First build, 200g RF

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bent34

Newbie
Original poster
Aug 27, 2013
16
10
North Houston
Hi all,

Thanks for ALL THE HELP! I've read tons of threads on here over the past 10 months, and I just (finally) started my build. I have a Miller 350P and a Miller plasma, but I'm lacking some standard tools like a torch. I am brand new to welding, having just completed a little grill and a fabrication table, so this build is my third welding project EVER.

This will be an RF build, with a grill over the fire box. It will have a hitch and wheels, but only for moving from the backyard to the driveway, and maybe down the street to a neighbor's house occasionally.

A couple pictures, then a couple questions.

This little lady came with the tank. I took her picture and then smashed her.


Once home, I filled with water a couple of times, then with soap and water.


I then cut a few things out, primarily to allow venting for the real cuts.


A few cuts later, and I'm getting the shape figured out.


Doors! Also, note the notch in the fb top door and side.


Thanks to this website, I'm able to figure out the best way to do things. Notching the doors for the 1" straps worked very well.


Last night I got it off the trailer and married the fb to the cc. Now its time to start on the details!

 
Bent, evening...... Build is looking good....    4-6" above the RF plate seems to be the norm... Depends on rack spacing and your thoughts on cooking different meats....

Dave
 
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Thanks for the help Dave.

My smoker is going to have an axle and a hitch, but only for getting it around the yard. I'll pull it with the golf cart. I would like to minimize the trailer look and not have to work around the wheels. I'm also trying to keep the actual footprint of the smoker relatively small. Has anyone put the axle parallel with the smoker, say right behind it, and had a removable tongue/hitch?

See picture for a pathetic sketch of what I'm considering.

 
There you go......   Rubbin Butts built this smoker....      I WANT ONE JUST LIKE IT......

900x900px-LL-9773a7ca_100_1005.jpg
 
I got some work done over the last few days. I made a valve to close off the smoke to the cc, even though I really didn't think I needed to. I also made an air intake. I messed it up and made another one. Then I thought it was too big so I made another one. 1.5 days for an extreme novice that has no idea what he's doing!

I also found a complete axle assembly for a boat trailer on craigslist for $50, so the smoker may be mobile next week.

Pics:




 
Any issues with double stacks?

Using the calculator, my exhaust pipe needs to be 38" tall at 4.125 diameter. If I use two pipes side by side, I can cut that in half. Any thing I'm missing here? Drawbacks to two stacks?

My pit is 4.5' tall, so 38" would make it too tall for my preference.

Thanks.

 
Put an elbow on the end of the CC......  Make it so it fits a 5" stovepipe length, for a wood stove...  slip it on when cooking... take it off when not.....

Dave
 
Thanks for the input Dave, but..........

My fire box doubles as a grill so the lid opens and would interfere with anything on that end and........

The only pipe I have is 4,125 diameter so that's what I would prefer to use.

I have considered putting a hinge in the pipe to fold it down as needed. I guess I could go back to that idea.

So double stacks are not preferred?
 
Double stacks would work.....   If you use 4" pipe for the calculator, then 3" pipe is half the volume and you would need 2  3" stacks....   but then you have more than doubled the friction in the exhaust using 3" pipe....  make the necessary tweaks for that......  

Dave
 
My pipe is 4.125, so that's 53sq inches. If i use two pipes, it is 106.9sq inches, which equals the volume of a 5.8" diameter pipe. I assume I would plug in 5.8" into the calculator and determine the height required (20"), then make both of my pipes that length. Correct? Two pipes at 20" height vs. one at 38".

Lastly, do I subtract for the amount of pipe that is sticking into the cc?
 
 
My pipe is 4.125, so that's 53sq inches. If i use two pipes, it is 106.9sq inches, which equals the volume of a 5.8" diameter pipe. I assume I would plug in 5.8" into the calculator and determine the height required (20"), then make both of my pipes that length. Correct? Two pipes at 20" height vs. one at 38".  

Correct

Lastly, do I subtract for the amount of pipe that is sticking into the cc?

Correct

The pipe length is from the top of the cook chamber...
Or, stub up one 6" pipe and add the length needed when cooking using wood stove duct...     Length does play a role is providing and inducing adequate draw....    example....  4 each 10" tall stacks wouldn't provide the draw one 40" tall stack does....
 
Agreed, Dave is the man.  Yeah, I don't think you'll ever come across the need to use the door from the cc to the fb, especially on a RF pit, but if you ever do need it, you'll have it.  You'll be able to control the temp in the CC easily with the air intakes on the firebox.  

Great looking build, keep the pics coming.
 
I fired up the smoker today, but I still need handles everywhere and a shelf and thermometers and sandblasting and paint and...........

But the big news is how well it drafts and burns. I'm very pleased with it. My wife picked up 5lbs of bacon "ends and pieces" for seasoning, so I cooked that for 10 hours to coat the inside, and I also coated everything with cooking spray.

I've had a couple of weeks off work, but I start a new job tomorrow so time will not be as available as before. It could take months to finish the last 5% of the build.

Thermometers: I really like analog. I really don't want wires and a sending unit on my smoker, even though it makes sense. I found some 3" units on Amazon that I plan on buying, but I haven't pulled the trigger just yet. Big decision, but I can always upgrade. We'll see how I feel about it tomorrow.

What are the thoughts on sand blasting?  Will Harbor Freight's 40# blaster do the trick or do I need to find someone and pay for it? I live just north of Houston, so I know I can get it done here, but I would like to hear your thoughts.......



 
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Smoker looks good.....     Nice build.....    

I deactivated your link to HF...  outside links are against policy.....  sorry....   Dave
 
Bent,

This is my opinion. In the beginning I wasn't going to bother with sandblast..... trying to save $$. But given the time and effort put in on a build, why not give it a great paint job. I'll be blasting mine.

Your build is.coming along....TBS to you!

RG
 
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