# Rookie Roaster needs HELP!!



## michael jode (Aug 27, 2015)

Hi Guys, Yes.....I'm brand new to the forum, and to make matters worse...I don't live in the States either (more about that in a minute) so to say I'm a complete novice (or Rookie, as you guys call them) to the art of what I now know to be True BBQ, would be something of an understatement! Hence, any advice I receive on this forum will be greatly appreciated!
So, here goes......

I am humble firefighter, living 30 miles east of London UK, and in the last few weeks I've gone from thinking (like most of us in the UK) that BBQ was a party where people cremated piles of (tasteless) sausages and plain burgers over a grill, to discovering what true BBQ is really all about! Needless to say...as a huge meat lover , and big fan of outdoor cooking, it's been a huge revelation, and I'm now embracing the whole American culture of BBQ, despite being a complete novice to the art of smoking meat. On the upside....my lack of experience is offset by my welding/engineering background, still having access to a fully equipped workshop, a rather cheap (and rather rusty) old 200ltr air compressor tank (bought on EBay) for my cook chamber, and bundles of enthusiasm for my first smoker project! [emoji]128515[/emoji]

I've already sourced the metal for my firebox, baffle plates, etc, and spring handles (which I've had to ship over from the States as you just can't buy them in the UK!), now all I need is a few bits of advice.

Firstly....which is a good calculator for all my stack, vent, firebox opening sizes, etc?
Secondly....how do I calculate the gap between the end of my baffle plate/drip pan and the end of my cook chamber? Or is this dimension not really important?
Kind regards
Mike


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## noboundaries (Aug 28, 2015)

Mike, first off, welcome to SMF!  Glad you are here and looking forward to embracing both the American and the worldwide culture of BBQ'd meat!  Be sure to check out the "Groups" section of the forum.  There is a large and active group of meat smokers in the UK who love to help each other. 

Since Roll Call is basically a chance to welcome new folks, just copy your post over to the Smoker Builds section for the help you need on a calculator.  You'll get much better results there.

Have fun with your build Mike!

Ray


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## smokin monkey (Aug 28, 2015)

Hi Mike,  Welcome to our "Family" and "Addiction"

Plenty of good folk on here, ask any questions you can think of, and you will get your answers.

Please take time to look at the UK Smokers Forum,

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/3161/uk-smokers

And introduce your self on the UK Roll Call

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/229926/roll-call

Also Check this group out, post all the questions you can think of and you will get the answer.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/201/reverse-flow
 There is a Calculator Faldons
http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html


Smokin Monkey [emoji]133660013031[/emoji]


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## michael jode (Aug 28, 2015)

Noboundaries said:


> Mike, first off, welcome to SMF!  Glad you are here and looking forward to embracing both the American and the worldwide culture of BBQ'd meat!  Be sure to check out the "Groups" section of the forum.  There is a large and active group of meat smokers in the UK who love to help each other.
> 
> Since Roll Call is basically a chance to welcome new folks, just copy your post over to the Smoker Builds section for the help you need on a calculator.  You'll get much better results there.
> 
> ...


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## michael jode (Aug 28, 2015)

Smokin Monkey said:


> Hi Mike,  Welcome to our "Family" and "Addiction"
> 
> Plenty of good folk on here, ask any questions you can think of, and you will get your answers.
> 
> ...


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## smokin monkey (Aug 28, 2015)

Hi Mike, my name is Steve and I live in Sutton In Ashfield, North Of Nottingham.

Yes there is a growing number of us. At the beginning of AUGUST we had our second Weekend get together, where members with all levels of experience got together and cooked. It was a great weekend.

Before you start cutting any thing check, check and check again. Post a New Thread up, asking all the questions you can, add drawings for people to see. When you start, take plenty of Photos and put them up so people can see what you are building and can give advice.

