played hooky today to smoke some meat...heres my progress thus far, input and recommendations are ALWAYS welcome.
0600- wake up
0620- take out brisket n butt from fridge, let rest to room temp
0621- coffee run
0630- lite original Kingsford brickets w rapid fire chimney
0700- pour brickets (semi-ashy w light fire) into firebox, add one 16" X 6" oak log, line log with hickory Kingsford brickets and open dampers all the way
0730- smoker @ 175
*Outside temp @ 52 degrees n 72% humidity
0735- smoker @ 200
0745- smoker @ 225
0800- briskets n butt in the smoker, smoke baby smoke.
* Outside temp same as above
*Smoker dropped to 100 degrees. added 7 handfuls of hickory brickets n one hickory chunk
0840- smoker @ 225
*Outside weather 57 degrees n 71% humidity
1000- smoker @ 225
*Outside weather 65 degrees n 60% humidity
*Unattended from 1010 to 1120
1120- smoker @ 175
*Placed two small hickory chunks
1130- smoker @ 225
1145- flipped and raised to top rack
1240- added more hickory chunks to sustain 225
1340- took a peek and a pic, all is GTG
1440- got on smokingmeatforums to share progress and seek out input/recommendations from those who've been there done that.