Hi Mike, I decided to use the coal grate directly inside the chamber at the bottom for simplicity. If I really want a long, low smoke then I'll put the coals/wood in the ash pan instead underneath. The biggest disadvantage I saw to offseting the fire box was getting consistent heat zones on each grate level (+/- 5*). Also the hassle of porting, baffling, and tuning. And at the end of the day, I would have used more charcoal/wood to smoke the same food.
I haven't ruled-out any future additions but my smoker is flexible and modular enough to easily add on other goodies. I'm currently working on a rotisserie attachment for old Frankenstein. Also a couple other details I've been meanding to hammer out (pun intended).
Let me know if you've got any questions,
Tom
