Firebox size for pipe pit

[Bristol0117]

Hi all, having a go at making a pipe style pit and I’m worried that I’ve not made the fire box big enough, I’ve done a 500mm square box to a 500x1200 chamber, have I f**ked it or will I be okay ? For my colonial cousins that’s 19.7 inch square firebox to 19.7x47.2 inch pipe
6mm thick steel
Cheers

 

[seenred]

Hi all, having a go at making a pipe style pit and I’m worried that I’ve not made the fire box big enough, I’ve done a 500mm square box to a 500x1200 chamber, have I f**ked it or will I be okay ? For my colonial cousins that’s 19.7 inch square firebox to 19.7x47.2 inch pipe
6mm thick steel
Cheers

Hello Bristol0117!

Sorry you haven't had any responses before now - sometimes questions do get overlooked. Hopefully my response isn't too late to help you.

From the dimensions you've given, it seems your firebox is too big by a bit.

I plugged your numbers into my favorite online pit calculator, which by the way, you can find here:

SmokerBuilder® BBQ Pit Calculator

The SmokerBuilder® Official BBQ Pit Calculator will help you design and build your smoker according SmokerBuilder's proven design calculations. Ensure that your smoker is sized appropriately and save time and money on your build.

bbqpitcalculator.com

If I've entered the numbers correctly, it's telling me that your size differential between cook chamber and fire box is 162.5%. I had a professional pit builder tell me that it's ideal to keep that number between 100 and 110%. Is is too late to reduce the dimensions of your FB by a little?

Red