters the smoking chamber. It can be as simple as a throw away tin pan cut up just to keep the fire end from getting to hot. I hope that makes sense, I had pretty much the exact smoker as my first smoker years ago and that helped me a lot. __________________ Dick's BBQ KCBS/CBJ [url]www.bbqdicks.com[/url] Custom built 6 rack rotisserie stick burner Custom built pellet burn insulated vertical Custom built charcoal gravity feed vertical Backwoods Party Weber 22" WSM Weber kettle BBQ Gurus

10-27-2013, 09:47 PM	#38
SmittyJonz somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-17-13 Location: Burleson Tx	Food Looks Good. __________________ NO Such Thing as Over Smoked - just Over Dirty Smoked.............

10-27-2013, 09:53 PM	#39
SmittyJonz somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-17-13 Location: Burleson Tx	Weld that flap under smoke stack shut, put a latch on other one ( it for ash clean out) plate off top half of that opening from firebox. Running it with exhaust 3/4-full open, get a bed of hot charcoal coals then add a split log (1/4 log) every 45 minutes - 1 hr . Wood Burns Hotter than Charcoal. this can be a decent smoker with minor work. Check out tuning plates on YouTube - several styles to try __________________ NO Such Thing as Over Smoked - just Over Dirty Smoked.............

10-27-2013, 11:09 PM	#40
SmittyJonz somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-17-13 Location: Burleson Tx	Actually I'd Plate top 1/4 and bottom 1/4 and use middle 1/2 of hole between FB And Cook Chamber. __________________ NO Such Thing as Over Smoked - just Over Dirty Smoked.............

10-23-2013, 09:42 AM	#32
jshull On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Show Me State	Compared to other smokers I've looked at that hole is huge! I'll get some measurements tonight.

10-25-2013, 06:22 AM	#34
jshull On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Show Me State	I've been so busy getting ready for duck season (opens 10/26) I haven't messed with the smoker yet. Tonight though we are going to fire it up untouched and do some grate temp measurements.

10-27-2013, 01:55 PM	#35
jshull On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Show Me State	Well killed a quick couple limits of ducks and decided to play with the smoker. First off I've relized this Might be a bigger project than first thought. None of the doors are square. Needs a bit more tlc also. Here's some pictures of the ends and the HUGE chamber hole. I fired it up today with 1 full chimney of briquettes. With three evenly spaced thermometers I'm at starting closes to fire box 400f, 275f, 300f, that's with the smoke stack 1/2 open and the fire vent closed. Since I fired it I'm gonna give a run with my first fatty right now. Updates soon!

10-27-2013, 03:47 PM	#36
jshull On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Show Me State	Well I've got it leveled off and cooking decent seems to use a lot of fuel. Once I let the first round come down to 350-245-250 I'm burning about 24 briquettes an hour. I've been stoking 12 every 30 minuets. that's keeping the burn pretty even.

10-27-2013, 05:59 PM	#37
jshull On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Show Me State	And finished! Family loved it.

10-28-2013, 08:04 AM	#41
jshull On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Show Me State	I plan to fire the welder up before saturday. I have my self thinking about reverse flow now. Sure looks cool....

10-28-2013, 09:10 AM	#43
jshull On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Show Me State	I see, Maybe I will keep it simple. The Q turned out pretty good anyway. It's just a fuel hawg! I went through almost 20#'s of fuel for 4 hours.

10-29-2013, 08:16 AM	#44
jshull On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-18-13 Location: Show Me State	Link to BBQ Pit Calculator This is my plan as of now.

10-29-2013, 10:05 AM	#45
SmittyJonz somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-17-13 Location: Burleson Tx	Burning log splits will use less fuel than straight charcoal. __________________ NO Such Thing as Over Smoked - just Over Dirty Smoked.............