SFB mods for Silver?

[billbo]

As some of you saw yesterday I am the proud new owner of an offset smoker. I understand all I need to do in the cooking chamber as far as baffle, tuning plates, lower the exhaust, seal it etc. It is the firebox I'm not sure on.

That is when I call on the great people here at SMF! I am looking for ideas please. Pics would be great if possible as I am a visual kind of guy.

New smoker



I plan on using expanded metal to replace the fire grate provided as I hear it doesn't hold up at all. The instructions say to put the fire grate in the bottom of the chamber, but we all know you need to raise it up more for air flow. My question is how high do you go? There are bolts in the side that would allow the fire grate to sit right at the opening level, but is this too high?

Per instructions



Here are the bolts



With fire grate on bolts.



I have seen set ups with fuel baskets and without. I have seen them without baskets and two fire grates one below the other and some with only one grate. Are baskets a nessessity?

I am by no means a fabricator so I am looking for the easiest way to make the mods on the SFB and still have efficiency. I plan on burning wood in this and not charcoal if that matters. I would only be using charcoal as a base fire or as needed throughout the smoke.

Any help would be greatly appreciated! I am sure there are many different ways & opinions to do this and I am interested in them all. Thanks!

Sorry my pics got messed up. Here it is per instructions then on the bolts

 

[billbo]

Of course you don't have to have my exact smoker to reply. Any ideas welcome!

 

[smokin' dick]

Well I DO have the same smoker as you and am happy to share! I drilled a few hole in the fire box for some 1/4" rods to support the charcoal grate a bit higher off the bottom for ash clearance.The grate now sits 5" from the bottom of the fire box. 3 1/2" would probably be fine. Here is an outside shot of the rods.



I also made up a simple 4 sided charcoal basket, no bottom, that is 7" tall and 13" square. This helps markedly in controlling the fire and keeping the charcoal where I want it to be.



When lighting the beast I fill the basket 1/2 full with unlit and keep it toward the vent side. The lit charcoal goes toward the chamber side.
When it's time for more fuel, push the lit toward the chamber end and add the unlit beside it on the vent side. Not on top. You should get about 5 hours this way. Good luck.

Just for fun, here is a shot of the entire thing showing off it's 4" smoke stack. It also has bigger 13" wheel on the firebox end now.

 

[billbo]

Thanks Smokin ' ****! So you just put in a sheet of expanded metal on the rods?

 

[smokin' dick]

Yessir. Simple stuff for me.