adventures in LA- brick smoker

[pjnla]

sound like it gets pretty cold. im here in southern cali, so we never see frost. heck, a 50 degree day is a major event for us. i have an old slab under my pavers. i added about 5 inches of dirt so i put the pavers on top of the slab. i would suggest putting a really solid footing down before you build, especially with frost like that...buuurrrrrr.....

 

[wes w]

okay Wes...let's get this straight.....WIFE inside, SMOKER outside.

"i can't hear you dear...im outside!

what are you trying to do to me man!!! LOL LOL

pj

I'm still laughing !!!    Well, I really haven't looked at it like that.  You have a very good point!   I'm still laughing!  

Ok, the smoker goes way out back!  LOL!  

That was just funny.  Thanks for the laugh!

 

[bear55]

:Looks-Great:

 

[pjnla]

Here are some of the latest pics. Got a lot done today. Finally feel like I am getting somewhere, I can see it coming together. Gonna set the firebrick in the firbox tomorrow, bolt in both bottom doors. From there I will start laying the upper brick for the main smoker compartment. I don't anticipate it being too many more weeks of work.

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

Since I dont have any vents onmy doors, I racked my brain and came up with a good damper system. I bought a 3x3 steel structural tube and cut it into 6 inch pieces. I layed them in with the brick and will bolt on hinged flaps so I can control the air flow. The next set of pictures show them installed.

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

 

[pjnla]

Here are a few more... the outside bricks look crooked, but there are not. i didn't level the firebrick. didn't see the need since they would be inside. so the illusion is that the outside bricks look uneven. I hate how dirty the firebricks look. I also left about a 1/2 inch space between the firebrick and outisde brick.

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

See, I told you it was level! LOL

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 9, 2013

 

[wes w]

Looking good PJ!   I like the vent idea.    

Please keep in mind.  Once you finish the project.  You will need to wait for at least 40-45 days for the mortar to cure out.  If you start a big  fire before the mortar has cured it will crack every joint in the whole firebox.  After about  30 days you can do a little paper fire each day to help it dry out, but not a hot fire.

Keep up the good work!

 

[pjnla]

Hey Scooter,

Never did answer your question. The door fabricator did black and polish them up for me. No ceramic covering or anything fancy like that.

 

[pjnla]

After I am done with this thing I am not gonna want to even go in the backyard for 30 days let alone smoke something !! I have all the respect in the world for anyone that lays brick for a living.

 

[wes w]

After I am done with this thing I am not gonna want to even go in the backyard for 30 days let alone smoke something !! I have all the respect in the world for anyone that lays brick for a living.

I'm guessing the fun has worn off already.  :-)

I learned to lay on 12" blocks.  Believe it or not, they are way easier to day then brick.

 

[azbullfrog]

Tuning in, can't wait for TBS and Q view of your first run. Great job!

 

[pjnla]

clear and 75 out incali today, so up and at it early this morning. finished all the firebrick and installed the doors. gotta add the roof to the firebox, make a lentil, and start on the upper meat compartment that will go over the right side chamber. about 12-14 runs of brick i estimate. good day today. knoocked off early. a little sore here and there, but my fingers tips are killing me.

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• pjnla
• Mar 10, 2013

a little sloppy here, but i wanted to make sure my joints were solid. i'll clean them up a little later. it's inside the firebox anyway, so doesn't really matter that much.

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• pjnla
• Mar 10, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 10, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 10, 2013

the doors will look a little better after i clean them a little.

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• pjnla
• Mar 10, 2013

Im going to add four rows of brick at the base to hide the cinder block when im finished with the main structure.

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• pjnla
• Mar 10, 2013

 

[JckDanls 07]

looking good... A little suggestion If you didn't know already... get ya a 5 gallon bucket with water and a sponge and then when the cement starts setting up use use the sponge (rinsing often) to clean up the joints.... It will smooth out the joints and fill in any little nooks and cranny's at the same time...

