How much wood per session through free flow Blue Smoke Smoker offset?

cayenne · 06-12-2023, 01:14 PM

Hello all,

Ok, first...I'm pretty much convinced to order the Blue Smoke Smoker.
I'm just trying to manage money, and figure out options....

But it made me think, with this "new" to me method of allowing free flow of O2, from the fire box through a full opened stack....how much wood will this thing go through per session?

Let's say, I'm doing a couple chickens and 1-2 briskets or the equivalent per session.

I believe briskets on this, I'm gonna be looking at roughly avg 14-16 hours I'm guessing.

I can't find on the website how large the firebox is....anyone know?

But to those who own the BS Smoker...how much wood do you run through a session?

What size works best?

I live in the New Orleans area, and found this guy that appears to deliver
https://hwfirewood.com/order/

It appears it comes in 18" length and 24". From what I've read so far, it seems 18" is the way to go....hoping it will fit well in the Blue Smoke smoker....?

Please forgive a lot of noob questions, but pretty much till now, my wood experience had been with buying bags of it from Academy Sports and just burning each piece "as is".
I'd not thought of splitting them like I'm seeing many videos do now.

I've read on here what I think are "splitters" you can buy...that you set the wood on and hit with a small hand held sledge hammer....is that the way to go?

From what I can tell, you need to do this to get thinner pieces so you can manage the offsets that want full air flow and have no baffles...that the temp control is via how you fuel it...right?

It's been so long since I lived anywhere where you ordered firewood...not sure how how much wood in a cord.

A cord is what will fit in a bed of a large pickup truck?

Anyway...how much wood are ya'll using...per cook? How many cooks would you say you do in a year? How much wood do you order (or go out and chop)?

I'm trying to plan for a place to put it and how much I need to budget for it.

Thank you in advance,

cayenne

TheHojo · 06-12-2023, 08:40 PM

The firebox is 24x24

Between the two sizes of wood you have access to - would go with the 18 inch variety

At that length - you will want to split the splits - kindlin kracker from northern tools will be your friend

If you have to get the 24 inch wood - I would suggest getting an alligator looper saw to cut those splits into 12 inch pieces - and then use the kindlin kracker to split the splits

Wood consumption will vary depending on the outside temp and how hot a fire you run - I generally start my fire with some lump and a few splits - once the coal bed is established usually go a couple splits every 45 minutes or so

Hope this helps

1MoreFord · 06-13-2023, 11:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cayenne

.................
It's been so long since I lived anywhere where you ordered firewood...not sure how how much wood in a cord.

A cord is what will fit in a bed of a large pickup truck?

Anyway...how much wood are ya'll using...per cook?

.................

A cord is 4ft tall x 4ft x 8ft wide - NOT a pickup bed full! It is a Volume measurement of 128cuft.
2 - 2ft x 4ft x 8ft stacks are a cord. 3 -16" x 4ft x 8ft stacks are a cord too.
You may hear the terms rick or face cord. They are a stack 4ft tall x 8ft wide x Any stick length. I.E. 12" or 16" or 18" etc. These ricks/face cords are not legal measures of wood in Arkansas - don't know about other states. In AR only cords and fractions of cords are recognized measurements of sale should a dispute arise.

I rarely split down sticks from stove sized firewood and used a couple of sticks an hour after getting the fire started and coal bed established. I controlled the fire with the intake damper.

cayenne · 06-13-2023, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1MoreFord

A cord is 4ft tall x 4ft x 8ft wide - NOT a pickup bed full! It is a Volume measurement of 128cuft.
2 - 2ft x 4ft x 8ft stacks are a cord. 3 -16" x 4ft x 8ft stacks are a cord too.
You may hear the terms rick or face cord. They are a stack 4ft tall x 8ft wide x Any stick length. I.E. 12" or 16" or 18" etc. These ricks/face cords are not legal measures of wood in Arkansas - don't know about other states. In AR only cords and fractions of cords are recognized measurements of sale should a dispute arise.

