Jambo Pits. Why not Reverse Flow?

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I have a jambo about 10 months and it's great. It cooks good and keeps the temp. Your right the heat and smoke vent is above grate level and the stack is at grate level. this way the heat comes down and out as it passes over the meat. I have the backyard model.
how is temp from one end to the other end?  Jamie stresses that is good from front to back. but what about from fire end to stack end???
 
from about 6 inch from the firebox to the stack it   about the same temp I use two temp prob one on each end and there usually within 5 dregs of each other 
 
yes it must have something to do with how the heat and smoke is  forced to the top of the smoker. at the firebox opening there's a peice of steal on an angle so the heat does not come into the cooking chamber thru an opening. it get push up to the top of the cooking chamber and fall down. if i get a chance i will take a picture and post it
 
here a picture of the fire box vent to the cooking chamber

7895c097_Smoker.jpg
 
I might actually have to try to mod my Brinkmann to vent that way.  Argh...another weekend project, lol!
 
The reason Jambo pits cook as evenly as they do is that the firebox only allows the heat to enter the pit at the top.  It fills the smoking chamber with an even distribution of heat and smoke before exiting the stack which is mounted slightly below the cooking surface.  Basically, it heats from the top down all over the smoker chamber.  Even heat, even smoke, winning bbq.

BTW, if you call Jambo, you talk to Jamie.  Not a salesman.  They really aren't that expensive for what you're getting.  I think his highest priced pit is about $12k.  The one I am having built (after the wife gets new carpet first) is going to be the Economy model @ $5500.00

Because I'm not a competition cook, I figure I just want one that cooks great, looking great can come after I win the lottery...  BTW, if that happens tomorrow, I'll be ordering one on Monday 
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edit:

I posted before the page fully loaded...  I guess desociolou  already posted a pic of the interior of the chamber.  That's a really good look at it.

Thanks for the pic!
 
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well i wanna build one, not because of jamies price, or any other reason, but cause I wanna build a badass cook trailer for tailgating and partys at my own place.  Dont plan on cooking comps, but it might later evolve into that......we shall see!!   so far, i'm only into mine so far for about 5-600$ and still need fire box, racks, chimney and paint

 
yes i agree jamie is no saleman. He will take as much time as needed to talk to you about his pits. He will not try to sell you one. I have my about 10 months and I still call him from time to time to ask him questions or advise. I do not compete just a backyard cooker. What I really like is how little fuel you need to maintane the temp. The only thing that get me is the ss tray in make it difficult to get in the back of the cooking chamber. IF I were to order one today i would want the cookng grills on slide out racks. That the only complaint i have other then that I love cooking on it. 
 
If I had a shop, I think I'd probably try to build one myself too...  But since I don't, I'd probably have more invested in trying to replicate one than to simply order one from Jamie.

I called him the other day and he said he's building a new model now that's basically the backyard model on a little 4x6 trailer.  Selling price was just over 3k.  That may be a more reasonable model for me.  I want the convenience of a trailer mounted rig, but don't need the size of the larger pits.  *at least not yet! 
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I think the biggest selling point it the almost 'set it and forget it' aspect of the insulated firebox.  

How often would you say you had to add wood to the fire while doing a long smoke?
 
Hotpit, how far above the cooking grate does that vertical baffle extend?  It's tough to judge the scale from the pic.  Is it about 4" or so, or higher?
 
I like the ideal of having different heat zones in my pit. Not sure why some are so stuck on even heat?  But I do like the ideal that the Jambo does not allow the smoke to come up through the bottom of the meat. I always prefered the smoke to roll down on the meat.
 
It can be nice if you rotate meats or want to apply more heat to larger items.  However, if you have multiple same-size items, it can be a pain because you have to keep lifting the lid to move meat.  Just my opinion, anyway.
 
I do not own a real Jambo but I do have a knock off Jambo(I call it a Jambose), that my brother built for me after seeing a Jambo inside and out.  I can tell you from my experience that my pit(especially a Jambo) does not have a hot and cold spot.  I can put 12 pop can biscuits in my pit in 12 different spots and they come off exactly at the same time done to perfection and all having the same temp, using a Thermapen instant read.  A Jambo does not need reverse flow.  All the reverse flow does is draw more are movement in the smoking chamber, this can be good or bad depending on the cook.  With my Jambose I can do everything that you can on a reverse flow but without having to tend my pit as much and I can tell you for a fact that it cooks the most evenly cooked meats that I have ever cooked.  

     Jambos are wonderful, but way to expensive, but with that said Jamie Greer goes the extra mile and a half to make sure that you get exactly what you want.  His paint jobs are wonderful, his welds are almost invisible and the way he insulated the firebox means that those of you without a Jambo are out trying to keep your pits dry or hotter in a rain storm.  A Jambo will hold the heat through the worst of storms.  Myron Mixon even has to cover his pits during a rain storm.  Jamie also makes sure that you have storage space, flashy wheels and tires.  The Jambo compared to all other pits is a Lamborghini while all other pits are Chevys(they work great but lack the looks and class of a real sports car).  All this being said I think that a good pitmaster can cook on what he has and win.  If he cannot then he or she needs to find a new hobby.
 
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