Hi all. Newbie here. I live in Miami, Florida and am working on my first barrel smoker. I have had a heavy copper water tank that I bought to make a bbq. It's been sitting around for some 15 years, cut in half, waiting on me. Recently I decided to make a smoker from it. I've been cooking the Christmas pig in pits and in a "chinese oven" for many years and want a cooker that I can use for that purpose as well as general smoking during the year.
I ordered the barrel stove kit from Vogelzang and got a 55 gal drum for the furnace. I intend to connect the two units with two 6" flues (with dampers). I've seen these cookers with a single and double chimneys on the top barrel. I am thinking of installing a single 6" stove pipe in the middle of the top barrel lid (with damper). Will the single stack be ok or is it better to have two (maybe smaller diameter) stacks at either end of the barrel?
Your input would be appreciated. Regards, George

George,
How will you attach them and how will you orient the two barrels. The most important thing is to create good convection. If you do them offset then put the heat source connected on the left and the stack on the right side of your cooking barrell.

If you stack them then make sure you allow the smoke and heat to go up one pipe in the center and out two pipes on the end, or up two pipes on the side and out one pipe in the center.

Hope this helps. Let me know if you have any more questions.

I intend to have two flues from bottom barrel to top and what you suggest makes sense to me. Thanks, George

Here are some photos of mine. I went 6 inches on both the connecting flus and the stacks. I also have dampers at both. I went this way because now I have more control. I also have turning plates in the bottom of the cooking chamber. Even with that I do get more heat on one side than the other with all the dampers open. I just slow down the flow on one side to even things out. It works.



Pete

Pete can we see some pictures of the inside of your smoker

Hi Pete: I saw your smoker on this site earlier and like the look of it. My cocern with the two stacks, though, is that since they are necessarily close to the heat supply pipes, they would each draw heat directly from the intake and leave the middle wanting for even temperature. With one stack in the middle, both heat supplies are drawn to the middle of the cooking chamber and, theoretically, should provide a more even temperature environment in the meat box. This should also cut down on the fuel consumption. Any thoughts? George

P.S. I cut the lower barrel for vents and the Vogelzang furnace door yesterday and burned the paint off the drum with a propane torch. I just finished painting the barrel with 1200 deg. paint and am waiting for the kit I ordered for the second barrel to arrive. Should have it all together by next weekend. Tehn it's brisket time. Will post a pic. when done.

Well, my boast of "bisket time" turns out to be a bit presumptious. I'm still working on various aspects of the smoker. Got the bottom and mid-section together but I'm stymied with the top tank. Because it is copper, I feel the need to coat the inside of the tank in order to prevent reaction between the copper and salt, vinegar and other seasonings and acids that will drip on it and atomize in the interior atmosphere during cooking. I've searched far and wide but have not come up with the solution. I would like to use a spray-on paint that is used for coating mufflers and other articles, including bbq's with a ceramic type glaze. I can't get an answer as to whether that type of paint is safe to use in the interior of the cooking tank. I'm also considering using the stove paint that I used on the outside of the burner drum, but do'nt know if that is safe. Any suggestions, comments would be appreciated. Thanks, George

A copper Drum??? awesome! Bet that thing would look pretty cool. I don't know if there are any adverse reactions to what you may cook with.

Copper will be unique but we'll have to see by trial and error how it performs.
I thought I had the lower drum (the furnace) figured intending to pour two inches of refrectory cement mixed with perlite for a floor to hold the grate I intend to use for stacking the firewood. I then came across the various posts on this site regarding hardiback panels for insulation. I'm now thinking of lining the furnace interior with hardipanel. It would be good to reduce the radiating heat from the furnace. After all, this is Florida and we have enough heat in the atmosphere without adding more to discomfort (especially during the sumer months). The prior posts are not clear on whether they use the panels in the fire box or in the cooking chamber. Does anyone have experience with use of the panels in the fire box?

George,
I would stay away from putting the hardibacker inside the firebox. It's gonna get pretty hot in there and concrete doesn't do so well in extreme heat. Typically concrete gets very brittle in high heat and may give off some nasty chemicals if burned. Most of the folks that have used the hardibacker for insulation have used it on the outside of the box.

I would offset the firebox to the back and move the cooking area foward. That way you don't worry about the radiating heat as much.

Got your message too late. Allready poured the refractory cement and set the hardibacker. Solid as a rock. I expect some fumes on first firing but hope it will dissipate. I intend to build a "five alarm" fire in that box on the burn-in. As for brittle, as long as it hlds together it's ok. If it does not work I can always break up the backer and extract. Thanks for the response. It seems like I'll never finish this project. Just like all the others, it's growing out of proportion and being over-engineered.