Stickburning Questions

[ChicagoBear&BullofAPitMaster]

Hello everyone,

I am new to stick burning, I've had my reverse flow for two months now. I was first wondering if there are any tips/mods for getting my offset to hold close to even temps from one side to the other. I generally have a difference of 25 degrees from one end to the other. Since it's a reverse flow, my hotter end is the end furthest away from the fire. My pit doesn't leak much either. It's 500 gallon smoking chamber is 3/8th gauge, and the firebox is a quarter inch and is 30X20 inches in size. The side grill and warmer/vertical smoker are both 3/16th gauge. I'm wondering if I need to add gasket. My second question is how to best manage my fuel consumption. I've been using about five or six splits to get her going, but when I use just one split per hour my temps drop off. I also choke down my firebox halfway on all four vents once I get my pit up to temp., (I have three vents on the side, and one in the back). I've also tried adjusting the pit to different levels to get the temps balanced.

Thank you for any assistance, I've been smoking on my Webers for years, and this stick burning is an entirely different experience!

[Texas-Hunter]

Rich and a few other have a RF and should be able to help you out a bit..

[THUMPERRRR]

will let the reverse flow hot-rods answer the (slight)temp issue...


without question for starters I would try 2 splits on top of a good coal bed on reloads...

I know 1 split on reloads does not work well in my Durango 24,,,
an I think its a smaller chamber...
temp starts dropping off an too little of coal bed leftovers to keep things happy...

IMHO it needs 2,,, an might need more...

[ChicagoBear&BullofAPitMaster]

Okay thanks guys, I'll definitely try the two logs per hour. My coal bed definitely gets really thin, and sometimes goes out completely with just the one. Hopefully some of the other stickburner officianado's happen past this post too!

[TasunkaWitko]

I've read that stickburners perform best when there are at least two logs, because they interact with each other and keep each other going. Can't confirm it, because we don't have much good hardwood wo tork with up here, but I've seen quite a few campfires and based on how they perform the advice makes sense ~

The other main thing, of course, is airflow airflow airflow!

[Mark R]

I have two reverse flow smudgers. Your temp problem is the reverse of normal, both of mine are warmer on the firebox end. Once they are settled in they run with about 5°-10° difference end to end, being a little cooler in the middle. I think using two splits will even out your temps, you've been starving the cooker for heat. You can put more fuel in the fire box and still control the temp with airflow. Maybe try three splits and reduce the air inflow.
Give it a couple different runs with nothing in the cooking end just to learn it's idiosyncrasies. Then smack that biotch in to shape!
Real nice lookin rig, I thing you just starvin it - be aight!

[smc51]

I have a Meadow Creek RF stick burner. I use probably a half of a bag of Charcoal to get her fired up and warmed up. I get my Meat and stuff finish Prepped, Then I add the wood when I put my meat in the smoker. During a 5 hour smoke (for baby backs, for example)
I only use maybe 5 sticks of wood. Once the Temperature stabilizes, I close the vent on each of the firebox to about an inch open on each vent. She perks right along until the temp starts to fall, then I add another stick or so of Wood.
Hope this helps.........

Steve

[Ron V]

I have two reverse flow smudgers. Your temp problem is the reverse of normal, both of mine are warmer on the firebox end. Once they are settled in they run with about 5°-10° difference end to end, being a little cooler in the middle. I think using two splits will even out your temps, you've been starving the cooker for heat. You can put more fuel in the fire box and still control the temp with airflow. Maybe try three splits and reduce the air inflow.
Give it a couple different runs with nothing in the cooking end just to learn it's idiosyncrasies. Then smack that biotch in to shape!
Real nice lookin rig, I thing you just starvin it - be aight!

My two 84 Langs agree with Mr. Mark.... Yes they do!! UuuuuHuh.

[Mark R]

My two 84 Langs agree with Mr. Mark.... Yes they do!! UuuuuHuh.

Aww crap I got one right? Chit my one brain cell now done fer the month!

[massive meat pipe]

You could check and verify that the area opening from reverse flow to chamber is at minimum the same size opening as the fire box to reverse column opening.

[ChicagoBear&BullofAPitMaster]

Thanks for the info guys, I'll check those measurements as soon as I get a chance. I figured all reverse flow smokers were hotter on the end that the smoke enters the food chamber at... I wonder why my cooker is different??? I like the idea of using some lump to get her going, bc wood is expensive in my neck of the woods (90 bucks for a face cord), so I try to conserve it as much as possible. My pit builder built me a pretty nice charcoal basket, so I'm strongly considering burning a bag of lump in her, and using some splits or chunks periodically throughout the cook.

[Charcuteryan]

Im not sure about the smoker but your name is so long that it changed the whole format of my screen!

[Richtee]

Thanks for the info guys, I'll check those measurements as soon as I get a chance. I figured all reverse flow smokers were hotter on the end that the smoke enters the food chamber at... I wonder why my cooker is different??? I like the idea of using some lump to get her going, bc wood is expensive in my neck of the woods (90 bucks for a face cord), so I try to conserve it as much as possible. My pit builder built me a pretty nice charcoal basket, so I'm strongly considering burning a bag of lump in her, and using some splits or chunks periodically throughout the cook.

That is kinda strange. I'm gonna make a charcoal basket for my Lang. Sure I can chuck logs all night... but a 3-4 hour nap sounds good to me You got some playing to do. I can't give anything specific... but if you doubt your temp diffs... get a tube of biskets and cook 'em up spread out... you'll know the hot/cool areas.

[ChicagoBear&BullofAPitMaster]

Agreed, I'll definitely be using the charcoal basket and a version of the minion method when I need to smoke overnight... Here's a couple of pics of my charcoal basket. It's around 50-60 pounds, and it's as large as my firebox is, so I can build a really large fire in it. If I needed to, it could hold about three bags 20lb bags of lump with room leftover. So I'll find out what kind of nap it'll buy me soon...

[Capt Dan]

I have two reverse flow smudgers. Your temp problem is the reverse of normal, both of mine are warmer on the firebox end. Once they are settled in they run with about 5°-10° difference end to end, being a little cooler in the middle. I think using two splits will even out your temps, you've been starving the cooker for heat. You can put more fuel in the fire box and still control the temp with airflow. Maybe try three splits and reduce the air inflow.
Give it a couple different runs with nothing in the cooking end just to learn it's idiosyncrasies. Then smack that biotch in to shape!
Real nice lookin rig, I thing you just starvin it - be aight!

I agree with Mark. once the fuel is into charcoal and all red, you need to lay the next round in there.On my 60 its about one big split or two medium ones every 20-30 mintes for fuel. if you wait until its ashed over and spent, you will have billowing smoke and a cool down before good heat and combustion take back off. On my Lang RF the end above the firebox and the top shelf area at the nose where the heat and smoke roll thru, are the hot spots. Learning them is key to a smooth cook IMO.