First Build (Moved from smoker build section)

[rotor head]

I've been viewing this site for months and just got to say you all corrupted me. Starting searching craigslist and found this 80 gallon compressor for a 100 buck they said the pump was sized no big deal just wanted the tank well I pick it up and end up selling the pump  and the motor for 200 so I'm up 100 can't beat that. So the build is on. Just one problem regular flow with tuning or reverse flow? The Feldon calculator is great. Here is the progress so far started around the end of Feb. goal is to complete by end of April. Firebox is 20x20x20 and the FB Tto CC is right around 66sqin. Plan is for a slide out ash pan and the fire grate right above the intake holes which are 2.5" total of 6. I would like to thank everyone who has posted their builds alot of great builds to get ideas from.

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post #2  of 9

5 days, 19 hours ago

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• RMMurray
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What an amazing first build! That looks great so far. I smoke on a mini WSM, so I'm not going to be much for advice, but sure do love watching smoker builds. Great job. Keep it up!
- Ryan

JUST ANOTHER BEER DRINKER WITH A MEAT RUBBING PROBLEM

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post #3  of 9

5 days, 19 hours ago

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• gunkle
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Good looking build. Looks like it's coming  along  great. Look forward to seeing the final product.

Current rig: Homemade UDS, Maverick 733

In the works: Double Barrel "T" style Charcoal grill / Smoker

"T" style smoker (21 photos)

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post #4  of 9

3 days, 19 hours ago

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• Rotor Head
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Legs and wheels mounted. Temp guages installed and started the wood rack or lower shelf and one of the intake slides on. Making forward progress. Will be cuting the holes for the other side of the intakes 3 2.5" holes in 1/4" plate with a drill and holesaw fun fun fun. 

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• rotor head
• Apr 5, 2015

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post #5  of 9

3 days, 16 hours ago

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• RMMurray
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Making progress. The legs and wheels look nice. You are very skilled. Keep up the good work.

JUST ANOTHER BEER DRINKER WITH A MEAT RUBBING PROBLEM

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post #6  of 9

2 days, 19 hours ago

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• Rotor Head
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Thank you very much it feels good to fabricate again. Made a little more progress today after work got the lower shelf framed out and worked on the exhaust decided to go with a 5" square tube for the exhaust its 4 3/4"ID a square hole is eaiser to cut with a cutoff wheel. What is the recommended distance from the bottom cooking surface for the tube is 3" to 4" good.   

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post #7  of 9

2 days, 18 hours ago

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• Joe Black
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Lookin good Rotorhead, I envy anyone who has the skills and stamina to do their own build. It's nice to buy one from a fabricator, but there is a huge amount of pride in making your own. Good smoking, Joe

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post #8  of 9

19 hours, 11 minutes ago

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• Rotor Head
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Thank you.

Its really fun doing your own build I bet I made 10 trips to Bass Pro looking at the Horizons they sell and I just could not see spending a grand on one that wasn'r the size I wanted to have. So I found this fourm then spent months viewing past builds and that was i said i can do this so here we are. Spent some time today wire wheeling and sanding disc to the inside of the CC set the 5" exhaust back in and laid the angle for the cooking rack in. right now ita sitting 3 inches from the top of the cooking rack. I'm also thinking I may need to cut the door opening another 2" lower. I want to put a top rack in 12" to 14" wide. Need to know if 3" is good distance from the lower rack and how much space you need between the top and lower track. right now if I leave as is I'll have about 6 1/2" betwwen racks.

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• Apr 8, 2015

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post #9  of 9

18 hours, 4 minutes ago

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• gunkle
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That's coming out great. In my UDS I have 7 inches between racks. Not sure on a reverse flow setup though. I Agree building is half the fun. Just about done with my latest build and starting to decide on my next project. Might be a different hobby though. Maybe a new remote control plane.

Current rig: Homemade UDS, Maverick 733

In the works: Double Barrel "T" style Charcoal grill / Smoker

"T" style smoker (21 photos)

 

[rotor head]

got a question for the experienced reverse flow builders.

1. I will have 6.5" from my cooking grate to the reverse flow plate do i need to be closer?

2. is 3" from the bottom of the stack to the lower cooking grate to close"? how its sitting now there is 27" stick out and 3" from the cooking surface its 5" OD sq. tube 4.750" ID

3. if no.1 is good is 6 to 7" good between top and bottom cooking grate?

Ready to move on just want these numbers checked before i continue.

Thanks in advance for the help.

 

[rotor head]

I got a little more done today firebox grate made used 1/2" solid square bar. I think it will hold up to the heat. Got the firebox plate for the door and ash pan all cut out just got to frame out the the door weld the hinges on weld up the ash pan then I can weld the frame to the box. I'm still thinking of andding two inches to the CC door and cut two inches out of the CC. that will give me 4 1/2" from the reverse flow plate and the exhaust will be 5" from the bottom cooking surface.  

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• rotor head
• Apr 11, 2015

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• rotor head
• Apr 11, 2015

 

[rotor head]

Firebox door made. Frame welded in and door hung. tomorrow ash pan build.

