What To Build...

[Brisket Envy]

Howdy! I need help getting off the mark.
I have one 42”x30” tank section
One 4’x8’x1/4” plate
One 4’x8’x1/8” sheet
And a couple of 30”x30” pieces of 1/4 and 1/8. (Possible bottom and top for cylindrical vertical)

Originally, the 1/4” plate was to become the firebox for the tank, as a horizontal offset, but then I started thinking about using the plate for a gravity fed, which I have no experience with.
Maybe there are plans available for the gravity fed, that would make use of the 1/4” and 1/8” sheets??

That would leave the 42” tall tank Section to build a vertical direct flow with.
Do you think I can squeeze three racks into a vertical that short? If so, any suggestions as to dimensions, spacing, baffle size, etc?
Looking toward a vertical due to the smaller footprint.

Haha, confused! Yeah, me too!
Any help would be appreciated.

[towtruck]

With all that material you'd be best to stick with the offset idea.....my 2cents.

[Dirtytires]

Nothing wrong with trying to build a smoker with what you have but that may leave you with a less than ideal smoker for your needs. Each type of smoker has its pros and cons and consider that a well built pit will last a very long time if properly cared for. I feel it is much better to take a little time to think about what you want to smoke, how much meat it needs to hold, how much babysitting you want to do while cooking as well as available time and budget. In the end, a pit that doesn’t fit your needs will be a waste of time so procuring different steel might open up better alternatives.

[Brisket Envy]

Yep, that is quite a lot of steel to work with, really, and there are so many choices.
I am intrigued by the idea of gravity-fed, but have read many reviews of various cookers saying the smoke flavor is kinda weak. On the other hand, I have built an insulated reverse flow cabinet style charcoal smoker that I laid a split nestled in the charcoal, and the smoke flavor and smoke ring were just fine. Charcoal mixed with hardwood worked well in that instance.
I am leaning toward an offset, but am thinking maybe a firebox behind the smoker, rather than next to it, so there would not be a hot end and a cooler end... although with a cooking chamber of 42”x30”, I don’t think that would really be much of an issue.
Probably double racks.

Has anybody here built one with a rear firebox rather than side box?

[Big T]

Gizmo built a square cooker with a rear mounted FB, it had a baffle plate that ran full width from the back wall to just short of the front wall with the stack mounted on the back wall. I'll try to find that build and I'll post a link if I do.

[Brisket Envy]

Gizmo built a square cooker with a rear mounted FB, it had a baffle plate that ran full width from the back wall to just short of the front wall with the stack mounted on the back wall. I'll try to find that build and I'll post a link if I do.

Thanks!
I was thinking along those lines, but cylindrical for the CC and rectangular for the FB.
There is an Old Country smoker that uses that principle, but has kind of a longish firebox.

[Big T]

Here's the link to his build. It shows the images to be blank but it looks like they can still be viewed on the original host service that he used. viewtopic.php?f=11&t=3418&hilit=egor