New here and need help

[TexasJ]

Hi guys, I just decided to get into smoking and built an offset smoker from scratch. I did absolutely no research beforehand and just jumped in with both feet. It's done now and I tried smoking some spare ribs last weekend for the first time. It did not go well. My main problem is that I can't seem to get the temperature in the cooking chamber up above 140. The firebox will stay between 400-500 but no matter what I do I can't get the cooking chamber any higher than 140. After reading around on the forums and looking at some google images I'm thinking my problem may be the way that I connected the firebox and cooking chamber. I welded a 6" long piece of 3"dia exhaust pipe to connect the two barrels. It is attached to the bung holes at either end. I'm guessing this may be too narrow for the heat to get through, and it also may be spacing the firebox out too far away from the cooking chamber as well. What are your thoughts?

I know I have gaps in the lids which I am already planning on sealing, and I am going to be extending the chimney down to the grill surface with some stove piping. Just not sure if that will be enough. I'm thinking I still may have to cut the firebox off, remove the exhaust pipe, widen the opening between the two, and re attach them closer together. That's a lot of work though, so I'd prefer to avoid that if possible. Let me know if you need any more pictures

. Thanks!

 

[creek bottom]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I would say by the looks of it the pipe is definitely too small... There are calculators available on here to figure the size you would need for what you have... Search for them and type in your dimensions. It will tell you the size of opening between the firebox and the cook chamber that is needed. There are guys here that have built their own that will be able to give you more advice. Hopefully they will chime in and help you out...

 

[666Kevin]

Another possible issue would be that it appears you don't have a controllable
air intake on or around the right side of the fire box you might also install away to regulate the exhaust. your correct a 3" pipe is not big enough
good luck with your project.

 

[gnarlykaw]

oh, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but its not going to work like that, period. theirs a calculator somewhere on here to calculate your surfaces, to determine your exhaust, and intake sizes... in a nutshell, both barrels need to become one.

 

[TexasJ]

I'm no expert on this subject, but I would say by the looks of it the pipe is definitely too small... There are calculators available on here to figure the size you would need for what you have... Search for them and type in your dimensions. It will tell you the size of opening between the firebox and the cook chamber that is needed. There are guys here that have built their own that will be able to give you more advice. Hopefully they will chime in and help you out...

Ok, could you post a link to that calculator please? I haven't been able to find it.

 

[TexasJ]

Another possible issue would be that it appears you don't have a controllable
air intake on or around the right side of the fire box you might also install away to regulate the exhaust. your correct a 3" pipe is not big enough
good luck with your project.

Ok, I do actually have a controlable air vent. One on the left side for the cooking chamber and one on the right for the firebox. I don't believe it's visible in the pictures I posted. I am planning on modifying it and making an actual door though so I can open it up even more. Right now it's just a disc with slots that you can turn to expose air holes in the drum surface.

 

[TexasJ]

oh, I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but its not going to work like that, period. theirs a calculator somewhere on here to calculate your surfaces, to determine your exhaust, and intake sizes... in a nutshell, both barrels need to become one.

Ok, thanks for letting me know. Could you post a link to the calculator please? My current plan is to remove the exhaust pipe connecting the two chambers, cut a bigger rectangular hole roughly 12"long by 8"high, and weld angle iron in to connect the two chambers. They still won't be directly next to each other because the lip of the barrel prevents that, but it will be more of a 2 or 3 inch distance with a much wider hole rather than a 6 inch distance with a small 3 inch hole.

 

[gnarlykaw]

http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html