jamessluss
Newbie
Another plus is ot is less money leaving it but ive seen both and like both types
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260 Gal Build
- Thread starter ron petersen
- Start date
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ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Finally got the tank cut out and burned. Going to finish the FB today and maybe get it welded to the tank.
Still working on the design ideas.
The FB will have an ash tray about 1.5" deep, inlet vents on each side with a top vent in door. Grate will be 6" from bottom and might make it a basket.
Thinking of the warming box with 18x28 racks. Probably 6-8 racks.
Will keep posting pictures.
Still working on the design ideas.
The FB will have an ash tray about 1.5" deep, inlet vents on each side with a top vent in door. Grate will be 6" from bottom and might make it a basket.
Thinking of the warming box with 18x28 racks. Probably 6-8 racks.
Will keep posting pictures.
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Finishing up the FB. Thinking of door ideas to do next weekend.
needed to order more materials for door, RF plate, heat plate and WB.
needed to order more materials for door, RF plate, heat plate and WB.
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Finally got the FB welded together and welded onto the tank. Haven't got the door cutout or the inlet vents as I am still deciding on other things. The inlet most likely be on both sides of the FB and top fresh air inlet on the door or right above it. Decided to keep the door clean by installing a full sheet then make my cutout, I'll be adding 1" trim around the cut lines for a seal.
Getting excited on the build and I'm already talking about a rotisserie build next.
Almost forgot photo
Getting excited on the build and I'm already talking about a rotisserie build next.
Almost forgot photo
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ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Legs welded on and top part of the door cut out. I usually cut out the top part first then weld the hinges on before cutting the rest of the door. Noticed one small section of the door looks like a slight warpage, hopefully it's nothing. I am beginning to think I need to keep it at 2 doors with the center part still intact instead of one big door. Hate to have the door warp on me.
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Here are the doors cut out. Turned out nice except for a few flaws in the hinges and the door getting tweaked a little.
Need to know how I can get the door tweaked back into shape as it did pop out about 1/4" across the bottom of 1 door and the middle door. I need to bend it back inside about 1/4" so it will seal against the strip. Any suggestions?
Did not take pics of the WB as I was still working on it, that's the next project and to get it installed.
Need to get the cooking grates built and put in, thinking of doing 3 grates.
Also need help on the phlegm design, anyone have one I can use. I also need to know the height of the phlegm to place onto the tank for my exhaust and will be on the back right side of the tank.
Need to know how I can get the door tweaked back into shape as it did pop out about 1/4" across the bottom of 1 door and the middle door. I need to bend it back inside about 1/4" so it will seal against the strip. Any suggestions?
Did not take pics of the WB as I was still working on it, that's the next project and to get it installed.
Need to get the cooking grates built and put in, thinking of doing 3 grates.
Also need help on the phlegm design, anyone have one I can use. I also need to know the height of the phlegm to place onto the tank for my exhaust and will be on the back right side of the tank.
fatbastard09
Smoke Blower
Ron, I feel your pain on the door tweak. I spent ~20 hours working on the top door to my RF build over the last 3 days. Mine sprung a good 4-5 inches when I cut it. Its now done and I am not sure I would recommend what I did (and I have an oval tank anyway), I am hoping you get some detailed responses so I can learn for next time though. Your build is looking great,
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Forgot to add the lid photos, here is where the lid sticks out. Need ideas to get it bent back.
fatbastard09
Smoke Blower
Ron, I posted a pic on my ongoing reverse flow thread on how I pulled my doors back into shape. I tried several things including using a pipe clamp to bend it back into shape, heating it, then spritzing the inside with water to cool it faster than the outside. That fixed about 2-3" of the gap. The steel on mine is thinner than yours though (1/8"). Forcing it into shape then welding support rods got the rest. I had to get inside the tank to weld those. Good luck!
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Cannot find the part where you had to bend the doors back.
I was talking with Dave and he mentioned something that the doors are probably not lining up correctly. I am going to disconnect the hinges and free hang the doors and see if that would fix it, maybe grind the doors down a little more to make a tight fit.
I was looking at the doors and do notice a gap at the top and think my hinges moved while I welded or who knows what mystery thing moved it...
It'll get fixed one way or another.
I was talking with Dave and he mentioned something that the doors are probably not lining up correctly. I am going to disconnect the hinges and free hang the doors and see if that would fix it, maybe grind the doors down a little more to make a tight fit.
I was looking at the doors and do notice a gap at the top and think my hinges moved while I welded or who knows what mystery thing moved it...
It'll get fixed one way or another.
fatbastard09
Smoke Blower
Here is a pic of the door braced. I put a scrap piece of angle across and used the pipe clamp to evenly reshape it. I got the idea off a welding website, they actually welded large bolts to the top and bottom of the door and put all thread through it but I didn't have anything like that (I am doing this in my driveway with minimal tools and no prior metal working experience). Also cut out a cardboard guide to shape the tank that I could make sure I got it to the correct shape. After I took this pic, I hit it with the weed torch and spritzed it with cold water on the inside and got the 2-3 inch correction, which ended up not being enough for me.
One other thing I didn't mention before, if you look close at the picture I welded pieces of flat bar on the inside of the edges of the tank so that when I bent the door back down it didn't go too far. I hope this helps, but you might want to wait for someone with a little more experience than me to weigh in on this! FYI, I am going to copy this post onto the end of my thread for future reference.
