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My first build.....so I start out with a 250 gallon propane tank

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steve4christ

steve4christ

Newbie
Original poster
Dec 3, 2013
22
11
Montgomery Alabama
Well I have been reading all of your threads and I do mean all (like a lot of you my wife has been asking questions about my internet use) and as of today I have three very important steps out of the way....1) I have a very qualified welder who is going to walk through this process with me from start to finish 2) I have on order a trailer, I found out that I can have our local trailer builder make me a stripped down  trailer (axel and frame) cheaper than I can buy the materials and build it myself $600 and 3) Finally found a 250 gallon tank for $150.....oh yeah make that four steps 4) I found out that one of the members of the church I pastor works at the local steel yard
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. 3/16 4x10 plate steel for $120 (I was originally quoted from the same steel yard $158) and they may throw in some cutting to boot.

Picking up the propane tank on Friday morning and cutting it open Saturday am. I post some pics of that when I can. Thanks for all of your inspiration!!
 
Are you happy with your preliminary calculations for the smoker...... You might consider running those numbers through the forum so members can help with stuff to insure you get the best smoker possible...

Dave
 
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Yep Dave I am happy with the numbers I ran on the feldon calculator and I do have a question to throw out there. I want to add a rib rack on the end over the fire box and I was wondering where to add in those dimensions. So far I have the following measurements

CC 57750 ci

FB 30x30x24 21600 ci or 112.2%

Chimney size 6 in pipe 38"

So I am looking to see if I can find out what size I can make my rib rack and what adjustments that might require to my firebox...I'd rather be a bit  larger than need be and yes I thought about rephrasing that but I'm in too big a rush today
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I see you have run your numbers using the 112% larger firebox.. That is one problem I have with Feldon's calculator.... It uses the FB to calculate all the numbers.....
I would rerun the numbers with the original 100% FB numbers.... In my opinion the sizing of stack, FB inlets, FB/CC opening etc should be based on the size of the CC.... Just my opinion.... Then you can make the FB any size you want.....
 
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DaveOmak said:
I see you have run your numbers using the 112% larger firebox.. That is one problem I have with Feldon's calculator.... It uses the FB to calculate all the numbers.....
I would rerun the numbers with the original 100% FB numbers.... In my opinion the sizing of stack, FB inlets, FB/CC opening etc should be based on the size of the CC.... Just my opinion.... Then you can make the FB any size you want.....
Click to expand...
Thanks Dave I'll run those numbers

Steve
 
Originally Posted by DaveOmak

I see you have run your numbers using the 112% larger firebox.. That is one problem I have with Feldon's calculator.... It uses the FB to calculate all the numbers.....
I would rerun the numbers with the original 100% FB numbers.... In my opinion the sizing of stack, FB inlets, FB/CC opening etc should be based on the size of the CC.... Just my opinion.... Then you can make the FB any size you want.....
Click to expand...
I agree totally Dave, ...I start with the cooking chamber size and and use the calculator as a base line for minimum sizes for everything else,

Sort of , if its at least that big or bigger, I'll be fine.
 
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Ok so most of the day I've been thinking of the build and an idea I have is to put a big grill on the back over the FB instead of a rib rack. I haven't seen one on here so far. Does anyone have any design ideas they are kicking around? When I take this rig into some neighborhoods I might be cooking hamburgers and hotdogs to give away so I need plenty of room and I'm not sure how to make the change from a RF to a grill on the fly. Any ideas would be great.
 
Steve, evening.... My thoughts are, "a dual purpose makes neither design a great design"...... Build a separate grill....
If you "must" make it a dual purpose, make the top of the FB removable and install a grate directly over the fire.... I would hope that wouldn't have an effect on the quality of RF smoker you were building....
 
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DaveOmak said:
Steve, evening.... My thoughts are, "a dual purpose makes neither design a great design"...... Build a separate grill....
If you "must" make it a dual purpose, make the top of the FB removable and install a grate directly over the fire.... I would hope that wouldn't have an effect on the quality of RF smoker you were building....
Click to expand...
rib box.jpg

rib box.jpg

 
If you mount something similar on the top of the FB, it will scavenge heat from the FB and no additional calculations are necessary.... Incorporating it into the smoke/heat flow path is something I have no idea how to figure, and still maintain the integrity of the smoker....
 
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Went by to pick up the tank today and the guy offered to cut the end off for me and make it into a fire pit even throwing in the steel for the legs. Only drawback is time, 2 weeks, but hey I can wait. I need to work the plan some more and I wasn't looking forward to that first cut ;-)
 
So the holidays are really busy in my line of work. Today I was able to pick up the tank......now on to building this wonderful instrument of pleasure.
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Below are some pictures for your viewing
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Also I've been thinking about my idea of the smoker grill combo I talked about earlier and I might have given the wrong impression of what I want. I want a smoker that can at times (very limited times I might add) be used as a grill.....but never at the same time. Make sense?
 
Steve4Christ said:
Question: Is it better to burn now or wait till all the cutting and welding is done first?
Click to expand...

When I built the mini mud pit it was a propane tank too. I lit a couple SMALL fires in it to burn off some of the smell. Might not get it all out till the end of build, but the small burns help. Had to wash clots pretty good too
 
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