Will it work for my first build?

[pigpin]

What I am trying to do is use the same firebox for the horizontal smoker and the vertical smoker. I was wondering if I open the damper on the top of the firebox could I just use the horizontal smoker and if I closed the two dampers on the horizontal smoker. Would it also work if I closed the top damper to use it as a reverse flow smoker? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated. I will post another drawing of an overall view so you can better understand what I an trying to do.  

 

[pops6927]

I know Lang sells smokers with warming boxes above their side boxes, not sure if they can cook tho.  Check out http://langbbqsmokers.com/  site to see what I mean.

 

[eman]

To smoke on the horizontal and vertical at the same time will be tough. The vertical is a reverse flow so the heat coming from the fire box will need to be a lot higher than using the vertical where heat is going straight up from the fire box. IMHO you won't be able to get a balance. But you should be able to slo smoke on the Hor. and bbq or cook at a higher heat on the vert.

 

[alblancher]

Just about what Eman says.  I think you are going to have a lot of trouble regulating temps.  Any vent at all on the vertical will pull heat and smoke away from the horizontal.  I know Lang has been asked several times to open a damper between the vertical warmer and horizontal cooker. 

I wonder how it would work if you just vented through the vertical side?

You may want to look for conversations between Lang and people wanting to have the damper to the warmer.  Get an idea of the problems he has had and if it is possible or not? 

 

[shooterrick]

check out pigroast.com .  The Lang smoker site.   Also though not sure Bubba Smokers have the same twist I believe available on theirs.

 

[dirt guy]

My thoughts are similar to the other posters.  I think the fire box will create too much heat in the vertical to cook at the same temps or in the same time as the horizontal.  That may not be all bad.  I have a preference for light smoke flavor on some items I prepare (smoked steak or maybe chicken breasts).  The vertical would allow for less smoke/more heat on those occasions.  That might be an advantage. 

The disadvantage I see is that you would have to do a LOT of moving meat around if you're trying to cook the same thing on both the horizontal and vertical at the same time.  I'd encourage you to try the build.  Make sure you engineer a means to monitor temps in several locations to know the different cooking areas within. 

Since you are building it, you have the option of taking a mulligan and changing things if they don't work out.

 

[nate_46]

I am not an expert on building smokers,  but have some fabrication experience.  I think I would think about putting stacks for the horizontal chamber on the end (near the vertical smoker) and lose the damper between the horizontal and vertical chambers (seal it up).  I would be afraid that if the horizontal reverse flow chamber dumped into the vertical chamber you would get decreased airflow and have problems with stale smoke hanging around.  When I researched Lang in the past I thought the warming/cooking chambers above the firebox did not have dampers, instead were sealed and relied on radiant heat through the metal. 

I think you have good ideas, but sometimes over-engineering creeps in and makes things more complicated then they have to be.  It is real cool that you are tackling it, take pictures and keep us informed.

nate

 

[solaryellow]

I hate to pile on but I also think it won't work very well since the draft will be affected. No harm in trying it and if it doesn't work close the damper to the vertical chamber.

 

[michael ark]

I'd say go for it .You may start a new trend.

If no one thought out of the box we would be still cooking on sticks over fire.

 

[dirt guy]

I was thinking about your design today as I was working.  I'm wondering how much smoke the horizontal portion would get if you opened the damper between the firebox and the vertical portion.  Won't the smoke follow the path of least resistance and go straight up and out your stack?

 

[smokingohiobutcher]

PigPin,

Here is a post I think you should check out. BBQ Engineer made this and from what I hear it works great!

I'm not sure if he put a damper inbetween the FB and the Warming Box or not. BBQ E doesn't play around in this sandbox anymore but I think I know where I can get in touch with him if you want me too. Send me a PM if interested.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/76817/new-build-trailer-mounted-reverse-flow-smoker

SOB