Need help..

[Cinderbrick smoker]

I built a large cinderbrick smoker. Cook chamber is 32 w x 40d x 64h. My fire box is 33h x 30d x 29w. Intake is 9x10 and throat is 11 x 20. Chimney is 8 x 33.7. All figures were by pit calculator on Smokebuilder.com. My firebox is 3/8" plate as well as door to cook chamber. The firebox is insulated on all sides with roxul insulation. All cinderbrick voids are filled with cement for insulation.
Twice, I have had a good fire built but can't get.my temperatures over 100.
Smoke drafts good. Any ideas??

 

[TNJAKE]

I'd bet all your heat is going straight from firebox to chimney. Looks like it should be reverse flow and if so you will need some baffles going from where the firebox enters smoker and all the way across with an opening to let heat enter on the left side of the cook chamber. I'm not an expert though others may be more helpful

 

[tanglefoot]

HI CB and welcome from SE MN. There are a lot of smart folk in this outfit. I'm betting someone will be able to help you out. Judging frim the pic, I'd guess it would take considerable heat/time to get that mass to workable temp. Just my $0.02.

 

[pineywoods]

daveomak might be able to help you figure it out he's good with that sort of thing. You can send him a private message or he should see where I highlighted him to this thread

 

[Cinderbrick smoker]

I'd bet all your heat is going straight from firebox to chimney. Looks like it should be reverse flow and if so you will need some baffles going from where the firebox enters smoker and all the way across with an opening to let heat enter on the left side of the cook chamber. I'm not an expert though others may be more helpful

Thanks for the reply. I actually extended the throat 24 inches from the firebox. Maybe needs to go further..

 

[Chasdev]

I would place digital temp probes in several places (or move one or two around) and see where and if it gets hotter than that.
Temp gauges placed in the door like that only sample right at the door.

 

[smokin peachey]

Can you post a few more pictures of the inside and outside? How long did you let the fire burn? How big was the fire? What dampers do you have in the firebox door and in the chimney?

 

[Cinderbrick smoker]

Can you post a few more pictures of the inside and outside? How long did you let the fire burn? How big was the fire? What dampers do you have in the firebox door and in the chimney?

Thanks for the reply.
The first fire wasn't very big. I was told to start small and work up. The fire yesterday was hot with a combo of charcoal and oak. I checked it for over four hours while playing with air in and air out. Draw seemed to work well.
I haven't finished it yet but, I did extend the throat 24 inches into the bottom of the cook chamber.

 

[smokin peachey]

With the hole for your heat to go through on the bottom I would think all of the heat is sitting in the top of your firebox and not flowing into the cook chamber. Heat rises. If you were to build the fire in the throat it would draw the heat into the cook chamber a lot better then a fire built by the firebox door. You also need airflow to draw the heat through.

 

[smokin peachey]

Check out these pics. https://www.google.com/search?q=smi...KHU1uD3kQ_AUoAnoECAQQAg&biw=375&bih=544&dpr=2

No firebox is used but because of the draw of there set up it pulls the heat through. I would also recommend moving your stack to the side opposite the firebox or if you can get better draw try reverse flow.

 

[Cinderbrick smoker]

With the hole for your heat to go through on the bottom I would think all of the heat is sitting in the top of your firebox and not flowing into the cook chamber. Heat rises. If you were to build the fire in the throat it would draw the heat into the cook chamber a lot better then a fire built by the firebox door. You also need airflow to draw the heat through.

Ok. Thanks. I will try to move the fire back.

 

[smokin peachey]

Try keeping the door open and keeping the fire as close to the cook chamber as possible

 

[Cinderbrick smoker]

Try keeping the door open and keeping the fire as close to the cook chamber as possible

Ok. I will try that. Thanks for your input.

 

[Cinderbrick smoker]

Can you post a few more pictures of the inside and outside? How long did you let the fire burn? How big was the fire? What dampers do you have in the firebox door and in the chimney?

Here are some more pictures . I have added a fire rack in firebox that raises my fire off of the floor by 4 inches. I also put a temp probe inside the cooking chamber. After playing with dampers in and out and even placing a small fan blowing into the intake, I only got my temp to 140 inside cooking chamber. I am kind of thinking that my throat is too small even though it is 100% of two different calculators.
Sorry to just now get back with you. Haven't had time to.work on it.