I'm rebuilding a NBBD, and I'm about to make the cooking grates. I understand
that this smoker had 2 rows of grates, one pair on top that together covered the
whole space, and another pair on the bottom that weren't as wide.

I also see in various mod pages that guys tune their NBBDs by putting a series
of metal plates across the width of the cooking chamber. These have to be below
the top grates and above the lower ones, right? So if I want to put a drip pan
below a pork shoulder I'd put it on the heat shield plates? Just let the grease
run down to the bottom? (I did put in a drain.) And with the heat shield plates
in place, would you ever actually put meat on the lower racks?

I'm confused ..

Grant Erwin

"Grant Erwin" > wrote in message
news:WSGuj.15424$MY2.10403@trndny07...
> I'm rebuilding a NBBD, and I'm about to make the cooking grates. I
understand
> that this smoker had 2 rows of grates, one pair on top that together
covered the
> whole space, and another pair on the bottom that weren't as wide.
>
> I also see in various mod pages that guys tune their NBBDs by putting a
series
> of metal plates across the width of the cooking chamber. These have to be
below
> the top grates and above the lower ones, right? So if I want to put a drip
pan
> below a pork shoulder I'd put it on the heat shield plates? Just let the
grease
> run down to the bottom? (I did put in a drain.) And with the heat shield
plates
> in place, would you ever actually put meat on the lower racks?
>
> I'm confused ..
>
> Grant Erwin

I have an NBBD. it came with two racks for the smoking body and one rack for
the charcoal area. The two racks make one plane on the top. I took a piece
of hardware cloth and made a lower rack and do put meat on it and it cooks
just like the upper rack. I also cut the top and bottom off a beer can and
extended the smokestack inward to the upper rack. I also use three
splits(fire bricks) in the opening between the firebox and smoker as a
heatblock to keep from burning anything(heat gets through but no flames.)