Trailer Mounted Reverse Flow with added Goodies

[hogie]

Just got back from a steel shop.  Bought some scrap to practice on.  Also ended up buying some 4" hinges (like on kck.com) for $4/each.  Hope to be able to take the trailer up there next Saturday to pickup some long, and heavy pieces (RF Plate, some uncut flat for flanges, etc).  Fun fun fun:)

 

[hogie]

So, I have been reading the forums, especially posts on how to do the doors.  I have the doors and hinges, and will have the flange material this weekend.  I have the same type of hinges kck.com sells, and I dont see how I get the top flange around it without welding it to the top flange directly.  This doesn't seem right.  Does anybody have any close up pictures of their hinges that I can look at to make sure I dont screw this up?

 

[bubbonehead]

I built my own hinges but I think there are like those you are talking about.



I welded these fingers to them for the reason you described. 1/8" thick 5/8" wide flat bar. Notched it on the bottom side follow the profile of the flange. I'm happy with them. This also allowed me to position the actual hinge slightly above the surface of the tank so the lid moves up away from the opening very cleanly when raised.

 

[fourthwind]

You can put the top flange inside the smoker.  Weld it to the cook chamber so it sticks out a half inch and the door will close into it.  Otherwise you will need to do the fingers like the previous post shows.

 

[fireman jb]

this thing is going to be awesome!

 

[sprky]

Sure glade you got your truck back and there wasn't more damage. My uncle has signs all over his property that are modeled after this sign

 

[hogie]

So, I am almost ready to move along.  I have the flanges and hinges for the doors, and last weekend I converted our offset smoker into a reverse flow.  It took me all day (for cleaning, prepping, and doing it myself).  I also got about 40' of some 3"x2"x1/8" steel tubing to make a work bench.  I hope to start prep work on that this weekend so I have someewhere to lock down a vise.

I should also have final measurements this weekend so I can get the steel pieces I need next saturday.

 

[unclejojo]

seen you might be interested in secutirty cameras.The company I work for picks up from a warehouse tha distributes these cameras.I have thought about these myself,not sure how well they work.But they wont break the bank.   http://www.ep-surveillance.com/   Hope this helps

 

[unclejojo]

By the way ....The smoker looks awesome

 

[hogie]

Well, today, we got a little done on the smoker.  It was a beautiful day outside (high 60s, low wind).

1)  Doors are done (Flanged and hinged)

2)  RF Plates are in and welded down

3)  inside part of the insulated firebox is welded together and the hole is cut for the cooking area feed

I feel like it was a very good day.  I think we did well for 4 hours of work.

Here's some pics:

 

[fourthwind]

Looking good!  Going to be a meat cooking monster for sure!

 

[hogie]

So, while going over the list of things I need to purchase this week to go forward, I was looking at the length required for a chimney...

The calculator says I need 52 inches of 6" pipe, or 30inches of 8" pipe...  if I am going to have the pipe for the chimney a few inches above the lowest grate, do I start counting length from there, or the top of the smoker where it actually comes out? I envision this being able to fit under a normal height covered parking, or inside a self storage unit.  I am also trying to figure out how tall to make the warming box chimney (does it need to be the same length, but set all the way down in the warming box?).  Hopefully I can get a few hands this weekend and get the insulation done (my bbq guru bulkheads are to arrive today, and insulation is already here) on the firebox, and get the warming box put together and everything sealed and possibly fired.

 

[fourthwind]

The calculaters are based on the amount of pipe exposed to cold air.  You could go to 10 inch?   Looks like you would need 20 inches of that exposed

 

[beanyray]

The calculaters are based on the amount of pipe exposed to cold air.  You could go to 10 inch?   Looks like you would need 20 inches of that exposed

I did not know that, great info Fourthwind!

 

[hogie]

Still trying to find a long enough / large enough piece of pipe locally that isn't going to cost more than everything else...

Hopefully there will be some in the drop area of the steel shop when I go pickup my stuff tomorrow (framing for the firebox, outside sheet, couple more hinges, expanded metal for the cooking surfaces, etc).  Sunday is suppose to be in the 70F out here, so I plan on getting more done this weekend.  Hopefully that will be to finish up the firebox and warming box, and get it mounted to the trailer.  After that, it should be cake to get it finished up for cooking.

 

[fourthwind]

Man I wish we had working conditions like that!     Been working in a closed up shop with the wood stove stoked.  Been cold and windy here.

 

[africanmeat]

it looks great so far

 

[hogie]

Just got back from dropping off the load of steel at the trailer (its not at my house right now).  My invoices showed 670lbs of steel purchased today.  Of that, ~137lbs of it was this schedule 80 10" pipe I found in their drop area...  paid $0.55/lb for it, so that was way cheaper than $316 they wanted for the same piece on their website pricing system.  Had to run home because of a problem at work (I work in computers, so I am on call 24/7), so I didn't get any pictures, but tomorrow is the big day, and I will make sure I get a pic of all the materials I bought today.  

 

[fourthwind]

I feel your pain man.   We are starting the build for our teams new competition smoker here in the next couple weeks.  Not looking forward to that bill.  LOL

 

[hogie]

Sunday really kicked my ass.  I had to get up at 6am to start loading my truck at 6:30am, to get to go pickup our church trailer at 8 (40-45minute drive away), to setup a church in an elementary school (I am the tech director, so I basically setup / run / teardown the sound system and keep the trailer with all the goodies in working order), then got to go work on the trailer (about 5minutes away from the church).

I didn't get many pictures, as we ate lunch, then started working on it.  Ended up getting the firebox figured out frame wise.  Got my air-inlets cut out / welded on, and 3 bbq guru fan ports installed (wanted them incase I ever needed them, rather not have to deal with it later).  We also got the bottom's insulation installed and the bottom sheet tack welded into place.

This weekend, I already scheduled for someone to cover my on-call status during the days, so I can work on them saturday and sunday without interruption.  With some of the framing already cut, I think I can get the firebox done on saturday, and it mounted on sunday (plus maybe the chimney in place).

Here are a couple photos from Sunday: