Banjo's Stove Pipe Smoker - BBQ Smoker

This will track my design and build of my new Stove Pipe Smoker.  It will utilize single wall black stove pipe for the combustion chamber, and a small barrel for the smoking chamber.  I'll update as I move along with this project.  Have included a conceptual design for reference.

Banjo's Stove Pipe Smoker
-Conceptual Drawing-

Banjo's Stove Pipe Smoker
-Combustion Chamber Detail-

First, the title is 'Stove Pipe Smoker', because the stove pipe will be a major component (the combustion chamber), but I will also be using a small barrel with grates for holding the meat.  I wanted to keep the title short, so hope you feel OK with that for the title, and also it is the major difference between this smoker and any I've ever seen.

Design goal:

This will primarily be used as a smoker for ribs, and only a couple of racks - maybe 4 max.  I want to be able to burn charcoal in it (lately have been impressed with Kingsford Competition Grad), for about 3 hours or so, without having to add any charcoal.  I hope to have a premeasured amount of charcoal that will be good for 3 hours at 225 dF before it starts to taper off.  I want it to be air tight in the combustion chamber, so I can easily control the temperature.  For an average day (wind wise), I want to be able to set-and-forget the temperature controls (inlet and outlet dampers) for the whole burn.  I want it to be inexpensive and easy to build for anyone that wants to build one.

Design  

I will be using:

1 - a small barrel, standing upright on three (3) legs, for the smoke chamber.  I'm not sure of the dimensions of this barrel (yet), but I have a couple downstairs.  They are much smaller than a 55 gal drum, about 3 feet tall, about 2 feet diameter.  Will publish dimensions later.

2 - a 6" or 8" length of black single-wall stove pipe, connected on the bottom of the upright barrel, which will be the combustion chamber.  This will also be oriented vertical.

3 - bottom of the combustion stove pipe will have a stove pipe end-cap.  Removable for ash dumping.

4 - small valve (something like used on the UDS I've seen) inlet air control on bottom, possible offset to decrease ash disturbance.

5 - wire supports to support charcoal about 4 inches off of the bottom to allow for ash collection.  Will fine-tune placement after testing.

6 - handle on combustion stove pipe to aid in removal from smoke chamber.

7 - combustion stove pipe connects to bottom of smoke chamber via stove pipe end-cap, held with screws, into bottom of smoke chamber.  2" hole in this end-cap to allow smoke to move from combustion chamber to smoke chamber.

8 - 2" hole in bottom of smoke chamber to allow for entry of smoke from combustion chamber.  Lines up with hole in combustion chamber.

9 - exact size of hole that mates combustion chamber to smoke chamber to be determined via testing.

10 - diffuser plate in in bottom of smoke chamber, over inlet smoke hole, to create turbulence in smoke so it doesn't flow straight up.  This also blocks any direct infrared from combustion chamber.  Can also sit a drippings pan here, or up one level on grate.

11 - exhaust with damper located on top of smoke chamber

12 - no doors on smoke chamber nor on combustion chamber

13 - removable lid on smoke chamber.

14 - combustion chamber removable from smoke chamber, held in place through wire-dogs.

15 - ground clearance of at about 6" below bottom of combustion chamber, more if testing dictates.

16 - 3 legs, connected to sidewall of smoke chamber, tall enough to provide clearance under combustion chamber to ground.

17 - handles for ease of moving.

18 - meat racks from weber-style round grills, 2 or 3.  One may  be used for drip pan on bottom.  Supported by L-brackets (3 per rack) placed into sidewall of smoke chamber.  All will lift out via removing top of smoke chamber.

I've got the barrel, and some of the black single wall stove pipe.  Hope to pick up any additional parts needed today from Lowes or HD.

My plan is to provide pictures and a build-log as I go, with updates on any day I've worked on it.

Banjo

Some concept pictures:

Major parts - 6" stove pipe (left - combustion chamber)
small barrel (middle - smoke chamber 27" x 14.5")
lid(right).  Will be using a slightly larger barrel (28" x 19"),
but this was what I had at hand for the test build.

Concept, but without the legs (3 attaching to
barrel sidewall).  Looks a little unwieldly. May
switch to 8" stove pipe, which will allow me to
shorten height by 1/2.