500 Gallon Smoker - Why not a firebox in the back, middle

[GrillinFool]

I was thinking of building the firebox in the back, bottom, middle rather than on one side or the other, with a vent pipe on each side. Any thoughts on this?

This is my first build. I do not possess the skill to do it. But my cousin does and will be doing the work, so realize I'm a complete noob on this... Any advice will be greatly appreciated...

[Smokeone]

If I understand what you are saying, the firebox would be behind and below the cooker. That will work, Rick has done that before I know, and I ham doing a roto that way. when you say vent pipe, are you talking exhaust points? Two exhausts will work, but a little more info would help. Is the cooker gonna have a baffle plate in it, or will it all be open?
Just my couple of thoughts. I'm sure others will be along to chime in. (prolly better, and smarter ideas )

[Frank_Cox]

It sounds like you want a centerfeed?
Rick's "Edgar" Build was a centerfeed reverse flow. worked great! I recently done a set of plans for a centerfeed I believe. I have not published them yet.

[GrillinFool]

Yeah, center feed sounds like what I want to do, and there will be a baffle between the firebox and the tank. A double walled metal box about 100 gallons or so.

And yes, the exhaust or smoke stack is what I'm thinking, right around the top of the grill grates but off to each side, not from the top of the grill.

We want to also be able to fill the main chamber with coals and do some direct stuff, so we're thinking some vents on the grill as well.

Also, any ideas on how to clean out the grill? I'm thinking an opening at each end and a metal plate that is the same size as the inside of the bottom of the grill with a 10 foot pole attached to one side and pushed through the grill like a snow plow out the other end...

[Gizmo]

Okay I'm gonna take a stab at my thoughts so don't nobody laugh (too hard)

Baffle needs to be inside the cook chamber otherwise you'll lose the radiant qualities of the steel to stabilize the temp.

You lost me on the doublewalledmetalbox ...

Stack needs to be out the top on that type design - pretty sure it'll draw better...

Vents are good if you're gonna grill but make your baffle removable - then build a coal basket to set in it's place for the grilling fire up off the floor of the cook chamber - grilling vents go underneath that and they need to be very seal-able.

Shopvacs are still the best way to clean a smoker between cooks - unless you have a gas powered and radio controlled snow plow to drive around inside the cooker - then that would be too cool to pass it up!

[Smokeone]

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

[The Czar]

[Frank_Cox]

If you do a removeable BP then you need to make sure the grease and food drippings have a "trap" to keep them from running into the firebox. that would be a bad deal! I do not know that I would attempt that on a center feed. Side firebox no problem, but on a center feed the grease drippings would be sitting directly over the firebox because your firebox to CC opening would be smaller than the top of your firebox. I would think the grease would cake up and even burn causing some bad flavors etc. Others may do the centerfeed design differently than me but I use a small Baffle Plate directly over the FB-CC opening and then the main BP. a Gap on both ends (total required gap divided in half) and the smoke stack in the top center of the smoker. Rick has built one of these (Edgar) and operated it. If I remember right, He liked it!??

[Gizmo]

Edgar rocks!!!

Easy to start
Predictable results
Stable temps

Awww dangit! ... I'm starting to get all emotional again


... gotta go lay down again ...

[noXcuse]

I had to join this awesome site just to reply to this thread. This is exactly how I built my 150 gallon trailer smoker. I absolutely love it. No fenders to get in your way while reaching into the chamber, and that hot firebox is out of the way where little hands won't accidentally bump into it. It took me a lot of trial and error to finally get it right, but now she does work. What I did is make a rectangle hole in the smoke chamber about 3" high and the whole length of the fire box. And on the inside of the cooking chamber I welded a 5" piece of steel, that runs the entire length as the hole, at about a 45° downward angle. It forces the smoke straight down, and the smoke literally convects inside the chamber. The whole entire smoke chamber gets the same temp.

For some reason it's only letting me upload one pic. I'll get you some better pics tomorrow when I get home from work, if you'd like. Maybe give you some ideas.


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[The Czar]

....and thanks for bumping this thread....very nice looking outfit!!!

[noXcuse]

....and thanks for bumping this thread....very nice looking outfit!!!

Thanks man. I'd like to see if he ended up doing this on that 500 gallon drum.


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[The Czar]

....and thanks for bumping this thread....very nice looking outfit!!!

Thanks man. I'd like to see if he ended up doing this on that 500 gallon drum.


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It looks like he hasn't been on since November so it will probably be a while till he reposts ....

[GrillinFool]

Sorry, I started rehabbing pretty much my entire upstairs in November. Took out about four layers of floor, firmed up my very soft subfloor, laid down hard wood, moved a penninsula/island counter to the wall to open the kitchen up, yanked out the wall where my 18 cubic foot fridge was built in, rebuilt it for an adult size fridge, added pull out spice cabinets, new counter tops, new paint, new baseboards, new appliances, added cabinets, redid a bunch of wiring, and the list goes on and on. Oh, and this was pretty much me and another guy doing it in our spare time.

The bad news is there is no movement on this yet. We need an advertiser for the site (www.grillinfools.com) so we can pay for it.

I see the issue with grease possible dripping into the firebox, but I would think that idea of that slanted piece of steel over the baffle to point the smoke down would also deflect the grease to the bottom.

Love this site and hope that I can add some pics of the progress soon. We get one advertiser to ink a deal and we're golden. We have a few irons in the fire. Although one is with a local microbrew. That would be for some cash and a lot of beer. Not enough cash to get this done, but we have other deals we're working...

[GrillinFool]

OK, looks like we might've just picked up a new sponsor for the website. We might be able to get this going soon...

[Tom_Heath]

First off. RICK... Thanks alot man,,,,,, I guess I need exact directions of the shop vac deal. Because as of today I have just burned up my second shop vac, And man there like 80 bucks a piece. Everything is good untill about half way thru the cook and I start to get a pile up of coals.

And Frank is spot on about the baffle plate along with Rick. You MUST have a baffle plate and drip pan.

From first hand experince,,, the grease WILL flash on ya. Funny thing is, the only time it did it to me was when I opened the door.

First cook on first real smoker and I came so so close to having to call my turkey a total loss. I did save it though.

I didnt have to cut my hair for an extra two weeks after that cook.

[Gizmo]

hahahaha Smokertom - please notice I said BETWEEN cooks - NOT WHILE cooking.

I am kinda different on the use of drip pans, drains etc. I foil the top of Edgar's baffle plate (perfectly level) with a foil lip up around the edge of it so I never have grease run off. I may cook once (like at a contest) or maybe 3 times max (like here at home) before changing the foil. I was so unimpressed with the tilted grease pan, runoff and bucket arrangement on Traegers that I couldn't wait to change that design - maybe I overreacted ...

[Frank_Cox]

haha, they don't work for long with the fire lit!!!

[Gizmo]

But you know - I'd buy tickets to see Tom do that ...!

With HIS shop-vac though...

He'd prolly tell me each ticket is $80

I crack myself up...

okay I'll shut up now...

[Tom_Heath]

How did you know ???? Hey man... I will try most anything once. LOL

[GrillinFool]

That's hilarious!