275 Gallon Fuel Oil Tank Build

[mikemckinney]

Ahoy, hoy!

I will be building a smoker from a 275 Gallon Oil Tank and am looking for some suggestions. 

First of all, What is the best method for cleaning out said tank?

Secondly, Fire Box or Direct Heat with removable fire 'drawer?'

I am picking up the tank next weekend, but I hope to have it up and running by Labor Day if all goes right.

Thanks, and any help or suggestions are welcome!

oiltank.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 23, 2013

 

[themule69]

Howdy Mike

To clean use dawn dish soap and water. Then do a good long burn in it.

Fire box for sure. I would also do reverse flow.

 If you can get some time to work on it. I see you smoking by Labor day.

I'm in

Happy smoken.

David

 

[mikemckinney]

Thanks, mule. I was leaning towards fire box also. That would allow me to have a warming chamber as well. RF is a good suggestion.

 

[themule69]

Mike i was just thinking. If it will hold water. If you fill it most of the way up and add a couple of bottles of dawn.  After you get it loaded. it can splash around on the trip home.

.02 cents.jpg

• themule69
• Apr 24, 2013

Happy smoken.

David

 

[mikemckinney]

Good Idea. Here's the rub, though. I have on street parking and would have to empty it into the gutter. The soap and water aren't the concern, it's the oil residue getting into the sewer system.

Also, I have been doing some early planning on the dimensions of the fire box and warming chamber.

I plugged in all the following values into the Feldon website and everything appeared to be right.

BTW, The measurements are approximate. I used specs found on Home Depot's website. I will adjust the final measurements when I physically have the oil tank.

Tank Volume: 275 Gallon

Firebox Dimensions: 36" High, 27" Wide, 24" Long  = 110.2% Size Differential

Chimney Diameter: 10" = 14.86" Length

Firebox Intake: 5" Long x 4" Wide = 3.5 Intakes needed.

I will be putting in 4 Firebox intakes (one on each side.) They will be regulated using sliding gates.

Thoughts?

 

[mikemckinney]

Well, I got he Oil Tank home yesterday! I didn't get as much done to it as I had hoped, but I did get some general layout designing done. Let me know your thoughts.

Tank came in at the following measurements:

67" Long by 42" tall by 261/2" wide:

Grate Loction.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

Starting point for RF plate and Cooking Rack locations. 

RF plate will be 14" from bottom of tank (1/3 the total height.) First Cooking Rack will be placed 5" above the RF plate. I believe I read on here somewhere it should be between 41/2" to 6" above RF plate, but I may be wrong.

Prelim layout.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

Another pic of side. Dotted line represents the RF plate. Solid lines represent cooking grates. Cooking grates will be 4" apart from each other.

Sideview.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

View of the side where the FB will attach. Using Feldon's website, I was given the value of 21.80 as the diameter of the half moon opening, thus an 11" Radius.

FBtoCC opening Closeup.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

Close-up of FB to CC opening. 

RF Plate Placement.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

Thoughts on where to end the RF plate. At 221/2" it would be 1/3 the length of entire smoker. At 11" it would be 1/6 the length, and at 51/2" it would be 1/12 the length. I'm leaning towards 11", but not certain about that right now. I'm sure i saw a calculator for that info somewhere, but do not know where at this point.

The layout of the RF plate and Coking grates will allow me 7" of clearance from the top rack to the actual top of the Smoker. Should be just enough room to fit some chickens or other foods.

That's a bout as far as I got yesterday, but plan to get more accomplished this week. BTW, it is sitting full of H2O and Dawn right now to clean it out. If I get that done today, I'll be a happy camper.

Thanks for lookin'!!

 

[themule69]

Well, I got he Oil Tank home yesterday! I didn't get as much done to it as I had hoped, but I did get some general layout designing done. Let me know your thoughts.

Tank came in at the following measurements:

67" Long by 42" tall by 261/2" wide:

Grate Loction.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

Starting point for RF plate and Cooking Rack locations. 

RF plate will be 14" from bottom of tank (1/3 the total height.) First Cooking Rack will be placed 5" above the RF plate. I believe I read on here somewhere it should be between 41/2" to 6" above RF plate, but I may be wrong.

Prelim layout.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

Another pic of side. Dotted line represents the RF plate. Solid lines represent cooking grates. Cooking grates will be 4" apart from each other.

Sideview.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

View of the side where the FB will attach. Using Feldon's website, I was given the value of 21.80 as the diameter of the half moon opening, thus an 11" Radius.

FBtoCC opening Closeup.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

Close-up of FB to CC opening. 

