Sizing the smoker to the task... ?

[DocMorgan]

Questions for all you rig builders out there. I have two upright 120 gal propane tanks. Current thoughts are to either build two "smaller" reverse flows, or one bigger that uses both combined for the cooking chamber.

Granted cooking area ultimately determines how much you can cook at any given time... But I'll be darned if I build a smaller smoker and wish I had built the bigger one later. I figure if I combine the two big tanks, the volume of the smoke "chamber" to be about 26 cu.ft.

To date, I have been using "cowboy lump" charcoal and apple wood to fire my pos chargriller. It eats way too much fuel.

Does anyone have a similar sized build to either the 13 cu.ft. Or 26 cu.ft? How much fuel do you use for a 5 hour smoke to include bringing it up to heat? Is it worth building a bigger rig if you don't cook for more than your family (of say 4) often?

Opinions... I am sure everyone has them, mind sharing yours?

- Doc

[Frank_Cox]

On my 160 gallon build i start the smoker with 2 chimneys of kingsford bluebag and 2 1/4 splits. then every 45 minutes I put another 2 1/4 splits in to keep it at 225*F. If I put more charcoal in I start it first. but usually I dont need to unless it is real cold out. I usually don't fire it up unless I can fill up one full rack with grub.

[The Czar]

and for the love of all that is holy and good...don't use Lowe's thermometers....

[GreenSmoker]

If you are cooking for a family of 4 more often than a party, say of 20, a 100 pound or even a muds or uds is plenty big enough. A 100 will give you about 13 x 30 of single rack space and with a riser or rib rack, much more. I only used Rod's 100 twice and used a 2/3 splits every 30/40 min this on windy days, starting on c-coal. A uds with a 18 dia by 10 deep basket will go for hours. I've never run it out, tho' I've never done brisket.

A 100 will feed 20 with no issues, might get tight if doing brisket, butt, butt (punny) will be no problem. Turkey as well. Hope it helps.

[alleyrat58]

I have a 250 gallon smoker,In a competition we cook on it for 13 hours and use 5 20 lb bags of charcoal, The down side is at Thanksgiving 25 Turkeys filled it only half way.

[Tom_Heath]

If u want economy, the drums are great. And for the fam of four ur golden. Drums are cheep, so then there would be extra money for the big smoker for those rare occasions.

My drum runs 20 plus hours on one load of lump. Aproxx 12 to 15 lbs. Not sure if I could do it on a regular basis but I have gotten over 30 hours before.

U can even get a small rotissiary for it.

Sent from my GT-P7510 using Tapatalk

[DocMorgan]

It honestly sounds like the 100 pound tank will be enough for regular use like I try to use my POS chargriller for now, especially if I Fab the firebox instead of using part of the tank for the offset firebox. This leaves the two 420 lb (125 gal) propane tanks and the additional 100 pound for a "trailer rig" (good lord, when will I use that? whole hog anyone?)

[GreenSmoker]

DocMorgan, good choice on the 100 and the FB fab. As for the 125's, yep they'll do a whole pig well. Even put a spinner to it and rent it out. I am in process on a 100 and I went the easy way at 15x15x15 for the FB. Plenty big and much smaller is a pain when it comes to ashes and air flow, IMHO.





Above is the hybred, tuning plate/RF I built for/with Rod. Good luck, waiting for build pics.