# Stainless Steel firebox



## meat hunter (Feb 23, 2009)

Hello everyone. Meat Hunter here with a question on wood smokers. I having some steel rolled for me to that will be made into an offset smoker. 4' long by 24" wide. I just came across a 3/8" thick stainless steel pipe that I thought would be nice for the firebox but it measures 14" wide by 20" long. Is this too small for the size of the smoker itself? Or is it best to have the firebox a comparable size to the smoker?

I believe I read somewhere on here that the firebox should be the same diameter as the smoker. 

Thanks.


----------



## cowgirl (Feb 24, 2009)

Meat Hunter, my fire box is a smaller diameter than my smokin' chamber.

 I have a 7' horizontal wood burner... 5' cooking chamber and 2' firebox.


----------



## meat hunter (Feb 24, 2009)

I guess I figured that the larger the firebox, the less one would have to add wood. Seems like all the offesets you see, the firebox is roughly 1/3 the size of the smoker. In my opinion, the stainless would be awesome to use.


----------



## jamesb (Feb 24, 2009)

It would be preferable to have a bigger firebox, but the pipe you have would work but would possible lead to a bit more fire tending...


----------



## ajky (Feb 24, 2009)

hey meat hunter thanks for the link. as to your fire box it can heat a smoking chamber from 6 to 10 times it's size(fire box)


----------



## andy seaver (Feb 24, 2009)

In my opinion, that is a shade on the small side but probably big enough. My firebox is a 16 in. pipe and it works out pretty well. Keep us posted on how it works out for ya.


----------



## meat hunter (Feb 24, 2009)

I think I will pick up that piece of stainless, just to have it. But am going to look around a bit more to see if something larger comes my way. Thanks everyone for your advise. AJKY, love that setup.


----------



## geek with fire (Feb 24, 2009)

One thing to think of is, if you go this route, it will have to be bolted, as welding a stainless box to a carbon steel box would be a chore, if not impossible.


----------



## meat hunter (Feb 24, 2009)

Actually no, its quite simple. Stainless wire and a stainless gas mix. Melts like butter.


----------



## juanito (Feb 25, 2009)

You can also use your regular welding wire for steel, it will just rust.


----------



## j0k3r-x (Feb 25, 2009)

You can weld SS to carbon steel, E309 sticks or ER309 wire is the way to go. You will have to use a gas mixture if you use a MIG. There are pros and cons to using it on your rig. One nice thing is that it doesn't rust and the firebox is likely rust because the paint is always getting burned off. Ya might have to add a log more often but that isn't a big deal. I personally would go with a bigger carbon steel firebox. In any case I would grab that stainless pipe if it is cheap though, might come in handy for somethin!


----------



## meat hunter (Feb 25, 2009)

Yeah I went to the scrap yard today to get that chunk of stainless pipe. Well it was is the very back of the pile. I should have grabbed it Friday. Oh well. I did however score big today at the scrap yard in spite of the loss of the stainless. If interested in what I got, check my post " Scored big time"


----------



## j0k3r-x (Feb 25, 2009)

Looks like you have quite the hook up there with the scrap yard and the combination of your so called idiot friend! I got alot of stupid friends but they don't benifit me in any way and usually cost me somthin in the long run lol...


----------



## geek with fire (Feb 25, 2009)

Sorry for contributing to bad information.  I guess it's been longer than I remembered since I have welded anything.


----------



## meat hunter (Feb 25, 2009)

Absolutely no need for an apology. You can even use regular wire and Stargon gas and get fantastic results on the two. Your weld will rust over, but it welds nice.


----------



## morkdach (Feb 25, 2009)

what he said ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
i"ve used c25 or 92/8 when thats all i had works just fine on a ss firebox to mild.


----------