One other thing I didn't mention before, if you look close at the picture I welded pieces of flat bar on the inside of the edges of the tank so that when I bent the door back down it didn't go too far. I hope this helps, but you might want to wait for someone with a little more experience than me to weigh in on this! FYI, I am going to copy this post onto the end of my thread for future reference.
heckersmoke
Newbie
Similarly problem with my build. We welded two ribs on outside, to help keep it's shape, before cutting door and it still sprung in the middle. It wasn't a lot, but enough. To get it closer to were it should be we squeezed the door with pipe clamps and welded a half moon shaped piece of 1/4" on the inside. Got the idea from one of ribwizards builds, I think. Kind of like the outside ribs but on the inside. Got it pretty close, still going to put a gasket on. You can see the weld marks on middle of door in the picture below. Hope this helps. Can send a better pic later if you want. Good luck.
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
After looking at the door closer and realized one of the hinges is off a little on the left side. The right side lower part of the door shows slight bend about 1/4" sticking out a few inches each way. Rest of the door seems to line up. I am thinkingI can bend that part of the corner with a press.
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Well decided to get the RF plate installed and built the warming box. Here is the WB pics. I'll get the rest of the details to the smoker done. Just wanted to get the big stuff out of the way. Forgot the pics to the RF plate.
Still have not decided on handles and need to figure out a latching lock for the doors.
Wondering if I should brace the WB door. Looks too nice to ruin. Ideas?
Still have not decided on handles and need to figure out a latching lock for the doors.
Wondering if I should brace the WB door. Looks too nice to ruin. Ideas?
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Just about done, need to find ideas on latches and handles as well as the door counterweights.
This weekend going to finish the racks for the warming box and FB vents. Hopefully find a sandblaster.
Anyone know the correct measurements for the warming box vents to keep temps where I want them?
This weekend going to finish the racks for the warming box and FB vents. Hopefully find a sandblaster.
Anyone know the correct measurements for the warming box vents to keep temps where I want them?
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Have a question about counter weights and door stop. Will the counter weight also weigh the doors closed?
Need ideas and pictures of how to set up counter weight.
Need ideas on door latch for the warming box and firebox.
Last, Will I need to brace the warming box door to prevent it from warping or will it not get hot enough to warp?
Thanks in Advance
Need to cook Friday, hope time to at least season tonight...
Need ideas and pictures of how to set up counter weight.
Need ideas on door latch for the warming box and firebox.
Last, Will I need to brace the warming box door to prevent it from warping or will it not get hot enough to warp?
Thanks in Advance
Need to cook Friday, hope time to at least season tonight...
fatbastard09
Smoke Blower
The counterweight I installed doesn't hold the door down, gravity does that for me. The steel on that door is only 1/8" thick with additional 1/8" x 2" flat bar and I just used 1 1/2"angle iron as the counterweight. The only purpose I see for the design I went with is to keep the door from opening too far back but to allow the door to stay open while I tend to the meat. I used welding magnets to hold the door where I wanted it, clamped the counterweight to the tank where I wanted it to touch when the door opened, then measured the supports. I was surprised how easy it was, it took me less than an hour to design and install it and it worked out great.
kam59
Smoking Fanatic
Counter weights are for lift assist. The key is to get the weight positioned to where once the door starts up the weight lightens it but does not take over the lift. I prefer mechanical weights over fixed because it keeps the weight hanging on the cooker and not my door. The warmer door is pretty big and may move some but before I tried to figure out what it may do I would test fire the cooker before paint and see what happens. O split my door into dutch doors to alleviate the size issue.
My counterweights.
My warmer doors.
My counterweights.
My warmer doors.
ron petersen
Smoke Blower
Finally fired up the smoker, seasoned it last night and cooking for work today.
Still haven't decided on door counter weights. I am liking the cable setup and will consider it.
Temps have stayed pretty consistent. Problem is the gauges I got are off. Of course chaep gauges, one reads about 50 degrees lower than the other. Gauges on door read 225 on the highest gauge away from FB, the electronic gauge probe reads 320 at center of top grate.
Any good reliable gauges? Assuming the doors are colder than the center of grate?
Here are some pictures.
Still haven't decided on door counter weights. I am liking the cable setup and will consider it.
Temps have stayed pretty consistent. Problem is the gauges I got are off. Of course chaep gauges, one reads about 50 degrees lower than the other. Gauges on door read 225 on the highest gauge away from FB, the electronic gauge probe reads 320 at center of top grate.
Any good reliable gauges? Assuming the doors are colder than the center of grate?
Here are some pictures.
kam59
Smoking Fanatic
I only use Tel-Tru with either 4" or 6" probes depending on my application. You can buy them for a bit less at KCK.com than from Tel-Tru.
It is rare the doors will be dead on with digital probe readings at the grate. Once you run the cooker enough you will know the difference in the two and can mentally adjust by reading the door if you know your gauges are correct. I check mine periodically in boiling water to see what they peak at.
It is rare the doors will be dead on with digital probe readings at the grate. Once you run the cooker enough you will know the difference in the two and can mentally adjust by reading the door if you know your gauges are correct. I check mine periodically in boiling water to see what they peak at.
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