New build ... block smokehouse ... chimney and vent questions

[rexlan]

I am starting a new build with block and brick facing.  I have all of my steel doors and screens made.  The door on the left is for 100# propane bottles.  The center top is the main smoker.  On the right is the pit smoker/BBQ which is big enough for a whole pig and has double doors on top.  There is a 12 x 20 opening in the wall at the bottom between the pit and the main smoker.  The two small doors on the bottom are for access to my tube burners (that I am making).

Questions:

1.  How big do I need to make the chimney to properly vent this?  The one on the left is just for looks.

2.  I had planned to have 2ea. 4 x 10 vents in the bottom of the brick work.  One under the smoker and one on the end of the pit.  Is that enough?

3.  Do I need to also have a vent near the top of the smoker or is the chimney sufficient?

4.  Do I need a chimney on the pit side also?

Thanks

Smoker Build.png

• rexlan
• Jul 29, 2012

 

[daveomak]

rexlan, evening...... What size is the chimney ??  Chimney on the pit side, I wouldn't think so.... the smoker should act as a perfect chimney as long as the lower vent is sealed when the pit is in use.....  I have seen drawings of side fire box smokehouses and some sort of flow straightener/air mixer is usually employed to provide uniform heat distribution.... kind of like weird tuning plates if you get my drift.....  

It looks like a great design to me.... Please take lots of  pics during the build....   Dave

 

[rexlan]

Thanks Dave ... pretty slow on this forum.  Sure hate to get this wrong on a new build!