Help with a new build.

ral1121 · Mar 29, 2017

I need help with getting my build going. I am new to building and designing smokers. I feel that I have got everything figured out except the smoke stack. I have looked everywhere to try and verify what the calculator is giving me because it does not make sense.

I am having my ag department at my school build me a a basic straight forward offset smoker. The cooking chamber is going to be 20in diameter pipe and 48in long. The firebox will be a little oversized at 20in diameter pipe and 18in long. The smoke stack will be made out of 4.5 in pipe. When I use Feldman's calculator I am getting that it should be just under 18in which sounds really short. Also where do I measure the 18in from?. The smoke stack will exit at grate level out the end and the bend straight up. Do I measure from where it exits at or how far above the smoker it stretches.

Any help that points me in the right direction would be greatly appreciated.

416bigbore · Mar 30, 2017

To the SMF 1121, You're on the right smoke meat forum site to figure this all out!

IMO, First, call your Ag Dept and put a hold on your project.

You might want to understand a few things first about what your are trying to accomplish, before having them build you something you can't us?

Basic straight forward offset smoker? Do you have any Blueprints that you are building off of? Having to ask questions like where to measure from, you really need to STOP your build, until you have a grip on what you are trying to accomplish?

Sorry, just being Honest! It takes longer to do something over then to do it right the first time. I understand your all excited about your build.

I promise you this, you will have more fun with it working the right way, over having to go back and change things because you are not happy with how it is not working for you!

Can you post up a few pics to start with and explain a little better as to would you would like to be able to achieve when your build is finished? Now you're on the right path for your new custom build project to be a success!

Smoke on, Mike

ral1121 · Mar 30, 2017

My ag dept has not started the build yet as I have not turned in the plans to them yet.

As far as what I want to be able to do, I just want a basic pit that I can do everything on in my back yard. I am not looking to do competitions or anything like that. Just backyard BBQ. I did find one thread that was very helpful last night that helped me out with my smoke stack issue. Here is what I am planning to do. Let me know what you think.

CC - 20x48 - 15080 cu in.

FB - 20x18 - 5655 cu in. ( i know it is a little bigger then the 1/3 usually used sitting at about 112%)

Stack Vol. - 332 cu in. ( going to be using 4in internal diameter pipe which would put my stack at 26in.)

FB/CC opening - I calculated it at feldons plus 30% which would put me at 58 sq in. ( might turn the pit into a reverse flow later )

FB intake - need 17 sq in.

I am giving this as a project for the welding kids in ag. They will have to figure out all the rest as far as how to get the proper openings and intake.check with me before they start cutting and have an instructor that will be helping them. I hope this is enough info for you.

Let me know what you think.

416bigbore · Mar 30, 2017

If you're instructing this ag dept on a post secondary level and not HS, I would say you're going to be ok with your welding skills behind the build of your project.

I would then also encourage a field trip to someplace like Lowes and or Home Depot who sell these already made and guaranteed to function smokers. Then have everyone bring a pen, paper and tape measure and learn hands on how to draw up the prints. Might want to have a 101 on how to correctly read a tape measure first before you leave.

Can't go wrong with copying someone else's idea, unless your try and manufacture them yourself and try to sell them. Then you will run into a few legal issues!

Sounding like you have it going on, keep us posted and let's get this Bad Boy built and breathing smoke and fire like it's meant to do!

Smoke on, Mike

ral1121 · Mar 30, 2017

This is actually the ag dept at the high school I coach at. We have a great welding program that have placed several kids with jobs straight out of high school. The kids that will be working on my pit are already fully certified welders. They are also not new to building pits as they build several every year and take them to competitions and do very well. I will have to take pictures of the progress once they get started which I hope is next week. The pipe should be in from the supplier either today or tomorrow.

416bigbore · Mar 30, 2017

1121, NOW your shining more light onto the details. Pics would be very helpful.

Not that it matters, I have a welding teaching degree in welding tech. so that is why I asked about your Ag Dept. Our ag Dept was just that! They were more interested in the tractor having full fuel and ready to GET-R-DONE !

Do you reside in the mid west states, ND,SD Badlands of the Dakota's ?

Keep posting up, we can have a lot of fun with your build and a big old party at the end to test it out!

ral1121 · Mar 30, 2017

I am actually down south in Texas. The school district I work at is a small community outside of San Antonio. I will upload my plans once I finish drawing them.

I wish I had pictures of some of their competition pits. They have put out some amazing pits that have taken them all the way to the state competition.

416bigbore · Mar 30, 2017

ral1121 said:
I am actually down south in Texas. The school district I work at is a small community outside of San Antonio. I will upload my plans once I finish drawing them.

I wish I had pictures of some of their competition pits. They have put out some amazing pits that have taken them all the way to the state competition.

That's cool, Sounds like you have the right people for your build, Why the Questions then on your build? I would have to guess the planes are in Stone some place down there?

ral1121 · Mar 30, 2017

When they build pits, they just usually carry the stack 1 foot above the cooking chamber. There are not really many calculations that go into it for them besides the CC and FB dimensions. The opening they cut between the FB and the CC is however big they thing to make it. So I wanted something more specific. I was running into problems using the online feldman calculator for the smoke stack. It was giving me what sounded like a short stack length.

ral1121 · Mar 30, 2017

Here are my basic plans. The main things I want done to spec are the CC size, FB size, Stack length and placement, opening between FB and CC and placement fo two thermometers. Everything else I am leaving up to the kids. They are actually starting today in a few mins.

IMG_20170330_135102.jpg

ral1121
Mar 30, 2017

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ral1121
Mar 30, 2017

416bigbore · Mar 30, 2017

Cool, take lots of pics and keep us posted of your progress on your build,

Smoke on ,Mike

ral1121 · Apr 25, 2017

kids have been busy finishing up projects and what not but have just gotten started with my build. This is the only pic I have been able to get right now.

pit.jpg

ral1121
Apr 25, 2017

ral1121 · May 12, 2017

Updates. Finally making some real progress

IMG_20170511_151830.jpg

ral1121
May 12, 2017

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ral1121
May 12, 2017

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May 12, 2017

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May 12, 2017

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May 12, 2017

12ring · May 12, 2017

It's coming around nicely.

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