Heat deflecter plate

[gotbags-10]

Wanting to add a heat plate. Small smoker and the meat will be pretty closer to the fire. I have a piece of 12 gauge steel I was going to use. I'm wondering if I should drill holes in it? Maybe small ones and not very many just to let some heat through? Not really sure which way to go.

 

[tiggyt]

Try it with out the holes first if it dosent perform as you would like add the holes. There's a lot of trial and error in a custom smoker