 

[pjnla]

thanks for the advice Jck. will remember that. strictly amatuer hour here. prob would not have yesterday when i did this anyway. the build kicked my butt good. i was so tired, i didn't care what it looked like, i just wanted to be done for the day. i would not have left it like that if it wasnt on the inside of the firebox. but brother, it was one of those days when my back and legs, and finger tips said the hell with it!! the advice is much appreciated

 

[pjnla]

i am laughing looking at the pics myself. one side looks clean and professional, the other looks like i said "F' it!" LOL Thats pretty bad.

 

[wes w]

PJ, not sure if your wearing gloves or not. Mortar will dry your skin out and cause them to crack.  It has nothing to do with being tough, its saving your skin... :-)

Build looks great.  Don't stop now!  Your just getting started   Oh and Motrin   is a great back reliever. 

 

[pjnla]

thanks Wes. yeah, im wearing gloves. more of mechanical injuries than mortar. not paying attention here and there. a rubber mallet doesn't sound so bad till you smash a finger with one! lol

its still a lot of fun actually. i wouldnt give up for the world. i can get through the courses brick fairly quickly, so that won't be too bad. gonna work on plans for the roof of the main smoker chamber. saw some really good ideas recently.

 

[pjnla]

not a ton of work, but a couple of milestones in the build today. first i topped of the firebox. i put on a rebar and mesh reenforced 2" topper on. it was a mix of concrete and fireclay. has a slight angle to it to help with drainage. i will tile it over when i am nearing completion so i can have a work surface on the smoker. it  maybe i will do that during that month and a half i have to just sit and look at it while it cures. i also made a lentil to span the gap between my firebox and main chamber. i used firebrick between 1 1/2 inch angle iron with concrete. hopefully it will come out good when i take the frame off tomorrow. not i just gotta put on about 12 courses of brick and the right side and i will be nearing the finish line.

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• pjnla
• Mar 16, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 16, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 16, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 16, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 16, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 16, 2013

 

[pjnla]

kinda a tough day today. but hell it is what it is. better than being at work. the lentil came out nice and solid. not a pretty as i would have liked it, but hell, not bad for a first time. i added a row of standing soldiers. they look more like leaning soldiers to tell the truth. not happy with how they turned out. they are 100% structurally sound im sure, but i wanted the look to be right. probably making more of it than i need to. the right side leans a bit back and the left side leans a bit forward. the back row is perfect though. go figure. i made sure the row above that was perfectly level though. got two course to go then install the last door, and then the meat chamber is done.

 

 

 

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• pjnla
• Mar 17, 2013

 

this will be inside the smoke chamber, so i guess it doesn't need to be beautiful.

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• pjnla
• Mar 17, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 17, 2013

 

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• pjnla
• Mar 17, 2013

 

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• pjnla
• Mar 17, 2013

 

all and all, still on the level!

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• pjnla
• Mar 17, 2013

 

[pjnla]

hey folks. hope everyone is well. suffering through these clear and 75 degree days here in southern california. but i guess i will make it some how. anyway, been grinding through for the last couple weeks. some hiccups here and there for sure, but nothing too bad i suppose. and at the end of the day i can say i did it myself. not too bad for first time brick work i would say. all i have left now is to install my grates and let it cure for about a month and a half, and that is gonna kill me, but i will be sure to wait the proper amount of time. a few little things here and there to do, but almost done now. here are some pics of what i have done so far.

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

finally looked like a smoker once i got the doors mounted. im going to add a stone veneer at the bottom to spruce up the appearance.

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

i thought about several ways to do the roof, but i just settled on casting a simple rebar and mesh reinforced 2 1/2 inch slab. a clay chimney insert was expensive as hell out here, so i got a cheap cement one from the building supply. i think it will serve the purpose. the roof is also reinforced underneath by 3, 1/2 inch steel tubes.

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

roof mounted

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

i had my grates, wood holder and charcoal holders made at a local shop. pretty cheap i may add. the holders are 1 1/2 inches off the floor. 

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

i am going to install the grate holders next weekend. figured it was no rush since i have to wait before i use it anyway.

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

so all and all not so bad for an amatuer

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• pjnla
• Mar 31, 2013

 

[daveomak]

Smoker looks good..... Job well done....   In a few months, we will see some smoked stuff...  Dave