The smoke box on my new #3 rests on the floor at the front end - it seems too long and heavy for the thin bracket to hold up. This must impede airflow from the tiny bottom vent hole as it is towards the front and is already somewhat impaired by the foil hole hopefully staying right over the vent hole. Should I try to find and put a small metal block up under the the smoke box, as long as I don't block the hole?
Smoke box too low in front?
- Thread starter gmannel
- Start date
Pork Belly
Moderator
Don't worry about it.
Libohunden
Member
gmannel said:
That's what I do. Just space them out however you like. I find that the wood nearest to the door usually don't completely turn to ash.
Don't worry, there aren't many mistakes that you can make.
My box rests on the floor also. However, the floor is not flat so it will still allow for airflow.
K
KY Smoke
Guest
George, I just used my #3 for the first time this past weekend, but I want to verify a couple of things in regards to your smoke box question. I may be stating the obvious here, but I still think it's worth mentioning. Something that might be inadvertently missed.
If the smoke box is inserted the right way (concave end to the back of smoker), you should have roughly 1 1/2" from the end of the smoke box to the inner bottom lip. With it that way, I have roughly 3/4" clearance under the front of the wood box to the bottom of the smoker.
However, if you insert the smoke box with the concave end to the front, the smoke box won't seat itself all the way to the back wall of the smoker. With it inserted this way, there is only about 1/2" from the front of the smoke box to the inner bottom lip. With the smoke box not seated properly in the back and it sticking out an additional inch, there is more weight on the element and frame. With this, there is then only about an 1/8-1/4" between the bottom of the smoke box and the bottom of the smoker.
Just another note, I also am using a couple of 1 1/8" nuts under each front corner of the smoke box (once I have the foil on the bottom) to help take some of the weight off of the element and bracket.
Hope this helps.
If the smoke box is inserted the right way (concave end to the back of smoker), you should have roughly 1 1/2" from the end of the smoke box to the inner bottom lip. With it that way, I have roughly 3/4" clearance under the front of the wood box to the bottom of the smoker.
However, if you insert the smoke box with the concave end to the front, the smoke box won't seat itself all the way to the back wall of the smoker. With it inserted this way, there is only about 1/2" from the front of the smoke box to the inner bottom lip. With the smoke box not seated properly in the back and it sticking out an additional inch, there is more weight on the element and frame. With this, there is then only about an 1/8-1/4" between the bottom of the smoke box and the bottom of the smoker.
Just another note, I also am using a couple of 1 1/8" nuts under each front corner of the smoke box (once I have the foil on the bottom) to help take some of the weight off of the element and bracket.
Hope this helps.
K
KY Smoke
Guest
KY Engineering Roger! 
Trip
New member
KISS engineering
For wood placement, my go to zone for chunks is about 50% to 75 % away from the back for all my wood. Seems to give me nice thin smoke without combustion. If I do all the way in the back, I get nasty brown combustion smoke. I barely get smoke at all and barely burn wood if I do it all the way up front. The 50%-75% zone burns wood nice and clean for me.
For wood placement, my go to zone for chunks is about 50% to 75 % away from the back for all my wood. Seems to give me nice thin smoke without combustion. If I do all the way in the back, I get nasty brown combustion smoke. I barely get smoke at all and barely burn wood if I do it all the way up front. The 50%-75% zone burns wood nice and clean for me.
gregbooras
Moderator
George,
Ensure screen rotate is turned on in the quick settings
Greg
Ensure screen rotate is turned on in the quick settings
Greg
DivotMaker
New member
Hey George - no need to wrap the sides of the smoke box, just the lid. Save your $$ foil!
From the post from Funked Out below, I just added the foil on the front, did not wrap whole box.
Re: Airflow
« Reply #16 on: June 25, 2015, 06:17:39 PM »
Quote
I'm back after some experimenting and have good news.
I drilled a small hole near he rear of the smoker, sized the same as the drain hole and airflow increased.
I'd say the rear 75% of the wood box burned, vs 40-50% before the hole.
I opened just the rear hole up some more, one step at a time on a step drill, cooking ribs at each size.
The bark got better and better each time, but the wood never burned on the front 25%.
I then used foil to cover the front face of the wood box, so no air could get in to cool the front of the wood box down. That solved the uneven wood burning issue altogether.
After changing the controller to someone that reaches 275*F, I now have all of the wood box burning and chicken skin gets black and crispy in places.
Best part was eating all the test pieces.
Re: Airflow
« Reply #16 on: June 25, 2015, 06:17:39 PM »
Quote
I'm back after some experimenting and have good news.
I drilled a small hole near he rear of the smoker, sized the same as the drain hole and airflow increased.
I'd say the rear 75% of the wood box burned, vs 40-50% before the hole.
I opened just the rear hole up some more, one step at a time on a step drill, cooking ribs at each size.
The bark got better and better each time, but the wood never burned on the front 25%.
I then used foil to cover the front face of the wood box, so no air could get in to cool the front of the wood box down. That solved the uneven wood burning issue altogether.
After changing the controller to someone that reaches 275*F, I now have all of the wood box burning and chicken skin gets black and crispy in places.
Best part was eating all the test pieces.
