- Jun 23, 2017
- 4
- 10
I am in the middle of my own build. My smoke chamber is made of 1/4" pipe. My firebox is the same. I haven't started piecing things together and I am wondering if I should insulate my firebox. I've actually got another piece of pipe that is 5/16" thick that could easily slide into the pipe I'm using for my firebox. If I did that, I'd have a 5/16" pipe nestled into a 1/4" pipe for my firebox.
But will it be worth the added weight to my rig? This is just a backyard rig (albeit a larger one). I live in Los Angeles where we don't have winters at all. It's gets down to 45-55 degrees in December sometimes, and that's late at night. Mostly though, we're in the 70's to 80's all year long with summer/fall being in the high 80's to 90's. Is an insulate firebox needed? Should I toss in that thicker, smaller pipe into the firebox before I weld this puppy up or toss it aside and avoid the extra weight?
I also read somewhere that a firebox that insulates too well can actually be a hindrance to smaller smokers because they can generate too much heat. "A firebox that is insulated too well can keep its coals warm for really long periods of time, hardly requiring wood fuel to keep the temperature up. It basically becomes an oven instead of a smoker." Will an insulated firebox be too much for SoCal weather?
What do ya'll think?
But will it be worth the added weight to my rig? This is just a backyard rig (albeit a larger one). I live in Los Angeles where we don't have winters at all. It's gets down to 45-55 degrees in December sometimes, and that's late at night. Mostly though, we're in the 70's to 80's all year long with summer/fall being in the high 80's to 90's. Is an insulate firebox needed? Should I toss in that thicker, smaller pipe into the firebox before I weld this puppy up or toss it aside and avoid the extra weight?
I also read somewhere that a firebox that insulates too well can actually be a hindrance to smaller smokers because they can generate too much heat. "A firebox that is insulated too well can keep its coals warm for really long periods of time, hardly requiring wood fuel to keep the temperature up. It basically becomes an oven instead of a smoker." Will an insulated firebox be too much for SoCal weather?
What do ya'll think?
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