Reverse flow build

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The quarantine time has given me time to keep working on the smoker! Here is the fire box. 18x18 with 3/16" steel. I was originally going to use a 15 gallon air tank, but matting two tanks with domed ends is a pain (i started at it), the 15 gallon was a little smaller than ideal, and then putting the dampers on the other end of a domed tank was going to be a real PITA as well, so decided I would just make the box .

I will be putting a slide damper on the lower right side (90* from the door side, which will put it in line with the opening into the CC), then I am going to put a pinwheel damper in the top center of the same side. Also, I am debating on tacking in some 1" C channel in an X pattern on the back side of the door to prevent warping. Can anyone tell me if this is necessary or is it over kill?

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Here is mounting the FB to the CC. Now I just need put in the RF plate, put in the chimney, build my cooking rack, build the fire basket for the FB, put some handles on and I should be about good to go. I'm also going to put a drain tube opposite the FB and run a channel in the center of the RF to drain the fat and grease.

Also not shown, I originally made the frame too narrow, and with the big pneumatic wheels this thing was pretty top heavy. Like hit the wrong bump in the yard and it would tip over top heavy. So I cut the frame off and widened by 5". I am glad I did. Much more stable now, and it lowered it by a couple inches so it's a little better fit and lowers the center of gravity a bit.

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More progress. Last thing I have to do it put the deflector in, put on a couple handles, cut in a spot for the grease drain tube coming of the center of the heat deflector, and build the food grate. It's getting close to finished finally.

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Yes... the sharp 90 REALLY stops the air flow.... Air flow is extremely important in a smoker...
Killing creosote with the extra oxygen....
AND, moving air from the FB to the CC, to reduce fuel consumption.....
 
Reworked the exhaust. I had some rolled 4" wide 3/16" left over from patches I made to replace bungs in the top of the tank so I used that as the bottom of the plenum so hopefully this helps "roll" the air up in into the stack.

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Hinges shouldn't be centered on door cut. Offset them to the outside, this will make the hinge point lift the door and give clearance for the seal.

RG
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I was going to recommend spacers under the tank hinges as well I'm not sure you would need them under the lid side of the hinge.

Lets see some more pictures cysmoker cysmoker , it's looking really good so far.
 
Here is another question I have. My heat deflector plate is done and I made it with 1/4" plate and ran C channel down the center of it for grease drainage. How well sealed does the plate need to be against the walls of the Cook Chamber? I was thinking of tacking on angle iron for the plate to sit on then I could pull the plate out for cleaning the bottom of the CC if needed, but If I do this it will leave a small gap the length of the CC on each side. Will this have a big effect on air flow?
 
Perfect... You might drill holes in the angle and plate, when it's lined up, and drop a nail in the holes to keep it from moving....
 
wait wait you didnt mitre the corners on first pic.. loooks awsome
 
sorry post #4 .. i was a finish carpenter builder its just a joke like butting casing side to end..
 
sorry post #4 .. i was a finish carpenter builder its just a joke like butting casing side to end..

LOL. I did mitre the banding around the door of the smoker at least....
 
Deflector, grease drain, chimney redesign, and cooking grate slides and frame are done. Also found a wood stove damper at menards for $5 that I was able to steal the the handle off of to use for a handle on the intake slide. I'll cut the expanded metal tonight for the cooking grate and this thing will be pretty much finished.

I'm going to have it blasted by a local dustless blaster to get the mill scale off and left over paint, then paint it with hitemp spray paint. I talked to a local coating guy that said he would blast it and coat it with hitemp creakote that is used on exhaust, but that it would be $600. Pass on that. The dustless blaster is charging $150 to blast it. Worth it to me instead of chewing up flap discs and wire wheels and an entire saturday.

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Took the smoker and had it blasted. Now just need to weld on the hatchet I'm using as handle. Once the weather cooperates I'll paint. It is supposed to be cold all weekend so probably wont happen this weekend.

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You may have to cut those hinges loose and reweld them with the door properly closed...
Fix the door before you paint....
 
You may have to cut those hinges loose and reweld them with the door properly closed...
Fix the door before you paint....

I think what your seeing is that I put to much heat into the banding on either side of the door and it warped a little. I have latches/push stopper things that I welded on last night that push it in for a tight seal.


EDIT. Never mind. You were right Dave. Going out to cut and reweld it now.
 
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Air leaks will kill your fire/temp control... Clamp the door if it fits easily into the correct position... You can tack weld it in place and weld... Then cut the tacks after cooling...
 
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