Fire box opening

Gentlemen,

Thanks for the information.

Dave, I am going to split the difference between you and Feldon.

I will leave myself with the ability to move it again if it doesn't work.

I am going to start work on this tomorrow for you guys today for me in Ireland.

I will take some before and after pictures and let you know how I get on.

Again thanks for the help.

Karl.

Well all,

After two long and dirty days days(her in doors refused to talk to me before I had a shower last night) I am starting in to see light at the end of the tunnel.

When I split the FB from the CC and ground away the rust I found that the FB was a lot worse than I thought it was.

There was a couple of holes that were at least 1/2'' dia. and the thickness of the remaining metal was little or nothing.

We were modifying some CO2 ducting in work and the old sections were coming out they were going into scrap so I asked if I could take them instead.

The ducts are 20'' so I cut them up to replace the bottom of the fire box.

Getting 20'' 1/8 SS pipe to form and mold to a 16'' FB takes some BF&I (brute force and ignorance) it was about then that I drew first blood.

I was trying to bend a 6'' section of the duct using a slash clamp when the SS popped out of the clamp and hit me in the face luckily for me I was wearing my safety glasses. I had the glasses on my forehead and the SS hit there. However it put the nose piece of the glasses straight into my forehead. There were some choice words and a lot of foot stamping and kicking things. All things considered I got off lightly.

I had planned to completely enclose the inside of the CC with SS but this experience has forced me to question the worth of such an adventure.

I got the FB lined eventually and I am deliberating on the best way forward with the CC.

I have the new frame completed. I used 2'' box, I probably could have used 11/2 but as the saying goes ''If you you are going to be a bear, be a grizzly''.

Cut the plate to lower the FB and cut the hole. This worked out really well( I say this now but I haven't actually used it yet.)

On a side note being in Ireland it is tough to find good smoking material hickory, mesquite. There are a couple of apple trees in the home house so I have taken over the care of them since I came back and hording the trimmings. I was in my local hardware store (Woddies) and they have hard wood logs for sale for chimeras. Would this be alright to use in my smoker.  

I have tried to add some photo's to this without any success.

I will keep you posted how things are going and thanks for the warm welcome.

Karl.

Gentlemen,

I am happy to say that seasoned the new and improved NBBD this morning and cooked a couple of chickens on it today. 

Lowering the FB made such a difference, just after I put a chimney of 15 coals into the FB with the doors of the FB and CC open I was drawing some smoke through the chimney.

I coated the inside of the CC with peanut oil and baked the unit up to about 450 for an hour or so.

I spatch cocked a couple of chickens and cooked them yesterday. I still need to play about with the baffle plates but the temp was only out by 10deg at the end of my initial cook.


NBBD looking very neglected and unloved.


Damage to the bottom of the fire box


The ducting in the background


The internal lining of the fore box. I did the same for the cook chamber.


First coat of paint.


Frame 


Seasoning


Finished smoker