Micro Clone?

Posted: Tue Aug 30, 2011 8:36 pm

Can't remember anyone here doing one. What is the SMALLEST cook chamber that any of you have ever seen with the GF setup? My cooker has been done for almost a year now and I am itching to build another one but a LOT smaller.
I am thinking about one rack just big enough for a side of ribs or a whole brisket or a butt. Say 12"X18". I think I would use this smoker fairly often since I am usually cooking for only 3.
I am thinking that the logistics of that small of a cook chamber/chute/firebox/transfer tube would require all of the brilliant minds here to pull off.
I would still want to use my Stoker and have all of the benefits of my original clone, but about 1/4 of the size.

I'm throwing this out there for any comments. Put your thinking caps on guys and tell me what you think.

Oh, and a baby Stumps is too big.

Ron

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 9:00 am

I'm thinking the issue on that small of a clone would be the gravity chute. If you only have 18" of chute, I don't think you could burn very long. With something that small it may be better to build a vertical insulated cooker with the firebox on the bottom and a heat diverter/water pan above it. Or even easier, look at building a UDS.

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 5:05 pm

I am always messing around with mine when I cook on it, so, if it could do 4 hour stretches would be good for me. I have also though about making a smaller one (or two) and am just in the planning stages now. We will see......

Dan

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 5:32 pm

scootr14 wrote:

I'm thinking the issue on that small of a clone would be the gravity chute. If you only have 18" of chute, I don't think you could burn very long. With something that small it may be better to build a vertical insulated cooker with the firebox on the bottom and a heat diverter/water pan above it. Or even easier, look at building a UDS.

I won't be doing any UDS anytime soon. I was thinking that the chute/firebox would be proportional to the size of the cook chamber, ie small chamber=small fire. I know with a small chute I might get bridging, so I will keep that in mind.

Ron

Posted: Wed Aug 31, 2011 10:31 pm

I've thought about the same thing but with a little more cooking area. Maybe a 5 x 5 chute instead of the 6 x 6 I have. If the height of the chute bothers you maybe you can make that part taller for longer burns. If I was going smaller than 6 x 6 I would think about tapering the chute though. I think a mini clone would be sweet!! Something that can cook meat by itself without needing a winch to load it. Awesome Cool

Posted: Mon Sep 05, 2011 8:29 am

I have been thinking about the porportional sizing. This seems to me to have many problems with lump charcoal because of the size of the pieces.

I have been thinking that 5 x 5 tapering to 6 x 6. Perhaps the size of the fire mass can be reduced to 1.5 inches deep maybe even 1" but I do not know if it is possible for it burn that small.

Bottom line the fire mass must be smaller unless you go to Kingsford. It does burn cooler than lump. I hate the flavor....

I think you can go to 4" x 4" and grade the size of the lump to smaller pieces.

I would just build your best idea and then if it works great. If it does not then you have eliminated the first way it does not work. LOL

BBQ Fan Joined: 01 Sep 2009 Posts: 67 : Items

I've been designing a baby stumps that has 2 racks 24x24. I'm using an 8x8 chute with a 2x4 transfer tube. The total length of the chute will be 27 inches. I was hoping that this would be enough lump to last over night. If not then I'm going to make an attachment that I can fasten as an extension for longer smokes. I'll let you know how it goes.

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 7:32 pm

kingofbother wrote:

I've been designing a baby stumps that has 2 racks 24x24. I'm using an 8x8 chute with a 2x4 transfer tube. The total length of the chute will be 27 inches. I was hoping that this would be enough lump to last over night. If not then I'm going to make an attachment that I can fasten as an extension for longer smokes. I'll let you know how it goes.

I think the 8" sq chute might be larger than required and may result in a smoldering fire. With that size of cooking chamber I would definitely go with the 6" sq. maybe with a taper.

Posted: Thu Dec 01, 2011 10:37 pm

It seems like 6x6 would be big giving that my cooker is in the neighborhood of 34x24x44 and has a 6x6 chute with a 3x5 transfer tube. Maybe you could make the transfer tube 1" high to keep a larger fuel supply but keep the area of fire smaller. Don't quote me on that as there are others that may have a better idea for you.

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:18 am

FINALLY we are starting to get some discussion on this thread. I really don't want to do a $600-$700 experiment only to find out that nobody here thought that it would work.'

C'mon guys. Some of the brightest minds on Stump's style smokers are on this board. I really only need a cook chamber about 18"W x 18"D x18"tall. I'm sure that there have been smaller done but what would the chute/transfer tube/firebox dimensions be?

Ron

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 8:40 am

But if you choke it down too much, then your gonna end up with an incomplete fire and end up with bitter tasting meat if your plan on using lump. Now if you decided to start using pellets, then thats a whole new ball game.

Newbie Joined: 23 Jun 2011 Posts: 25 : Items

Has anyone ever made a GF Smoker out of an old oven?
I recently replaced the oven / stove at home and am reluctant to trash it because it seems like it would be a step in the right direction for a small clone.
I have seen several refrigerators made into a smoker, but never an oven.

BBQ Fan Joined: 01 Sep 2009 Posts: 67 : Items

Quote:

I think the 8" sq chute might be larger than required and may result in a smoldering fire. With that size of cooking chamber I would definitely go with the 6" sq. maybe with a taper. [/color]

Is this the type of taper I could use?

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 1:02 pm

tmack83 wrote:

Has anyone ever made a GF Smoker out of an old oven?
I recently replaced the oven / stove at home and am reluctant to trash it because it seems like it would be a step in the right direction for a small clone.
I have seen several refrigerators made into a smoker, but never an oven.

HELL Yes! The price is right!

Posted: Fri Dec 02, 2011 2:08 pm

kingofbother wrote:

Quote:

I think the 8" sq chute might be larger than required and may result in a smoldering fire. With that size of cooking chamber I would definitely go with the 6" sq. maybe with a taper. [/color]

Is this the type of taper I could use?

You want the taper going the opposite way. What you have drawn there will cause more problems that anyone would want. The idea of the taper is so that the odd shaped pieces of charcoal will less likely "hang up" in the chute and stop the gravity flow to the fire area.