Greetings / Compressor Tank Build

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brnhornt

Smoke Blower
Original poster
May 24, 2017
124
17
Northeast Ohio
Hi gang,

Just wanted to take a minute and introduce myself.  I'm Kevin, hailing from Northeast Ohio....Cleveland area.  Been smoking on a WSM for about 10 years or so now and after browsing this site over the winter I've decided to take the plunge and try building myself a bigger smoker.  I've managed to find an old compressed air tank in the 100 to 120 gallon range.  Going to pick it up tomorrow for a total of 85 bucks:


I've never welded a day in my life, but my adult nephew is a professionally trained welder and going to use this as an opportunity for us to work on a project together.  I'm shooting for something that while it will sit for the most part...can be moved around a patio or into the garage as needed.  Kind of using the Yoder Wichita as inspiration.

I'm sure that I'll have tons of questions as I go along...and I'll try to take pictures and update as often as anything occurs...but one thing that I am trying to find would be tires.  I imagine that this tank is in the 350 pound range...and then add the firebox and stand itself...we'll be 450 pounds.  Think I can get by with just rear tires?  If so...any recommendation on make/size/where-to-buy etc?  Secondly...and I admit a little embarrassment in asking because I didn't see it directly posted elsewhere...but what and where is the material folks are using to make cooking grates out of?

Thanks all...and I look forward to sharing as things get going.

Kevin
 
Expanded metal should be available at most places that sell steel. You can pick up heavy duty casters ( 2 swivel, 2 fixed ) at most hardware shops.
 
I just posted a few questions about a build I'm about to start as well. I am also am using the Wichita as a guide. An acquaintance of mine has one and told me to come by and take s look at it if I have questions. Maybe you and I can be some help to each other as we build. Good luck.
 
"Expanded Metal"  thank you for that!

I was thinking about casters originally...but do they make some large enough?  This puppy won't be sitting on smooth concrete all it's life and the ability to move this thru a grassy yard is required, so I was thinking of something along the lines of just 2 12" tires.  Leaving the front legs touch the ground.  To move, lift and pull.  That's assuming it's not too heavy to lift.  
 
I just posted a few questions about a build I'm about to start as well. I am also am using the Wichita as a guide. An acquaintance of mine has one and told me to come by and take s look at it if I have questions. Maybe you and I can be some help to each other as we build. Good luck.
Absolutely!  All of my comparison of the Wichita has been from YouTube videos...so having someone out there who can get a first hand look might come in handy :)  Good luck to you as well!
 
See what you can find on google. Someone must make the steel wheels for a decent price. The amount weight to lift it depends on where the point of balance (axle) is mounted. Just tack weld the axle in position until you can try it in case it needs to be moved.
 
See what you can find on google. Someone must make the steel wheels for a decent price. The amount weight to lift it depends on where the point of balance (axle) is mounted. Just tack weld the axle in position until you can try it in case it needs to be moved.
ohhhh...good point...never thought of using physics! :)
 
Hey gang...quick question about cutting the door.  My plan was to cut one large door in this tank...but to avoid the existing tank weld seam.  I've been reading more about doors springing when cut.  Any tips other than avoiding the weld?  My plan is as follows.

Cut the entire length of the top of door and a few inches down the left and right sides.  Weld 2" flange/seal plate in place along the top.  Does anyone attempt to "round" these flanges to the tank?  Weld 4" bullet hinges in place on the top.  Cut the length of the left side and then a few inches along the bottom cut.  Bend the flange and weld into place.  Cut the length of the right side and then a few inches along the bottom.  Bend the right flange and weld into place.  Cut the remaining length of the bottom of the door, finally freeing it.  Weld the remaining flange into place.

This will pretty much be my one and only shot, so I'm wondering now if the single door is just too big and I should consider two doors.  I really don't want two doors...but if I'm taking serious risk of ruining the tank...I'd just have to suck it up. 

Thanks!

Kevin

PS to add...the tank is 56" long with the end caps being around 6" each...so a total of 68 inches if that helps or makes a difference.  I was planning on cutting the door 2 inches in from each end of the main section.  Flange pieces would sit 1 inch on the door and 1 inch on the tank itself leaving 1 inch from the flanges to the ends of the main tank section.  Door would end up being 52" inches wide before adding the flanges.
 
Just wanted to throw out my calculations for a second pair of eyes.

I'm using the circumference to start out with.  I know that I should be using the inside diameter, but I won't know that until well into cutting...so I come out at 124 gallons, I think it's reasonable to assume it's more like 120 in reality and that I will simply have this a little over-spec'ed.


I intend on building a cube firebox that will be the real-diameter of the tank in width by two feet.  So safe to just call it 2' sq.  That's over 13,000 inches so I'm good there.

Opening the whole area where the FB is inserted into the CC will give me an opening approx 233 sq/in.  Well over what is called for in the calculations.  Ok to just roll with that, or does that measurement really need to be closer to the 115 called for?  If I offset the bottom but by 3"....which can be described as building in a 3" high grease dam into the bottom edge, I can get it closer to 162 sq/in.

As for the exhaust stack.  I was thinking of using 6" diameter pipe...but according to the calcs that would only require a 22" high stack....?

Thanks for any input everyone!

Kevin
 
So I officially made some progress last night.  Was able to get the fixtures broken loose and removed with the aid of a pipe wrench and a dead blow mallet.  Then ground down the welds that held the top plate in place as well as the feet.  Good news is the real-top of this pressure tank has two threaded ports, left and right, on which one was a nice ball valve.  Perfect I think, because I can turn the whole thing upside down and use it as a drain.  The tank weld, which I am avoiding being near my door to try and avoid springing would be on the direct 3 o'clock (back) of the tank when sitting upright...or in this picture below it would be at 9:00 along the back.


My dilemma has come in the form of the brackets/plates they welded on to attach the feet.  Remember...I want to flip it completely over so the bottom of the tank is the top of my CC.  In this shot the CC is in it's correct position (aka, the tank is now upside down) and then left side would be the front or where the door would be cut:


You can see two threaded holes where the door will be.  They are at the 3:00 position, so I planned on just cutting an inch and a half below them.  Plug them, and then keep them as part of the door.  At the 12:00 position in the picture above, you can just see the feet/brackets that I am going to deal with.  Below are some closer shots:




In that last shot...I included the tape measure just to give a sense of scale.  The small port which in closest to the camera is direct 12:00. Like the other holes, I was simply going to cut about 1.5 inches passed 12:00 and include it in the door as a thermometer port.

Buuuuut the feet brackets.  Those are two 1/4" plates stacked and welded on top of each other.  I've not done much metal fabrication....so I was hoping someone could recommend the best way to remove them.  Am I looking at a grinding wheel and simply get to work?  If so...is that a flapper wheel, or something more substantial?  I can't simply leave them there because the cut for the CC door would run thru the left side "bracket" right about the 3.5" mark (above picture)  I'll then need at least an inch for the seal/flange...

My first thought was to use a cutoff wheel and attack the welds that hold the bottom of the two 1/4" plates in place...however they look like really good/solid/pro welds and I wasn't sure how much the molten metal would be underneath the plate.  As in....sure I can grid away what I see of the weld, but would I still end up with the plate welded in place because it's under the plate as well...and I didn't want to run the risk of grinding into the tank....so I stopped for the night and told myself to throw it out to the world and to those who are smarter and have more experience.  

So what do y'all think?

Thanks!!

Kevin
 
Get a 4" cut off wheel for your grinder. Slice down along the bottom plate next to the weld on both sides once this is done and both plates off and your'e left with just the tank welds to grind smooth.

I hope this helps.
 
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