rack placements

[cromag]

I was told I spent enough on my supplies so a dome lid is out of the question. I want one grate to cook thicker meaters like butt brisket and a second grate to cook just ribs, Since I've read the first grate should be 24 inches from the fire box grate how high should the firebox be in order to not snuff it out with ash and how low does the top grate need to be in order to put butts and briskets without cresting the top of the barrel?

 

[deannc]

I started out at 2" for my fire basket grate and have since raised it to 3".  Since raising it to 3" I haven't had any issues at all.

 

[cromag]

did you add a catch pan to the bottom of the feet or do you just turn the barrel over and dump out the ashes after every smoke

 

[deannc]

I used the 13 1/2 inch weber coal grate, 4" carriage bolts that I ran up through holes drilled in a $3, 16" pizza pan I bought at Wally World.  It'd be pretty messy without a catch pan of some sort.  I've only used the Kingsford original (blue bag) so far and it creates a lot of fine dusty ash that would create a big mess without a pan.  

 

[cromag]

good idea

 

[tom37]

I second the notion that the pizza pan is a wonderful idea. It makes it really easy to clean out. My new pink drum has nothing in it for an ash pan yet. I had to find a little scooper to clean the ash out this morning, it sucked.

My top grate is between 2 and 3 inchs under where the flat lid would be if I didnt have a dome lid.