250 Gallon BBQ/Smoker Underway

[daveomak]

Raymond, morning...  Other than putting the smoker on the trailer and having to remove it again, mock it up on the shop floor....  You want the smoke chamber height usable and easy to open the doors etc....  then transfer the dimensions to the trailer.....  remembering the blance point for the axles.....  If need be, cut a hole in the trailer to lower the fire box and build supports using the mock up for the dimensions...  support the smoker/fire box with extra metal etc...  Just my thoughts on saving labor in moving the smoker.....  It is going to be heavy....  the fire box looks like it will weigh about 200# or so..... 
Solaryellow recommended this paint in a previous post...... 

Dave
 

http://www.stovepaint.com/Products/Products.asp?ID=1

 

[maple man]

Hello Dave,

I looked to see if I could get the kind of paint that Solaryellow recommended and there is none in Canada. The cost of shipping drives the price through the roof to have it shipped here. I will find something from around here. Tomorrow I am going to be in town so I will check out the prices for some metal and I am going to need to drop the stove down so the smoker barrel is at a reasonable height I believe. I never did get it mocked up today. I had another job that was more important to do.I am also thinking of maybe keeping my eyes and ears open for a different trailer. I am thinking something along the lines of a dual axle trailer. What do you think about the idea of a dual axle trailer? Better support and more room to construct boxes for wood and storage and even a sink.                           

Thank you,

Raymond

 

[daveomak]

Raymond, evening.... Maybe some of our members will post some pics of their smoker / trailer projects.....  There are some dandies folks have built.....   make you wanna cry I tell ya......   

2 axles would be good.... sink is a great choice....  water, grey water, propane for coffee, generator for lights, (gets dark early in Nove Scotia), TV (hockey),  covered with sides ( ice fishing in the winter), You can do anything that makes smoking meat a fun time project....  Maybe even a bunk for those overniters.... some do....  It can be a long walk, to stoke the old girl, when butts and packers are smoking....  I'm not kidding..

Once you start adding stuff on, be sure you have figured out all the goodies to add so you only have to build it once.....  It's a lot cheaper to build it once......   Dave

 

[maple man]

Hey Dave,

I have been looking at some of the builds and they have almost all the comforts of home built in. I may have to wait and use what I have for now. Oh well, that okay. At least I can make a BBQ/Smoker with what I have. Later on if a miracle was to happen and I could get a new back and legs and was able to go back to work or if I was able to win a lottery I would then build be a high end fancy dancy BBQ/Smoker. For now I will go with what I have. I can always throw a plastic barrel aboard and fill it up with water on site and if anyone needs to wash their face and hands I can direct them to the barrel of water, 

. I guess I will have to invest in a portable hammock also. 

  I will still make do and enjoy what I have though. I wasn't able to do anything today because I have a sore throat and cold, just a stupid little virus going around. Hopefully tomorrow I will feel better and get some work done on the BBQ/Smoker.

Thank you,

Raymond

 

[maple man]

Hey Folks,

Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. This dang virus seems to be holding on. Nothing new to report. Sorry folks, I am just as anxious to see this thing done as you are and probably I am even more excited to get it done but I just am not feeling well enough.

Thank you,

Raymond

 

[daveomak]

Hang in there Raymond...... Summer is COMING !!!!!  

 

[maple man]

Hey Folks,

I have been trying to find High Heat Resistant Flat Black Paint that would be worth buying. I am thinking by the gallon or maybe a five gallon bucket. TremClad sells their larger size in a quart can, it is selling for around $15 to $16 plus tax, I could no doubt get it for a little bit better price It will take quite a few quarts to paint the trailer and everything. Rustoleom, the largest comes in quart cans also for about the same price that I can buy to have this thing painted with . Does anyone know of some other paint that I could use and buy to paint this BBQ/Smoker with that comes in gallons or in a 5 gallon bucket that would make it cheaper than to have to buy all the quart cans? This has been the most aggravating process of doing this build so far I find. If my hair was long instead of being short I would have pulled it out by now,  :lol:  :lol: . I have searched and searched and have not found anything that I could use. Please help.

Thanks,

Raymond 

 

[maple man]

Hey Folks,
I have found enough 250 gallon furnace oil barrels to cut the ends off and put a double layer of 1/8" steel plating down, which would make a combined thickness off 1/4" thick steel on top of the beefed up frame to make a steel floor on my trailer to be able to mount my 250 Gallon Reverse Flow BBQ/Smoker. Before putting down the top sheets I have a buddy that will spray a mixture of vegetable oil and graphite between the two sections which i think would be a good idea to keep the rust from eating away at the steel from the inside out. When I paint the floor i will throw some sand onto the paint to put a grit into the paint so you can stand up and walk if you need to. What do you think about that idea? The barrels are free and I just can't afford to buy the metal for the trailer deck. They wanted $220.00 plus tax for one sheet of 1/4" steel plating. And for scraped crusher plates they wanted $40.00 a sheet and I would have needed 5 of those that would equal $200.00 which I do not have and cannot afford that either. So what do you think about this plan folks. Let me tell you that I miss being able to work, I would love to be able to go back to work. Anyway onward and upward with the smoke from my BBQ/Smoker. 

