# Smoke stack???



## smoknrookie (Sep 12, 2008)

I am in the process of building a double barrel smoker, where the barrels are stacked on top of each other.. I am nearing the end of the build but I am in need of HELP
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






  where to place the smoke stacks... Do I need to place on top of the barrel, on the side of the barrel, down close to cook grate, or closer to the top of the barrel????
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





  I figure some of you guys out there who have built some smokers before would know where would be the best place to put the stacks, so I am looking forward to hearing some feedback from you all!!!


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## smokin' dick (Sep 12, 2008)

I have a modified Silver Smoker and moved the stack from the top of the chamber, to the end of the chamber below the cooking grate. Figured that would keep some smoke and heat in a little longer and not simply vent it out and miss the meat. Works for me. Here is a pic. I'm sure there will be others along soon.


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## pinkmeat (Sep 12, 2008)

I know the norm on a lot of chargrillers and smoke'n pro's is to extend the stack down just above the grates.

I am going to be adding the stack pretty soon to a new build I am working on, and am planning to center the stack on the lower grate. It will be exiting from the side of a drum, so level with the grates.


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## j0k3r-x (Sep 12, 2008)

On the double barrel smokers it is a little different because the burn barrel is directly below the cooking chamber. This different than an offset. I would recommend that you install stacks on either side 3/4 of the way up. center it about half way between the top of the grill grate and the top of the barrel. Make sure that you have dampers on the stacks also to give you more control of the heat and smoke. Another thing you will want to do is put some sort of deflection plates inside the cooking chamber right over the 2 flues. There will be direct heat and sometimes flames coming up from them. I used 2 pieces of expanded metal down in the bottom about 1 ft. wide by 2 ft. long and just set them down in there. I set 2 large steel cooking pans right over each flue. These act as a drip pans and deflection plates at the same time. You can also pour water, apple juice or what ever in them also and it will steam up and help keep your meat from drying out. You need the drip pans also because the meat will drip down through the flues and cause the fire to flare up big time. You can install the stacks on the back also but thats up to you. I think a little above the grill grate is better for these style smokers but that is just my opinion.

You can see on mine the stacks are a little high but seems to work great. I can direct them downward from the inside if needed. I also have extensions for the stacks to make them taller but they are working real good so far so I haven't used them yet. Hope this helps!


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## richtee (Sep 12, 2008)

I'm thinking Joker has ya covered. Think about the smoke/heat dynamic. Heat/smoke rises. You want to exhaust it after it's done it's work, and has cooled a bit...down to the grate level or so.


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## wutang (Sep 12, 2008)

Maybe I read it wrong but I thought he was building a UDS that is 2 barrells tall.  Where would he put the exhaust if that is the case??


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## j0k3r-x (Sep 12, 2008)

That's a good question! Wonder if smoknrookie could provide us with some pics? I like the double UDS idea though, I was thinkin about doin one of those and makin it look like a rocket with a launch pad, side opening doors, fins and all and having the smoke vent out small ports on the sides towards the top! You could put 8 or more round grates in one like that! Neighbors might freakout though. LOL! Call it the meat missile?


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## smoknrookie (Sep 12, 2008)

First off thanks for the info so far.. No it is not going to be a UDS I already have one of those and works awesome, so I decided to try and build something different.. I am making one like the triple one like Joker shows in his pic but mine will only have one barrel up top instead of two.. I do have a question for joker though.. I read on here the other day in another thread saying that it was not good to try and control the temp by using dampers in the smoke stack, because it would cause black soot to form on your food or something to that affect... If anyone else has some thought on this let me know.. Add dampers to the exhaust stack or not to add???


