Small backyard reverse flow build

Hey guys, I appreciate the replies and troubleshooting help. I saw the replies Sunday morning but was only able to spend a little time with it. I am fairly certain it is the pipe itself and here is why... I noticed a little binding when I was making the top cut. I left an inch on each corner before I cut the door completely. Even then I noticed the center of the top cut bowing above the door. The door corners did pop a little but when I put the door back in place, everything lined up great except for the top (the pipe sticking above the door). So, I put straight edges everywhere, inside and outside and the only place I really noticed a problem was the top of the pipe. The bottom cut is straight as far as I could tell. Then I measured the door up and down all the way across. I didn't notice any variation. I also measured diameters of the ends all the way around to see if the pipe was out of round. A non-scientific measurement just with a tape measure but everything looked close enough to me! (less than a 16th at best)

Well, I spent a little time with it yesterday and I think I have a solution. Took a little bit of everyones advice... except for the welding part. I was real close to laying a bead and using the head to suck it in but I was able to get it close enough before that and I am satisfied enough now. So, my idea was to push the top down to match the door and then I should have a pretty solid door. Before this weekend I had put the pipe jack on the top center with a chain wrapped around (pictured in an earlier post) and was able to push it down a decent ways. 3/8" wall seems pretty resilient though. I wasn't able to push it down far enough to make it stick. It kept springing back to where it was. I wasn't trying to go anywhere crazy and over correct (though BullypitBBQ I'm curious what you mean about it being devastating. In my mind I was thinking if I had over corrected, I could just put the jack inside the pipe and push it back up. Though I have never tried and I might be missing something) I really just wanted to split the difference and get it close enough I could work the strapping around. So, I hired a second jack and chain to spread the load. I eventually was able to push it down far enough to get the pipe to move. It split the difference in my gap. Good enough for me! For the rest what I have decided is to shim my door up slightly. This puts the top level but the corners sticking out slightly. Now I will do as CrazyQ and Bullypit suggested and bring just the corners in and I should be in business! Hinges are in the works and the door should be hung this week, as well as the RF plate. 

BULLYPITBBQ said:

TXSean im glad to see ur door coming along nicely. Wat I meant abt it could be devastating is when working with 3/8 pipe ur having to over push about 3/8 to get it to move an 1/8". Sometimes people get impatient and instead of crunching it in increments they try it to do it with one bend. The devastating part abt this is, if u over bend with too much force it could reach a point wear u put a pretty nasty crease in the pipe. Yea u could push the diameter out to dimension but tht crease is probably there to stay. Hence, ur probably gna hv to live with it. But I see u got it to move in ur favor with no problems. Glad to see u moving forward. Im really liking ur build and good luck with the rest of it buddy.

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On yeah that makes sense. I've rushed plenty of projects in the past and have definitely learned that lesson of not getting in a rush. I've got too much time (and money now) invested in this to do something with out thinking it through. Just taking my time and enjoying the build. I appreciate the help and kind words.

Maple Sticks said:

TXSean said:

I can push it down pretty easily but haven't been able to make it stick yet. I either need some heat or maybe a second jack to really push it down and get some leverage on it. About an 1/8 or an inch is all I need for a clean fitting door. The bottom and corners are already good.

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When doing this it helps to put a 2X4 inside the tank just off center of the jack several inches


in back of the jack. this gives it something solid to bend the metal. The 2X4 runs from the bottom


of the tank to the top edge being bent.

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You mean to have acted kind of like a brake? That probably
Would have been a good idea. I have lots of angle iron as well. Noted for next time ;)

Well, school is over, the wife is out of town... what to do, what to do. Oh yeah, I have a cooker to build! I can't believe its been a month and a half since I've really had a chance to do anything, but I'm trying to make up for lost time! 

