insulating the fire box

[hotpit]

who on here has had experience with cooking with side burner with a insulated fire box and what are the biggest advantages/disadvantages????   I'm about to put all of my RF cooker together and am considering to take the time to insulate the fire box.....my "idea" is that 1)  the paint on fire box will actually stay looking nice  2) will use less wood for a cook  3) less effects of bad weather in a cool rainy day cook

those are the pros, but it will double the expense of the fire box, the box is plasma cut from 5/16" plate, my thought was 1" ceramic fiber, land 1/8" steel skin on outside of all that

firebox1.jpg

• hotpit
• Aug 22, 2012

notice the door cut, and the slide damper still needs set up, but well on my way here, just not sure if i want to spend the time and money to insulate it....

smoker1.jpg

• hotpit
• Aug 22, 2012

this is what its goin on....120gal RF trailer setup

 

[rubbin butts]

The biggest problem with the 1/8th skin, is that the firebox gets so hot that enough heat will get through the insulation and the skin will be warped significantly. It wont hurt anything except that it will take away from the looks of it with the panels swelled out in the centers. Rain on the cooking chamber will affect cooking temps more than it will on the firebox, so if rain is your concern, you would be better served with a small roof in your outside cooking area.

 

[ribwizzard]

How cold does it get where you live/

We dont see alot of insulated fiireboxes in Florida.

 

[hotpit]

well I could use 1/4 or whatever...my idea is the space between the plates and how much will it cool the outside skin?

 

[rubbin butts]

well I could use 1/4 or whatever...my idea is the space between the plates and how much will it cool the outside skin?

It would not make much of a difference with the thickness. The problem would be that the inside plate is welded to the same frame as the outside plate, then the inside plate is much hotter than the outside plate, which means one will expand more than the other resulting in warpage.

 

[hotpit]

pitdiamondplat2.jpg

• hotpit
• Oct 30, 2012

RFplate4.jpg

• hotpit
• Sep 5, 2012

RFplate3.jpg

• hotpit
• Sep 5, 2012

pitpolish.jpg

• hotpit
• Oct 29, 2012

heres a few updated pics.....

 

[jarjarchef]

Looking good.....
Love the round tubing and diamond plate sides.....

 

[oldschoolbbq]

That's a nice looking Smoker Build. I'm a bit jealous , I'm up here with no welder and too old to crawl around like that anymore...

I have a Tejas Smoker from Houston and don't have insulation on it and it cooks great and holds heat well. Wood usage is not outrageous and as for discoloring from heat...

holiday for 2012 023.JPG

• oldschoolbbq
• Oct 30, 2012

 I use this high tech. 'mop' to keep the rust away. I use Lard or Crisco to mop it each time I cook, (no problem with Flies or Bees) , and re-coat it before I shut her down. I get a nice (browning? ) on the metal and no worry of rust.

Betty 002 - Copy (2).JPG

• oldschoolbbq
• Oct 18, 2012

 you can just see the line on my FB. It's cheap and works , even if you do insulate. Just sayin'.

Have a wonderful Holiday and..

 

[hdflame]

That's a good idea.  I tried using Crisco on my Charbroil but it was a pain putting it on with paper towels.  Wish I'd thought of using a cotton mop.  Where'd you get your mop from?  Do you sit the Crisco on the smoker to melt it?  Crisco cans aren't really metal anymore.  Mine only has a metal top and bottom.  I was thinking of putting it in a metal coffee can so I could sit it on the smoker and keep it melted.  Thanks for the idea.

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Hdflame, I found a little bucket at a Garage sale and keek it in my Garage Reffer and melt it on the FB, wipe it all over and let it draw into the metal as I cook. The last application before shutdown is just an overkill, I'm very anal about things,drives the Wife nuts.

.

Then there is the Q-view...the whole Family thinks I'm "Nuts", but I believe we all get that from people.

Have fun  and a Happy Holiday Season , and...

 

[hdflame]

Hdflame, I found a little bucket at a Garage sale and keek it in my Garage Reffer and melt it on the FB, wipe it all over and let it draw into the metal as I cook. The last application before shutdown is just an overkill, I'm very anal about things,drives the Wife nuts.

.

Then there is the Q-view...the whole Family thinks I'm "Nuts", but I believe we all get that from people.

Have fun  and a Happy Holiday Season , and...

I wish I'd thought of the mop before the firebox started to rust!

 

[oldschoolbbq]

Doesn't matter if it's already got some rust on it ; (unless it's so gone it would be best to re-place it )

a little surface rust will dissapear with a coat or two , a bit of scaling should be sanded/wirebrushed then oiled . Just keep the grease/lard/crisco -whatever-in a place where it is in your way(so to speak) and make a habit of giving the old Girl a rubdown. She'll age marvelously , and the Patina will be cool......