Reverse flow offset 1/8 cooking chamber 1/4 firebox

[bviergutz]

Last time I bought a smoker and then asked questions and you guys helped me get the beast cooking the best it could. This time I want to ask before the purchase. I have an opportunity to purchase a smoker. It is well worth the money but I have one concern. First the guy does really good work and he asked a lot of questions while building it on his forum of choice. I believe the design is almost spot on. It would have been better if he found the smoke ring. He built the fire box with ¼ inch steel, the reverse flow deflector plate is 3/16 but the cooking chamber is a 1/8 inch diesel tank he picked up. He did a lot of bracing to help with warping. I am concerned about the heat retention. Will I have to baby set this thing like it’s in its terrible twos? My last offset I could throw a log on every 45 minutes and it would keep chugging. I am hoping for better performance from my next one. I am going to enter some backyard class competitions this year and I do some catering (150 to 300 people). I currently use two UDS’s and a Bubba Keg. I attached the link to his build. I hope I didn’t break any rules by posting his link.
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/152757/my-first-smoker-build

[k.a.m.]

bviergutz, for most offset cookers with say .250 walls adding a log or split every 45 minutes is normal insulated firebox or not keeping the coal base up is still needed. The thinner walls in my opinion will cause for more attention because of the heat loss. I am speaking of maintaining consistent temps not load the firebox down and let her rip for three hours with temps ranging from 350° down to 225°. Insulated cookers can keep longer temps because there is little heat loss but you still have to feed the fire. I have seen guys tune their cookers exhausts and intakes to where they can get to temp throw on some logs and get about three hours sleep but on the same note I have seen these same cookers lose their coal base because a log did not burn as expected.
I am not sure what the guy is asking for the cooker but I personally would look for a heavier walled cooking chamber.
These are just my thoughts.
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Always remember slow and steady wins the race.

Hybrid Cooker

[bviergutz]

As I expected k.a.m. I do want to hold a steady temp at around 250 so I guess I need to keep looking. The price is very fair but I need it to work for my needs. I was thinking about insulating the fire box if I got it but if I had to insulate the CC to make it workout than I need to keep looking.