A New Build: 24x30 Vertical Offset - A Custom Build For JLeonard!

[Nefarious]

I'm sitting here looking at this pit thinking, wouldn't it be cool to have something like that. Just think of the parties one could have. Then I think, how would you even get it out of the truck to move it to my back area. Well not even that, how many people would it take to get it into the truck.

I'm so jealous.

 

[JLeonard]

I'm sitting here looking at this pit thinking, wouldn't it be cool to have something like that. Just think of the parties one could have. Then I think, how would you even get it out of the truck to move it to my back area. Well not even that, how many people would it take to get it into the truck.

I'm so jealous.

Heck I’m thinking the same thing! Already looking at utility trailers from U haul. And thinking…”do my neighbors like me enough to help move it into my backyard to the patio!”

Jim

 

[seenred]

Heck I’m thinking the same thing! Already looking at utility trailers from U haul. And thinking…”do my neighbors like me enough to help move it into my backyard to the patio!”

Jim

Jim, I'll bet the neighbors are gonna love you - when they see you can cook enough food in this thing for the entire neighborhood!

Red

 

[WaccaLum]

Looks amazing

 

[seenred]

Looks amazing

Thank you!
Red

 

[seenred]

Well, one last update before this year's snow-mageddon arrives LOL!

We've had 2 really pretty days here in NE Oklahoma - high temp yesterday was in the upper 50's. And today was even warmer - nearing mid 60's this afternoon. But tonight, the bottom falls out! This is apparently a pretty big system of arctic cold and snow, so I'm sure it's affecting many of you too.

Anyway, I took advantage of the mild weather and got some more progress made on Jim's smoker. Yesterday was all dirty scut work - grinding and sanding outside corners of the main cabinet and the firebox to make 'em nice and smooth. And I made a quick run to the steel yard this morning to pick up the last odds and ends I should need to finish the build.

This afternoon, I managed to get most of the firebox assembly fabricated. I welded out the trim/flange around the FB door. The door is trimmed out with 1 1/2" x 3/16" flat bar stock. I also fabricated a cool touch handle, and got my door hinges measured and laid out. On the FB door, I went with 4 inch bullet hinges.

I also measured and marked out the main CC door for cutting. I'm planning to use toggle clamp-style latches on the door...and I'm waiting on those to come in (I think they're due to arrive Monday) before I go ahead and cut out that door. I want to see how those latches line up with the door trim first - so I'll know if I need to make any small adjustment to the size of the door opening before cutting it.

So anyway, I'm still making gradual progress, but with bitter cold temps in the forecast for the next week, it will likely be late next week at the earliest before I go back to the shop. Those of you who've followed my builds have heard me say this - my shop is a sheet-metal-skinned, uninsulated building. I have an electric space heater that just can't keep up if the temp drops to below freezing...and whatever the outside temp is, that's pretty close the temp inside the shop.

Too cold for this soft, fat old man

More to come (but not too soon LOL!)
Red

 

[forktender]

Holy cow.....Its starting to come along!
Now I need to start thinking about names for this beast!

Jim

McLov'in, because that thing is Superbad!!!

 

[seenred]

McLov'in, because that thing is Superbad!!!

View attachment 685505

I know this is a movie reference - but I haven't seen the movie. Is Mclov'in the nerd dancing in the pic? He cracks me up!

Don't know if the pit's Superbad yet, but I'm workin' on it!

Red

 

[gmc2003]

I've been quietly following this thread. That smoker is turning out to be a monster. Beautiful craftsmanship Red.

Point for sure
Chris

 

[gmc2003]

JLeonard
Jim here are a couple names that come to mind:

Puff the Magic Dragon

or

Mississippi Queen



Chris

 

[seenred]

I've been quietly following this thread. That smoker is turning out to be a monster. Beautiful craftsmanship Red.

Point for sure
Chris

Thanks Chris! It's gonna be a big 'un for sure.

JLeonard
Jim here are a couple names that come to mind:

Puff the Magic Dragon

or

Mississippi Queen



Chris

Mississippi Queen! Love it! That's a rock classic for sure! Most guys under 50 might not appreciate the reference unless they're just into Classic rock.

Thanks again Chris!
Red

 

[JLeonard]

Holy crap Chris, gmc2003 , I think Mississippi Queen has just gone to the top of my list! Joel is amazing me with every post and pic. His attention to detail is over the top. I’m thinking my great grandkids are gonna be cooking on this thing. It is for sure being built to last!
Stay warm Joel and the rest of y’all. It even supposed to be miserable cold here in the south for the next week!

Jim

 

[seenred]

Holy crap Chris, gmc2003 , I think Mississippi Queen has just gone to the top of my list! Joel is amazing me with every post and pic. His attention to detail is over the top. I’m thinking my great grandkids are gonna be cooking on this thing. It is for sure being built to last!
Stay warm Joel and the rest of y’all. It even supposed to be miserable cold here in the south for the next week!

