Reverse Flow Smoker... How to calculate build tutorial...

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.
With the square FB you have, do a half moon opening like below.... Click on the circle calculator in the tutorial and follow the steps..


FB dam.jpg


10000 ci.jpg
 
So i know this has been asked 20million times so here is 1 more. I have read everything you have posted and modified about smoker builds. I am doing a round 36x60 tank roughly 61.072 in3. doing the half moon FB/CC opening says it needs to be 11" high and i guess that sounds huge. Is that correct? thank you
 
So i know this has been asked 20million times so here is 1 more. I have read everything you have posted and modified about smoker builds. I am doing a round 36x60 tank roughly 61.072 in3. doing the half moon FB/CC opening says it needs to be 11" high and i guess that sounds huge. Is that correct? thank you


Yep... That's a good number... If it's a propane tank, cut into it past the weld ring about an inch... slide the FB in... skip weld the RF plate to the to of the FB....
Cutting in past the weld seam makes for an easy RF plate fit up....

If you want a "valley" in the RF plate to collect grease, once you lay it in the tank, use a hydraulic jack to make a valley about 1/2" deep.. then install a drain that penetrates the tank and put a gate valve outside the tank... Skip tack weld the RF plate... Weld a dam on the end of the RF plate to stop grease from getting into the CC...
 
Yep... That's a good number... If it's a propane tank, cut into it past the weld ring about an inch... slide the FB in... skip weld the RF plate to the to of the FB....
Cutting in past the weld seam makes for an easy RF plate fit up....

If you want a "valley" in the RF plate to collect grease, once you lay it in the tank, use a hydraulic jack to make a valley about 1/2" deep.. then install a drain that penetrates the tank and put a gate valve outside the tank... Skip tack weld the RF plate... Weld a dam on the end of the RF plate to stop grease from getting into the CC...
i am using an oil oil/ fuel tank actually thats 60x36 with flat sides but yes i am cutting the one side completely off so i can attached the FB and a warming cabinet. I will have the stack actually on a plenium in the back of the smoker. As for the RF plate i had planned on leaving it flat but at a slight angle downward with a 2" lip on the opposite end and a drain at that location. i have literally read everything for the past few years here waiting until i found the right tank and opportunity. With my bbq business growing i need something much more. I have a second tank same size i want to build into a pellet smoker. Should hald about 200lbs of pellets with a dbl auger system. That will come in time though as business continues to grow. Thank you for your wealth of knowledge!!!
 
Ribwizzard built probably a hundred smokers... He said this was the best smoker he built... even cooking,easy on fuel.... It's a propane tank, split in half with about 24" added in the middle... The door is split to open up and down to have great access to the food racks... I don't think is was an RF smoker... don't know but it doesn't look like it... Might have tuning plates in it..... He has a commercial BBQ business in Florida....



Ribwizzard 4.jpg


He was invited to cook at a NASCAR event and built this smoker for that...

Ribwizzard 1.png


Ribwizzard 2.png



Insulated fire box...

Ribwizzard 3.png
 
There is NO mention of an exhaust damper... Exhaust wide open, adjust with the air intakes on the FB.... Your smoker MUST be air tight for good temp control...
Upper air inlets are a must to move heat from that overheated FB...
Opening the lower inlets, to get the CC temp up, just burns more wood and does no good getting the FB temp up... if you have a restriction in the air flow route... FB/CC opening... End of the RF plate.... Exhaust stack.... etc....
Check your dimensions compared to the tutorial....
 
Hello,
I beg your pardon for my english.
I'm french so it's complicated for me (inches/cm) but it seems that i understood the first post !

Every thing IS ok, thanks a lot.

My question is about the fb and cc area.
Could i cut a circle between my both fb and cc in place of segment area ?

My both fb and cc will be gaz containers so it seems to be more simple.

However, my RF will be positionned by chord AB like in the tutorial.

Thx for your help

Piem
 
Thanks you !
My cc is quite litle.
13 gallons only.
I have increased the fb/cc a little bit like in this post.
I hope it will work.
If not, my rf plate is not fixed so i can reduce it.
 
Hello,
Juste a little question, do i really have to weld the RF ?
Is there a problem to not weld it ?
 
Hello,
Juste a little question, do i really have to weld the RF ?
Is there a problem to not weld it ?

My RF plate is removable... I also have a grate the size of the RF plate... So this way (take plate out, insert charcoal grate) I can use the smoker as a big grill ...
 
  • Like
Reactions: bill1
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Hot Threads

Clicky