Another thing I did to this stickburner, is, I put about 5 firebricks in the floor of the cookbox, for two purposes. 1. to retain more of the heat and maintain it more evenly, and 2. to hold up a lower rack for a hotter cook, if I wanted it. Don't recall if I mentioned it before, but, after I drilled the 5 holes in the floor of the firebox, I got a couple of empty beanie weenie cans and keep them handy in order to control the heat, as it will get easily over 350 degrees. When it gets too hot for whatever I'm smoking, I simply place an empty beanie weenie can upside down over the hole and it shuts off that much heat/smoke. If that isn't enough, then I place another can over another hole, and that usually does it.
Another great thing I like about it retaining the heat for 6 to 8 hours is, that I can finish off the meat, and then simply wrap it in aluminum foil and keep it in the smoker until dinner time. Even after 5, 6 or more hours, it is ready to pull out and put it on the table. If I want a crustier bark, I can crank up the fire again, since the coals are still red, and open up the aluminum foil to expose the meat to the open heat.
I have four other smokers and so far, I don't really want to use any of the others, even they are great smokers....this one blows them out of the water on several levels. I am thinking about getting a light somehow to go in the top of the firebox to see inside better. Still working on that.....but pretty sure I can do it. Also, I'm going to make it so air circulates inside the box from the inside, so the air will be the same hot and smoky air that's in it already, w/o introducing outside colder air in the mix. The reason is, that by doing so, the heat and smoke will be mixed and evenly circulating the food. Right now, it's not a problem, but...I think it would be a great addition plus.....it would be cool. Figuratively speaking.