Newb looking for advice on Vertical (typical 🤷)

[RuleHard]

Hey all, first I'll start by saying hello since I've not done a proper intro and also I've been lurking here for years and I'm excited that I'm finally going to build my own smoker instead of my old modded brinkman.

I have gather several supplies for my build but I'm sort of stuck and undecided between a few designs as well as specific build details.

My initial idea involved cutting down a 55 gallon drum to be an offset firebox to my 70-100lb propane tank cook chamber. I feared that the drum was too thin and too large of a burn box for the smaller tank

My next idea was to just use the tank with the fire box in the bottom, a diffuser plate that would hold water on top and 3 racks up above. This is by far the simplest design but I lose cook chamber room which is something I had my mind set on.

Final idea was to scrap my entire plan and use the drum as the cook chamber and the tank as a burn box. My fear is that the thin drum metal will make heat control difficult and thats the entire reason I got sick of the brinkman and want to build my own.

Now as far as cook chamber size and exhaust size I couldn't find much detail for vertical build so I'm using a method I came upon that says less that the fire box should be 25% of the cook chamber. Also the exhaust should be the diameter of the cook chamber divided my 4 for diameter and divided by 2 for length.

I can post some drawing once I figure out this forum here real quick.

Also I want to add I'm an experienced fabricator so complexity of design is not much of a concern. My main priority is getting it right the first time.

Anyone who takes time to respond I truly appreciate it. I'm hoping to post the build in here once I get rolling.

 

[RuleHard]

Idea 1.
Propane tank is about 14 x36 ish. 55 gallon drum is typical sized. Exhaust will be 3-4" pipe based on the info I found. Intake will be a valved intake. I was thinking 1" and then adding another air vent that's adjustable on the door directly horizontal from the fire.

Like I said this design is super simple but I'm afraid I'm selling my self short kn space only because I'm afraid of the drum being to thin. I've even though of making the drum double wall to add some insulating effect.

This is just completely swapping them around since the sizes seem more appropriate. my fear is the drum is too thin and will make heat control problematic like my brinkman.

 

[RuleHard]

Just an update since no one replied. I've decided to go with design 2. My priority for this build honestly is 2 things mainly and I feel like that design is the simplest way to get there.
1. I want this smoker to be able to smoke fairly trouble free in comparison to my brinkman. That means I don't want maintaining the temp to be clumsy and I don't want to get ash allover the food when I'm tending the fire either....these were both issues with the brinkman.
2. I want it to be small enough that it's possible to fire up after work and smoke a meatloaf or two.

I'll be starting a build thread shortly.