260 Gal Build

[fatbastard09]

Looks great!  How did the paint hold up on the first burn (and what kind of paint did you use)?  I plan on painting mine later today (trim) and tomorrow (rest of the tank/firebox/support structure), burning one more seasoning, and then cooking on Sunday for game 6 of the Cup finals.  Let's Go Pens!!!

Let me know if you would have done anything different on the painting.  I don't have my gauges yet, will just use my wireless meat/cc combo probe for now.  I am planning on getting the Tel Tru units.  Figured I spent this much already, what's another hundred to get the best...

FB

 

[ron petersen]

I have a digital probe gauge and put the probe thru the opening at the end of top. Temps get around 275 to 325 at top grate. Curious to the best place to put the probes inside the smoker to get good readings? The gauges still read around 200 or so.

When money allows I want to get the good door gauges that can be calibrated. Assuming the door readings will still be lower, I am going to use the probe .

 

[ron petersen]

On the doors to the smoker, not heavy at all. Need to find someway to open and have stay open when tending food, don't need the doors way up high, just high enough to not hit your head. 

Anyone with links or pictures of ideas?

 

[ron petersen]

 
Looks great!  How did the paint hold up on the first burn (and what kind of paint did you use)?  I plan on painting mine later today (trim) and tomorrow (rest of the tank/firebox/support structure), burning one more seasoning, and then cooking on Sunday for game 6 of the Cup finals.  Let's Go Pens!!!

Let me know if you would have done anything different on the painting.  I don't have my gauges yet, will just use my wireless meat/cc combo probe for now.  I am planning on getting the Tel Tru units.  Figured I spent this much already, what's another hundred to get the best...

FB

I used a regular RustOleum gloss paint that was on sale for the main CC and warming box, and high temp paint for the FB. Held up nice. It is a temp paint job till I get the final work done on the smoker. Then I'll have is sandblasted and repainted again.

I didn't realize the paint on sale was a gloss black and the high temp paint flat black. Kinda like it.

 

[kam59]

I have a digital probe gauge and put the probe thru the opening at the end of top. Temps get around 275 to 325 at top grate. Curious to the best place to put the probes inside the smoker to get good readings? The gauges still read around 200 or so.

When money allows I want to get the good door gauges that can be calibrated. Assuming the door readings will still be lower, I am going to use the probe .

I have a digital probe gauge and put the probe thru the opening at the end of top. Temps get around 275 to 325 at top grate. Curious to the best place to put the probes inside the smoker to get good readings? The gauges still read around 200 or so.

When money allows I want to get the good door gauges that can be calibrated. Assuming the door readings will still be lower, I am going to use the probe .

I put my digital probes on the lower grate where most of my meat is.

 

[ron petersen]

Had my first successful cookout for 80 people. Was a HIT.

Just a few issues I have ran thru, seems like the top rack at opposite end of the FB was a lot warmer than the lower rack by the FB resulting the top rack getting some burnt ends of ribs. How can I help prevent a hot spot?

Halfway thru the cook I rotated the meats to help heat evenly, not sure if it was a waste of time. Wanting to avoid hot spots or burnt ribs.

Will be buildint rib racks for a Ribfest Cookoff. So far last weeks cook was 27 racks and I probably could add at least 8-10 more racks.

I used oak and ash wood for heat with Royal charcoal added. Heat temps were rollercoasting up and down. Probably due to the winds we get here. Temps stayed pretty steady with my probes on top and bottom racks around 195 to 295. Yes, huge swings. Trying to keep steady, guessing the winds are screwing my temps up. Any suggestions to keeping the wind out? It can change direction anytinme so trailer placement won't help.

As for the warming box, there is no vents. Temps had stayed at 200. Need suggestions for vent placement and if I can to add an opening with slide on bottom above FB for extra heat/smoke.

 

[fatbastard09]

Ron, what did end up with in terms of square feet of rack space? I still haven't finished my calculations to figure out max # of ribs in mine. Wanted to use your 38 rack estimate on yours as a guide.

Thx

 

[kam59]

You can try lowering the nose of the cooker to help with the hot spot. Some folks with Langs say this works it is worth a shot. You could also try closing the top intake if your'e utilizing it and build a smaller coal base using only the lowers. Another option is reduce the draft some through the exhaust to see if it cools down.

Typically on reverse flow cookers the upper left and lower right are the hot spots. If your lower right is cool it is due to the upper intake so maybe trim it back some or close it and see if it balances out some. It is a learning game to see what best suits your needs. Often times I use serving trays with some water in them to act as meat on the grates when I test burn this way the draft is effected like meat was there.

I hope this helps. :)

 

[ron petersen]

Need to do some catching up, been busy with work and want to start doing more welding to smoker but it's going to be 100+ this weekend might be able to smoke without using the firebox.

