Eclipse. The 1000 gallon pit by The pit Smoker

[Remy Bernabela]

As promised in my 500 gallon thread I'm starting a new one featuring my new 1000 gallon build. She's called Eclipse, because this will be one of the handful largest smokers in the Caribbean and surely the biggest BBQ grill on the island next to my 500 gallon.
I started 2 years ago on a Weber Kettle and have build 3 smokers to date. But now I am opening a restaurant in a few months. Next to the restaurant I will keep the catering part off business which helped me get to this point so fast. So here we go....

The tank and the house I will turn into my BBQ joint. We will focus on the smoker and occasionally I will update on the house.


The soil is very soft and the slightest rain turns it into clay. So I could not set the tank leveled. What I did was put the tank on 2 pieces of pipe so it could b rolled over without any effort. Also I welded a quick tool to find the centre line and go from there. I just measure the distances of the cuts, mark it, turn the tank until that mark is the new centre line and mark it across and roll the tank back to the original centre line.


Marking the tank this way was a breeze!!! The end caps were as easy too. I marked the 6" radius for the 12" elbow. The doors are also marked.


I saved the end caps of my 500 gallon. It's also 41" diameter. The 500 gallon is a reverse flow with warmer added later. I joined the pieces back together so I can have the "two tanks together look". It will have a 43" long x 24" diameter 3/8" pipe with a 30" pipe around it giving me 3" gap in between. The firebox will be insulated.


That's it for now. Now it's time for the hinges (pipe and rod) and then I can start cutting once the location has electricity. Otherwise I'll start on the firebox at home.

 

[JC in GB]

Very nice. Will be following your build.

JC

 

[fivetricks]

Good god man. What's not to love about this project?

 

[Remy Bernabela]

Good god man. What's not to love about this project?

The colour the tank might become after time. I don't like painted smokers. I saw it has like a beige base coat under the white paint. I hope it matches with the elbow, smokestack and the firebox.

I got me a 12" to 10" reducer, a 10.25" pipe 10 ft long. I pulled out my piece of 48" x 24" pipe 3/8" thick an have the machine chop roll me a 28" pipe for the outer skin of the firebox. When all parts are in place I'll apply that "social distancing" thing and get to work. I should be able to assemble her in two weeks. Still waiting for the expanded metal sheets to arrive from Miami, but when she's standing on her skids, I'll use the grates of my 500 gallon to start testing her out.

Stay tuned!

 

[hoity toit]

Nice so far.

 

[Remy Bernabela]

So I knocked out this firebox in 2 days. But before that, I wanted to gather all the mayor materials I need to build this smoker. Then I can work at my own pace without interruption and knowing there is no delays.

The firebox is made out of a 15/64" rolled sheet, 28" diameter x 40" long, with a 24" diameter, 3/8" thick inner pipe. I joined the sphere of my previous 500 gallon RF build and build my own "250 gallon cut in half" tank.




I made and test fitted this hinge from scratch and made a jig to bend the rest easily. But my new girlfriend's father is a contractor who build refinery tanks too. So I had my 5/8" rods bend for free with the metal sheet bender....

Tomorrow I'll weld the 12" elbow and reducer and make the first piece and hinges for the collapsible smokestack. I have to smoke for some orders, so Saturday I should be able to finish the stack.

 

[JC in GB]

Wow, very nice work sir. Can't wait you see your next stage.

JC

 

[Remy Bernabela]

So today I fabricated the hinges for the smoke stack and welded the reducer to the elbow. Had an order for 125 smoked wings too. Felt like a blessing today being able to weld and smoke. Living the dream.....

 

[fivetricks]

Keep em coming!

 

[Remy Bernabela]

Firebox is done! Elbow for the smoke stack is done. We are on total lock down. But I'll try to move the tank somewhere else where I can work unbothered.
I wanna start cutting the verticals first and weld on the flanges. Then do the top and hinges and then move to the bottom.
Then weld on the elbow and after that I need to raise the tank to create space for the firebox.
This this should be ready after 1 week for her first fire and see how she does. Then I'll finish the inside.

 

[JC in GB]

Looking good so far.

JC.

 

[Remy Bernabela]

Well... 3 weeks ago we went on total lock down. I couldn't resist being inside after 2 weeks, so I moved the firebox, the tripod and some tools and stuff to the location of the tank. It's a private empty terrain where I would be all by myself all day. I woke up, got on my bicycle and went to work. I set up my tent (which is no broken), set up the tripod, my welder and grinder and went to it and worked from Wednesday till yesterday and got this far. Tomorrow I'll start on merging the firebox.

I hope to finish the doors 100% on Wednesday and do plug the fittings and new hooks on Thursday. Pressure wash her on Friday an fire her up on Saturday. Then wait until I can buy steel again to build the grates and the skids.

I'll let the pics do the rest....

 

[fivetricks]

What a beast

 

[Remy Bernabela]

I'm back. The lock down has ended last Friday and I needed some quick cash. So I fired my 500 gallon and gathered the cash I needed to finish this project soon. The last 7 weeks I went through all my cash because I got no financial help from anybody. So I had to start from 0 again.
Before I went to work last two weeks I did pretty much finish the outside. Only the handles and counter weight left to fabricate. Since the last post, the firebox was married to the tank and the warped doors fixed. I removed the doors and had them rolled back into shape for me. I could stick 2 fingers between the flange and the tank. Scared me to dead!!!



I welded in the 2" drain port too. Plugged the holes.


Another view


She's already standing tall without her skids.



Gotta cook again this Thursday and Friday and take a tree down for smoker wood on Saturday. I hope to have the skids done on Tuesday and that a friend of mine will be able to help me out with his crane to lift her up for her to receive her sets of legs.
I just love the outlines of the flanges. I hammered the flanges into shape and used them to take off the paint for welding in a straight line all around the doors. I'll try to rub them in with some cooking oil to preserve the look. Unless you guys have a different method.

See you guys in a few days again.

 

[smokin peachey]

Looks good

 

[daveomak]

Nice build.... Ribwizard built one similar in a reverse flow....

 

[Remy Bernabela]

I had little time again this week to do a little work. Here on the island we can't get tubing under 4" with 0.25 walls. We are stuck to 0.125" or you have to step up to heavier and expensive channel iron. I bought 0.25" sheets and had the contractor cut and bend them into 6" channel and some 3" too.

I assembled them together and made the skids which was transported last Saturday. Quite a scene here with the neighbors watching and having no idea what it's for.

The lift of the smoker went quick and easy. I still have to trim some of the uprights for a better fit to the tank. I can use my 3 tons chain winch and tripod for that maybe next weekend. I also cleaned the inside with high pressure washer which did a very good job. I'll remove some bits and pieces of trash with a flap disk once she is welded to the skids.

As she stands now...

 

[fivetricks]

Wow. That's amazing.

At least you'll have another shelter in place option when the next hurricane comes

 

[Remy Bernabela]

Wow. That's amazing.

At least you'll have another shelter in place option when the next hurricane comes

Man, I'm stoked!!! 11 days of work got me this far on my own with just a grinder, welder and my tripod winch. Almost there. But I'll keep her hidden to the public until I open my small bbq joint. I have the 3 biggest smokers in the region and still do it all by myself from lumberjack, chef, pitmaster, running the business.... Keeps me busy I guess.

 

[mneeley490]

Wow, that is beyond impressive! Don't forget to fabricate some ramps, so you can march a few cows or pigs right up into it.