500 gallon reverse flow build

[tylerw]

I'm In the process of finishing my reverse flow smoker build. I just need some ideas on how I can get my doors to form back to the tank. When I cut my doors out they sprung up a little and now I'm not sure the best way to keep them to the form of the tank. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

 

[tylerw]

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[tylerw]

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• tylerw
• Oct 7, 2013

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• tylerw
• Oct 7, 2013

image.jpg

• tylerw
• Oct 7, 2013

image.jpg

• tylerw
• Oct 7, 2013

 

[lendecatural]

Welcome Tyler,

Is that an old forge blower on your firebox?

I have seen guys lay a 2x4 or 4x4 parallel to the smoker and close the doors on it, than wrap a come along around the CC and crank the lip down. It is also possible to heat the door with a torch and allow them to cool and see which way they move. What is the thickness of the doors?

Len

 

[daveomak]

Tyler, evening....  Clamp the door link Len suggested....   Chain binders or Cam clamps or what ever works.....    Some folks have fired up the smoker like that and built a huge fine in it for a few hours....   that cleans the smoker out and should relax the steel...  let the smoke cool naturally over time...   That should work fairly well.....   over time, smoking and the heat will continually relax the steel and all should be good....  

Check Ribwizzards builds for his "Ribs" he welds to his doors.. they function as handle braces also....   Dave

 

[tylerw]

Hi Len. Yes I have incorporated the forge blower into my FB to help control the fire. I have thought about heating the doors then letting cool but I'm afraid that won't work. The doors are 1/4 inch so it's gonna take a lot of heat to heat the doors up. And I'm afraid if I heat the doors and form back to the tank they may warp later down the road from all the heat of smoking. So from looking around I thought about doing something like Dave showed in the pick on my thread.

 

[tylerw]

Hi Dave. With the tank being rolled steel do you think the doors will keep springing up from the heat of the smoker if I don't put supports on the doors?

 

[daveomak]

Heat should relax the steel and over time there should be no spring... Clamp the door closed.... build a fire and heat the smoker to 800 or so...   The supports will need to be welded on when you are sure the door are in the correct position...    

   Dave

 

[ribwizzard]

My two cents...

Install the door braces and you will never have any problems from your doors.