custom smoker build - intake advice

[SuperRedhawk]

after lots of reading around the web, including this site, i decided to try my hand at making a custom vertical smoker. I have the frame built and some of the interior sides finished. I am going to sandwich mineral wool in the walls to insulate. My main question is what to do for the intake?

the cooking chamber is 22"x22"x30". the firebox is 22"x22"x9". Many forums have said you can use a small ball valve to supply enough oxygen for the entire firebox. that sure seems small to me. What do you think i should use to make sure i have enough airflow and fine enough control? since i am putting mineral wool in all the walls/doors, i don't really want to cut it open again to put another (or larger) air intake in. Thanks in advance for any help and advice!

-future charcoal smoker

 

[daveomak]

Have 2 intakes in the FB... one low to supply the fire's oxygen and one upper to allow for fresh air supply and to move the heat out of the FB to the CC....

 

[SuperRedhawk]

Thanks for the reply. the firebox and CC will be separated by a sheet of 14ga steel. I will cut slots all around the edges of this sheet to let heat/smoke rise up along the walls. planning to put water pan in the middle on this baffle sheet. Is that what you mean by intake to firebox?

for the external intake at the bottom, is a 1" ball valve the right way to go?

 

[daveomak]