May have to skip Ribfest till next year. Feel not ready just yet. 

I am looking for advice and ideas to building my 16' trailer.

I want to widen the sides of the trailer to get another foot wider, currently the bed is about 6'5", I would like to get at least 6" added each side.

What is best size steel to support a sheet metal roof? Looking to add gull wing style sides.

Need to replace the floor, wood is a lot cheaper than diamond plate. Rather reinstall 2x8 wood, should there be a top floor or just leave 2x8 boards and stain?

I'd like to put on bottom sides something rustic like corragated steel and/or barn wood, maybe pallet wood. Thoughts?

Here is trailer pictures:

20170711_085324.jpg

• ron petersen
• Jul 13, 2017

20170711_085347.jpg

• ron petersen
• Jul 13, 2017

 

[ron petersen]

I am seeing a lot of smoker builds that have metal "bracing" welded to the sides and doors, is it really necessary to have on doors? Assuming it prevents warping, etc. Firebox steel is 3/8" and warming box steel is 1/4".

I do plan to insulate the warming box and firebox eventually. Might weld 1x1 square tube so I can screw on sheet metal or weld it on. Assuming the tube can act like a brace? 

Advice?

 

[kam59]

I frame out my firebox doors with 1.5" x 3/8" flat bar but not my warmers.

photo102.JPG

• kam59
• Jul 13, 2017

 

[ron petersen]

Dumb question here, getting a few people at home telling me the placement of the smoker on trailer will cause trailer to tip over due to being "top" heavy. 

Firebox is 3/8" steel with heavy grates, warming box is 1/4" steel. 

Not sure how far forward I can put smoker for tongue weight?

With the width of the trailer and pulling it shouldn't be a problem, I can see if I turned a corner too fast it'll flip, maybe?

I'll be driving about 50 miles or so, last 15 miles is a construction disaster, all paved roads torn up and huge potholes.

Thoughts before I bolt it down today? 

Helping cook a 100 lb.whole hog next weekend.

20170711_085347.jpg

• ron petersen
• Jul 13, 2017

 

[kam59]

Bolt it down and go. Your true weight is low what you need to watch is if your springs are stretched you may need to up the springs to 2400's

 

[ron petersen]

 
Bolt it down and go. Your true weight is low what you need to watch is if your springs are stretched you may need to up the springs to 2400's

Might just do that as I am also going to enclose the trailer. Thanks

 

[kam59]

Glad to help Ron. I up all my springs to 2400 lb. on my trailers with 3500 lb axles.

 

[motolife313]

That Tralier is way to wide and heavy to flip. I'd get some more tie downs on it

 

[ron petersen]

That Tralier is way to wide and heavy to flip. I'd get some more tie downs on it

I actually bolted the smoker to the trailer. Worked great, drove to a whole pig cookout 50 miles at a campsite, turned out great. After minor fixes on the smoker the temps stayed very steady 246 degrees for around 6 hours till the wind kicked in, then temps dropped, reset dampers, finished cooking at steady temps. Thing cooks awesome.

Next on the list, make a table, add a roof and sides, insulate smoker FB and WB, etc

20170721_081753.jpg

• ron petersen
• Jul 30, 2017

20170722_174229.jpg

• ron petersen
• Jul 30, 2017

20170722_174741.jpg

• ron petersen
• Jul 30, 2017

 

[motolife313]

Nice. Pig looks good! I figured u would be counter weighting the other side of the trailer too right?

 

[ron petersen]

Nice. Pig looks good! I figured u would be counter weighting the other side of the trailer too right?

Not sure if the "counterweight" is actually needed, if I need to add something I will to be safe. I plan on adding a bench of some sort and possibly storage under bench opposite of smoker after I widen trailer a bit. Open to suggestions.

 

[ron petersen]

After smoking a whole hog. The guy running the smoker was watching the temps and read somewhere I think Lang smokers that opposite the FB needed to be angled up slightly. He said he was having a hard time getting temps to stay when it was level, after he raised the nose up slightly, temps stayed steady at 246.

Curious, does anyone know the angle recommended? I'd like to find a level to install for when I place the trailer it'll be ready.

Might be cooking another whole hog soon, the only problem was the rack which I used angle iron slightly sagged towards rear (I added angle iron step for it to rest on), was told it was a PIA to lift it on tab.

Would using 1" tube steel frame prevent sagging? Will make another if needed or just weld on some strips of steel for the racks to slide on.

Last, I'd like to insulate the Firebox and Warming Box, what metal do you use to make the gap and how do you seal the holes if using sheetmetal to prevent water from getting in the insulation. I'll be using 1" K-wool.