# Building a Smoking Pit.



## merchguy (Feb 24, 2009)

The walls will be made from 8x8x16 Cinder Blocks. Here is a sketch I did in excel.




My question is, how high should my wall between the firebox and the meat box be? (yellow section)

The Smoke stack will be going out on the left side of course.

This is a build that is similar to a huge smoking pit that my High School Band used to smoke Hams and Turkeys every Thanksgiving and Christmas. I live about 12 hours away so I can't just ride over and see how it is done there. 

As for the tops on it, they just used what looks like steel siding with some handles built in. It seemed to work so might go that route, or I might just get a piece of heavy steel and put a hefty counter weight on it to help with lifting it up. Going to need a piece to cover the firebox anyways.


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## got14u (Feb 24, 2009)

i would think u would want it sealed off except for some round holes or pipes going through the bottom or close to maybe 6 inches above the fire level...but i am no professional on this...any way good luck on your build


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## merchguy (Feb 24, 2009)

The round holes or pipes sounds like a good idea. Just would want to know where the best place to put it. The meat rack will be around 2 foot off the ground, with the cover being at 3 and 1/3 foot. 

If I recall correctly the pit I am modeling this off of was open at the top some. I just remember the flames jumping out at us at times, which resulted in the meat on that side getting cooked faster and a ballet of moving meat from one side to the other without dropping it (was always a fun time).


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## got14u (Feb 24, 2009)

with out knowing much i would put the "pipes or wholes" about 16" off the bttm and the first rack about 24" off the bttm.....imho


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## merchguy (Feb 24, 2009)

What I am thinking with pipes is that I can start them from where ever I want out of the firebox, and direct them to come out where ever I want in the meat box. 

So I guess I will have to figure out where the prime spot to place the pipes from the firebox, then I can direct it to come out along the bottom. Maybe have a few pipes coming from different areas of the fire box and have them all come to the same pipe at the bottom that runs from front to back with holes drilled throughout it.


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## petesque (Feb 24, 2009)

Google Wilber D Hog for that pit. He has some lessons learned that may help.

Pete


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## petesque (Feb 24, 2009)

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/photo_galleries/names.htm

Lots of designs here
Pete


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## merchguy (Feb 24, 2009)

Yeah, I have reviewed his plans. The only thing is that his is a vertical smoker where the one I am creating is more horizontal. 

I am not looking to cold smoke so I am still wanting the heat to get over to the meat, just not direct flame. I think the pipe option is a good option and since the fire box and meat box is only split by a single wall of cinder blocks the heat will transfer that way, but I am not sure how easy it is going to be to get the pit up to heat. I know we used to start our fires around 7-8 and wouldn't start putting the meat on until 12-2. So you are talking about at the least 4 hours of pre-burn before the meat even goes on.

As for the 2nd link you provide there is alot of info in there that is going to require some good research. We are discussing here the possibility of digging out the firebox a bit and setting it lower.

This is more what it will look like at the end.


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## merchguy (Feb 24, 2009)

And the answer to most of my questions can be found here. Good read for sure about fireboxes and how to manipulate the heat/smoke.

http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smokehouse-firebox.htm


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