Fire Box inconsistencies

[r2 builders]

Hey all,

I am having trouble getting the fire spread across the fire box.
All my heat is next to the chamber damper.
Any ideas on how to get an even spread of heat across the fire box?

Check out the pic.

20170827_174503.jpg

• r2 builders
• Aug 27, 2017

 

[brnhornt]

Fire needs air/oxygen.  Can't really tell how much space you have underneath the fire grate, but it looks like that fire is just starving for air. 

 

[ahumadora]

Looks like not enough room under the grate. Post a bunch of pics of your whole set up. 

The more info your give, the more accurate the answers will be.

 

[Rings Я Us]

This looks good for you.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/89001/charcoal-basket-for-offset-smoker/0_20

 

[r2 builders]

Sorry for the delay in getting back a response.
Here are pics of my setup.

20170904_135234.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 4, 2017

Empty fire box.

20170904_135228.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 4, 2017

20170904_135246.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 4, 2017

Heat shield out and installed

20170904_135300.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 4, 2017

20170904_135331.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 4, 2017

Charcoal grate out and installed.

20170904_135348.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 4, 2017

20170904_135553.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 4, 2017

Pic thru the damper and measurement.

Let me know what you think.

Thanks,

r2

 

[ahumadora]

it's borderline for the height of the coal tray.  Maybe jam some rebar under it to stop it saggin. 

I see there is not door seal, so you may not have much draw on the smoker. post some pics of the whole smoker set up.

Maybe yo have a leaky smoker and the stack is not drawing correctly.

 

[Rings Я Us]

You could put like 4 nuts and washers with bolts in there so it's raised another half inch.. and will be sure to keep that expanded metal from druping. 4 bolts keeping the central area elevated good would be nice. Like little stand legs. A basket with angle iron frame would be ideal.

 

[r2 builders]

Thanks for all the input.
I took another piece of expanded metal and cut it to fit perpendicular to the original piece.
That raised the whole system up at least an inch higher in the fire Box.

20170908_185152.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 8, 2017

20170908_185127.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 8, 2017

20170908_185139.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 8, 2017

Smoking some lobster tails Saturday and will let you know how it goes.

Thanks again!

r2

 

[JckDanls 07]

It's a good idea.. kinda sorta... the next problem I see will be that the ashes won't fall through doubled up grate now... by doubling it up like that it makes the holes smaller ... harder for the ashes to fall out with out a hard shake ...

 

[r2 builders]

Yep,
Thought about that as well.
Just have to see how it performs.

 

[r2 builders]

New set up seems to be working.
Getting a decent spread across the fire box.
Smoking some lobster tails this evening.

Will post pics and data in the seafood forum.

20170909_183837.jpg

• r2 builders
• Sep 9, 2017