Steve


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## kc5tpy (Aug 28, 2015)

Hello Mike and Welcome!  The calculator  folks is Feldon's calculator.  I REALLY don't know much about it.  When I was young and welding smokers we didn't have a calculator.  Was trial and error.  Learn by experience.  I understand folks say that calculator is not made for reverse flow.  
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






   Can you post a drawing of your ideas and let us "see" what you want to do and allow us time to comment?  If you build something first and then post; well then once we have suggestions you now have to take it apart and start again.  Just a suggestion.  Keep Smokin!

Danny


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## michael jode (Aug 28, 2015)

Hi Steve, 
You're a good few hours north of our place in Essex, but it's a shame we missed out on the weekend get together at the start of the month, we certainly would've made the effort to travel for the event! I'm sure my wife would've enjoyed it almost as much as I would. Despite being new to this style of cooking, my wife is already very impressed with the stuff I've smoked in my cheap and cheerful oil drum BBQ, and is looking forward to seeing what I can conjure up in the Reverse Flow Smoker I'm about to build!

I must confess...in my eagerness to get started, I've already ordered the steel plates for my firebox, cut to 400x400x400 (or 16"x16"x16" in Yank measurements). But in my defence...that works out at 33% of my cook chamber volume, which...going by Feldon, and some of the others on this site, seems to be the magic number. As for the rest of the measurements, I'll gladly take advice as I go, but as I'm no stranger to cutting and welding things, it's not the end of the world if I have to make a few alterations along the way!

The weekend event you mentioned...is that an annual thing, or are they more frequent than that?

Mike


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## smokin monkey (Aug 29, 2015)

Hi Mike, yes a bit to far north. We have plenty of members down your end, Kent etc.

The weekend is only Annually at the moment.

Here is a link to the website, it has details of and when the weekend is, some mug shoots of members, who you will meet on here.

Menus of what they cooked, and plenty of Photos.

http://www.uk-smf.co.uk/Index.html

Steve


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## smokewood (Aug 29, 2015)

Hiya Mike, Welcome to the forum.

you seem to have jumped in with both feet, 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





I think Noboundaries & Smokin Monkey have given you the heads up on the UK forum, but I will post the links below

There are some fantastic people on here with some great experience. I am one of the Group Leads for the UK Smokers along with Smokin Monkey & Wade. who will be along shortly to introduce himself. 

Just to give you a bit of an update,  As smoking has gained popularity in the UK we have been given our own group, "UK Smokers". We still come under the watchful eye of the main forum and have plenty of support from our american cousins, but somethings are different in the UK and that's where the UK forum comes into it's own. The UK Smokers is rapidly growing with members from up and down the country with a wealth of experience in all areas.

We have an annual Smoking Weekend which is held in the summer ( sorry you have just missed it this year) but next years event will be the last weekend in July, 2016 at Woodhall Spa near Lincoln so it is easy for everyone from the north & south to attend. Most of the active members attend, and cook a dish, have a chat, exchange ideas, pick up tips from other members, grab a few beers and have a great weekend. You are more than welcome to join us next year.

We have members from both sides of the pond so it you post a question in the UK Forum, there is a good chance it will get answered from both the UK and the US.

If you click on the following link http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/groups/show/38/uk-smokers  this will take you to the UK section of the forum where you will find a group of like minded individuals in the UK who are into smoking.

If you click on this link it will take you to the roll call where you can introduce yourself:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/229926/roll-call

I look forward to seeing you there, and feel free to post on the UK forum.

Where are you based and where did you hear about the UK Smokers Forum just so we know what neck of the woods you are from, and also how you found us.


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## michael jode (Aug 31, 2015)

smokewood said:


> Hiya Mike, Welcome to the forum.
> 
> you seem to have jumped in with both feet, Thumbs Up
> 
> ...


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## smokewood (Aug 31, 2015)

There ins a guy in Yorkshire who made his own smoker out of an old towable water bowser.https://www.facebook.com/TheOldYorkshirePit/timeline

 But like Danny mentioned don't forget to get your calculations correct, and let some of the guys have a look at your designs before you commit otherwise you might have an expensive paperweight on your hands that won't smoke anything. If you are having your own one rolled go for some heavy gauge steel.


