Hi folks,
I picked up an old offset smoker ( about the size of a smokey Joe elite) at a yard sale Saturday and I'd like to convert it to a reverse flow.
My idea is to fabricate a heat shield over the fire box (kind of like a scoop) to direct the heat to the bottom of the smoker.
Then, place 1/4 sheet steel several inches above the bottom of the cook chamber as a heat deflector, leaving some space at the far end of the cook chamber (away from the fire box) for the heat and smoke to to rise...
Then move the stack from the far end (away from the fire box) to the opposite end ( near the fire box) to get the reverse flow effect...
I've a couple questions.
I've read that the stack should extend down into the cook chamber to about the level of the cooking grate...Does it?
I've also heard of guys drilling holes in their steel heat deflector plate (below the cooking grate) to allow some smoke and heat to escape into the cook chamber...
Is this necessary and if so, how many holes, how large should they be and where should they positioned?
And lastly how much space should I allow between my deflector plates and the far end of the cook chamber...I was thinking about 6 inches...
I could trial and error it but with all the vast knowledge and experience here I was hoping to get some advice so I might at least get it near right the first time around
Any advice y'all might have would be greatly appreciated.
Walt
I picked up an old offset smoker ( about the size of a smokey Joe elite) at a yard sale Saturday and I'd like to convert it to a reverse flow.
My idea is to fabricate a heat shield over the fire box (kind of like a scoop) to direct the heat to the bottom of the smoker.
Then, place 1/4 sheet steel several inches above the bottom of the cook chamber as a heat deflector, leaving some space at the far end of the cook chamber (away from the fire box) for the heat and smoke to to rise...
Then move the stack from the far end (away from the fire box) to the opposite end ( near the fire box) to get the reverse flow effect...
I've a couple questions.
I've read that the stack should extend down into the cook chamber to about the level of the cooking grate...Does it?
I've also heard of guys drilling holes in their steel heat deflector plate (below the cooking grate) to allow some smoke and heat to escape into the cook chamber...
Is this necessary and if so, how many holes, how large should they be and where should they positioned?
And lastly how much space should I allow between my deflector plates and the far end of the cook chamber...I was thinking about 6 inches...
I could trial and error it but with all the vast knowledge and experience here I was hoping to get some advice so I might at least get it near right the first time around
Any advice y'all might have would be greatly appreciated.
Walt
