Alright - here she is! Calipers said 1/8" all around. The reason there's a bucket and 2x4 under the firebox is because I've gotten all but one nut and bolt off that hold the firebox on, and don't want it to get damaged hanging there while I find another vise grip
I've taken most of the hardware off - I don't believe anything was missing before I started.
So several questions! So grateful for the expertise here.
1. I've been told not to bother resurfacing the firebox as "it will just burn off again" - yes/no?
2. My plan based on an averaging of several suggestions has been to use a wire brush on the inside and outside, then use a palm sander with rough-grit paper on the outside for painting prep - does that sound about right?
3. Should I bother with hi-temp primer before I apply the hi-temp paint?
4. In the second-to-last pic, you can see both how far the chimney extends down and also a bolt hole on the righthand (front) wall. First, would there be any benefit to using roofing flashing or something to extend the chimney down further? Second, it's been a few months since I first tore this thing apart, but I believe the grates rested on the bolts that were through this and other holes, which are the same level as the lip that comes off of the firebox. However, there's no such bolts or holes on the back wall of the smoker - I wonder what held the grates in place and kept them from tilting over? Can anybody with a similar setup weight in? I could always just rest the grate on the lower sides of the barrel, but I've read that it's better to get the meat high so it gets more smoke, so I imagine it would be best to get it to the level of those existing bolts...
5. I've got my 48" x 48" expanded metal sheet coming, and I'm hoping to have enough left over after making the grates to fabricate a basket for the firebox to keep the fire small and hot (blue smoke please, Jesus!), and also to put unlit charcoal on the bottom so the temp will stay stable for a long time...what size should I make the basket?
16Adams, that rig is absolutely beautiful - I hope to achieve even half of that!
You guys are amazing - many, many thanks, all.