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## j0k3r-x (Sep 12, 2008)

I would have to disagree with not having dampers\baffels in the smoke stacks. I leave mine wide open to 3/4 open all of the time. If you are using the Vogelzang stove kit it comes with dampers in the flues from the fire barrel which you can also adjust. The combination of all of these give you great control over air flow through your smoker. It also gives you great control over temps and that is key when smoking meat! Another thing to take into consideration is the diameter of the stacks, you don't want them too big and you don't want them too small. If you have 2 stacks then they should be smaller in diameter than if you were to have just one. I would recommend that you install 2 - 4 inch in diameter stacks with dampers because you will have more even flow of smoke and heat within the cooking chamber and it won't all be flowing to one side. With the dampers you can fine tune your temps alot better and helps keep the draft from your fire box going more even. Tending your fire and keeping it as even as possible is also a big part of it. I have never experienced any soot with my smoker but this again is just my opinion. Soaking your wood can cause soot, I always burn fully dried/cured wood.


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## ibsmoking (Sep 12, 2008)

I keep mine wide open, and close them when I'm not using it, to keep the rain out.


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## smoknrookie (Sep 13, 2008)

I apologize for dragging this out.. 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I am new to the whole smoking with just WOOD thing, I have a UDS and have had no problems turning out some GREAT grubb on it, but that is dealing with just charcoal.. Now that I am dealing with wood I am totally lost.. JOK3-X you say that use dampers in your smoke stacks, but which ones are calling your smoke stacks because I went back and checked the pics of yo ur triple and the only dampers I could see were the ones on the pipes running from the firebox up into the smoke chamber... Do you also have dampers in the stacks that exit out of the sides of the top smoke chamber and I just overlooked them??? SORRY again for dragging this out, I jsut don't want to be wasting my time by building this and it not turn out to be worth a darn when I get done with it.. If anyone else has something to add I would greatly appreciate it!!!!


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## j0k3r-x (Sep 13, 2008)

Ok here is what I used for mine. I bought all at Homedepot.

This is the collar that goes into the side of the drum and also has the damper in it. The handle for the damper is hard to see in my pics because I painted the small handle black but it is there.



This is the damper that just pops inside. You can also remove it but not sure why you would!



Here is the elbow I used.



Here is the end cap reducer. You don't really need it but I thought it looked good.



This is an extension if you want to make the stack taller.



You can also get heavy stove pipe at ACE Hardware but the stuff I used was cheap and works great! Plus I can remove the stacks if I want to real easy. I used self tapping sheet metal screws to attach.
Hope this helps.


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## j0k3r-x (Sep 13, 2008)

The handles to the dampers on mine are on the back of the stacks that is probably why you can't see them. I put them in backwards and I was too lazy to fix'em... I should though cause it is kinda stupid to have them back there!

You don't have to use the dampers! You can always just partially cover up the end of the stack with a piece of metal or something if needed. Plus like IBsmoking said you don't want rain gettin in it or a bird building a nest in it or somethin like that!

By the way, do you have any pics of your build? I would like to see it.


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## mossymo (Sep 13, 2008)

I have built a few vertical smokers and have made them with the stack wide open. Any adjustments with this if I felt was needed in the smoke I just cover the the inside part of the stack with aluminum foil and make a hole or holes to allow for the smoke not to linger in the smoking/cooking chamber. This should work for any stack.....


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## smoknrookie (Sep 15, 2008)

JOK3R-X what kind of pipe you use for your stacks?? I am using some A/C vent pipe that I got from a friend who has a heating and air company.. Just curious, what kind you used for yours.. I don't know if I could find some kind of damper to fit inside my stacks or not.. I guess a person could cut some out of just sheet metal and make their own.. I will have check and see what I can come up with.. I do have some pics of the build but I am not very good at uploading pictures on to the computer I will have persuade my wife to that for me...  Thanks again for all of the insight from everyone, I am sure I will find something and make it work..


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## j0k3r-x (Sep 15, 2008)

I used aluminium A/C duct. Ask your friend if he can get you the dampers, they are very common in A/C duct work.


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## smoknrookie (Sep 17, 2008)

I got the whole damper ordeal worked out.. All I have to do now is give it a good couple coats of paint and hopefully it will be ready to doing some testing.. make sure everything is all sealed up and find out if I can keep a good steady temp and hopefully it will do so without too much work.. We will have to wait and see what happens.. I am still working on my wife to post some pics of the smokers so I can show them off to you all..


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