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My first build fixing to get started....

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firemanjim

firemanjim

Fire Starter
Original poster
Feb 6, 2013
48
13
Decherd, TN
OK I am gonna be starting my first build next week.  It is a 150 gal LP tank.  I have filled it with water to remove any residual fumes or lp gas.  Used the smoke calculator and here is what I came up with:

Tank is 24" x 55"

24868.80 Cubic Inches in the chamber

8289.60 is desired Firebox volume

16" x 24" x 24" will be my firebox size

6" Chimmney 16.31" Long

2.5" x 10" Firebox intake slot

Firebox to cook chamber is 9.69" Round, 13.70 Half Moon, or 73.73 sq in opening

I ran the stuff thru the circle calculator and got a segment height of 1.9"  My question is how high does my bottom plate need to be above the 1.9" height??  I am also thinking about leaving a 1 1/2" space from the bottom of the tank before I start my firebox to cook chamber hole.  Reason being this would prevent and grease from running into my firebox.  A dam of sorts I guess you could say.  Is this a good or bad idea??  Thanks for any help given...Jim
 
That 1.9" didn't sound right so I ran your numbers. According to the calculator you need 73.73" sq opening from firebox to cook chamber. A segment height of 5.5 will get you 78.2"sq. It is normally recommended to have 1.5 times that opening for under the reverse plate. A 7" segment height will be 109.76"sq. the opening at the end should be at least that beg so you don't create a bottleneck. If you put a dam on the end of the reverse flow plate and UAE it as a grease trap you don't need the dam at the firebox.
 
OK...Decided to leave the domed ends on my cooker so had to refigure some things.

Typed in 120gal into the calculator and it spit this out.

9240 cu in firebox

24"h x 18"w x 24"l will get me there at 112.2%  should be fine???

5" chimney 26.42 inches long

2 firebox intakes 4 1/2" diameter or may do 2 slit intakes 2" x 8"

82.94 cu in firebox to cooker

6" segment height gets me 88.44 cu in so close enough??

reverse plate will be 8" off the floor of the cooker floor to get me the 1.5x the volume of firebox to cooker?????

reverse plate will be 22.627" wide

I hope some of you pros will double check my figures please??  I have the tank here at the house and filled it with water to force all reminant LP fumes out of the tank.  The cutting shall begin after a few of you double check my figures and give me the "GREEN LIGHT"...Thanks guys for the help.
 
I am not an expert, but I can put numbers in a calculator. Those all look good to me. A little over the numbers is not a bad thing on my opinion. You can always close off openings, you can't open them up more after it's built. If you put the cooking grate 4" above the RF plate it will be in the center, which should work out good. I say build it to those last measurements.
 
Thanks Rasimmo for the reply. Tank goes "under the blade" tomorrow. Boys at the fire house are needing some Q. Pics to follow. Thanks
 
Jim, morning..... Looking at the circle calculator....

12" radius....  segment height 5.25" = 73.2 sq in. seg. area.... FB to CC opening....

AB chord = 19.8" width of  FB/CC opening at 5.25" seg. height...

12" r.... seg. height 7" = 109 sq. in. = area under RF plate  ( X 1.5  CC opening )

AB chord = 21.8"... that would be the RF plate width.... 

Those numbers will give you 1" increased height for food inside the smoker...  All depends on which tank numbers you use... 

Also, plan on an additional air intake above the fire grate approx 8 sq in....   that will allow for adjusting the air flow through the smoker for better cooking without adding air to the fire.....   You will use less wood and have better control of the heat inside the Cook Chamber....  It will take some time to get the adjustments down but worth it....   

Below is a reasonable fasimile of the FB/CC fit up......   Dave

End view FB-CC-RF plate.jpg

End view FB-CC-RF plate.jpg


Ignore the numbers.... this was for another member.....  

This shows the charging door at the front of the smoker.... and the 2 air controls, for the firebox, on the end of the firebox.....  the idea is the same...   Just stuff to help "clog and confuse" the old brain while you figure out which way to go on your build...

