250 Gallon BBQ/Smoker Underway

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Hey Dave,

How are you? I wasn't able to get anything done on my RF BBQ/Smoker, my back was paining to bad for two weeks and finally got to see my pain specialist today for a refill off pain meds. He was on vacation in France for two weeks and the pain almost drove me insane, 
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. I am feeling much better after seeing him today, 
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. I liked your answer it made me laugh like the devil. I got a buddy that I know that will probably be able to do a pretty good job at a real reasonable cost, when I go there for him to do some stuff for me he treats me real well and he can do body work and paint. I can get the paint and primer from the business where I worked at before my back let me down and anything I need is at cost. Even though I no longer can work there they still treat me well. They was hoping I would have been able to come back there and so was I but unfortunately it wasn't in the cards for me. I am really looking forward to getting started but I also know that it will probably not be as fast a build as most but I will succeed in getting it done. After all thats all that counts me keeping myself as healthy and pain free as I can and finishing the build. That will make me happier than a pig in you know what, 
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. Talk you later and as soon as I have some photos I will post them. 

Thanks,

Raymond

P.S. If there is anyone else that would like to give me any advice or comments feel free to do so. I will appreciate all the advice and comments I can get, thanks.
 
Thanks for the info, much appreciated I will keep that on my list also. I will need to check and see if I can get that around here. I appreciate your help very much.

Thank you,

Raymond
 
Hello Folks,

How thick does the reverse flow plates need to be? I am trying to think and ask all of the questions and get the answers to my questions. Your help is very much appreciated.

Thank you,

Raymond
 
Raymond, morning....  from what I have read, 1/8" to 1/4" plate... depends on how large the plate is...  Creasing it in the middle, for a channel, will help with warping when heat is applied... and will provide a place for grease to flow to the drain... The RF plate gets the bulk of the heat from the fire box...  Dave 
 
Good day Dave,

Thank you for the info. It is great to be able to have all this info gathered up. It is very much appreciated. I am planning on putting a piece of angle Iron in place for the grease to run down to the drain. Can I use pieces cut out from the sides of another oil barrel for the RF plates? Could I double this pieces up and have them wielded together around the edges to make the RF plates thicker?. I know where there is two more oil barrels that I can have for nothing.

Thanks,

Raymond
 
Raymond, afternoon.....   If you can open the doors like a cabinet door, it eliminates the counter weights....  Although, if it is raining, the overhead door might be nice....

If you are needing the doors cut into the curve at the top, weld a flange on the door and the smoker where the hinges will attach.... the flange should protrude about 1" or 2" and be braced back to the chamber and the door... the flanges need to be in line using a string so the hinge pins are in a true plane and that way they won't bind....  the door seal on the hinge side can be welded to the inside of the smoke chamber and then the door will close on it...

All of this measuring and flange making should be done before the door is cut out...  then cut the hinge side only where the flanges go, plus a little more, and weld the flanges and hinges in place, then cut the rest of the door... door clamps may need to be installed in several places... door seals can be installed on the outside of the door on the rest of it.... 

You are really thinking this ahead... that is good... get all your ideas together and draw... trying to take into account everything you can think of...   You are going to have a successful build Ray...  we are all standing by...  Dave
Hello Dave,

I am a little bit confused about what these flanges are. Are they strips of metal where the hinges will attach to the door and the chamber? And they should protrude 1" to 2" wider than the hinges? If possible could you do a drawing to explain that to me or show me a picture of a smoker that will help me understand about this? Much appreciated.

Thank you,

Raymond
 
Hello Dave,

I am a little bit confused about what these flanges are. Are they strips of metal where the hinges will attach to the door and the chamber? And they should protrude 1" to 2" wider than the hinges?

If possible could you do a drawing to explain that to me or show me a picture of a smoker that will help me understand about this? If I was smart enough to know how to use this computer, maybe I could draw something for you.....  Give me awhile, I will draw on paper and scan it, and see what happens...

Much appreciated.

Thank you,

Raymond
  I was thinking.... not always good.... the strips should be 90 deg to the smoker and door.... then have a brace back to the smoker and door....   the thinner metal of the tank might need support where the hinges are, to stop the flex... Your call.... I am not an engineer so I tend to over build stuff...  What is the thickness of the metal in the tank ???
Good day Dave,

Thank you for the info. It is great to be able to have all this info gathered up. It is very much appreciated. I am planning on putting a piece of angle Iron in place for the grease to run down to the drain.  Great idea... others have used that  successfully....

Can I use pieces cut out from the sides of another oil barrel for the RF plates?    Using the angle iron for a trough, you probably could get by with the single thinner piece of material...bend up the one end to capture the grease and stiffen the open end of the RF plate... will save on welding... etc..

