120 gallon Vertical SFB

[hoop308]

I am building this smoker, I plan on putting it on a trailer.   I have a propane tank off a fork lift, but I think this is much to small to power this brute.  I may go back to the scrap yard and get a second tank and weld together to make a longer firebox and put two or three four inch ducts to the smoke chamber.  Or maybe just look for a different tank all together.

 

[mballi3011]

First off Welcome Hoop to SMF. It looks like you are well on your way to a cool smoker. You'll like it here for there are alot of really good folks here that would just love to help you with just about anything to do with smoking. Now there are alot of proven recipes for some amazing things here too. So if you need sign up for the E-Course it's free and it will give you the basics of smoking and some good methods to use also. So the next big thing for you to do is go out and get you something to smoke and if you happen to have any questions just post it here and we will be happy to answer them for you.

Welcome To Your New Addiction  

 

[adiochiro3]

Welcome to the SMF family.  Keep us posted on your build progress!

 

[hoop308]

Should I try this little tank to power the smoke chamber or shoud I keep shopping for another tank?

 

[tom37]

WOW with the two wheeler sitting there the tank shows its size. When it was out front I sure didn't think it was that big. Have you ran the numbers on the pit calculator? You can enter the tank sizes you have and it will tell you what size you would need for the air openings.

You may check online at a volume calculator site and see just how much smaller the small tank is.. I think most try to go with 1/3 smaller for the fire. Now that does not mean 1/4 smaller would not work. You may have to tend it more often tho.

I have been wondering if a tank like yours would work set up like a UDS. Have the basket in the bottom, only difference would be the door vs a lid. You would loose alot of heat when ya open the door but heck if your lookin you ain't cookin.

Just a thought.

Good Luck and pls keep us posted.

 

[bamaboy]

Ditto

 

[tom37]

I guess it would have been nice for me to leave the link to the pit calc for ya. Sorry bout that, here it is.

http://webpages.charter.net/tomchism/BBQ CALC Forms/BBQ Smoker Calculators.htm

This is the one I have used for volume in the past.

http://mathcentral.uregina.ca/volume_calculator

 

[hoop308]

I went back and got this air compressor tank.  It looks more proportionate to my firebox.  According to the calculators I would need 40 gallon tank.  I think I am going to settle with this one.  Tomorrow I will run the numbers and figure out the size of this one.  It looks to be about 25-30 gallon.  It will easily tank more than a 10 pound bag of charcoal.  I will put two four inch pipe from firebox to smoke chamber, then run the smoke stack on the outside and run through the wall down below the half way point.

 

[hoop308]

Well according to your link the smoke chamber is 150 gallon and my new firebox is 20 gallons.  I am not sure how well this will work.

 

[hoop308]

I worked on the firebox all day, I ran out of rebar for the grate, but homedepot is a short drive.  The pic where the firebox is standing up is the trap door/Air inlet.  This should make ash removal a snap and provide all the air I will ever need.

 

[hoop308]

Cont......

 

[hoop308]

The calculator says I need a 18" 4inch smoke stack.  Is that the minimum or can I go bigger?  I want to run it on the exterior all the way down to the bottom rack.  This should cause it to hold more heat and help with the small firebox.  Or it might not.

 

[big-ron]

Looks good, I would like to see the shelves in the smoker

 

[hoop308]

Here they are, I took a non-plated log chain and split each link and welded those on rebar.  I made three rebar/hook bars and welded those in the tank.  Then I made a triangle to hook to the rebar/hook things.  Then I put some wings on the side to support 1/4 in round stock.  Now it looks like a lopsided Star of David.  I just bought the 1/4 in round stock to top the four shelves.  I hope by the end of the week, I will have that done.  Then it is on hold until I find the trailer to mount all this on.

 

[hoop308]

Here are the finished shelves. 

 

[btlowry]

Looks good to me

 

[tom37]

Looks good!

Just courious, how did the cost of the 1/4" round stock compair to putting expanded metal right over the base star design? It may have been tougher to get a consisant size and look tho.

 

[hoop308]

I figure two sheets of expanded to top these four, the tank is thirty across.  and I spent 40 on the 1/4 and another 20 on welding wire.  I think I came way out on the 1/4 inch.

 

[tom37]

No doubt on the price difference.

Around here the best price for even raised expanded is 50 bucks. Flat is another 25.

 

[hoop308]

Here is the smokestack welded up with a damper at the bottom.  I was holding it where I would like to place it, but I don't know if it will work out to have it so low.  I hope by my next post I will have the trailer.