Chromoly steel smoker build.

[Canadiansmoker55]

Hello,

I have chance to get a piece of 24" diameter chromoly steel pipe, wall thickness from what I've been told is in-between 3/8-1/2" thick. Anyone have any experience making a smoker from chromoly? I understand this is very much overkill, it'll be heavy asf too, around 110lbs per ft. At $50 a foot tho it's a smokin deal :). I just don't know if it can be done, will I have to preheat to be able to weld it? Or not important because it's not structural? Has this been done before? Can I even cut it with a torch? I have a plasma cutter but not one that can do 1/2" plate. How will it work for a smoker, will it hold the heat like regular steel?

Any insight would be greatly appreciated.


Thanks in advance.

 

[radioguy]

Yes it'll cut with torch / plasma. Not sure about welding. It's hard, be prepared to break tools, dull bits and stones.

RG

 

[mike243]

From what I have seen it welds like anything else as a kid my buddys dad built custom bikes for his kids. I would go for it, it's a tough steel not brittle

 

[chp]

It will be one of a kind! Making a traditional offset? On a quick look, I couldn’t find anything about existing cookware that is Chromoly, so it will be interesting to hear how it performs.

 

[Coreymacc]

I build dragsters out of chromoly steel, no need to do anything fancy, just use mild steel welding rod, or wire, 7018 rod or er70s mig wire, er70s2 tig rod.(whatnever process you plan). You may have to post heat your welds to cool them slowly. If they are allowed to cool to fast they can crack. Preheating will help with this to a point also. If your base material is that thick you probably should pre and post heat.

Corey

 

[bill1]

I thought thin, light, and strong bicycles too, but the sort that had torch-brazed lugs, not necessary direct butt welds. Can't speak to how well (and without warping) it welds.

 

[slavikborisov]

Chromoly steel should be welded with an 80 series filler metal either er80s-b1 or er80s-b2 depending upon the amount of chromium and molybdenum in the steel but….… realistically though it’s a smoker so just be sure to preheat to 250-350F prior to welding to prevent excessive cooling after welding or cracks may appear… you most likely have a very small
Percentage chromoly steel so most 70xx series filler metal will suffice with a hot preheat. Other than that it welds and acts just like most carbon steels.

 

[slavikborisov]

And yes you can cut it with a cutoff wheel, plasma or oxy-acetylene torch without issues and yes it will work as a smoker and hold heat just like regular steel.

 

[Canadiansmoker55]

And yes you can cut it with a cutoff wheel, plasma or oxy-acetylene torch without issues and yes it will work as a smoker and hold heat just like regular steel.

And yes you can cut it with a cutoff wheel, plasma or oxy-acetylene torch without issues and yes it will work as a smoker and hold heat just like regular steel.

I appreciate your reply! I picked up a 6ft piece of 24" Dia pipe at 1/2" wall thickness for $300 cad. This will build me a 800lb beast of a smoker for a fraction of the cost of comparable quality smokers. So I can just heat it up with a torch before welding it to avoid cracks then from cooling?

 

[Canadiansmoker55]

It will be one of a kind! Making a traditional offset? On a quick look, I couldn’t find anything about existing cookware that is Chromoly, so it will be interesting to hear how it performs.

Ya I'm modeling it after the workhorse pits 1975 for the most part, cowboy grill and all.

 

[Canadiansmoker55]

I build dragsters out of chromoly steel, no need to do anything fancy, just use mild steel welding rod, or wire, 7018 rod or er70s mig wire, er70s2 tig rod.(whatnever process you plan). You may have to post heat your welds to cool them slowly. If they are allowed to cool to fast they can crack. Preheating will help with this to a point also. If your base material is that thick you probably should pre and post heat.

Corey

Thanks for the reply, I wipl definitely be pre and post heating the material. I can just use an oxy acetylene torch I assume to do this?

 

[slavikborisov]

I appreciate your reply! I picked up a 6ft piece of 24" Dia pipe at 1/2" wall thickness for $300 cad. This will build me a 800lb beast of a smoker for a fraction of the cost of comparable quality smokers. So I can just heat it up with a torch before welding it to avoid cracks then from cooling?

Yep propane or oxyacetylene if you have a temp gun to Verify you can if not just use your best judgment

 

[Coreymacc]

Thanks for the reply, I wipl definitely be pre and post heating the material. I can just use an oxy acetylene torch I assume to do this?

Ya, oxy/acet is the best, just use a smaller rosebud. You dont have to go red, just take it to straw color, the weld will put the rest of the heat in. Heat a good area around the weld also, then the material won't suck the heat away too fast. Worst case, if you get a crack just grind out the weld, heat it a bit more, and do it over. Its a bit of a learning curve to get the heat right

Corey