Could I double this pieces up and have them wielded together around the edges to make the RF plates thicker?.     Doubling the metal for the RF plate would cause an insulative quality to it....  The air gap....  that would reduce the heat transfer you are looking for, from the RF plate...  kind of like a double cookie sheet with an air gap to stop the cookies from burning....

I know where there is two more oil barrels that I can have for nothing.  I would pick them up and store them.... Free junk is good...

Thanks,

Raymond
The brace can be any size you think is necessary... or not even used...  Dave

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Hey Dave,

Now I know what you mean about the flanges, thank you. I agree with you about putting the flanges. I like to make sure everything is solid also, I also tend to over build and make sure that is is strong. And I agree with all your other answers to my questions also, I will do what you suggested. Two heads are always better than one. Especially when one has never done a build like this before, 
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.

Thank you,

Raymond
 
Hey Dave,

Yesterday after I got back from seeing the pain specialist for my back and a neurosurgeon I started to cut the end of the tank where the 9" X 18" connector will connect the stove and the smoker, the tank is an 1/8" thick. You would think that a tank that size would be at least 3/16" thick. Is 1/8" thickness going to be thick enough?
 
Hey Folks,

I have just started on my build and have a couple of photos to start with. Couldn't do anymore because it started to rain.

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Decide it was a better idea to stand it up for the burn outs. So my son grab a long steel bar an shoved it in one of the holes on top of the tank and lifted the tank upright and I put some pieces of 2" X 4" underneath where the leg screw on to steady the tank.

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My son and I then load more wood inside the barrel to make the fire the whole length of the barrel. That's it for today because of the darn rain. Any comments good or bad and recommendations are accepted.

Thank you,

Raymond
 
Looks like a good start Raymond! I would recommend externally insulating the firebox and smoke chamber. The thin metal of the oil drums will dissipate heat rapidly otherwise.

Looking forward to the rest of the build!
 
Looks like a good start Raymond! I would recommend externally insulating the firebox and smoke chamber. The thin metal of the oil drums will dissipate heat rapidly otherwise.

Looking forward to the rest of the build!
Hey Solaryellow,

What kind of material would you use to insulate it with? Thanks for your info and comments and help, much appreciated.

Thanks,

Raymond
 
Hello Solaryellow,

Can you tell me more about kaowool? I have seen it in rolls on the net. Do you wrap it all the way around the unit or just drape it over the top off the unit? Does it come in wider rolls than 25" wide? Do you sew it together to make the size of blankets that you require to cover your units? What thickness would you suggest and is there a number that I should be looking for in determining the correct thickness, density, and all the other specs for this material? I appreciate your help very much. Do you need to use this in the summer months or just when the weather is cooler? Right now I am on a tight budget but I do really appreciate all your knowledge and help that you are offering also. This gives me the information on what I can use so that I can save for it. I am out of work because of my back and legs and need to find a job in something along the lines of security work where there is no lifting involved. I have had to start having epidural injections directly into my spinal cord because the pain was so bad I could not walk at times. They cannot do any surgery because they are afraid it will put me in a wheelchair. I tried to lift a small bucket with 24 cups of water and I could not carry it. I had to put it down immediately. So my job that I had is no longer something that I can do.My boss wanted me to come back if I could no matter how long it takes but I don't see any option there for me now. It was a great place to work and I had a good job. Workers Compensation wouldn't cover me because of a previous back injury and I had just applied for the store insurance and that was denied also. So now, I have to support my family with Canada Pension Plan Disability check. It is not easy but if I can get this BBQ/Smoker built, I believe I can make a little side business with this because we have a lot of festivals and community get togethers all over this area. The summer months are extremely crazy with all different kinds of festivals and community events and that is one of my goals is to drum up some business that way. But also, do some charity work. I believe in giving back and helping others also. If there is more information that you think will be useful and help me out please feel free to give me all the help and advice you can. I appreciate it very much.

Thank you,

Raymond
 
http://www.clay-king.com/kilns/kiln_accessories/kiln_brick_and_kaowool_blanket.html

http://www.sheffield-pottery.com/Bricks-Refractories-and-Kaowool-s/349.htm

Raymond, morning....  Google Kaowool, there are plenty more suppliers....  You could always insulate at a later time....  Try the smoker out and see where it leads you.... Insulating will make the heat more uniform, cut down on the wood used significantly, and reduce the number of times you have to tend the fire.....  All good things.... 