RF Plate Placement.jpg

• mikemckinney
• Jun 30, 2013

Thoughts on where to end the RF plate. At 221/2" it would be 1/3 the length of entire smoker. At 11" it would be 1/6 the length, and at 51/2" it would be 1/12 the length. I'm leaning towards 11", but not certain about that right now. I'm sure i saw a calculator for that info somewhere, but do not know where at this point. FELDON"S calculator is where you will find that answer.

The layout of the RF plate and Coking grates will allow me 7" of clearance from the top rack to the actual top of the Smoker. Should be just enough room to fit some chickens or other foods.

That's a bout as far as I got yesterday, but plan to get more accomplished this week. BTW, it is sitting full of H2O and Dawn right now to clean it out. If I get that done today, I'll be a happy camper.

Thanks for lookin'!!

Looks like a plan.

Happy smoken.

David

 

[mikemckinney]

Thanks, Dave!

I found it on the Feldon site. I hadn't read the 'fine print' and was looking for a calculator for the size and not a general rule. Mea Culpa.

Anyway, here is what I cam up with as far as the RF plate length:

As the opening should be at least as large as the FB to CC opening (186.2") and the tank is 26.5" wide, then the RF plate should end 7.03" from the end of the Smoker.

Thus, 186.2" sq divided by 26.5" wide = 7.03" long. OR 7.03" times 26.5" = 186.3" square.

Therefore, with a total length of 67" for the smoker, i would need a RF plate of 60" and drill a 1" hole or two at the end to make up for the .03"

Thanks!

 

[themule69]

Thanks, Dave!

I found it on the Feldon site. I hadn't read the 'fine print' and was looking for a calculator for the size and not a general rule. Mea Culpa.

Anyway, here is what I cam up with as far as the RF plate length:

As the opening should be at least as large as the FB to CC opening (186.2") and the tank is 26.5" wide, then the RF plate should end 7.03" from the end of the Smoker.

Thus, 186.2" sq divided by 26.5" wide = 7.03" long. OR 7.03" times 26.5" = 186.3" square.

Therefore, with a total length of 67" for the smoker, i would need a RF plate of 60" and drill a 1" hole or two at the end to make up for the .03" the ....3 would be more like a 19/64"= .298 hole

I'd say messure your 60" and cut the other side of the line. Call it good. Or you can meassure in 64ths of an inch.

Thanks!

One of the places I worked would give me blue prints in 64ths of an inch. This is to be cut by hand with a torch. I ask one time WTF why 64ths. They said if they gave it to me in feet. That is about as close as i would think. Give it to me in inches. That's about as close as I would think. So 64ths!

Happy smoken

David

 

[doodleq]

Working on something similar for a friend...looking forward to following your work.

I'm thinking of using a sliding door...what are you thinking?

 

[beaummiler]

I have almost finish mine needs therms and paint maybe door latchs but i have a fire burning in it now watch using a torch theese tanks warp very easy. I used cutting wheels and saw zall for everything but my firegrate

 

[beaummiler]

Have you had a chance to work on your smoker yet

 

[paspork]

Hello,

 My husband and I picked up a 250 to 275 gallon oil tank today and are hoping to turn it into a smoker. Currently we are using two smaller smokers and they are not big enough to suit our purposes. This was the first site that we found that was helpful in that it was descriptive and it had information about a smoker...not building a bbq grill. We would like any advice that you could give us with regards to the build. We see from the forum the best way to clean the tank, and we have a general idea about the build but specifics would be a tremendous help! Thank you in advance for any and all information. Angela & Pete (Owner's PA's Pork)

 

[daveomak]

Hello,
 My husband and I picked up a 250 to 275 gallon oil tank today and are hoping to turn it into a smoker. Currently we are using two smaller smokers and they are not big enough to suit our purposes. This was the first site that we found that was helpful in that it was descriptive and it had information about a smoker...not building a bbq grill. We would like any advice that you could give us with regards to the build. We see from the forum the best way to clean the tank, and we have a general idea about the build but specifics would be a tremendous help! Thank you in advance for any and all information. Angela & Pete (Owner's PA's Pork)

Angela, evening.... Probably the best way to proceed is start a new thread in the forum that best describes what type of smoker you want to build..... http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/197/smoker-builds .... If you can find a smoker design that's close to what you want to build, it will make answering questions easier.... Or show a picture of the oil tank, share the dimensions of the tank so we know what size it is... then we can assist you with building the best smoker in your neighborhood....

Dave

 

[garretthall29]

What thickness are you using for your RF plate?

 

[dragonsensei]

Anyone have a suggestion on how long of a burn needed to clean out the fuel oil tank? I am assisting a build and we are at the clean and burn stage tonight.

 

[jigman]

i did mine until the paint burned off the outside and the 12 pack was gone. super hot fire and as big as i could make it. i was in a stone lot at work so i had plenty of room and no fear of setting anything else on fire!