New build idea

[FishFearMe1]

First time builder. I have trailer, wood burner, and multiple smokers. My main goal is to use one fire to heat multiple chambers. I also want at least one chamber big enough to do whole pig. I am concerned about multiple exhaust stacks and if it would create the correct draft to heat each chamber correctly or build with plans of only one exhaust. I was also hoping to be able to block off heat to certain chambers if not in use. Any thoughts on this would be appreciated, all a work in progress. Also would like to know dimensions of cooking surface everyone prefers for whole hog. Thanks in advance, open to any ideas.

[Big T]

Welcome aboard! I'm assuming you are talking about a single fire box with multiple chambers that aren't connected to each other and are each fed by a connector from the fire box. I don't think you'll be able to achieve the desired temps in each chamber because the air/heat will follow the path of least resistance. Towtruck built a cooker that had a single fire box that fed 2 chambers and he found that it wouldn't match temps on each side, it was cooler on the side with the most meat because it slowed the draft on that side and increased the draft on the opposite side. His design was a lot different than what you probably have in mind but I believe that the principle is the same. Of course I could be wrong and it wouldn't be the first time. You might get a few more opinions if you draw a simple sketch of what you have in mind and post it on this thread.

[mp4]

How many chambers do you want?

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[Dirtytires]

Air will always follow the path of least resistance so if you give it 2 choices, the air will decide where to go all by itself. A smoker will always be most efficient with one cook chamber and one firebox.

Definitely an interesting idea tho.....

[dacolson]

If it's a two chamber system, why not the whole cook chamber/warming chamber setup? You can make your main cook chamber big enough for your hog with the bulk of the airflow going into it - reverse flow - with the warming chamber being part of the stack and get heat from the bottom on top of the FB. It's a two chamber setup. Not sure how you could roll a 3 chamber design however if that's your goal.

[USMC1995]

You could always look at doing some type of fan setup to control draft and temperature in each chamber.