Wasting $ on a REVERSE type SMOKER

[killerpits]

Hope To not offend anyone, but I've built all types of smokers and the placement of the intakes and outakes are all you need to know how to do. To keep even temperature across your pit and to also be able to adjust for different temps across your pit. Here is a picture of a backyard pit I have doing just that built the conventional way using 1/4" cold rolled carbon steel. 24" diameter.

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• killerpits
• Oct 17, 2015

 

[JckDanls 07]

If it works and your happy... that's all that counts ...

 

[mneeley490]

I suppose if you were to lower the chimney outtake to the bottom of the opposite side of the firebox, it would do the essentially the same thing as a reverse flow?

 

[killerpits]

Yes just below the cooking grate and bring the heat in just above the cooking grate. With a heat deflector installed to keep the heat off the grate at the intake side.

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• killerpits
• Oct 18, 2015

image.jpeg

• killerpits
• Oct 18, 2015

 

[chef jimmyj]

Nice rig...101 ways to cook an Egg or build a Smoker...JJ

 

[mneeley490]

Nice, thanks for sharing. We love food and food for thought. 

 

[killerpits]

Yes I agree. I just wanted to share what I have found out. I hope this helps others that are trying to decide if they want to go conventional or reverse. I understand there is other opinions. I look forward to hearing them.

 

[pineywoods]

I'm glad I wasted my money on my reverse flow I like it and as was said to each their own

 

[killerpits]

Yea I'm not meaning to judge people for it the post I put up isn't the way I meant to say it. But if anyone is doing a reverse type to obtain even temperature across the pit. I'm just trying to let it be known it can be done the conventional way by getting the airflow correct.

 

[ribwizzard]

Ive always wanted to do a build as you describe, but always had two concerns;

With such a low exhaust pipe, the stail air and moisture build up on the top inside of the CC might give the food too strong a flavor for my taste.

And with the firebox dumping into the CC so close to the food I wonder if not only would it brown the meat heavily on one side , but also allow ash and soot onto the meat , more so than other styles of cookers

 

[ribwizzard]

If you raise the exhaust stack up to fix the first concern, now your dumping all your heat, making it very inefficient due to no mass absorbing the heat before it can exit.

Same if you try to divert the air flow up and over the meat to keep from browning or sooting it up.

Just my concerns with that style cooker. Like I said, Ive never played with building one ....yet.

 

[ribwizzard]

Next virgin 250 gallon tank I can get will be turning into something like this. I want to collect the heat lost off the top of the firebox , helping it be more efficient . Also need it to be easier to clean out that a reverse flow thats why the pipe instead of plate.

 

[ribwizzard]

Here

20151007_190824.jpg

• ribwizzard
• Oct 18, 2015

 

[killerpits]

Ive always wanted to do a build as you describe, but always had two concerns;

With such a low exhaust pipe, the stail air and moisture build up on the top inside of the CC might give the food too strong a flavor for my taste.

And with the firebox dumping into the CC so close to the food I wonder if not only would it brown the meat heavily on one side , but also allow ash and soot onto the meat , more so than other styles of cookers

If you raise the exhaust stack up to fix the first concern, now your dumping all your heat, making it very inefficient due to no mass absorbing the heat before it can exit.

Same if you try to divert the air flow up and over the meat to keep from browning or sooting it up.

Just my concerns with that style cooker. Like I said, Ive never played with building one ....yet.

 

[killerpits]

To answer your question. The moisture doesn't build up any more than any other type smoker. And the deflector that is installed keeps any direct heat off the grate. I will post a picture next time I fire it up with biscuits all over so everyone can see how even temp it is. Also ash has never been a problem. Since I do not cook on it with the dampers open very much to keep the temp down this doesn't cause a really strong vacuum.

 

[killerpits]

The type smokers I build to test this on are built to where if I close the dampers it will extinguish the fire. This also allows me to control the amount of wood I burn.

 

[ribwizzard]

Have you ever tried recessing the firebox partially under the CC and cutting the hole in the top of the firebox so the air goes straight up into the CC? I always wondered if that would work better on those jambo style cookers

 

[killerpits]

I'll be using this smoker in a couple of weeks at a competition. Look forward to getting some judges opinions on how the food taste off of it. So far family and friends all say it's great. If you ever try to build one like this. I promise you won't be disappointed.

 

[killerpits]

No the way I'm doing it is to use the heat that rises as it enters the fire pit and is deflected towards the top of the pit as it travels to the other side the exhaust pipe that is cut out just below the rack. pulls the heat and smoke downward.

 

[killerpits]

If you compare this way of doing it to a Jambo it is almost the same.