I rarely split down sticks from stove sized firewood and used a couple of sticks an hour after getting the fire started and coal bed established. I controlled the fire with the intake damper.

Thank you!!!

VERY helpful!!!

cayenne

Dustin Dorsey · 06-14-2023, 08:29 AM

Here they call a face cord a rick or sometimes a "half".

SMOKE FREAK · 06-14-2023, 09:14 AM

My experience says that smaller splits burn easier but bigger wood makes a longer lasting coal bed. Just gotta see what makes your smoker happiest.

JeffinNE · 06-14-2023, 01:42 PM

For my Shirley I cut my 18" splits in half with my alligator loppers then split each of those in half with my Kindling Cracker (get the XL one). So from one split I get 4 mini splits. I put 2 mini splits in about every 1/2 hour so getting about an hours burn from one split. Then do the math on how long your cook will be for each meat. Getting to know your cooker is key. You may be able to run on one 18" split cut in half with Kindling Cracker or may prefer the smaller splits???

Plus, are you more of a low and slow or hot and fast or in the middle person???

It's great fun getting to know how your smoker will run best!! Congrats on your purchase!

Charny · 06-14-2023, 02:23 PM

I recently picked up a 22" weber smokey mountain (WSM) at an estate sale. Haven't had time to play with it yet but I did find a nice table in the manual that gives guidance on the amount of charcoal required for various models (14", 18" and 22") and cook time. Most interesting was the increase due to the model diameter.

The manufacturer should be able to give guidance. If you search for past threads you'll find info on stick burners. 35 to 45 to 60 minutes per split seems typical, depending on target temp.

https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/s...d.php?t=222074

blackdogbbq21 · 06-14-2023, 02:55 PM

Like TheHojo said there are alot of variables with wood consumption. I think a good estimate is an average of about two spilts per hour from my experience with backyard size offsets

PGarSD · 06-15-2023, 12:06 AM

As said, lots of variables but examples always help: For my 60" Klose BYC offset on a ~70F day, and once up to temp (around 275F), I run about three coke can diameter sized ~14" long splits an hour. So, about a stick every 20min. I use ~6 of those splits when getting the pit up to temp so, ~30 sticks for an eight hour cook (+ ~3 sticks per hour after that).

06-12-2023, 01:14 PM	#1
cayenne is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 06-12-04 Location: New Orleans	How much wood per session through free flow Blue Smoke Smoker offset? Hello all, Ok, first...I'm pretty much convinced to order the Blue Smoke Smoker. I'm just trying to manage money, and figure out options.... But it made me think, with this "new" to me method of allowing free flow of O2, from the fire box through a full opened stack....how much wood will this thing go through per session? Let's say, I'm doing a couple chickens and 1-2 briskets or the equivalent per session. I believe briskets on this, I'm gonna be looking at roughly avg 14-16 hours I'm guessing. I can't find on the website how large the firebox is....anyone know? But to those who own the BS Smoker...how much wood do you run through a session? What size works best? I live in the New Orleans area, and found this guy that appears to deliver https://hwfirewood.com/order/ It appears it comes in 18" length and 24". From what I've read so far, it seems 18" is the way to go....hoping it will fit well in the Blue Smoke smoker....? Please forgive a lot of noob questions, but pretty much till now, my wood experience had been with buying bags of it from Academy Sports and just burning each piece "as is". I'd not thought of splitting them like I'm seeing many videos do now. I've read on here what I think are "splitters" you can buy...that you set the wood on and hit with a small hand held sledge hammer....is that the way to go? From what I can tell, you need to do this to get thinner pieces so you can manage the offsets that want full air flow and have no baffles...that the temp control is via how you fuel it...right? It's been so long since I lived anywhere where you ordered firewood...not sure how how much wood in a cord. A cord is what will fit in a bed of a large pickup truck? Anyway...how much wood are ya'll using...per cook? How many cooks would you say you do in a year? How much wood do you order (or go out and chop)? I'm trying to plan for a place to put it and how much I need to budget for it. Thank you in advance, cayenne

