I'm thinking long wise now for sure and making it look like a tow-able wood splitter in shape..... nice compact package.
I had thought of that option....it would make it nice to walk around and not whack your knee on the tongue. A few beers into a cook and that would really help.
I was going to monitor temps at the center and on the ends during the initial burns to get that base line you speak of. I don't want to over complicate things and if I can get away with one thermometer in the center and index off that temp gauge I'd be good with it. I really want to get a baseline across the whole chamber and I may just install one analog in the center and then use my digital probe to map out a baseline for each area and plot the temps against the center analog.
Yes, smoke comes in from both ends and meets in the middle. I like that spacing idea a lot. Makes sense as it will not be directly over the smoke entering or at the exit point. Tipping the chamber to even it out is a possibility but i'm hoping to level it up before I start and not have to mess with the tilt. ...time will tell.Dirtytires wrote: ↑August 14th, 2018, 11:39 amYou are going to introduce heat into both ends, correct? If so, I would do put a probe at 1/3 and 2/3. This would allow you to raise/lower your trailer to even out airflo/temp on each side.
The one close end was out 1/8" on opposite corners. The other end of that tube has a section 1/4" fat. The second tube is worse yet and one end needs 3/4" cut off to make it right. I'm going to go see my metal man in the morning and I wanted him to supply me with some scrap angle iron to make a template and he tells me he has a better way....he is also the one who cut these tubes off so I'm a little skeptical of his wayDirtytires wrote: ↑August 14th, 2018, 11:17 pmDepending on how close it is, you might consider just using the end plate to square it up and fill in any of the gaps with weld. I’d rather grind a weld smooth as opposed to 0.5 inch material any day.
I have used that saw a few times and it does a fine job. He has a pretty complete shop. His business has been slow so I try and help him out and toss him a little work now and then.
Good info, thanks. My plan was to build two fire baskets, each about 3 feet long.I was going to fill the center 1/3rd with unlit coals and dump a lit chimney on top and insert it into the FB for the first hour to bring it up to temp. Then fill the other basket with unlit charcoal and leave the center 6-8" open. I will then dump a chimney of well lit coals into that 6-8" space in the basket and slide it into the FB right after removing the warm up basket.Dirtytires wrote: ↑August 18th, 2018, 8:00 pmFrom experience, adding a complete new basket of coals is like ending one smoke session and starting a new one. Everything gets thrown out of wack and the session comes to a complete standstill while the new patch of coals comes up to temp.
Might i suggest a much bigger basket which you fill with un-lit charcoal. Also fill up a chiminey and wait for it to light thru (but avoid the lighter fluid). Dump the lit chiminey on top of the basket and slide it in the pipe/tube. The lit briquettes will slowly light the charcoal below it and it will burn for hours so long as you control the air.
Some also make a “hamster run” out of the basket so the briquettes burn more evenly but I’ve never found that necessary.
Third option is to cut a door in the center to access the firebox area so you can add fuel without breaking it down.
Keep at it.