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## michael jode (Aug 31, 2015)

KC5TPY said:


> Hello Mike and Welcome!  The calculator  folks is Feldon's calculator.  I REALLY don't know much about it.  When I was young and welding smokers we didn't have a calculator.  Was trial and error.  Learn by experience.  I understand folks say that calculator is not made for reverse flow.
> 
> 
> 
> ...


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## JckDanls 07 (Aug 31, 2015)

Micheal...  welcome to your new addiction (the forums) ...  here is a better calculator and tutorial for a reverse flow smoker...   http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/reverse-flow-smoker-how-to-calculate-build-tutorial

and as others have said..  don't be afraid to ask questions (in the correct forums as it will get more attention there)...   good luck...


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## michael jode (Sep 1, 2015)

smokewood said:


> There ins a guy in Yorkshire who made his own smoker out of an old towable water bowser.https://www.facebook.com/TheOldYorkshirePit/timeline
> 
> But like Danny mentioned don't forget to get your calculations correct, and let some of the guys have a look at your designs before you commit otherwise you might have an expensive paperweight on your hands that won't smoke anything. If you are having your own one rolled go for some heavy gauge steel.
> 
> ...


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## smokewood (Sep 1, 2015)

Hiya Michael , Unfortunately I am not experience enough to answer your question as I have never used a reverse flow smoker, mine is just an ordinary Brinkmann special edition offset smoker, the steel is just over 3 mm thick, and about 4mm thick on the cooking chamber door.   If I had to build one I would use thicker steel to enable it to hold the heat better in the winter months.

Why are you opting for a reverse flow smoker over an offset smoker? just out of interest













smoker.jpg



__ smokewood
__ Sep 1, 2015






I think if I was making one the minimum would be


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## sawinredneck (Sep 1, 2015)

I have the exact smoker posted above, if I had the money to do it, I'd go 1/4"/6mm as well. More steel, more heat retention, more steel more insulation, more steel less problems with it rusting/burning out. I could go on but I think you get the idea.
If you can afford the extra cost now, it will pay in huge dividends in the long run.


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## michael jode (Sep 2, 2015)

sawinredneck said:


> I have the exact smoker posted above, if I had the money to do it, I'd go 1/4"/6mm as well. More steel, more heat retention, more steel more insulation, more steel less problems with it rusting/burning out. I could go on but I think you get the idea.
> If you can afford the extra cost now, it will pay in huge dividends in the long run.
> 
> Hi Sawinredneck, thanks for the advice, I get the picture!.....but it's nothing to do with cost, I can afford the extra couple of mm of steel, it's all about keeping the weight sensible. Because of where I'll be using it, I don't want to put it on a trailer if I can help it, and therefore need to be able to comfortably carry it between 2 people. Admittedly, I haven't calculated the gross weight of my project, and could be worrying unnecessarily, but having worked with 6mm plate before, it's never going to be a single-handed lift! That said....if the benefit outweighs the effort, I'd rather flex my little guns a bit harder and go thicker than 4mm.
> ...


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## michael jode (Sep 2, 2015)

smokewood said:


> Hiya Michael , Unfortunately I am not experience enough to answer your question as I have never used a reverse flow smoker, mine is just an ordinary Brinkmann special edition offset smoker, the steel is just over 3 mm thick, and about 4mm thick on the cooking chamber door.   If I had to build one I would use thicker steel to enable it to hold the heat better in the winter months.
> 
> Why are you opting for a reverse flow smoker over an offset smoker? just out of interest
> 
> ...


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## sawinredneck (Sep 2, 2015)

If designed properly, an offset cab work as well as a RF unit, but it's harder to do than an RF design. At least from what I've seen. You will need a convection plate or heat baffle, then tuning plates that you will have to move around to get the hot spots out of it. A RF build you basically put the numbers in the calculator and it tells you the firebox size, how long to make the RF plate and size of the cut out for the FB opening.
Just giving you some things to think about.
This seems to be the most popular calculator from what I've read, http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html


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## smokewood (Sep 4, 2015)

sawinredneck said:


> I have the exact smoker posted above, if I had the money to do it, I'd go 1/4"/6mm as well. More steel, more heat retention, more steel more insulation, more steel less problems with it rusting/burning out. I could go on but I think you get the idea.
> If you can afford the extra cost now, it will pay in huge dividends in the long run.