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• rotor head
• Apr 12, 2015

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• Apr 12, 2015

 

[lendecatural]

Very nice, you are making great progress, 

 

[rotor head]

Thank you, its getting closer. do need some advice on the CC door opening I'm thinking cutting 2" more inches out of it that will give me 4 1/2" to the RF plate and may smoke stack will have 29 outside and 6 Inside will this be good?

 

[lendecatural]

I think you will be fine with that clearance above the RF plate. Your height for the stack is good as long as the volume meets the calculations, round pipe flows better than what you have but if everything else is on point, it should be OK. You can always cut the inside part of the stack off if you don't like how it cooks.

 

[rotor head]

Thanks for the reply.  I know pipe flows better but it was eaiser to cut the square out than cutting a round hole plus 10 bucks for the 5" OD square tube its a little over 4.5" OD. The Feldon calculator says 4"pipe 31" and 4.5" pipe 25" so I can raise if need be. The Sq. tube is 36" so I have up to that if you really don't need any sticking in the CC . Also I want to put in a smaller top cooking rack is 6 to 7" good between racks.

Got the ash pan built today so now latches and handles and that will be done. Build cooking racks and cut and weld in the RF plate and its fire time.

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• rotor head
• Apr 13, 2015

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• rotor head
• Apr 13, 2015

 

[rotor head]

Ok you want a good laugh. So I just finish up the ash pan go to roll the smoker and it starts to tip over. It was really funny I just looked at it and then started to kick myself in the ass. I never calculated the weight of the firebox and my wheel location so as you know the firebox is real heavy 3/8" plate. So option 1. move wheels farther out on the firebox or option 2. fill the farther out wheel legs with lead. I'm leaning to option #2.    

 

[lendecatural]

It depends on what you will be cooking for how much height you want between the racks. If you do beer can chicken, or turkeys, they are tall, butts, not quite as much, ribs and half chickens are nothing. As long as you can slide out the racks to tend the meat, you will be fine. 

I would hang a known weight on the front and see if you can get that much lead in the legs before you decide on #2. You can build a shelf on that end to weigh it down, anything you build overhanging to the left of the front wheel set gets extra bang for the buck. Once you put wood in the firebox, it only gets worse.....

 

[smokejumper]

Ok you want a good laugh. So I just finish up the ash pan go to roll the smoker and it starts to tip over. It was really funny I just looked at it and then started to kick myself in the ass. I never calculated the weight of the firebox and my wheel location so as you know the firebox is real heavy 3/8" plate.....

Yeah, that is a good one.
I once mounted a stack on my smoker, and it looked great until I tried to wheel it out of the garage and it hit the top of the garage door.

 

[rotor head]

I almost did the same. I got lucky and was wire wheeling the inside of the CC stepped back and looked at the curve of the garage door and got the tape out I will just clear at 30" if I need to go that high.  

 

[rotor head]

I got some 2 x 2 x 24" tube with lead in them around 35 lbs not full use to use them as ballast for the race car to make weight. I can't beleive I made that mistake as an aircraft mechanic I play with weight and balance all the time. 

 

[rotor head]

Got the somke stack welded in and the cooking rack slides. cut the tubing and round bar for the cooking racks now I have 108 holes to drill for the 3/8" SS round to slide in then I can put the frame together and weld up.

Got a question on the RF plate is it ok to raise it up a little from the firebox plate no more than two inches. I got some 3x3 angle that I was going to run down the center then weld in two peices of plate from it to the to the CC the V will be for drain.

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• rotor head
• Apr 15, 2015

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• rotor head
• Apr 15, 2015

 

[lendecatural]

Should be no problem to raise the plate.

Get some of this or similar tap fluid. I mine is Tap Magic 

http://www.amazon.com/s/?ie=UTF8&ke...vptwo=&hvqmt=b&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_6zjf469it3_b

It makes a huge difference when drilling and tapping.

 

[rotor head]

I'll check that out. I got some cutting fluid that i got at the welding supply store but i'm getting low used alot when I cut the intake hole 3/8" plate is fun to drill thru with a hand drill and hole saw.

 

[rotor head]

Lower cooking rack drilled and put together. need to clamp it up and take to work tomorrow to Tig. Tomorrow cut bar for top rack and drill the tube only 54 more holes to drill. then start work on the reverse flow plate hope to have that welded in Saturday. 

Here is what the cooking rack looks like its all 304 stainless.

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• rotor head
• Apr 16, 2015

 

[lendecatural]

Should be easy to clean too..

 

[smokejumper]

Nice!
Looks totally worth the effort.

 

[rotor head]

Thanks SmokeJumper and Len thats what I was looking at the ease of cleaning.

Got the top grate made. Didn't weld the lower yet will take both to work tomorrow and weld. Decided to make a change on the RF plate going to use a full plate instead of the angle with two smaller plates on each side so I will take the plte in and put a small bend in it on the press. Get that done tomorrow and I'll just have handles and latches to do and it will be test fire time.

here is both cooking grates.

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• rotor head
• Apr 17, 2015