Vertical with Side Firebox?

[DDave]

I was talking with my BIL at the family Christmas gathering. He does a lot of cooking in the barrels. Not the typical UDS per se but more of the California style or the ''tri tip cooker'' as I believe Walle called it.

Anyway, he is interested in building a square vertical with a side firebox. He would like to be able to use wood splits in it as well as charcoal. I imagine that would require a sizable firebox and some separation between the firebox and cook chamber to accommodate a fire big enough to burn cleanly but not be 500° on the bottom cook rack. Maybe something like Andy's fridge smoker but reverse flow like BBQ E's?

I'd kind of like to give him some ideas as to dimensions but I'm not sure even where to start. Does the desire to use splits dictate a minimum size for the firebox? I imagine the cook chamber would be about "fridge" width and depth but I'm not sure how tall it could be and still expect somewhat even temps from top to bottom. Plus I don't think he wants it to weigh 1,000 pounds or end up on a trailer.

He has mentioned it before but I think the lack of details is holding him back. He does weld and is a pretty decent fabricator so this would be well within his capabilities.

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks.

Dave

[Mikey]

Dave, I think something along the lines of a New Braunfels Bandera might suit his needs. Of course the chamber could be made larger as in its present form the firebox is over sized. I did reduce the size of my firebox by fabing a different style lid. If you need dimensions of the Bandera, just let me know.

[gooose53]

Not sure why everyone wants a side firebox? Why not put the firebox as part of and below the meat racks.....like a Backwoods. Know of a friend who uses an old oil drum and his firebox is below his meat racks it does a nice job for him and he has won some contests as well.

[Mikey]

Not sure why everyone wants a side firebox? Why not put the firebox as part of and below the meat racks.....like a Backwoods. Know of a friend who uses an old oil drum and his firebox is below his meat racks it does a nice job for him and he has won some contests as well.

"He would like to be able to use wood splits in it as well as charcoal."

I'm not so sure that the folks that use a Backwoods style smoker burn splits

[Hippy]

Yoder makes one they call the Stockton. It has a adjustable damper between the firebox and the cooking chamber.

Seems like a cool feature.

If you click on the "additional photos" under the pic on the link it gives a lot of detailed photos.

They have a 1/2" plate firebox!

http://www.yodersmokers.com/stockton.html

[gooose53]

"He would like to be able to use wood splits in it as well as charcoal."

I'm not so sure that the folks that use a Backwoods style smoker burn splits

Yep, sure do. The firebox is big enough for splits, not huge ones but they can handle it.

[DDave]

Yoder makes one they call the Stockton.

That looks perfect.

I wonder how much that thing weighs??

Dave

[solaryellow]

Why not a Stumps clone with a vertical feed? Definitely much less work tending the fire. Should be a piece of cake with his fab skills.

http://www.texasbbqforum.com/viewtopic.php?f=4&t=14863

[DDave]

Nice build.

But . . .

Definitely much less work tending the fire.

Some people like tending the fire.

Dave

[solaryellow]

Nice build.

But . . .



Some people like tending the fire.

Dave

It is only fun the first time.

[gooose53]

It is only fun the first time.

I agree somewhat. I used to like tending the fire but the more contests I do the more I find myself not liking it.

[DDave]

It is only fun the first time.

I agree somewhat. I used to like tending the fire but the more contests I do the more I find myself not liking it.

I've never competed but i went from a charcoal fired SnP to a propane fired SnP to a charcoal fired UDS to a PID controlled charcoal fired UDS.

I'm not much of a fire tender. I thought I was but as it turned out -- not so much.

Dave

[solaryellow]

Sleep is good. ;o)

[DDave]

Sleep is good. ;o)

Smoker controllers ROCK!!

Dave

[DDave]

So with this in mind . . .



how about a reverse flow like BBQ E's or Got14U's but with a side firebox?

A channel going up the firebox side on the inside letting heat out towards the top and then the stack on the opposite side with the intake to the stack on the bottom? Would that work?

If so, how would one compute the appropriate size(s) of:
--the firebox
--the firebox opening to the cook chamber
--the inside channel height and opening
--the stack dimensions and opening from the cook chamber

Would one start with the desired cook chamber size and go from there?

I haven't shown any of this to the BIL yet but it does have my wheels turning.

Dave