vertical smoke/heat baffels (help)

[Kyote]

coming out of the fire box in to the cooking chamber I cut a piece of metal that goes up against the fire box hole 3" gap between baffel and hole. it has a 2" gap un each side of the baffel and the baffel go's to the bottom of the cooking area.

I was getting to much heat for the 1st 1.5' in the cooking area. now with the baffel I seem to to be getting less heat every where in the cooking area.

Do I need to cut holes in the baffel. what needs to be done to make her work correctly ie: even smoke and heating.

than you

[Richtee]

You must mean horizontal type smoker? Verts rarely have a firebox per say- it's part of the smoker, like a WSM or a drum.

Some pix would help out here...

[Kyote]

You must mean horizontal type smoker? Verts rarely have a firebox per say- it's part of the smoker, like a WSM or a drum.

Some pix would help out here...

rich it is the baffel that I made that goes in vertical seperating the fire box from the cooking area.

[Richtee]

AhhHA! LOL OK, got ya. Still... some pix would be of great help here Kyote...

[Kyote]

AhhHA! LOL OK, got ya. Still... some pix would be of great help here Kyote...

alright Richtee, with out pics (sorry) not that tecnukly abanced jet. does it need holes in it to make the flow gooder?

[DDave]

coming out of the fire box in to the cooking chamber I cut a piece of metal that goes up against the fire box hole 3" gap between baffel and hole. it has a 2" gap un each side of the baffel and the baffel go's to the bottom of the cooking area.

it is the baffel that I made that goes in vertical seperating the fire box from the cooking area.

If I am understanding your description correctly and the baffle is in a vertical position, it sounds like the baffle is blocking a lot of the firebox opening. If you drill holes in a vertical baffle, you really aren't changing anything from your original problem. You need the heat to travel farther down the cook chamber. I don't think you want the baffle to be straght up and down, I would think you would want it slanted.

You might try a baffle at more of a 45° angle like this . . .



It doesn't block the hole but redirects the heat farther down the chamber. Just make sure you don't restrict the opening too much.



This is probably a tad low but fits just under my tuning plates which also help transfer the heat.



Hope this helps.

Dave

[Kyote]

Dave, It does help, your fire box and cooking area are similar to mine. where as the heat comes in to the cooking area on the side of the cooking chamber. the 45 degree baffle may work for me.
I thought (but can not find) a baffel that was made then holes were cut into it. but I thought also that this would just bring back the problem of the area closest to the heat and smoke transfer area being hot then the area next to the smoke discharge area.
But then I was not sure if some strange vortex thing took place and made everthing kinda even out.

[DDave]

I have seen some people make a plate and drill holes in it instead of using separate tuning plates. I think Horizon smokers have these and they call them "convection plates".



But I believe they still have a 45° baffle leading to it.

I drew a diagram for one for mine but never have gotten around to having it made.



Here is a similar idea.



I believe this is from one of Capt Dan's posts.

Baffle deflects the heat somwhat then the plate with the holes helps the heat transfer farther down the cook chamber. Smaller holes close to the firebox and larger holes as you move towards the stack to even out the temp.

Dave

[Smokin Bill]

Here's how I handled a similar problem and it worked very well.

(You can click the photos to get to the source and see them bigger)

OK the fire box in on the left (you can kind of see the opening) an I hung foil cookie sheets under the food rack butting it up against the left wall of the cook chamber keeping the heat from coming straight up and over the food.



A view to the right.



A view of the hangers I used; I made them out of coat hangers.



Another hanger view



Yet another



The cookie sheets left a gap on both sides so heat could wrap around the sheets and hit the food while keeping the flow of heat/air down so it could travel from end to end. I had less than 10 degrees from side to side; it worked great.

[cajun_1]

I'm not getting this ... the word was "vertical" but everyone is showing "horizonal" pics. Did I miss something here? Ok ... Had to read the entire post again ... Sorry for the confusion.

[Kyote]

thanks very much all. I see what I need to do. then experiment a little.
I think what I did with the baffel I made was realy restrict the flow of heat and smoke.
the the horizonal I can make and install also I think I understand the concept behind them better now.

[Smokin Bill]

thanks very much all. I see what I need to do. then experiment a little.
I think what I did with the baffel I made was realy restrict the flow of heat and smoke.
the the horizonal I can make and install also I think I understand the concept behind them better now.

One thing to keep in mind as you experiment though; some of the pictures show a barrier trying to get the heat to go DOWN, heat rises. I made mine at least even with the top of the opening to the fire box then went level from there to the other end. Many of the pictures show an attempt to push the heat down first which will at least make a smoker very inefficient since heat rises and instead of going down will go somewhere else by itself. Heat doesn't flow like water.

[jbchoice1]

Here's how I handled a similar problem and it worked very well.

(You can click the photos to get to the source and see them bigger)

OK the fire box in on the left (you can kind of see the opening) an I hung foil cookie sheets under the food rack butting it up against the left wall of the cook chamber keeping the heat from coming straight up and over the food.



A view to the right.



A view of the hangers I used; I made them out of coat hangers.



Another hanger view



Yet another



The cookie sheets left a gap on both sides so heat could wrap around the sheets and hit the food while keeping the flow of heat/air down so it could travel from end to end. I had less than 10 degrees from side to side; it worked great.

great idea with the coat hangers... been trying to come up with something and that seems to be it...

[DDave]

One thing to keep in mind as you experiment though; some of the pictures show a barrier trying to get the heat to go DOWN, heat rises. I made mine at least even with the top of the opening to the fire box then went level from there to the other end. Many of the pictures show an attempt to push the heat down first which will at least make a smoker very inefficient since heat rises and instead of going down will go somewhere else by itself. Heat doesn't flow like water.

Yes, heat rises. As the heat rises out of the stack it creates a draft that helps pull he heat across the smoke chamber. Most of the 45 degree baffles have the bottom edge about even with the halfway point of the firebox opening. Thus, the heat from the firebox opening is not restricted that much and the heat has no problem exiting the firebox as it is not really being pushed down but exits out at a lower level as it travels accross the cooking chamber.

Dave .

[Kyote]

One thing to keep in mind as you experiment though; some of the pictures show a barrier trying to get the heat to go DOWN, heat rises. I made mine at least even with the top of the opening to the fire box then went level from there to the other end. Many of the pictures show an attempt to push the heat down first which will at least make a smoker very inefficient since heat rises and instead of going down will go somewhere else by itself. Heat doesn't flow like water.

Thats good to know. my big problem was the meat closest to the fire box opening was cooking to fast and the bottom of the ribs were getting real crunchy.lol. but further down the cooking chamber every thing was primo.
I have some of those pans (they sell at Sam's real cheap here.) aand they will fit the smoker just fine. am going to try a flat iron today that has been resting in the fridge with TH's rub on her. ah, but that may not work as I will keep her to the aft end of the smoker.may try a fattie up by the fire bx..

thank you..Bill