China, really?

Venture said:

Land of the free? 

It appears you have more freedom in China than many people have in the US?

That firebox at the right is unlikely to get heat to the upright on the left?  How do you work with that?  Fire in the main offset unit?

Good luck and good smoking.

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I have to thank the US media for their portrayal of China.  They make sure not too many people come over.  Don't let the secret out!

Funny you should bring up that heat issue as one of the reasons I found this forum was trying to improve my skills with this set up.  Sometimes the chimney is as much as 30 degrees cooler than the main grill.  I have not yet tried fire in the main grill area yet, but it seems like the only way to get the chimney hot.  I think if I were going to smoke a bunch of brisket or pork butts, that would be the way to go. 

Question for the experts, should I put a water pan on the bottom rack of the chimney if I have a fire in the main grill and am smoking only in the chimney?

Here is a plan that I am going to try in the next couple weeks.  Smoking ribs in the main grill with fire in the fire box.  Smoking chickens in the chimney at the same time, but dropping a couple of lumps of charcoal down in the bottom of the chimney just to keep it as hot as the main grill area.  I will put a water pan on the bottom rack just to deflect any direct heat from the chickens and catch any drippings from the meat.  I will make sure to post some pictures of the set up for people to comment on, but anyone got any initial comments on this attempt?
 

Pizza stone is a great idea.  Probably don't even need the wire rack if I use 2 inch bolts that protrude into the center of the chimney.  The stone could rest on the bolts.  That would basically give me an offset smoker and a vertical smoker in one unit.

Should I be setting a water pan on top of the stone?  I am still fuzzy on the purpose of the water pan.  Is it just to regulate temperature in the smoker?

Nice piece of meat.  Just read the reviews of the stone.  have you noticed the chemical small that people are complaining about?  Sounds like a good idea, next time I am in the states I am going to pick one up and give it a try.