Firebox Door Pros and Cons

DFoster · Dec 10, 2019

Trying to decide how to have my door located on the firebox. Below are the two options I am looking at. The door that is flush with the bottom of the firebox will be easier to clean out, but probably make more of a mess. While the door that is in the middle of the firebox will keep any ash from unintentionally falling out, it will be harder to clean out. Any other pro’s and con’s to these doors?

WilliamKY · Dec 10, 2019

Make it flush with the bottom. Easy to brush out the ashes. You gotta scoop them out if there is a lip. If ashes fall out when the door is closed then you have a seriously deformed firebox.

Nuco59 · Dec 10, 2019

You need to clean out ashes after every cook- might as well make it easy.
I'm voting "Flush"

The other will work too. Just need a small shovel and a wet vac (cool ashes are a given)

DFoster · Dec 10, 2019

WilliamKY said:
Make it flush with the bottom. Easy to brush out the ashes. You gotta scoop them out if there is a lip. If ashes fall out when the door is closed then you have a seriously deformed firebox.

I am thinking more along the lines of ashes getting blown out if I get a sudden wind during the cook or is that not even an issue to worry about?

mcyork28 · Dec 10, 2019

Go flush and put a small metal trash can underneath it.

blazinfire · Dec 10, 2019

Go flush! 100%.. I build my smoker with a lip and I absolutely hate it! lol

DFoster · Dec 10, 2019

Flush it is!!

Smoke on Badger Mountain · Dec 10, 2019

DFoster said:
Flush it is!!

Good choice! I keep mine over dirt so anything that falls out while cooking is non issue for me. But when cooking over pavement or something I don't want to make a mess on I use a metal drip pan.

https://www.amazon.com/Hopkins-1143...keywords=metal+drip+pan&qid=1576033939&sr=8-5

LordRiffenstein · Dec 11, 2019

mcyork28 said:
go flush and put a small metal trash can underneath it.

this!

sthamm · Dec 11, 2019

Why not get the best of both worlds? Go flush and fashion a removable lip.

effinUker · Dec 11, 2019

sthamm said:
Why not get the best of both worlds? Go flush and fashion a removable lip.

I was thinking about a flap with hinged bottom that folds out for cleaning and locks on the inside, then a door that covers the hole that's left.

Randy3269 · Dec 11, 2019

Build the fire grate with a small lip. Something like 1" angle. Where the expanded metal sits down inside the frame. Ashes stay put. Remove the grate and enjoy the ease of clean out with the flush door.

My .02

Ayvatr · Dec 12, 2019

I owned a cooker with a lip...sold it and this has a flush bottom.
The winner is flush bottom hands down!

Firebox Door Pros and Cons

DFoster

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WilliamKY

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Nuco59

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DFoster

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mcyork28

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blazinfire

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DFoster

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Smoke on Badger Mountain

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LordRiffenstein

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sthamm

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effinUker

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Randy3269

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Ayvatr

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