I started my first build last month with Zero knowledge on Smokers.
I'd like to give a special thanks to my Buddy Vince, who is a member here, and builds smokers professionally. He emailed me all the links to various calculators, and information, and Me blowing up his cell phone with many questions.
http://feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html?
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/141196/quick-and-easy-food-grate-frames
Second my Father who took all the Data from Vince, and put it into a SolidWorks 3D program for me.
And last, to this board, and everyone who has posted pictures of what they have done. It was all VERY Helpful.
This was my first build, so I know what I did wrong, what needs to be done in what order, and what I'll do better on the next build.
All of this was done with a Lincoln Century 80 Amp welder. Since the welder can't handle 1/4" steel, all welds were an overlap weld.
It all started when my landlord gave me a busted compressor over the summer.
I still haven't figured out how to draw and cut a straight line over a curved tank. But my Buddy Vince says he has a flexible straight edge. That will come in handy on the next build, since this was an eye balled cut, then a little more here, and then some more here.
Fire Box is 19" x 19" x 19" using 1/4" steel. Here is a BooBoo I did. I decided to make a square intake hole instead of the half moon. But when I lined up the FB to the tank, My hole was to big. I had to weld a piece back in, then re-cut the proper opening. And it was STILL wrong!! I had to make it even bigger on the inside, and cover the large gap on the outside.
The grate is 5/8" steel instead of rebar.
The latch was some extra stuff laying around. the partial half moon opening. Still needs a handle so it won't be hot to the touch.
Legs are 2" steel pipe. Very Heavy Duty!
I was suppose to use 2" flat stock on the FB, but I used 1" x 1/8" angle instead. Because of this, I was short a 10' piece of angle for one of the grates. I also used the 2" on the tank door instead of 1" flat stock. I used the cut off dome piece to help bend the 2" flat stock so it would contour to the tank on the door. NEXT time, I will use thinner 1", the 2" is to hard to bend!
Yeah I know...the handle is crooked. It is my first time building a smoker, give me a break..
Hinges are 1/4" steel. Was going to buy some, but i had all this extra stuff, so these where free.
There is a link on the top of this post from a guy on this forum who made grates using one long piece of 1" x 1" x 1/8", and only one weld. A Freaking Genius. This first grate including welding the expanded metal took me 1.5 hours. Mostly measure, check, measure, check, measure, cut.
Notice the tank color? I did a burn out with a huge log fire. The paint on the outside bubbled and fell off. Any left over paint was like powder.
Notice the chimney stack? I will remember to cut the chimney hole only AFTER I have built the grates for the inside.
I had cut the hole first. Now it's a tad over the top grate, and does not go in to the bottom grate. Next time I will cut it last, and put it farther over so it can be inserted farther inside the tank. Chimney is a 2' x 4" steel pipe. Very Heavy!!
I'd like to give a special thanks to my Buddy Vince, who is a member here, and builds smokers professionally. He emailed me all the links to various calculators, and information, and Me blowing up his cell phone with many questions.
http://feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html?
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/141196/quick-and-easy-food-grate-frames
Second my Father who took all the Data from Vince, and put it into a SolidWorks 3D program for me.
And last, to this board, and everyone who has posted pictures of what they have done. It was all VERY Helpful.
This was my first build, so I know what I did wrong, what needs to be done in what order, and what I'll do better on the next build.
All of this was done with a Lincoln Century 80 Amp welder. Since the welder can't handle 1/4" steel, all welds were an overlap weld.
It all started when my landlord gave me a busted compressor over the summer.
I still haven't figured out how to draw and cut a straight line over a curved tank. But my Buddy Vince says he has a flexible straight edge. That will come in handy on the next build, since this was an eye balled cut, then a little more here, and then some more here.
Fire Box is 19" x 19" x 19" using 1/4" steel. Here is a BooBoo I did. I decided to make a square intake hole instead of the half moon. But when I lined up the FB to the tank, My hole was to big. I had to weld a piece back in, then re-cut the proper opening. And it was STILL wrong!! I had to make it even bigger on the inside, and cover the large gap on the outside.
The grate is 5/8" steel instead of rebar.
The latch was some extra stuff laying around. the partial half moon opening. Still needs a handle so it won't be hot to the touch.
Legs are 2" steel pipe. Very Heavy Duty!
I was suppose to use 2" flat stock on the FB, but I used 1" x 1/8" angle instead. Because of this, I was short a 10' piece of angle for one of the grates. I also used the 2" on the tank door instead of 1" flat stock. I used the cut off dome piece to help bend the 2" flat stock so it would contour to the tank on the door. NEXT time, I will use thinner 1", the 2" is to hard to bend!
Yeah I know...the handle is crooked. It is my first time building a smoker, give me a break..
Hinges are 1/4" steel. Was going to buy some, but i had all this extra stuff, so these where free.
There is a link on the top of this post from a guy on this forum who made grates using one long piece of 1" x 1" x 1/8", and only one weld. A Freaking Genius. This first grate including welding the expanded metal took me 1.5 hours. Mostly measure, check, measure, check, measure, cut.
Notice the tank color? I did a burn out with a huge log fire. The paint on the outside bubbled and fell off. Any left over paint was like powder.
Notice the chimney stack? I will remember to cut the chimney hole only AFTER I have built the grates for the inside.
I had cut the hole first. Now it's a tad over the top grate, and does not go in to the bottom grate. Next time I will cut it last, and put it farther over so it can be inserted farther inside the tank. Chimney is a 2' x 4" steel pipe. Very Heavy!!