# Big offset smoker build



## prokat

Looking for some advice on this build,it's 24" pipe 5/16" wall thickness,pretty heavy.Firebox is 2.' Smoker is 4.5' should I do a reverse flow? I've never had one and wondering if it's worth it..Thanks!









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## RB II

Our competition pit is a reverse flow. It really cooks evenly across the whole pit. I think that is one of the biggest advantages to a reverse flow for smallish pits, it allows the entire put to be used for cooking. No super hot spots like a regular stick burner. Our out REALLY is easy to keep on temp, not sure if that is a direct benefit of the reverse flow or not. It does have a 7/16" fire box, so really heavy.


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## prokat

Thanks Roy, you got any pics of your pit also how is your cooker fryer coming along?

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## prokat

Going with this guy's build,if you see this thanks a bunch for all the pics,Awesome smoker bud!
















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## RB II

*pit*

Here are a couple pics of my small competition pit and some results (LOL).

I haven't done anything with the cooker. Really thinking about cutting up that big SS pot and making it into the baskets. I need to finish that darn thing...............along with about 25 other projects. 
Adding a fire box to a small pit for backyard smoking and might go on the competition trailer if it works well. 
I bought a 24' enclosed trailer that had some damage. Reworking it to make into an enclosed competition trailer with a front area food prep.

The big red pit is our mass production pit. It cooks great but not quite as consistent as the reverse flow for competition. Will cook a LOT of food.


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## prokat

Dam nice pits Roy, I've acquired some more tools to get these jobs done, another torch and various bending equipment you're welcome to use if you're in the area..

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## jbus

I did a lot of research after buying my first small offset from Academy. I came to the conclusion that the best option for a small pit is reverse flow. Mine is 24" x 4' and it has been awesome! No more than 10 degrees differential left to right. I can put chickens or pork butts on the right by the fire box because they like the heat. Looks like you are dealing with the same size pipe. It great to be able to build it exactly like you want it! Let me know if you need any info.


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## prokat

jbus said:


> I did a lot of research after buying my first small offset from Academy. I came to the conclusion that the best option for a small pit is reverse flow. Mine is 24" x 4' and it has been awesome! No more than 10 degrees differential left to right. I can put chickens or pork butts on the right by the fire box because they like the heat. Looks like you are dealing with the same size pipe. It great to be able to build it exactly like you want it! Let me know if you need any info.


Nice rig you have there,i appreciate it,are the tuning plates adjustable ? Looks like I'm going this route.Thanks

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## CCinKT

Nice Stuff!!! Y'all are Michangelos with these builds...M


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## bigmike

Reverse flow for sure. This one has a stack on both ends but the far end is plugged and it is set up to cook reverse flow. There are a couple of calculators online you can use to get all of your dimensions right.


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## Billygoat

I've read online that reverse flow pits require noticeably more wood to keep heat when cooking. Is there any truth to this?

I'm looking to build a pit in the future, but where I'll be the wood is not readily available, so if the reverse flow burns up a lot more wood I'll have to scratch that off the list.


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## prokat

Billygoat said:


> I've read online that reverse flow pits require noticeably more wood to keep heat when cooking. Is there any truth to this?
> 
> I'm looking to build a pit in the future, but where I'll be the wood is not readily available, so if the reverse flow burns up a lot more wood I'll have to scratch that off the list.


That's a good question,seems like it would be more choked up,bigmike has the right idea,if he doesn't like the reverse he can switch it to regular.great idea.

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## RB II

I am not sure about "more" wood or not but our reverse flow does eat a good bit of wood. But it has gotten much better since I began using a whole 20 "lb bag of charcoal to start with. Use a propane lighter. That charcoal gets a good bed of coals and gets the pit hot fast. Really helps with the wood consumption.


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## trout250

once you get a reverse flow hot it does not eat so much wood. Have heated ours with a burner until it gets pit hot then add my coals to get it smoking. you will not burn the meat up in a reverse flow like you can on a regular pit.

good luck


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## prokat

Going to blast it today,this is going to suck









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## TWJ

I borrowed this design from a guy on the smoke ring. So I could cook either standard, reverse flow, or reverse through the warmer. The tuning plates have a plate on the edge so they can be pushed together to create the full reverse plate.


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## jbus

gom1 said:


> Nice rig you have there,i appreciate it,are the tuning plates adjustable ? Looks like I'm going this route.Thanks
> 
> Sent from my ASUS ZenFone 2E using Tapatalk


Thanks! Sorry for the delayed response. The 1/4" plate is fully welded. It catches all the grease which drains down a piece of angle iron welded down the center to a drain pipe. This prevents the potential of grease flowing back to the firebox which could cause a problem.

On this size pit I don't have any issues with temp differential which would require tuning plates but maybe on a larger one. It does burn some wood but can't comment on whether it's more than a standard offset. I will say that the whole grate is usable and as someone else said you won't burn your food. My pit also burns very clean so there's not a lot of heavy, bitter smoke.

If you go with two stacks that can be opened or closed you would have to go with tuning plates that can be adjusted.


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## horndale

*Reverse Flow*

Good day all,
My son and just finished this reverse flow/tuning plate smoker.

We put the first fire in it last night. It is built with 3/8' tuning plates, but we started with them slid all the way to the fire box. After the initial heat up we were within 5-10 degrees on either end.

Meat goes on tonight!!!!

Horndale


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## prokat

horndale said:


> Good day all,
> My son and just finished this reverse flow/tuning plate smoker.
> 
> We put the first fire in it last night. It is built with 3/8' tuning plates, but we started with them slid all the way to the fire box. After the initial heat up we were within 5-10 degrees on either end.
> 
> Meat goes on tonight!!!!
> 
> Horndale


Man that's awesome,10 degrees is perfect...nice skills..now he needs to incorporate one of those kegs into the mix 

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## horndale

I sure like the way you think!:cheers:


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## Bigin129

Please post a picture of the tuning plate. Thanks


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## prokat

Bigin129 said:


> Please post a picture of the tuning plate. Thanks










right at the bottom there,adjustable.one way to do it

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## Bigin129

Nice


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## prokat

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## hog_down

Beautiful...


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## prokat

hog_down said:


> Beautiful...


Thanks man..









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## prokat

Straps and hinges 









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## prokat

This will be my last pit,chit load of work I tell ya..I must have 102 beers in this so far..I can respect anyone who builds their own..


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## prokat

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## sleepersilverado

Holy $$ valve batman $$. Looking good


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## prokat

sleepersilverado said:


> Holy $$ valve batman $$. Looking good


I had to go back and look up the price on those,holy chit....
Lol, thanks bud!

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## prokat

O/A torch,millermatic 211 = 100 year pit!!!























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## Bigin129

Nice, job well done


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## prokat

^^thank you sir.

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## JFolm

sleepersilverado said:


> Holy $$ valve batman $$. Looking good


That's what I was thinking lol.

Pit looks awesome.


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## Duffey70

**** good looking pit. Where were you able to get the 24" pipe from. I was thinking about taking on a project like that one of these days.


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## prokat

Duffey70 said:


> **** good looking pit. Where were you able to get the 24" pipe from. I was thinking about taking on a project like that one of these days.


Do it!! Nothing better than building your own. I paid $30 a foot for used pipe in burnet tx. It's about $70 for new pipe..

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## Duffey70

gom1 said:


> Do it!! Nothing better than building your own. I paid $30 a foot for used pipe in burnet tx. It's about $70 for new pipe..
> 
> Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-J320A using Tapatalk


 awesome! ill look into it! thanks.


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