Any Ideas how to make an air tight little door?

[azbbqguy]

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• azbbqguy
• Feb 18, 2014

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• azbbqguy
• Feb 18, 2014

So my reverse flow is about 85% done, it still needs a stainless counter top and a few things like a lantern holder and a refelective shield around the bbq.  But here it is as of yet, Ive smoked on it about 50 times now and it comes out superb. One thing I plan to do is to add an electric element underneath the RF plate so that after Im done cooking with wood and charcoal (about 5 hours) I can switch over to electric.  I have a very small oven to use parts from and the element just fits in the belly of the tank.  I also plan on adding a convection fan to circulate the hot air when the element is hot as to prevent a hot spot in the middle.  What I need is a Small door I can open up in the RF plate that will allow air to flow down from the top of the tank to the bottom of the tank and circulate around, thus bypassing the fire box yet still circulating in the cook chamber. But my problem is I dont want to create a hot spot while smoking, so the door needs to seal other wise hot smoke will travel up from the bottom tank ,,, see my pics to see what I mean.  Any Ideas on making an air tight door

 

[handymanstan]

What if you hinged the plate on the fire box side and let it drop blocking the fire box. 

Then mount the fan motor on top of a pipe with a shaft inside going through the top of the smoker down to the hole in the plate and add a steel fan blade to the bottom of shaft.

When not in use the plate is pulled up and latched someway.

Just a thought and I have no idea how the fan when not in use will change airflow.

Maybe someone who knows how to build a pit will chime in.

Stan

 

[azbbqguy]

Thanks for your thoughts, as of now I do have a baffle in place that will block the fire box out if needed, now I just need to figure out a way to circulate the air from the bottom to the top without including the fire box in this loop.

 

[lendecatural]

You really don't have to get too fancy with this hole and plug. A simple heavy plate bigger than the hole what sits flat on a piece of gasket material should hold just fine. The pressure difference above and below the RF plate isn't enough to cause it to leak. Just have to make sure what you use will keep the grease on the top of the RF plate.