120(ish) Gallon RF Build

[Pipewelder86]

Been creeping around here for over a year, trying to get some ideas together and basically getting my brain sponge full of all the killer info on this site. I've read through and followed multiple builds and finally have some time to try to get something put together...
Had a buddy of mine give me a 120gal propane tank from his grandma's old place. (i love getting stuff for $free.50)
Burned off the remaining gas with a weed burner, pulled fill port valve and level gauge, flushed for an hour, refilled with water and a ton of Borax. Plugged all the holes up and pushed it across the yard with the tractor once a day for a week... lol. Drained everything and got to cutting!!!
by the way, i'm terrible at trying to take pictures to show progress while I'm working, (I get way too into what I'm doing)
Getting the CC door cut was as far as i had got for about 8 months... But I'm in between shutdowns at the refinery now, so like I said, I actually have a little free time now.

the day after a 6 hour burnout...

built some hinges out of 1/4 x 4 flat.

Picked up my steel, had alot more on the trailer, tubing, angle and such, had already carried it in.

Welding up the FB.

FB mounted and tacked to the CC

I love the convenience of MIG, but I'm a stick weld kinda guy on long runs...

Even the vertical up didn't turn out too bad, given the horrible condition of the OD of the tank.
*fun fact* tank was built in '58 and been sitting at a riverside home for a very long time... lots of pitting and corrosion...

 

[Pipewelder86]

 

[joedube70]

Looking Good!
Can't beat the smoke flavor of a stick burner

 

[weedeater]

Looking great! Some serious good looking welding skills! Post lots of pics.

Weedeater

 

[Pipewelder86]

Thanks Weedeater!
Been working on the FB door today. Got my intake put together. I plan on putting additional intake/vents on the far wall of FB directly across from the FB/CC opening.
Trying to get my hinges knocked out now to have a functioning FB door...

 

[Pipewelder86]

I now have a functioning FB door!

 

[Pipewelder86]

Finished the air inlets straight across from CC/FB opening. Nearly finished my fire grate, but alas, ran out of rebar...
Put the CC door back on just so I could snap a few more pics.
I was thinking about going ahead and cutting the RF plate, but figured I'd hold off for a day or 2. I'm probably going to re-think my hinges... that CC door sits way high when opened...
The shop was looking absolutely disastrous, so I shut it down to clean up a bit.
Going to be busy with Church and Father's day activities tomorrow but I'll fire back up on it Monday after work.

 

[weedeater]

Looking real good. You will find that the upper air vents really help with moving smoke thru the CC. See what you mean about the height of CC door when open. That would bother me even though functionally it would be fine.

Weedeater

 

[Pipewelder86]

Not a whole lot done today... put strongbacks on the FB door to try to cut down on warping and started on my door latch.

Killed a few hours after work to go pick this fella up... a friend of mine who works HVAC pulled this 4 ton package unit from a house that wanted it replaced. Absolutely NOTHING wrong with it.
Summertime shop projects are about to get a lot more bearable!
By the way, it was absolutely FREE!!!

 

[brimcconnell]

Looks great! Nice Welding skills on display.

 

[Pipewelder86]

Got a decent amount done since the last post... I had a few days off that were eaten up with fence building Would've been alot more fun to work on my smoker instead.
Got my handle on and my FB latch thrown together

FB latch is working really nice. You can really "feel" it shut if that makes sense...

half of the RF plate in... angle down the center will be a ''grease trough'' with that 1'' pipe with a ball valve at the bottom for a drain.

Went with a piece of 6'' 304 grade stainless pipe for my stack.

Made the ''dissimilar metals'' weld with the good ol' Tig Rig and some 309 wire. turned out ok... I'm getting close!!!

 

[Berettaclayshooter]

Well it surly looks like your a pipe welder. Stick and tig welds look nice. I'm a fabricator as well, mostly food and pharma stuff.

 

[Pipewelder86]

I need a long weekend to get this thing wrapped up. I have a few minor details to sort out to finish up, and then build a trailer for it.

 

[Pipewelder86]

And.... we're smokin!!!

 

[rowemansmoker]

Great built. Have really enjoyed the pictures. Does your smoke stack end when it enters the CC or does it extend to the cooking rack? I am trying to decide what to do with mine.

 

[Pipewelder86]

Does your smoke stack end when it enters the CC or does it extend to the cooking rack?

Yeah sir, I cut it on an angle and stubbed it inside the tank, it's not extreme, but it does sit inside a little bit.