500 gallon RF Build revised

[socalcooker]

I'd buy the cheap spray gun and use the rustoleum bbq paint. You have to think at a factory where bbq's are made, I doubt very much that they use a roller to paint them.

 

[pit 4 brains]

After the summer burns off, I'm going to sandblast my new RF and paint with this. 

Sheffield Pot Belly Black High Heat Paint

You can order it through Dunn-Edwards paint..

 

[bmudd14474]

After the summer burns off, I'm going to sandblast my new RF and paint with this. 
Sheffield Pot Belly Black High Heat Paint
You can order it through Dunn-Edwards paint..

You gonna go red or black?

 

[pit 4 brains]

Black.. Hides my crappy welds and mis-fitting door..

 

[fischersmokin]

This is one of my favs to follow since ours is the same size build. It is amazing to watch the progression from start to steaks

 

[nwbhoss]

 
This is one of my favs to follow since ours is the same size build. It is amazing to watch the progression from start to steaks

Well the Steaks part of from start to steaks should be in a few more days! I got the firebox door latch all done last night and not I just have to weld on the bungs for the temp gauges and it will be ready to paint! 

 

[nwbhoss]

Well it's ready for an oil bath inside and some heat! The paint is not as good as I wanted and another coat will be happening soon but I need to get this thing fired up if I am going to cook on it this weekend.

 

[daveomak]

Nice.......   

 ....

 

[nwbhoss]

 
Nice.......   

 ....

Thanks Dave!!!! I shudder to think about what it would look like without the help and education you and others have given me!!! 

 

[ahumadora]

Great looking pit.

Lets see it in action!!

 

[gary s]

Can't wait to see that TBS   

Gary

 

[nwbhoss]

It's alive!!!!!!
I got the temp gauges mounted and the firebox door seal Installed and coated the inside with vegetable oil. Then I got a chimney of charcoal going and tossed it in the firebox and added some cherry splits and away she went!
With just a few splits I got 200° out of it so I added a few more and hit 225° and held it for more than 2 hours! This was with the top damper half open and bottom damper all the way open. It had great thin blue smoke and that cherry wood smells incredible! Once it started to die down a little I added a bunch more wood to see what it would do. It went to 300° and I closed the bottom damper half way and it dropped to 275° and stayed there until the fire died down. The whole time I had nice thin blue smoke! I couldn't be happier with how well it worked. It held temperature across the smoker within a couple degrees at all temps! I am truly in shock about how it performs. I definitely expected a few issues to work out.
Again I have to thank all the guys here who helped and educated me thru this whole process!
Now it's time to put some meat in this thing!

 

[dstiltz]

Looking good

 

[nwbhoss]

I still have fine tuning to do. The door closest to the firebox leaks a tiny bit. Just until the draft started and it pulled out the stack. I don't want to clamp them so I will use a seam sealer on it. I also found a couple pinholes in my welds I need to fix.

 

[daveomak]

fixing those leaks will make the performance of your smoke incredibly good... 

 ...

Can't wait to see her fired up and making great food.....

 

[nwbhoss]

fixing those leaks will make the performance of your smoke incredibly good... 

 ...



Can't wait to see her fired up and making great food.....

Thanks Dave I can't tell you how much I appreciate all your help!

 

[fischersmokin]

Looks Awesome- Waiting to see some official pics of smoking action.

 

[ahumadora]

Did you burn or blacken the insulation in the roof??

 

[nwbhoss]

Did you burn or blacken the insulation in the roof??

No the roof of the lean to off the side of my shop is 18ft high and the smoke was thin and blue it did not discolor the insulation at all.

 

[nwbhoss]

Well I gave the smoker a job today and boy did it do a good job! I got home from work and fired it up and tossed a couple ribs the wife had in the freezer in. It looked a little ridiculous I should have had 20 times more meat in there but it was a good test run. Cherry is my new favorite wood and this is my new favorite smoker! Temp management is going to have a learning curve but it was easy to see when I had too much wood in the firebox and the temps showed it quickly. I am looking forward to this weekend and brisket!