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My first reverse flow build

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smokingunny

smokingunny

Smoking Fanatic
Original poster
Jul 26, 2013
314
18
Pace, FL
Let me start by thanking all who gave me advice on this build. Especially Dave for the calculations and patience. This project started with a 2'x4' piece of 1/4 inch pipe cut in half that was originally used as an open rotisserie. Naturally I decided to turn it into a smoker.

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After a lot of questions and calculating I was finally ready to start. Talked the wife into me getting a plasma cutter for an early Christmas present. Got my materials and went to work.

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Stack is 6" stovepipe and I made the lid out of a 55 gallon barrel.

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Gave it a good burn to get rid if any residual contamination. Hopefully the temps will even out.

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Left side

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Right side.

I did notice after a couple of hours that the right was running 75-100 hotter than the right. I expected a difference but not that much. Any idea why?
 
Your chimney may be a little short. If it were about a foot longer, it may draw better and keep air moving through the cook chamber. Usually they are recommended to be 30" long as a minimum rule of thumb. It needs a column of hot air to get a good draw if that makes sense and would be easy enough to experiment with. With it mounted that far below the top of the cook chamber and having to make a 90 degree turn, I think the heat may be stacking up in the top of the chamber. Looks good and you should be able to shuffle things around during the cook to keep it leveled out if it doesn't make it closer with a longer stack.
 
I thought it may be a little short even though it's a bit longer than the formulas suggested. It's stovepipe so it's easy to lengthen. Should I have made it closer to the top of the lid?
 
Looking good, lets see it cook some grub
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Five Boston butts for our staff/ student Christmas party. I can't upload a picture for some reason.
 
That's what I've been doing since the right side is running hotter. Right now there's only 20 degrees difference. Maybe I finally figured out my air intake adjustment.
 
Looks very cool! Do you have a Maverick or similar remote thermometer? I'm thinking you may have higher temperature at your grate than what your thermometers are showing. Those butts should have taken 8+ hours to cook and it seemed they got done much faster so your grate may be running hotter than is showing. You can find a dual probe remote one on eBay for less than $50 and they work great allowing you to monitor the grate temp and the internal meat temp and alarm when anything gets out of limits.
 
Thanks. I used to have a wireless thermometer but it died and I was thinking the same as far as the difference in temps. They were on for 10 1/2 hours but a couple weren't as tender as the should've been. I asked the wife for the igrill for Christmas do we will see how that goes.
 
And Len, since you're in Decatur. Roll tide or war eagle? I'm originally from Troy.
 
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