Hi cman!...
As you can see from the comments already posted, it will take some experimentation to arrive at a patricular setup that will work in your smoker!...
Terry and I have worked together to get his smoker on the way to being tuned, but it still needs some adjustments to get it 'right on the money', so to speak...
I'm no expert by ANY stretch of the imagination, but he and I have gotten his smoker in fairly good tune...although it has taken a while to do so...
We only get to work on it when he has time to do so...and then by phone!...He's in Montana...I'm in Georgia...
BTW...Thanks for the vote of confidence Terry!...Yer makin' me blush here!!...
If you haven't gotten to look at it yet, I invite you to read through
Post #3 in
This Thread which will give you a fairly good understanding of how your smoker works, as well as the 'how-to's' and the 'why's' of the baffle plate and the tuning plates...
I believe it will be of help to you in your quest to tame that 'hot-spot' in your smoker...
If I can be of further help, please feel free to call on me!...
Until later...