Reverse flow/grill combo design help

[Mo Smoke]

Whats up everyone. For years I have been using an offset smoker/grill I bought from Home Depot. It lasted a long time and I got a lot of good cooks out of it but it was so rusted out, that I got rid of it a few weeks ago. Mostly I grill, but I do like to smoke meat when I have time. I want to build a reverse flow smoker/grill combo, so I can cook burgers, steaks, dogs, etc, over coals, or I can smoke hams, turkeys, and ribs, using the firebox. Sometimes when I grill I will put a can of water in the cook chamber to add some moisture, or I place it over the fire when I smoke. I am looking at a propane or compressor tank that is 50 - 60 inches long and 20 - 24 inches wide. I plan to put the firebox on the side.

1, Any design tips and ideas for what I would like to do?
2. Do you think I will have room for an optional 2nd cook shelf?
3. Does a grill this size have to be on a trailer? I am not planning to pull it anywhere. I just need to be able to move it around my house. I have a 3ft wide gate that I want to be able to go thru.
4. Should I have 1 or 2 doors?
5. How can I place coals in the cook chamber in a way where air can circulate underneath them when I have a baffle that is needed for the reverse flow effect? Can the baffle be a plate that is removable instead of welded in? Maybe I can interchange it with a coal shelf?

Still brainstorming, but I hope to get a tank and start soon. Thanks for reading. Can't wait to hear your responses.

[PetesMeat]

Hmm, you could maybe design it so the baffle plate lifts out and a basket/grill for the charcoal when your grilling goes in in place of the baffle plate... You may want some height adjustment, could end up being easier to adjust the height of the grill rather than the height of the coals...

The one thing I learned modifying my offset into a RF (you probably know this already) just make sure its properly sealed. Use fibreglass stove seal tape on both the door and the body and if it doesn't seal tight use cam lock latches to pull the door shut, it makes such a difference to the draw running through the smoker to have the doors sealed properly.

[Rodcrafter]

1. There are lots of these in the category called Reverse Flow on the Home page. I would recommend looking at some of those then think about getting some plans to do what you want from Frank Cox at smokerplans.net to help you get it done.
2. If it is 24" yes if 20" it will be a close to the top rack with a much higher temp, but yes.
3. No trailer needed as those tanks are pretty light, as long as you put some good wheels on it to roll on rough terrain.
4.1 door is what I would do.
5.(a), I would answer this with the (b) question being answered yes, then agree with the (c) question. That is how I would do it, if I did.

jm2cw

[Mo Smoke]

Thanks guys. I'm off to do some more reading on other posts about Reverse flow designs. But let me ask this.. Do you guys use water in your cook chamber to add moisture? If so, how? Rod why do you suggest one door instead of two?

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

Never use water in any of my RF's. Always had plenty of moisture.

[Smokeone]

No moisture pan for me either.

[Rodcrafter]

I say one door for a couple of reasons, one is the size your making is just barely big enough for a whole hog with one door you can do that. The other reason is I like to have the room to work inside the CC once the door is open, if I had 2 doors I would still open them both to do stuff. It is more work to make and more to try to seal, then there is always which one opens first if you don't have a piece between them and if you do the door openings get smaller. If the door is heavy just add a counter weight problem solved.

jm2cw

[Mo Smoke]

I respect and appreciate your knowledge sir. I never thought about cooking a whole hog. Probably never will. But....someone else might want to. And why go thru the trouble of building a cooker from the ground up and not make it as versatile as can be. I never even knew about about a counter weight until I joined this site. Most of the guys around where I live just kind of shade tree this whole idea of building a cooker. Not saying that none of them can cook. A lot of them turn out some great meat. Thats them. To me one of the hardest things to do is be consistent, and work smarter not harder. Guess thats why I would rather get some insight so I can build a better mousetrap. By the way, been searching, haven't really found anything reverse flow/grill combo designs or posts that sound like what I'm shooting for. Let me know if you come across any. Thanks