# New guy , just built a 30 gallon reverse flow



## CaliContractor (Feb 13, 2019)

Hello Fine folks, 

SO I built a reverse flow smoker out of a 30 gallon compressor tank. It has a 1/4 inch baffle plate on the inside and my cooking surface is 3.5 inches above that.  The firebox is 1/4 plate and is probably 20% oversized compared to what the online cals said to do. It's 15x15x15.5

My question is this how much coals would I expect to burn. Currently I have a 6 inch tall by 12x12 coal basket and when it's full it will get to 225 in about 30 minutes and hold it for approx 2 hours and then my temps slowly drop off. The basket sits approx 1 inch of the bottom of firebox. I am shaking the basket once and hour or so and knocking the ash off. 

I am doing Texas style Brontosaurus ribs today and over a 10 hour period it appears I am going to use an entire blue bag of kingsford coals. Does this sound like to much? to little? 

My firebox doesn't appear to leak air as I shut it down with a full basket the other night and the coals died out and would still be useable. My door on the cook chamber has 3-4 tiny leaks that I will be fixing soon. When I say tiny I mean you occasionally will catch a whisp of smoke coming from the door. 

Thanks for your time. 

CC


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## ravenclan (Feb 13, 2019)

Pics?


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## CaliContractor (Feb 13, 2019)

Which pics would you like? Here it is needs paint


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## weedeater (Feb 13, 2019)

Around here we really like pics!  Post some of your smoker but more importantly post some of the Smokey goodness that comes off of it!

Weedeater


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## ravenclan (Feb 13, 2019)

CaliContractor said:


> Which pics would you like? Here it is needs paint



That's one heck of a build! One nice smoker!!


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## weedeater (Feb 13, 2019)

Nice looking build you have there!  So your using totally charcoal and not using wood?  I would suggest you try using some splits to increase you smoke profile and perhaps allow for longer burn times. Above all have fun!

Weed eater


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## CaliContractor (Feb 13, 2019)

I am currently running 98% coal with the occasional chunk of red Oak about the size of a softball maybe every 2 hours or so. I could easily add small splits of oak. This is my second cook so still learning it's finer points.


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## CaliContractor (Feb 13, 2019)

These are the ribs going on this morning.


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## HalfSmoked (Feb 13, 2019)

Well you had some replies But let me be the first to say Welcome to the forum glad to have you on board. As you have seen ask a question and you will get responses. Yup we do like pictures and that's a nice looking build.

Warren


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## kit s (Feb 13, 2019)

CaliContractor said:


> Hello Fine folks,
> 
> SO I built a reverse flow smoker out of a 30 gallon compressor tank. It has a 1/4 inch baffle plate on the inside and my cooking surface is 3.5 inches above that.  The firebox is 1/4 plate and is probably 20% oversized compared to what the online cals said to do. It's 15x15x15.5
> 
> ...


Welcome... ah why have exhaust over box and not on far side of cook chamber? Does it have a baffle for stack?...just curious


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## CaliContractor (Feb 13, 2019)

@ kit s,

The exhaust is set to take air from about mid point or even slightly less then middle of the cook chamber.  If it drips it will never land on any meat, like say had I installed it on the very top. 

There is a 1/4 inch plate welded in place from the firebox to the far end of the cook chamber, it wouldn't be reverse flow if the stack was on the offside from the firebox. 

Hopefully I answered your question


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## SonnyE (Feb 13, 2019)

Looks Good to Me CaliContractor!
Good recycling of a dead compressor.

Welcome to


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## CaliContractor (Feb 13, 2019)

So my first ever try of short ribs went decent but not great. I didn't allocate enough time and had to wrap and I've oven finish which I wasn't happy about. Anyways I learned a ton from this cook about the smoker and the meat. Getting 3 + hour steady burns with a few oak splits.


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