# Smoker build



## lakewino69 (Oct 16, 2009)

Hello to all.  This forum is great, and has provide me with some good ideas and facts.  I am currently building my new Trailer smoker, and am in need of some advice. I am building an offset horizontal with tuning plates, and leaning toward reverse flow.  I have built a couple rookie offsets, and always had probs regulating temps.  Thanks to the great pit ratio calculator, I think this new one will smoke the first couple, so to speak, and am well on my way.  

My latest debate is whether or not to build a vertical smoker chamber on opposite end of firebox.  I would really like to have the extra room for multiple racks for ribs and such. My horizontal smoking chamber is 90" long, 30" diameter, 24" x 29" x 29" firebox. The cylinder is 1/4" steel, the firebox will be 1/2".  any advice on adding/or not, the vertical box. Is it feasible to use both chambers at once? I would love to be able to add ribs in the morning after a long drunk night of butts and brisket, without having to make room.  Chances are, I will be cooking alot. Any and all suggestions will be appreciated.


----------



## meat hunter (Oct 16, 2009)

Hello and welcome to the site. Good to have you with us. Before I forget, please stop by the Roll Call section and introduce yourself, tell us about your smoking exp, where you live, hobbies, stuff like that.

On to your question. When I made my smoker, I went with the reverse flow design, and glad I did. Are you talking about making a reverse flow with the vertical smoking chamber on the opposite end of the firebox?.


----------



## Dutch (Oct 16, 2009)

Welcome to SMF-first chance you get please drop by Roll Call and introduce yourself.

First question I would ask is this-Is there anything that you like about the first two offsets that you want to include in this new build or are you starting out from scratch?

Is this going to be a "patio model" or are you going to put it on a trailer?
If it's going to be a trailer model, weight placement will be a factor in which end you place your vertical chamber.  

If you're building a lang-a-like (reverse flow clone) your vertical chamber will end up over the top of your fire box. 

I'll let our resident pit builders take over from here as they can better address the technical aspects of the build. You can see a number of their builds in this forum.

Remember to post pics of the build in progress and don't be shy about asking questions.

Enjoy!


----------



## lakewino69 (Oct 16, 2009)

Thanx meat hunter.  Yes it will be a reverse flow, but instead of a solid plate in bottom to direct smoke, I plan on tuning plates.  I can close them totally if need be.  I am toying with the idea of adding a vertical with additional exhaust chimneys, on the opposite end as the firebox.


----------



## lakewino69 (Oct 16, 2009)

Thank you Dutch.

I've seen the ones with the vertical chamber on the firebox, and not a fan. I want it on opposite end of firebox.  Will probably use mostly for ribs, and be able to wrap butts and things and leave it in main chamber. I'm looking for suggestions.  Will my fire provide enough heat to use both chambers at once, and get the heat all the way through?  Unfortunately I have already cut my firebox to a little more than 1/3 the smoker size. it still seems like it may be big enough tho


----------



## pineywoods (Oct 16, 2009)

I think maybe your missing something about the reverse flow concept maybe check out this thread. If you read thru it you'll see lots of good info

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ad.php?t=54542


----------



## lakewino69 (Oct 17, 2009)

Thanks for your feedback.  I may be wrong, but my thinking was,that I could close the gaps in the tuning plates completely, or nearly, and get the same effect as a reverse flow.  If i was to add a small vertical smoke chamber on the opposite end as the firebox with additional exhausts w/ dampers, i could adjust tuning plates and operate as a more traditional offset design. Do you think it could work?  I really like the idea of a reverse flow, but also would like to have the flexibility to possibly add the vert.  Please give me your thoughts

Thanks


----------



## pineywoods (Oct 17, 2009)

I don't think a vertical cabinet on the opposite end of the fire box on a true reverse flow smoker will work look at page 3 post #21 of the thread I posted the link to and see the diagrams of the true reverse flow and look at the way the smoke and heat to some extent travel. I think you could do it with a horizontal smoker with an offset firebox with tuning plates like in post 3 on page 1 of that thread.


----------



## meat hunter (Oct 17, 2009)

Here are some of the problems I see in this design. If you have a vertical chamber opposite the firebox, with a chimney on it, and try to make the main chamber a reverse flow design with adjustable plates with the addition of another chimney on the firebox end, I would think that you are going to have problems of one side robbing heat and smoke from the other. 

Just curious, why do you not the traditional setup of a reverse flow, where a vertical chamber is on the side of the firebox?


----------



## scpatterson (Oct 18, 2009)

If you put it on the opposite end then it seems to me that the draw will go out the vrtical and not out your stack in the main chamber which is on the same end as your firebox. Mine is ontop of my firebox and has exhousts in it, so as I use it it helps with the draw across my main chamber....


----------



## beer-b-q (Oct 18, 2009)

Be sure to post us some pics of the build...


----------



## lakewino69 (Oct 20, 2009)

I think my biggest concern is weight.  My firebox is 1/2", and will weigh in the neighborhood of 600 lbs. The extra weight of the vertical on opposite end would help.  My thought was that I could use close the chimneys on the reverse flow end, and open the chimneys on the vertical after my Butts and briskets are near finished and add faster cooking items to the vertical chamber for the final hours of smoking.  Im no engineer, and am not set on anything yet. All i have so far is horizontal cut for doors and firebox. i will start on firebox assembly today.  I still have time to decide for any setup.  if the consensus is that i need to put the vert on top of firebox(if i even add it), i can still do that. thanks


----------



## lakewino69 (Oct 20, 2009)

I will try to post pix today


----------