When you insulate, I would recommend tacking 1 x 1/8" metal angle strips to the smoke chamber... that will keep the insulation from moving, and provide a fastening point for a sheet metal wrap... Wrapping the insulation, thin sheet metal can be used and self drilling screws can hold it....  The same with the fire box.... although it looks to be 3/8", insulation is always an option.... 

Dave 
 
Good Day Dave,

How are you my friend? How is the weather in your location? It is overcast, a little cool but the sun is supposed to shine today. I would definitely need to insulate at a later time as I have said I am on a disability pension. I sure wish that I had a good back though, I miss working. Lifting a small bucket containing 24 cups of water is to much for me to lift, that sucks too. I had a great job and it was a good paying job, I was an assistant manager at a retail store. The store had a huge hardware department also and they wanted me to come back if I could, but it is not possible because of how bad the back is. It sucks but there is nothing I can do about it so I do what I can. It may take me longer to complete things and get material than others but I get it done in the end, 
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. I look around and see if people have stuff that I need and that they want to get rid of and eventually I have what I need, and it is good recycling also. I have used Google to research Kaowool, everything that I found was 25" wide rolls. Is that the material that I would need? Do you wrap and attach it all the way around the BBQ/Smoker, beginning at the top and wrapping underneath and back to the top?  Does it come in wider rolls that you can cut to the required widths that a person needs? I see there is different thicknesses. I think the thickest was 2" thick. As we have talk before about overkill, would you go with the 2" material? I am thinking the thicker the better. I will definitely insulate and wrap at a later date as I can afford it.

At the business where I worked there is a large hardware department also and I believe I remember selling that kind of insulation. I can order all that stuff  at later date as I can afford to do so. But one good thing is that they told me anything that I want to buy from the store it is still sold at cost to me. We always had a great working relationship, and I was the assistant manager. I gave 150% of myself every time I was there. On my days off if I was at the store to buy something and a customer asked for my help I didn't say no it is my day off. I would help the customer and then go pay for my stuff. If I was waiting on a customer and I was due to go home I would finish with the customers first. I was always there early to open up the store and make sure that everything was ready when I opened up the doors also. A great many of the customers told my boss and the store owners that they missed me being there because they always could depend on getting the best kind of service and help.

How many times do you think I need to burn the barrel before I start using it when the build is finished? I had a good hot fire burning in the barrel yesterday and this morning there were still hot coals and I threw another couple of blocks on top of that and away it went again. There was no smell of furnace oil whatsoever in the barrel before I made the fire. The three holes on top were open also and the barrel was dry as a bone. It was stored so that no water could get into the barrel. It is in really good shape. It was not in use for about four or five years but I do realize that after being used there is still contaminates that need to be taken care of. Does the inside of the barrel need to be sanded down? I appreciate all the help and suggestions from all who are willing and are answering all my questions and adding their comments if I am missing something that I should have. I appreciate your help very very much.

Thank you,

Raymond
 
Hello Folks here is a few photos of some prep work that I had done yesterday to get started with the build.

First I measured the size of the opening I needed to cut out of the back of the stove which is 18" wide X 9" high. and then completely removed that section with my 7" grinder. And wouldn't you know it I couldn't find my safety goggles. I will find them tomorrow before I do anymore grinding or cutting. 

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The next two photos are of the cut out hole and the thickness of the plate steel.

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Man that took a while to cut that rectangular shape out.

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The next seven photos are of the section on top of the stove where the chimney connected to the stove and the opening after that was removed.

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The opening on top of the stove needs a patch welded into place. I will use the section of plate that I removed from the back of the stove to weld a patch into place and use the rest of the plate for the draft door because that has to be enlarged also. I didn't do anything today because I need to do some other things and to rest my back. Hopefully the weather is fine tomorrow and I will get the door hinges mounted on the smoker barrel and cut the doors out. Any all comments and advice is much appreciated.

Thank you,

Raymond
 
Hey Folks,
I plan on mocking up the BBQ/Smoker today on the trailer to find out what length of legs I need for the smoke chamber and the stove and also where things will be best situated. I still have to take the plywood floor off after and beef up the frame. Could the 3/4" plywood floor be left on until I could afford to put down a steel meshed floor later on this summer? The plywood floor is still cover with vinyl flooring and is still solid. I could install some pieces of metal underneath the stove and underneath the smoker with an air gap under each piece of metal for a heat shield. Will that work for now, what do you think? I will take some pictures of the mock up. I am also planning to beef up the suspension I believe. I do not know if the original suspension would be good enough or not. When you think about though, the trailer itself would be packed with all sorts of stuff when you are going away on a camping trip so why wouldn't the original suspension work? What do you think? What brand of heat resistant paint would you use to paint the BBQ/Smoker? I am thinking of a flat black for the color.
Thanks,
Raymond
 
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