Firebox material

[Beagle Bones]

Other than price, is there any reason to use 1/4" over 5/16" for the firebox? The 5/16" is just about $100 over the 1/4" in my market. Is the 5/16" overkill?

[Big T]

Price and weight are the only advantages of using 1/4''. My last cooker was built from 3/8'' because it was free, it took a little longer to warm up all of the metal but once it was up to temp it was really stabile.

[Dirtytires]

Nothing wrong with thicker but the difference between 0.25" and 0.3125" would probably not be real noticeable or worth the investment. Thicker metal will last longer and hold heat a bit better but comes at a higher cost and is harder to work with. In my opinion, 0.25 is kinda the " sweet spot" and works well for most designs. Nothing wrong with going thicker, tho....it's your money!