Centre feed reverse flow build (for Metric meat only)

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 11th, 2013, 9:22 am

Yeah, I have since modified the layout slightly since the doodle, im going to have the heat opening at the very bottom of the chamber (i guess that the higher the heat has to travel before it gets to the chimney, the easier it will draw) so there will be room for a shadow plate. Im not sure how big to make the actual fire though, im thinking 200x200mm square chute (thats 8x8 inches;-) and then the air hole into the chamber about three inches tall... i have four inches of space between the bottom of the CC to the baffle then another 4 inches to the first stage grill....

Ive gotta go away on business for a few days now but im hoping il have time when im back to get my steel man to chop me some 25mm wide steel strip that i can use for the flange on the door. I have the British BBQ Society annual competition and bonfire night on saturday, im doing the fireworks hehehee.

Pete.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » November 11th, 2013, 1:05 pm

I'm liking this GF idea with this CC. I was just wondering about the idea of building it as an CF with the GF attached to the back of the FB. Then have the bottom of the CC above the FB all open with an removable Top Hat plate, below the BP. This could then be used either way as you could remove the Top Hat plate and set in an plate with the opening in it that the throat opening should be sized as for the standard RF. This would give you the option of using it either way, or even both ways.

jm2cw

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 14th, 2013, 10:26 am

Im back now, and im thinking again on what to do next with the smoker. My big question that I cant quite answer is do I insulate it or not. I want to, and I can do it, but its gonna be expensive. The cost of the steel and the insulation adds up to quite a bit, and im not sure i want to spend that money.

What should I do?!

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 17th, 2013, 11:47 am

Hi everyone.

Today I started to weld the door flange on. The welding is not as neat as I'd like but it's not too bad.

Next up are hinges and handles.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » November 17th, 2013, 12:27 pm

This rig is coming along great!

Gonna have her lit by Christmas?

Post by **Rodcrafter** » November 17th, 2013, 12:32 pm

Rev.Mike · Post by **Rev.Mike** » November 17th, 2013, 4:58 pm

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » November 17th, 2013, 5:31 pm

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Clover Ridge Smokers · Post by **Clover Ridge Smokers** » November 17th, 2013, 6:57 pm

Looks very nice

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 17th, 2013, 8:01 pm

Not sure if I will get it going before christmas. I have the very daunting task of making the gravity feed firebox next. I really feel like im kinda on my own with that one caus theres just nothing out there for horizontal smokers. All I can do is make a big version of a stumps type system, but my cooking chamber is not insulated, and id rather keep it that way, as its so expensive to insulate it at this stage.

Im going to make my own system up, which I have dubbed 'Hanging basket' for fairly obvious reasons. Im hoping that this will allow enough air through the bottom of the grate but also round the back and the sides to feed the coals, and all the air being drawn through the front into the cooker.

Im going to make the firebox about 250mm cubed (thats 10 inches) and make the chute about 200x200 (8 inches) and as tall as it needs to be, pending experiments, to get the required burn time (im going for about 10 hours on one fill at minimum).

Im going to slope one wall of the chute to prevent jamming. Im going to make the opening into the cooker about 75x200mm (thats 8x3inches). This leaves me enough room for a shadow plate above the entry hole to stop a hot spot, I have 100mm (4 inches) between the bottom of the cooker and the baffle, then another 100mm to the first level grate.

My thought is if the draft is there, all the air in the cooker will have been sucked through a 200x200x75mm raging red hot fire, with no air allowed to pass through without going through the fire, so i would have thought the air coming out into the cooker would be pretty bloody hot.

Heres hoping. I really hope that if this design is successful people will take it as inspiration, maybe even copy it. I think the gravity feed thing is such a great idea, I dunno why no one seems to have done a horizontal type cooker with the layout before, maybe theres a good reason i'm about to learn the hard way, but if this works I think it will be a great system, and I hope others build their own.

Ordered four weld on hinges, and im going to rear up the stuff to make the handles and latches this week and get that done this week or the weekend. After that, theres really no point in doing any internal stuff until the firebox is done, as I can test the firebox pretty much with the cooker as it is to check it gets hot enough, I just need to stick the smoke stack in and a baffle.

As I only do TIG welding, I need to plan my firebox very carefully as its hard with a tig to get into really tight spaces, like you can with mig. I think im going to make an L shape first with the top and the front and then add stuff as I complete it with the aim of getting as much as I can complete before I weld the sides together.

Exciting.

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 17th, 2013, 8:43 pm

Here's a doodle to show my hanging basket system... Rather that allowing air in the bottom only, it allows air in all the way round, in an attempt to get a good strong draw without needing a massive throat opening into the cooking chamber.

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 19th, 2013, 7:44 am

The hinges came for the smoker, but theres one problem...

The bag says 'Made in france' on it. Is that OK?

hahahahahhahahaha.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » November 19th, 2013, 7:55 am

It should be metric right? lol

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 19th, 2013, 1:59 pm

Here's what the hinge will look like. The hinge has to hold the thing flat, as I'm sure is true with lots of smokers. There's a bit of a gap so I'm gonna have to clap the seal tight then weld on, and all four hinges need to be straight obviously. Gonna be quite a faff but should look good once done.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » November 19th, 2013, 7:21 pm

FAFF?

And I understand that you might not be able to explain it fully on this family-friendly forum….

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 20th, 2013, 8:13 am

It's not an acronym or anything, it's a ye olde English word meaning "pain in the arse" lol

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » November 20th, 2013, 8:43 am

That's what I thought ….

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 21st, 2013, 11:32 am

Just spent some time with ratchet straps and wood making sure the door is in the hole properly and it's all straight. I need to go round and stuff a 1mmish shim round to give space for the seal. It's cold and dark now so hinges go on tomorrow.

Also got some 8mm stainless rod and stainless tig rod to make the fire basket from for the gravity feeder.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » November 21st, 2013, 1:15 pm

You might want to rethink that 1mmish gap.
If your using firerope you'll likely need at least 6mm or so.
Then again maybe you're using metric rope too…. sheeesh! … my head hurts

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 21st, 2013, 3:27 pm

The tape I used on my last one compresses to about 1. It's thin but 15mm wide self adhesive....

Post by **Rodcrafter** » November 22nd, 2013, 7:53 am

PetesMeat · Post by **PetesMeat** » November 22nd, 2013, 12:21 pm

Hinges are on. It's ugly but it's strong. Some flap wheeling will fix it.

bluecatfish · Post by **bluecatfish** » November 22nd, 2013, 1:52 pm

Post by **Rodcrafter** » November 22nd, 2013, 3:40 pm

Rev.Mike · Post by **Rev.Mike** » November 22nd, 2013, 3:50 pm

SmokerBuilder.com

Centre feed reverse flow build (for Metric meat only)

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Centre feed reverse flow build (for Metric meat only)

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