Dave

250 Gal Smoker.jpg

250 Gal Smoker.jpg

 
The tank went under the blade today.  All the cuts turned out perfect, so I guess so far so good.  Here are some pics:

The Firebox to Cooker Hole

download2_zps72866b36.jpg

download2_zps72866b36.jpg


The Top cut for the Door and partially down the sides.  Hinges go on Wednesday.  At the fire station tomorrow.

download_zpsa017cfd8.jpg

download_zpsa017cfd8.jpg


download1_zpsf472c4f6.jpg

download1_zpsf472c4f6.jpg


Thanks for all the help so far Guys.  I liked Dave's numbers better than mine so I cut it to his numbers. "May the Force Be With Me"!!!
 
OK...Got a little more done on the smoker project today.  Trying to balance my time from the smoker project and the camera shop is hard!!  I really want this smoker DONE!!!  Got the hinges fabricated at my friends machine shop this morning.  Got them welded on and got the top band on the door welded on as well.  Tomorrow we finish cutting out the door and put the two sides and bottom bands welded on the door as well.  Metal is ordered for the firebox.  Should be here Friday.  My God metal is high these days.  6 pieces of 1/4" steel that is 24" x 24" was $225.00  That is crazy!!  Here is some pics from today.

download3_zps6ca75c4c.jpg

download3_zps6ca75c4c.jpg

download14_zps2f9f8373.jpg

download14_zps2f9f8373.jpg


IMG_20130213_173141_120_zpsc0a79b59.jpg

IMG_20130213_173141_120_zpsc0a79b59.jpg

 
Looking good so far Jim! Yes the price of steel is going up (even though 1/4" is surprisingly cheaper right now) but I'm guessing what you are paying for is the labor for that shop to handle and cut it. If you had our shop do the same it probably would have cost you less or possibly closer to the same amount for the full 4'x8' sheet (I'm sure you could have figured out something to use that leftover 2'x4' piece)... may have even cost less if it was done during none work hours...

Good luck with the rest of your build!
 
 
I bought a 4x8 sheet of 1/4 last week for $150. To buy the pieces I needed cut to size, which will be most of the sheet, the price would have been $275. Sometimes buying it cut is the only way though, depending on the tools you have available.

 Build is looking good by the way. 
 
Jim, the smell comes from an oil that is injected into the gas.... when you burn the tank out to "clean it"... the smell will be gone...   Dave
 
So the door will be fully cut and good to go this weekend. Do I need to start a fire inside the barrel for this "cleaning burn" before the firebox and rf plate go on or is this cleaning burn done in the firebox? I need some direction here. Thanks Dave
 
After the build is done.... the RF plate has oil on it also... slowly bring the smoker up to 350-400 .... hold for an hour or 2 and cool slowly....   Should be ready to wire brush and paint..    Dave
 
FIREMANJIM said:
My God metal is high these days.  6 pieces of 1/4" steel that is 24" x 24" was $225.00  That is crazy!!
Click to expand...

That price is high, I was quoted $223 for a sheet of 48"x120"
I will however have to cut it all up myself, but the cost savings in material should be worth the extra work.
I've also spotted some 32" x 52" scrap 1/4" steel for 0.30 /lb
 
Last edited:
Jim, evening....  I think you will be very pleased with the results when it comes to fuel consumption and heat control....  I and others are very interested in your critique of the smokers operation.... and of course in the results of your Q.....   
thumb1.gif
... Nice firebox and I love the fire grate... 

Dave
 
I had same problem except someone turned me into the DEQ and next thing you know I had state police, fire department and DEQ down my neck.  What a smell.  I used detergents from the dollar store to do a preleminary clean and sucked out waste with shop vac.  One drop and you smell for days.  I put this waste in garbage bags and disposed of....DEQ said it was ok but made me move tanks to a field to "air out".  I now have them down at the sand blaster to get the insides blasted out.  Be careful cutting into tanks....oil is very flamable my third tank exploded into flames and scared the crap out of me...note not from gas just the oil fumes.  Good luck
 
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