damper question

[HARRY BARKER]

in a reverse flow smoker some have a damper plate at the end of the main plate.....whats it do? seems like it would quell the fire?

[Frank_Cox]

If you are talking about the damper on the baffle plate, it is used as a way to control the flow of the draft under the plate to allow for better control (tuning) of the radiant heat for more or less even cooking temps. helps eliminate hot/ cold spots.

[HARRY BARKER]

yeah thats what im talkin about,but i just cant see it....the baffle is at the"far" end and will be even colder when its closed.?

[The Czar]

Well..... ....

[Frank_Cox]

well the more open it is, the faster the draft, the more uneven the temps. the more closed it is, the more even the temps. when i run the dimensions on a smoker I always include the minimum and the maximum openings for the damper. if it is closed too far, as you said, it will choke out the fire.

[HARRY BARKER]

what about tuning plates......are they removed manually as needed during the cook or set up before hand?

[The Czar]

I think they are just adjustable....at least in a reverse smoker.....maybe????

[Frank_Cox]

some guys spend a lot of time getting them just right then have a rail with set screws for securing them in place. On my build I am not securing them in place since it is a reverseflow/ tuner

[The Czar]

ALright Mr. Barker...what up with that avatar?

[k.a.m.]

The R/F cooker I built the Smokin'Ace's competition team does not have a damper at the end of the plate in my opinion it is not needed. Once the R/F plate and cooker are equalized during warm up the variation in temps is plus or minus 10° in a 60" span. My current build is a hybrid with plates to convert from tuning plate to R/f if I choose. I however prefer tuning plates because I want a hotter spot for chicken. Once you learn the cooker plate placement becomes second nature and there is no real need to lock them down. A while back I worked a cooker with hold down bolts on the plates and they were a pita to adjust you know hot cooker and hot plates plus smoke in your face is no fun I prefer to slide and go.
I hope this helps.
Here is a link to the R/F build.
viewtopic.php?f=11&t=270

Here is a link to my comp. rig.
viewtopic.php?f=43&t=273

[Frank_Cox]

Also as I always say, the smoker is only 50% of the equation the other 50% is the guy running it. After you spend time running your smoker as KAM said you will find the sweet spot for it and you can do the same every time.

[HARRY BARKER]

thanks for the link,i allready read the whole thing this am!!

[HARRY BARKER]

ALright Mr. Barker...what up with that avatar?

thats my boy....135lbs of pure laziness

[The Czar]

.....What kind of dog? Its hard to tell....all I see is teeth...