charcoal or straight wood in firebox?

[hawk wild bbq co]

Ok lets hear from everyone on their thoughts on to charcoal in firebox or not. I am not a big fan of charcoal lump or otherwise but using straight wood is alot of work also. I have heard there is a fuze? to put in firebox for charcoal where you fill with fresh charcoal then lay hot coal at one end and it follows to constantly heat through the fuse box instead of constantly feeding in fresh charcoal. Anyone heard of it or got plans on how to build one big enough for a large firebox?

 

[dollarbill]

It's called a charcoal box i'm pretty sure. I think the last picture of one i've seen was on Dave Klose website. BBQpits.com..... Google it and then click on "images" in the upper left corner of google.

 

[hawk wild bbq co]

couldnt find it on there....not even any images on that page that I could find but thanks anyway.

 

[dollarbill]

couldnt find it on there....not even any images on that page that I could find but thanks anyway.

How many hours are you lookin to get a burn for... You could always use a wsm ring/ or modify one and go minion method. I'll look around.

 

[dollarbill]

Ha! Here is one inside of the offset fire box...

I'd make one before i'd buy one.

 

[hawk wild bbq co]

i just found that same pic..thanks for posting it. I am going to have some guys at work make one for me this week and I will let you all know what I think. I would like to get at least a couple hours or so with out having to pack tons of my cherry or apple wood in to keep my heat up.

 

[dollarbill]

i just found that same pic..thanks for posting it. I am going to have some guys at work make one for me this week and I will let you all know what I think. I would like to get at least a couple hours or so with out having to pack tons of my cherry or apple wood in to keep my heat up.

You should, without a doubt, get at least 14 - 16 hour burn. I'm not sure how much you'de have to fill it to keep that monster pit goin'? I get about 16 hour burn on my WSM 18" with a full ring. ? However i'm at 5280 altitude and do not have the option of filling it up with the same volume as "the box". Please, if i'm wrong, someone please correct me.

 

[hawk wild bbq co]

any idea what dimensions I should make it in?

 

[dollarbill]

14" inch circle 5" inches high Drill 1-1/4 inch holes in the side for air. Or you could go a little bigger. Google the wsm charcoal ring and take a look to get a better idea.

 

[1MoreFord]

Hawk, if you make one of the boxes like the one in the pic from dollarbill the divider plates that form the S need to be two plates with about 1/2" of air space between them. Otherwise the plates will get hot enough to light the next section of the maze and it'll all wind up burning at one time.

 

[dollarbill]

Also somethinn I thought about while layin' in bed. You might want to go bigger and taller on that rings you have a much bigger cooker than a WSM. The box would probably be better.

1moreford, very smart. 1000 experience points to you!

 

[hawk wild bbq co]

I just drew up drawing and gave to metal fabricator today to make my box 18 inches long by 16 inches wide and 5 inches deep. I am having him put in 3 dividers with 2 metal dividers together with about 1/8 inch air gap between them. I will let you know how it works in this big of a smoker box. I am just afraid I may not be able to generate enough heat out of it at that even but I need to be able to fit inside firebox.

 

[dollarbill]

I just drew up drawing and gave to metal fabricator today to make my box 18 inches long by 16 inches wide and 5 inches deep. I am having him put in 3 dividers with 2 metal dividers together with about 1/8 inch air gap between them. I will let you know how it works in this big of a smoker box. I am just afraid I may not be able to generate enough heat out of it at that even but I need to be able to fit inside firebox.

Go taller on the box! Call him and go taller on the box before it gets welded. You could probably use it since your smoker is ALOT bigger than a WSM.

 

[hawk wild bbq co]

I think it is too late already. I think I will be alright though with it being 18 by 16 and 5 inches deep it will make a 5 1/2 ft feed of charcoal 5 inches deep...if that doesnt do it I will load more in and let it backfeed at the end.

 

[Toby Keil]

I use charcoal in my offset and then add a little wood for smoke flavor.