First and Second build.

[FredyzBBQ]

Hello folks.

I joined this forum with intention to make it better... isn't that what we always think when we get done with a job.. least that's what my Dad taught me I ought to think.

Anyway this was my first smoker and I used the calculator here building it, which I think helped make it as good as it is. But I didn't read enough I suppose. You see a friend told me if he'd buy the supplies and I built him a nice Texas style smoker he'd buy enough supplies for me to build a second one. Well one thing led to another and I hurt my back and it took a while to get it done. Problem he has (he was too anxious to get it to give me time to test fire it) getting the cook chamber hot enough.

I think we sorted that issue out but I'm about to try and complete the second one for myself. So elevating the fire grate in the firebox seemed to correct the problem and he gets the cook chamber up to 300F now if he wants to. I put a coal catcher bar at the bottom of the firebox door that was evidently too tall and the grate was too low about the same height on both.

So on this second one I'm thinking about building strictly a firebox (already built the same but nothing done on the inside or outside door side and no top door for a BBQing steaks.)

Do people ever put a shadow plate on the throat opening top on a cross-flow offset smoker like this? I didn't put one but I plan on this one being "Better" or at least working properly and I don't want to burn things next to the firebox. I see everyone talking about shadow plates on Reverse Flow smokers and but not on direct flow that I've seen. I'm wondering if it would be a good idea.
Also I'm thinking about changing the fire door style but short on ideas. I built this first one based on experience as a fitter welder, drawing skills in Visio and my imagination... and oh yeah, Smokerbuilder's calculator. Anyway this is it. Any advice appreciated for the second one.
I was thinking about making it a reverse flow but from all the dimensions I'm seeing on throats, RF baffles and Shadow Plates I don't think my little 18" Octagon is big enough.
The first one is said to cook real good with the fire elevated in the firebox over the original mistake I made.

[Dirtytires]

I wouldn't think a shadow plate would benefit you much.

[dacolson]

A shadow plate is a shielding plate that goes under your baffle plate on a reverse flow - placed directly at the top of the throat opening - to keep temps down at that end of the CC. A throat baffle may be of use in a standard offset like this. A steel plate to redirect hot air either up or down to help even out heat at the throat. I'm a fan of redirecting up but I've seen plenty of both.

[Big T]

I'd also recommend a baffle to direct the heat up as it exits the throat. That's a great looking pit!

[FredyzBBQ]

Thank you three for your responses and compliments, I worked pretty hard on it.
So offset normally doesn't get a shadow plate. Thanks for explaining.

This is the view from the firebox looking into the cook chamber.

So are you saying I should put something on the inside of the cook chamber as sort of a deflector to direct the smoke and heat downward at the firebox end? Another of you mentions directing the flow upward. What is the thinking for the two different opinions if you don't mind explaining and have the time.

It's kind like some doctors say sleep on your left and others say on your right.

I'm thinking my throat might be too big. The calculator says it's big if I recall correctly by a good bit. But I don't want to move the firebox lower than it is for appearance and other reasons. I think this is may be part of why my friend has trouble getting the cook chamber to higher temps when desired. The draw on the stack is real good, it has no problem exhausting the flow.

I just want to try and avoid over heating food near the firebox.

Maybe I should just test it with fire and see what it does first. I've been putting off cutting the CC door cause I think it's critical to have it in the correct elevation and the main rack easy to shoot a spatula under for Burgers and not snag the lip coming out. Just saying.

Please think out-loud I love the feedback good or bad!

Firebox lip, up to the bottom of first rack is 3 7/16"
Then 8 1/2 approx, up to the ceiling of the CC.

[SheffSmoker]

Good looking smoker, well done!

Just eyeballing it it looks similar in dimensions to mine, and your throat looks to have around twice the CSA of mine. It would be easy to either tack a plate at the top bringing it down some, or making the grease dam at the bottom taller tacking a plate in there. I would definitely revisit the pit calc though and crunch your numbers again.

Regarding the deflector up vs down - most folks on here prefer the up method, but a lot of them have stacks at grate height. I'm just in the middle of experimenting with a downward one as my stack is at the top of the CC like yours.

[FredyzBBQ]

Good looking smoker, well done!

Just eyeballing it it looks similar in dimensions to mine, and your throat looks to have around twice the CSA of mine. It would be easy to either tack a plate at the top bringing it down some, or making the grease dam at the bottom taller tacking a plate in there. I would definitely revisit the pit calc though and crunch your numbers again.

Regarding the deflector up vs down - most folks on here prefer the up method, but a lot of them have stacks at grate height. I'm just in the middle of experimenting with a downward one as my stack is at the top of the CC like yours.

Thanks, trying to figure out how I'm going to do the second one. I have read that on a offset the oversize throat is not an issue but we'll see. I have a piece of steel ready to reduce it's size, because I'm still not 100% sure I want to make this one offset or reverse flow. But it will be a while before I get that far. I had to put my welding machine in the repair shop.

I've visited the calculator many times and seems people here are dead set on whatever it says, from my responses to this thread, it has all my calculations:
http://smokerbuilder.com/forums/viewtop ... =13&t=7909
If I make it reverse flow I'll probably have to reduce the throat. Now it cooks evenly rather than top to bottom or vice versa as a Offset or RF is supposed to do.
Have you had a chance to put in a downward deflector/baffle on your's? What is it doing that's prompting you to do that?

[dacolson]

Not trying to be stubborn, but experience matters here. Keep your measurements right if you want predictable results. FB size, vents, throat, baffle gap, cc size, stack size - it all matters. Mess with one, mess with them all and deal with consequences. 1000s of pits built off the formula. Why not follow it?