Like I posted earlier, I compared several that I had built and tried to determine why one performed better than another, each one had been slightly different than the others. #19 and #22 had both been my favorite and both had larger firebox to cooking chamber openings, and #22 had way to big an exhaust pipe but produced a very good smoke flavor. Funny thing, #22 was just thrown together over a weekend, never used a tape measure , level or anything, just grabbed what I had laying around and welded it up. Turned out to be one of the best cooking ones yet;. Then i did a cook on #19 doing 120 half chickens, and paid attention to how the chicken cooked in relation to height and all that., and how the smoke colored the meat in relation to how fast it was cooking.and got an ideal of how I wanted it to flow from that.
So , large firebox to cooking chamber opening, small opening at end of reverse flow plate, large exhaust opening. is really the concept. The smoke coming out above the grate is something I always wanted to try as well, and seams to work out well, but I don't think its the key to the flow. But the full length drip pan is one very nice benefit from it.
I need to do some more tests, I had forgot the heat gun that I had planned on using on the first fire up, but Friday or Saturday I plan on doing some more cooking. Need to get wood cut to proper size, and do an extended cook like a butt or something to really test it out. Problem is the rain and the heat here right now.
I don't think Ive ever been more enthused about a cooker than I am with this one right now. Every one so far I was redesigning before I even finished, but not this one.....Now I just want to build a new trailer pit with the same concept.