My thoughts exactly


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## smokewood (Sep 4, 2015)

When I bought mine from Costo in the UK a couple of years ago it was a 2 man lift getting it in & out of the car, as it weighs 77 Kg's (170 lbs)  and then had to assemble it at home. It is mobile but it is heavyTo be honest I would have the main body 6mm thick (1/4 inch) thick on the main body and uses thinner steel on the legs. The only mods that I have done is added a deflector plate near the opening of the firebox and sealed up a couple of gaps.

Have a look at the following link which gives you the specs which might save you some time at the design stage, in addition if you click on the "owners manual tab" it gives you the entire parts lists.  

http://www.brinkmann.net/products/details.aspx?item=855-6305-S


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## eman (Sep 5, 2015)

You may want to rethink not putting the pit on wheels of some sort. An empty 200 u.s. gal  tank weighs in at 400 lbs .

 when you start adding RF plate, stack . fire box , etc  you will be closer to 600 lbs ?


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## smokewood (Sep 5, 2015)

You will definitely need wheels on it, or at least at one end.  Mine weighs in at 77 Kg (170 lbs) and can be difficult to move depending on what surface I am moving it on.


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## michael jode (Sep 6, 2015)

Smokewood, Eman, Sawinredneck,
Thanks for your input guys, appreciate the advice


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## michael jode (Sep 6, 2015)

Oops...sent that prematurely!..... I was going to say..... I've done some more calcs, and was considering compromising with 5mm plate, which would bring the gross weight in at around 160kg (approx 350lbs) which is probably the absolute limit of what I'd want to lift between two people, although...it would be a lot safer if I resign myself to building a trolley for it too, so I may still go 6mm.
As for the smoker dimensions, I've decided to go for a 48" x 24" Dia. Chamber with 24" x 24" x 24" firebox, but Feldon's calculator is saying I need a 6" dia. Stack to keep a sensible length, which seems massively oversize? Any thoughts on this?


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## smokewood (Sep 7, 2015)

It's all down to the airflow and the movement of heat , smoke and O2 through the chambers.  The Feldons calculator seems to be the Bible of BBQ/Smoker design, so if they says 6" I would go with it. The last thing you want is back flow.

I put my calculations through the feldons calculator and the only recommendation  it made was to shorten the stack by a couple of inches which I didn't seem to think was worth it, as I would have to re-weld the rain plate back on the chimney stack.


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## smokewood (Sep 7, 2015)

I have just put your calculations through Feldons calculator.  I just want to make sure that I have the correct information, You are making a cylinder cooking chamber 48" long and 24" in diameter?  Therefore your cooking chamber will be 21703.68 cubic inches,(and your firebox should be 1/3 of the cooking chamber size) so you will need a firebox 7234.56 cubic inches, or the nearest I can get to it is 19.5" x 19.5" x 19.5" which is 7234.56 cubic inches, and not 24" x 24" x 24".

The feldons calc that I am using does not specify a specific chimney pipe diameter size, you just add your own diameter pipe, and the calculator lets you know what length it has to be, so for a 4 inch pipe cut to 28.76 inches, and a 5" pipe it is cut to 18.41" 

I am using this calculator:

http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html


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## sawinredneck (Sep 7, 2015)

You are welcome for the help, but I'm pretty much out of my depth from here on! But, one thing I have read is its ok to go oversize on the fire box dimensions. Just what I've read, others will correct me if I'm wrong.
Good luck with your build, I'm excited to see it come to light!


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## smokewood (Sep 7, 2015)

I agree with sawinredneck, I am certainly no expert and I would hate for you to have a firebox that is too small.  Personally I would seek additional advice before you commit yourself otherwise it could end up being a costly mistake, after all what is a couple of inches between friends


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