I am building a homemade meat smoker. I am using 1x4 tropical wood

Now what want to know is :-
1. Will my tropical hardwood (BALAU wood) affect the smoke from my hickory pellets.
2. Since my smoker walls and door will not be airtight, will i lose smoke and will this affect my smoking result.
3. i am using Traeger pellets in a stainless canister on an electric hotplate for smoke production.
4. sould the chimney be to the side or should i have a bunch of little drilled holes on the smoker roof

Thank you kindly, Sir.