# HD wood/charcoal box



## jdt (Mar 15, 2009)

I built myself this 16 x 13 x 8.5 wood/charcoal box for my new offset, its 1/8 steel 1/2, 1 and two inch angle, 1 1/8 flat, 7/16 rod and 3/4 9 gauge expanded so it should last a long time, its about a 1/16 to an 1/8 out of square, level, flat and however else you could measure it, about $65 in materials with a few screw ups.


----------



## jdt (Mar 15, 2009)

this is my interpretation of a minion plate


----------



## jdt (Mar 15, 2009)

and the minion plate installed, the dewalt box is where the hot lump will go with any luck it will serpentine around. I wanted to make the minion plate movable so I can play around with burning sticks only also


----------



## coyote-1 (Mar 16, 2009)

I've found that the divider has to be double-walled, with a significant gap between the two walls.

What happens is twofold: a) the heat inside the chamber eventually ignites the other side even before the fire has reached it AND b) is asisted by the still-smoldering ash that falls from the coal box. The only way to have a chance of delaying that crossover for any significant time is to do as described above.

With a single plate, the hea will be transmitted to the other side VERY quickly.


----------



## carpetride (Mar 16, 2009)

Built to Last in my opinion.  Nice work


----------



## vtanker (Mar 16, 2009)

Nice job! I love to see people being creative! I am a welder/fabricator. good luck with it!


----------



## jdt (Mar 16, 2009)

the center of the minion plate is 3/16 so I am hoping I won't get so much heat transfer through it, I noticed the nicest wood boxes had a double layer so I have the plans and have cardboard mocked up as a double wall, it however is going to be more work to cut out and to hold together for welding so I figured for $9 worth of metal this was was worth the gamble, I kinda played around with some cardboard on this one for a triple wall double air gap version to so if it don't work I will decide what to do then


----------



## jdt (Apr 14, 2009)

Coyote is right, the "minion plate" has been a bust two times in a row, within 10-20 minutes the lump on the other side of the plate caught fire, the good news is buring sticks on a pile of coals is working good with the box, it also keeps most of the ash contained and right over the ash dump. Minion plate version 2.0 to come


----------



## suprfast (Apr 14, 2009)

subscribed.  i like your ideas.


----------



## howufiga (Apr 14, 2009)

JDT, looks  nice!  What kind of welder did you use?


----------



## jdt (Apr 14, 2009)

I used my buddies dad's 30 year old lincoln 220v 200 amp AC/DC stick welder The shiny spots are from the grinder, no nickles here lol. At first I tried to use a borrowed 90 amp 110v cheapy but it didn't get the penetration I wanted.


----------



## jdt (Apr 14, 2009)

here is a photo of the bottom that I didn't post before, considering this was done with hand tools I am suprised the bottom looks as good as it does, cutting 45 degree angles in 1/8 wall tube with a 4 inch grinder is a real pain, the 7/16 rods are not 100 percent straight either


----------



## howufiga (Apr 14, 2009)

Looks good.  I'm wanting to buy a welder eventually.  Nice work!


----------



## rickw (Apr 14, 2009)

Looks good to me.


----------



## big poppa 276 (Jul 28, 2016)

I'm kind of new to smoking. I'm building a charcoal box for my offset. Do I need a wood box also or do I just put the wood on the coals?

Thanks


----------