06-12-2023, 08:40 PM	#2
TheHojo is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-24-09 Location: Dallas, Tx Name/Nickname : Ted	The firebox is 24x24 Between the two sizes of wood you have access to - would go with the 18 inch variety At that length - you will want to split the splits - kindlin kracker from northern tools will be your friend If you have to get the 24 inch wood - I would suggest getting an alligator looper saw to cut those splits into 12 inch pieces - and then use the kindlin kracker to split the splits Wood consumption will vary depending on the outside temp and how hot a fire you run - I generally start my fire with some lump and a few splits - once the coal bed is established usually go a couple splits every 45 minutes or so Hope this helps __________________ [SIZE="2"][/SIZE][FONT="Franklin Gothic Medium"]Blue Collar Smoker by Big Phil Weber Kettle 22'' and Custom Table Direct Heat Smoker by Royale BBQ Fabrication Johnson Smoker Compact Ultimate Patio - retired Brinkmann Stillwater - retired Old Smokey 18'' - retired[/FONT]

06-14-2023, 08:29 AM	#5
Dustin Dorsey Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 08-25-14 Location: Burkburnett, Texas	Here they call a face cord a rick or sometimes a "half". __________________ Franklin Pit #138, 22.5 WSM, 22.5 OTS converted to OTG. Weber Genesis 1000.

06-14-2023, 09:14 AM	#6
SMOKE FREAK Babbling Farker Join Date: 02-03-16 Location: McPherson Kansas	My experience says that smaller splits burn easier but bigger wood makes a longer lasting coal bed. Just gotta see what makes your smoker happiest. __________________ Craig

06-14-2023, 01:42 PM	#7
JeffinNE On the road to being a farker Join Date: 04-15-20 Location: Lincoln, NE Name/Nickname : Jeff	For my Shirley I cut my 18" splits in half with my alligator loppers then split each of those in half with my Kindling Cracker (get the XL one). So from one split I get 4 mini splits. I put 2 mini splits in about every 1/2 hour so getting about an hours burn from one split. Then do the math on how long your cook will be for each meat. Getting to know your cooker is key. You may be able to run on one 18" split cut in half with Kindling Cracker or may prefer the smaller splits??? Plus, are you more of a low and slow or hot and fast or in the middle person??? It's great fun getting to know how your smoker will run best!! Congrats on your purchase!

06-14-2023, 02:23 PM	#8
Charny On the road to being a farker Join Date: 08-03-17 Location: Floating on the Great Lakes	I recently picked up a 22" weber smokey mountain (WSM) at an estate sale. Haven't had time to play with it yet but I did find a nice table in the manual that gives guidance on the amount of charcoal required for various models (14", 18" and 22") and cook time. Most interesting was the increase due to the model diameter. The manufacturer should be able to give guidance. If you search for past threads you'll find info on stick burners. 35 to 45 to 60 minutes per split seems typical, depending on target temp. https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/s...d.php?t=222074

06-14-2023, 02:55 PM	#9
blackdogbbq21 Take a breath! Join Date: 04-30-18 Location: Northern California Name/Nickname : Paul	Like TheHojo said there are alot of variables with wood consumption. I think a good estimate is an average of about two spilts per hour from my experience with backyard size offsets

06-15-2023, 12:06 AM	#10
PGarSD On the road to being a farker Join Date: 06-05-19 Location: San Diego Name/Nickname : Patrick	As said, lots of variables but examples always help: For my 60" Klose BYC offset on a ~70F day, and once up to temp (around 275F), I run about three coke can diameter sized ~14" long splits an hour. So, about a stick every 20min. I use ~6 of those splits when getting the pit up to temp so, ~30 sticks for an eight hour cook (+ ~3 sticks per hour after that).