Mike, afternoon....
The deflector/RF plate should be sealed pretty much air tight to the cook chamber body....
The exhaust stack looks like it could be cut off at an angle, above the food grate... maybe at an angle following the lid... it can extend down from the lid but have it above the food grate....
The opening on the end of the RF plate looks good.....
The sloping metal piece looks as if it is not sealed to the smoker body....
Looks good....
The 2 piece firebox.... is it sealed air tight where the bolts are ?? should be...
A second air inlet might be needed about where the bolts are for the handle...
maybe several 1/2" holes.. use a step drill if you do.....
The lid to the cook chamber looks as if it is not sealed air tight.....
Is that something on top of the exhaust stack that could impede the exhaust flow ???
The picture is not too clear......
A reverse flow smoker needs to have everything sealed pretty much air tight so the heat and smoke and air flow
can be regulated and controlled to go where you want it.... Sealing up the unit will force the air flow through the smoker and out
the exhaust stack.... The holes where the rotisserie rod goes will mess up the air flow....
To seal the lid that hangs over the bottom, I have seen folks attach an angle iron piece that has gasket material attached to it....
It doesn't have to be heavy angle iron... sheet metal is fine.... all you are doing is stopping air and not supporting the lid....
For sealing up the RF plate, some thin sheet metal, scribed to conform to the smoker body, then screwed in place, should be adequate...
Painted steel flashing in the roofing dep't will work .... maybe 26 ga or so... even galvanized will work if you burn off the zinc.... get something heavy enough that it won't burn up in six months.....
You have done a lot of work..... You are so close to having it work..... don't give up now.....
About the burning paint..... the air flow to the fire keeps heating the firebox without doing much to move air through the smoker...
An air inlet about where the handle is will move air without adding air to the fire... It will move the heat only....
I'm around to clarify anything you need help with.....
Dave
