Firebox doors?

[Texan79423]

Is it some unwritten law that all fire box have to be on the back/rear of an offset smoker?

I built a trailer smoker 20 some years ago ( before Internet) and my door opens on same side as cooker doors and make up air on rear/ back

I lay splits on firebox to warm walk straight up to pit open and load. I can access cook chamber and firebox at same time.

Plus went pulling trailer if door comes open I can see it in my mirror.

I have never seen another like it. Am I breaking some cardinal rule?

[Finatic]

Not that I'm aware of. I know with my offset I put my firebox door on the back or end of the firebox because I used a piece of 24" pipe (which was all I had). Therefore I needed a longer firebox and having the door on the end makes it easier to get long sticks of wood in there. Plus it seems to draft better that way- at least on my pit. But I've seen smokers (especially ones that are mounted on walk-on trailers) with firebox doors on the front side of the square firebox on occasion.

[k.a.m.]

My Hybrid Cooker is a walk on and the firebox door faces me as does my warmer doors.

[Texan79423]

Kam your as crazy as I am. I built mine where the door on side opens to the rear so If I forget to latch it or if it pops open on the road the wind should keep it closed instead of catching wind.

So now I know, I am not the only crazy one around here. People look at the door and ask why to which I usually reply why not.

[Texan79423]

Here is my 20 year old pit with side opening fire box. Build just for comps. Holds/cooks just enough meat for comps but not enough for really big events. She does have lots of storage 76 x28 storage box. 72x36 wood storage area on front. Just like a good wife, not to pretty, does

n't require a lot of attention, always available, and cooks good too

[brentski]

My old neighbor had two pits, one he no longer used in comps and one he used and I asked about the big differences with the different designs and the older trailer had the firebox in the front of the trailer compared to the new with it on the rear of the trailer and was told that when leaving the competitions the fires had to be completely out if the fire box was in the front due to sparks coming out. Said that he loved the old design and missed it. Not sure if he was feeding me a line but that is what he said.