Jim

I appreciate the kind words Jim. I'm not a professional metalworker, but I'm trying to take the time to do it like I'm building it for myself.

Yeah I heard this arctic front was gonna affect a large part of the South. As I type this, the temp here in Locust Grove is 18*. Today's high is gonna struggle to get to the low 20's.

For our friends and neighbors to the North, that probably don't sound like much...but us southerners ain't equipped to stand that kind of cold!

Red

 

[gmc2003]

Yeah I heard this arctic front was gonna affect a large part of the South. As I type this, the temp here in Locust Grove is 18*. Today's high is gonna struggle to get to the low 20's.

18* is cold but doable. It's the windchill at those temps that kill ya.

Chris

 

[DEERMAKER]

Hello SMF Friends! Hope everyone's week is off to a good start.

Those of you who followed my last build, a 24x42 reverse flow patio smoker, probably know that I recently sold that pit to Ryan ( Brokenhandle ). He seems very happy with it, which makes me even happier!

So anyway, as I was wrapping up that thread, I got to joking around with Jim ( JLeonard ) about building him a custom, made-to-order smoker. Well turns out it was no joke! He has given me the honor allowing me to build him a custom Vertical Offset Cabinet smoker. Picture a Lonestar Grillz 30" Vertical Offset...and you'll have a good idea of what we're designing. It won't look identical to this smoker - but pretty close.

View attachment 682610


So anyway, after talking some with Jim, and after doing some planning and designing, I've come up with a plan that Jim has approved. I'm attaching some drawings I did (PDF files below) - I'm too tech illiterate to use CAD, or other design software- just old school graph paper and drafting tools for me!

So I went to the steel yard yesterday, and spent a bunch of Jim's money LOL!!

View attachment 682614


Got everything off the trailer except the 1/4 inch plate: a couple 4x8 sheets of expanded metal, along with most of the square tubing, angle iron, flat bar stock, and round bar stock I'll need to complete this build.


View attachment 682615

It turned out to be quite a challenge for one old fat guy working by himself to figure out how to handle those 4x10 steel plates. I Googled it, and a single, 4x10 plate of 1/4 inch steel weighs in at 408 lbs.

View attachment 682616


This on/off switching pickup magnet definitely helped...


View attachment 682617


So next up, I'll need to spend most of a day laying out all my plasma cuts in those plates, then getting them cut out. This is the boring stuff...the fun stuff doesn't really start until I start welding steel panels together!

Anyway, that's all for now...but there'll be much more to come! I hope you'll come back and check up on my progress as I go. Barring any setbacks, I should get most - or all - of the plate plasma-cut this week. We're having some uncommonly mild, warm weather - and I'd like to take advantage of it before it gets so cold I'd rather not be in the shop!

Stay tuned!

Red

Thats great! New to forum excited
starting to upgrade my old smoker myself
Found a used 6 ft warming oven stainless
exciting lol

 

[gmc2003]

Holy crap Chris, gmc2003 , I think Mississippi Queen has just gone to the top of my list! Joel is amazing me with every post and pic. His attention to detail is over the top. I’m thinking my great grandkids are gonna be cooking on this thing. It is for sure being built to last!
Stay warm Joel and the rest of y’all. It even supposed to be miserable cold here in the south for the next week!

Jim

Not meaning to be an enabler, but now you need to get a good cow bell so you can not only play along with the song. You can also call your family when din-din is ready.

Chris

 

[Brokenhandle]

I appreciate the kind words Jim. I'm not a professional metalworker, but I'm trying to take the time to do it like I'm building it for myself.

Yeah I heard this arctic front was gonna affect a large part of the South. As I type this, the temp here in Locust Grove is 18*. Today's high is gonna struggle to get to the low 20's.

For our friends and neighbors to the North, that probably don't sound like much...but us southerners ain't equipped to stand that kind of cold!

Red

18 degrees with no wind is cold for us at the start of winter... same weather half way through winter and it feels about like t shirt weather lol.

Loving your build so far! And my smoker you built is at a balmy 50 degrees in the garage!

Ryan

 

[seenred]

18* is cold but doable. It's the windchill at those temps that kill ya.

Chris

No doubt! There's a hard NW wind here that's got wind chills down in the single digits. A good day to stay in the house!

Red

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

Sure is looking good Red… Wow is that going to be a beast of a cooker! Wish I had your building talent!

Jim, I do believe you’re going to have a ton of fun cooking on that monster! You’ll have room to cook anything!

 

[seenred]

Sure is looking good Red… Wow is that going to be a beast of a cooker! Wish I had your building talent!

Jim, I do believe you’re going to have a ton of fun cooking on that monster! You’ll have room to cook anything!

Hey Buddy! Thanks my friend...it's gonna be big for sure! Jim will be able to feed an army outa this beast!

Thanks for checking in Justin!
Red