I was able to get my door fitted, close enough anyhow. I might still make some minor final adjustments once everything else is done, but its good enough for me now. The top two corners stick up a little, but everything else is looking good, and its not so much that I think it will cause any problems. Hinges are on, and I even fabbed up a counter weight. I wasn't crazy about the idea at first, but it really needed it, no way around it. Now that its on, its grown on me. It will look better I think with the exhaust.



I feel like I got lucky with the weight. I had a few pieces of angle that already had 45's cut on the end, so I tacked them in place and clamped some more angle on the top to get an idea of weight... good enough for me!



Couldn't rock the angle, so I think I'll go this route for now...

Todays project was the reverse flow plate... Pieces are cut and tacked into place. I actually put the center piece and drains in a few weeks ago. Just need to finish out the welding, which I'll try to do tomorrow then on go the end caps. I feel like this thing is really coming together now! The center is 2" wide flat bar and the plate has a 1" rise from the center to the pipe walls. The center is 4.5" below the cooking surface. Hopefully a decent height.

Qwikrnu BBQ said:

 
Looking good! Nice welds

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Thanks! I am pretty rusty, and I'm not saying I was much good to begin with, but this project has been some good practice as a little bit of everything. 

jwsimpleville said:

Awesome build and props for welding on wood tables. Everytime I've done that the table never lasts long after that.

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lol, gotta work with what ya got! Not ideal but its worked. That table was temporary and I was about to trash it anyway to free up some space but I just couldn't keep stuff off of it. This is definitely its last project! 

DaveOmak said:

It's good to see you take your time and think through the "sprung" CC, before advancing and creating more problems... The smokers looking good....

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Thanks! I've got a life full of lessons teaching me not to rush into things. One of the most important being that without a solid foundation, you won't have a solid structure. A fraction of an inch now can be a foot down the road! A lack of time has helped too :p Actually, a number of ideas that I've had, I put up all of my tools for a couple days and when I come back I think of a different or better way to do it, so its been nice in a way to have so long to work on it. There have been a number of changes and even more plans in the works (vertical camber, trailer? ;) ) I'm hoping to make some good progress in the coming weeks with hopefully planning on a cook for the 4th ;) 

Well, here is a little update. Shes outside!!! I still have a little work to, mainly small cosmetic stuff and clean-up. Tomorrow I will do a little blast on the inside, install some temp gauges then light her up. Hopefully she holds together! lol. I have some black hi-temp RTV on order to seal the door, and I guess I still need to figure out what I want to do for a handle too. I will add some temporary casters to move it around the garage and into the driveway, but otherwise this is about how it will sit for a while.

After debating for a while (mainly just convincing the wife) we decided this thing needs to be on a trailer! So, soon that will be in the works, as well as a vertical chamber above the firebox. Slowly but surely she's coming along. Really anxious to see how she runs. 

Hey guys. I meant to update sooner but its been a pretty busy summer. Anyway... it works! Not that I expected it not too but its always satisfying to see hard work perform as planned. Nevermind the added benefit of an awesome meal to follow!

I've done a few cooks now and everything is holding up, as advertised and consistently. Other than a leaky door (that I really only notice on star-up) I really can't complain. As expected, the firebox side heats up a little quicker but it only takes a few minutes for the other side to catch up but once they're in sync, unless there is a drastic change, they stay together. Oddly, my maverick reads about 5-10 degrees cooler in the middle grate than the door thermometers do but that doesn't bother me, ad could be attributed to a leaky door. I do have some hi-temp silicone that I plan to apply to the door as soon as I can bring myself to get the grinder back out. It does seem to draft well though. I don't really have a way to measure firebox temps, but it doesn't seem extreme and thin blue smoke just pours out of the exhaust :D 

My overall vision for this project has changed quite a bit throughout, so if anyone is still following, this isn't the end. I'm at a bit of a stopping point right now, but there are still a few minor details to work out (like, handles for the doors... minor detail lol) and I believe a vertical warming box and trailer are in its future as well, hopefully starting this fall. 

A few pics...