My latest 120 gallon RF smoker

[Weaverspitbbq]

Try tweaking the door with it open then tack flat or ribs

 

[smokingunny]

I haven't cut the opening for the firebox yet so I couldn't weld ribs to the lid.

 

[Weaverspitbbq]

If you open the door and try to tweak it back into shape open you can ..I had to do that on mine ..Good luck ..

 

[Weaverspitbbq]

I took flat steel shaped it to the tank ....I opened the door..out a nylon strap around the door only ..watched it until I got the door the same ..contour as the strap ..then I welded ribs to it .got it as close as I could on that door..it has a big crease in it ...it leaks ..but I made it work

 

[kmmamm]

OK, so that isn’t as bad as I thought it might be. If this was my build, I would be welding the exterior door flanges on.
First step is to cut and pre-shape the flat strap. I use a minimum thickness of 3/16” about 2.5” wide. Mark a line down the middle of each strap and drill 4 or 5 1/2” holes down one side of each strap so that the edge of the finished hole is about 3/8” from the centerline. If you have (or know a friend with) a metal roller, use that to roll the side straps down to the tank contour. If you don’t have a roller, tack the strap to the back side of your tank and use a BFH to tap the strap into shape. Once flanges are formed, grind door edge flat, position strap so that half of it is on door, then tack them in place using plenty of c-clamps to hold them in place and flat against door. After straps are tacked down on inside edge (edge laying flat against top of door) weld the strap to door exposed inside the holes and then weld holes shut. Stitch weld inside edge and remove clamps.
Repeat process on inside edges of tank and then fit door to tank adjusting as necessary.

 

[smokingunny]

I don't have a roller so it looks like I'm hammering. And you're right, it's not as bad as I made it sound. It still bothers me though. I guess a career in Marine Corps aviation maintenance leaves little room for error.

 

[kmmamm]

Don’t sweat it Gunny, that smoker isn’t going to fall from the sky if the doors aren’t perfect. Don’t be afraid to get medieval on it occasionally.

 

[smokingunny]

Well, after repeated attempts to make this work with my floor jack, I almost bought a bottle jack but couldn't justify the cost. It didn't even dawn on me until I told my buddy that I needed my manual log splitter that I loaned him to split up a tree I'd cut down. It's basically a 5-ton bottle jack on a frame. So I rigged it up and went to work. Results aren't perfect but with a little time and patience I think it'll work out. At one point, I flexed the lid one inch and when tension was released it only made about 1/8 inch of difference but it's getting there. I don't even care about a gap because there will be flanges inside and out, I just want it to sit flush.

 

[kmmamm]

Hey Gunny,
Sounds like you are catching on to the secrets of mild steel fabrication! If you have a harbor freight nearby, give it a visit and watch the sales. I have had really good luck with many of their hydraulic products even when subjected to abusing applications of excessive brute force.

 

[Berettaclayshooter]

you could place a boards across the corners then strap the lid down and use a pry bar to pop out the middle, or use a board in the middle and try and "push" the corners of the door in to make it flat.

 

[smokingunny]

I got tired of messing with the grinder so I broke out the plasma cutter for the FB to CC opening.

 

[Weaverspitbbq]

Looking better...

 

[kmmamm]

One of my favorite tools. What kind do you have?

 

[smokingunny]

One of my favorite tools. What kind do you have?

Colossal Tech that I bought off of eBay a few years ago. Is it Cheap? Yes. Does it work? Yes. If i were using it all day on a regular basis I would've gotten a Hypertherm or some other name brand machine. But for what I use it for, it works fine.