Stick Burner Noob Questions re: fire grate and wood

[MisterChrister]

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh131/WisconsinNovaGuy/Mobile%20Uploads/1462583216_zpsfjc7cjdh.jpg

http://i255.photobucket.com/albums/hh131/WisconsinNovaGuy/Mobile%20Uploads/1466282224_zps43zfcpxg.jpg

I'm getting ready to fire up the stick burner for the first time tomorrow. I got the therms mounted, grates cleaned and oiled, and made the pictured fire grate. I then started wondering if I sized the fire grate right, and would rather remake it now than find out tomorrow during the cook.

The firebox is 16Dx18L and I made the grate 12.5x18. There's about 3.5" space under the middle of it. Is that enough space for air and ash? There's 8" of clearance between the grate and the top of the door opening for feeding sticks in.

Also, I didn't get a chance to get cherry and hickory from the farm, so hopefully my white oak splits and beer can diameter apple and maple limbs will be OK. The apple and maple isn't splits, just decent sized limbs with the clean bark still on. I don't really feel like skinning the bark off the limbs if I don't hafta! The maple and apple is about a year old, and the oak is about 18 months old but not split until this year.

Whatchya farkers and farkettes think, huh?

[SMOKE FREAK]

I think as long as the air intake allows air to flow under the coals it will be OK...

I also think that wood that isn't split is harder to get to the ignition point...But smaller pieces are impossible to split so use em anyway...

Nice lookin cooker...

[Harbormaster]

Kinda been waiting for a thread like this...

I think your good with what you have Chris, and I think that you have enough room under the grate. With three inches, if nothing else you should be able to reach under the fire box with something and drag excess ashes out.

So what are you going to cook?

[Norm]

Good luck, I have no doubt you'll turn out great Q!

[MisterChrister]

Kinda been waiting for a thread like this...
So what are you going to cook?

Me too! :mrgreen:
I've got a mess of baby backs and a decent pile of beef shorties ready, and I'm gonna head to the store in a jiffy for a cut up chicken (and beer). Probably gonna throw in a few of my veni links and a lamb shank to boot! Might as well get the whole barnyard and forest critters in on the party!

[ClintHTX]

If it makes you feel any better....I don't have a wood rack I put my wood directly in the smoker on the firebox bottom and cook all day all night. As long as their is adequate airflow you are good! Keep the damper/door open and and adjust fires by size of splits/wood!

[cats49er]

From the pic it looks like you got fire grate doubled which is good.My Lang only has about 2 1/2 inches from grate to bottom.If your ash does build up you should be able to rack it out and not lose a lot of your coals.As far as wood goes I start using split oak 6 to 9 months after I cut it.If you have a problem with bad smoke you can run a smaller but more intense fire that is getting plenty of oxygen.You may need to run with the fire box door open part way.And the bark,I never remove it unless it falls off.You may already know,but some people I think have idea that coals is want they want to cook with.With a stick burner you burn sticks.Flames give off more heat than coal.And you get TBS when the fire is hot and getting plenty of oxygen.I manage the cook chamber temp by the size of the fire using the pin wheels and door to fine tune it.You've been around a good while, I don't think you'll have much problem.

[Yellowhair42]

Your plan is a solid one. Make sure to post lots of pr0n.

[dwfisk]

I'm thinking you are good to go :thumb: IF you have a 3-1/2 inch starting air gap and from your menue it looks like a 5-6 hour cook, I'm guessing you will end up with about 2 inches of ash ans 1 to 1-1/2 inches of air ge; plenty o maintaing a good clean fire.