Thank you,
Raymond

 

[maple man]

Hang in there Raymond...... Summer is COMING !!!!!  

Too fast along with summer comes mosquitos in swarms big enough to carry you away and they dive bomb at you for your blood, 

 

[maple man]

Hey Folks,

I am in need of some help to find some High Heat Resistant Black Paint. Hopefully some Flat Black Paint it is easier to hide some blemishes with it. Hopefully in Canada. Better yet in Nova Scotia. Tremclad and Rustoleom only has their largest sizes up to quart cans. I am figuring it would be much cheaper to either buy by the gallons or a five gallon bucket. I have seen some gallons of paint in the USA but by the time the shipping by UPS gets added, the shipping is as much as the cost of the gallon of paint and then there will most likely be other charges on top of that. So that is a bust. Any other ideas folks. What about the automotive industry do they have anything in the high heat resistant paints in the body shops? 

Thanks,

Raymond  

 

[maple man]

Hey Folks,
I have had a few days of not feelings well. So not much was done lately other than setting it on the trailer and getting some measurements and the best location to bolt it on the trailer. I do have it sitting on the trailer. We have set it in place to see where the best location is and to find out the length of legs we need for the smoker and the firebox. I am just waiting for the other 250 gallon oil barrels that will be cut open and used to cover the trailer frame. I also have a different set of axles with 14 or 15 cars tires to replace the small camper size axle and tires. As long as I feel okay tomorrow I will be cutting out the doors and doing as much as I can. I do have all the plans saved on the computer. I have read a lot and looked at a lot and saved a lot of information and have had a great deal of help from many different friends on many forums and local friends. I will be really glad when this is finished. I will post pictures of the firebox and smoker sitting on the trailer tomorrow and as I keep on cutting and building I will keep taking photos.
Thank you,
Raymond

 

[yankee in ua]

I'm not a builder (yet), but DO pay attention to your trailer balance before you bolt that smoker down.  You need a couple hundred lbs of tongue weight so the trailer doesn't fishtail on you and drag you into a ditch somewhere.  I don't know the exact numbers there, but I'm sure our trailer builders can give you more precise details.

Following your build with interest Raymond.

 

[maple man]

I will keep that in mind and find out about that trailer tongue weight information, I never really thought about that, but that is what is so great about these forums there is always someone that will know the information.

Thank you,

Raymond

 

[maple man]

I'm not a builder (yet), but DO pay attention to your trailer balance before you bolt that smoker down.  You need a couple hundred lbs of tongue weight so the trailer doesn't fishtail on you and drag you into a ditch somewhere.  I don't know the exact numbers there, but I'm sure our trailer builders can give you more precise details.

Following your build with interest Raymond.

Thanks Yankee for this information. 

So folks is there someone who can answer the question about the trailer tongue weight?

Thank you,

Raymond

 

[maple man]

Hey Folks,
Here are a few photos of me cutting the doors almost out but I left the corners uncut because I want to mount the hinges first.

I left the corners intact until I install the hinges. I have to take a break because of back pains. The cutting puts more stress on my back than I thought it would. I am hoping to get the hinges install and to finish cutting out the corners off the doors today and doing as much more as I can. It all takes time for me with a bad back. But it is better getting it done slow than never at all, 

.

Thank you,


[font='Lucida Grande', 'Trebuchet MS', Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Raymond[/font]

 

[maple man]

I am awaiting for a call for a couple more free 250 gallon oil barrels. I will be cutting the ends off of those and cutting them open and flattening them open to make a metal floor on the trailer and beefing up the trailer frame at the same time. I have a set of axles with larger tires and springs for the build also.

 

[maple man]

Hey Folks,

I am back and I am going to be continuing my smoker build. I have been sick and need rest and still can only do a little bit at a time. Hopefully within the next few days I will have some pictures of my progress posted.

Thanks

 

[daveomak]

Raymond..... Glad to see you were back at it....  Skeeters should be about gone....  Weather is cooling off....  After installing the hinges and cutting the skin loose, you might find the skin will spring back toward a flat panel state...   Consider heating the panels to relieve the stress and/or cut some radius supports for the door and tack in place before cutting....  Once you cut the door panels loose, you might just be standing there scratching your head saying, "What the H am I gonna do now" ??   You could weld most of the severe curve back where it was and deal with the straighter portion of the door .....  

Just trying to make you aware of problems others have experienced, using that style of tank....   I'm in for the build.... 

 ....  Dave

 

[maple man]

Hey Dave,

Nice to see your still around and hearing from you. I am glad to be back, it has been a rough time for me health wise and I am not A1 by no means but I want to continue and finish this build. It has been a bad year for skeeters here. They are still around and will be around until the first snow fall. It has been the worst year for skeeters that I have seen in years. It is horrible. How is the skeeter situation at your location? Thanks for the tips Dave. I understand entirely what you are talking about and I appreciate all the tips and help I can get. Much appreciated. 

Thanks,

Raymond

 

[smokinjoe1970]

Nice pickin's man