Rookie builder needs some help

[sholmes]

I am in the planning stages of a large smoker build.  I have a little experience cooking with a small vertical charcoal smoker, and have never built a smoker.  I have been checking out the builds on here and i am completly hooked.  i have spent weeks reading on here and planning.  My wife thinks i am addicted. 

I want to build a large reverse flow smoker with some extras.  I have a 300 gal propane tank for the main cook chamber.  I want to build an insulated square fire box.  I want to mount a smaller tank vertically on top of the fire box to use as a smaller cook chamber or warmer box.  On the other end of the main cook chamber i plan to mount another small tank horizontal to use as a charcoal grill. 

I have a drawing of what i am planning and a picture of the 300 gal tank.  I can not figure out how to post the pictures.  I will get them posted as soon as i get it figured out.  I think it is because i am new here.

I am not sure if it is even possible to have two cook chambers using the same fire box.  Would i be able to use one or the other, or both at the same time if i needed to?  How would you figure the numbers and calculate sizes?

I have seen a few plans similar to what i have in mind, but have not found where it has been done quite like i am planning. 

Any advice or input would be helpful.  I know it will be hard to understand what i want to build untill i figure out how to get my pictures posted. 

 

[weedeater]

Sounds like an interesting plan and you have come to the right place for lots of help and advice.  You will find the folks very knowledgable and willing to help and offer suggestions.  You will get more response when you can add some pictures of your ideas for folks to look at.  Inserting pics is not that difficult.  In the reply area you will see a line of buttons at the top.  The button that looks like a picture just to the left of the film strip looking button will be the insert picture that you are searching for.  You will be able to search for the pic on your computer and upload it directly.  Hope this helps and look forward to checking out your build.  Joe

 

[sholmes]

I still can not get my pictures to load.  When i got to the picture icon, then browse, i find my picture and select it.  I chose the size i wanted the picture and selected submit.  One picture says error and the other just disappears.  When i click on attachment icon it says i do not have permission to create attachments. 

I think that i read somewhere on here that you have to have a certain number of post before you are allowed to post pictures. 

 

[daveomak]

sholmes, morrning and welcome to the forum.....  New members posts, etc are screened for spam.... the computerized jailer has them locked up....  they will be released when someone gets an order from the judge for a bail hearing.....    or something like that...    Dave  

 

[sholmes]

Dave, from what i have read on here you seem to be one of the go to guys for calculating the numbers and getting the setup correct.  When i get my pictures posted please take a look and let me know if you think this design could ever work. 

I would like to be able to use the smaller vertical smoker only, for just everyday smoking.  Would it matter that my fire box is way to big for the small cook chamber only, or could i just close some intake or build a smaller fire?

Would you add both cook chambers together when figuring the fire box size?

I am looking to purchase a plasma cutter for this project, and want to be able to cut 1/4 in steel well.  Does anyone have advice on brands to look at or stay away from?  I have looked at a hypertherm 45, it was pretty pricey.  My brother has used a thermal dynamic and thinks they are pretty good.  This is not something i will use everyday but i don't want a cheap piece of junk either.

 

[daveomak]

I have a hypertherm.... can't remember the number...  If you get one, I suggest the motor guard air filter... It uses a toilet paper type roll to keep the water and dirt out of the plasma torch...  Look around for a less expensive place to buy them...  but they are worth the security when you consider what the plasma costs.....  

About the smoker....  when the pictures come up, dimensions of all the parts and what you want to do with them....   Many members have built smokers...  between us, we will figure it out....  we want you to have the best smoker in town...   

Dave

http://www.autobodytoolmart.com/mot...p-11897.aspx?gclid=CMvb5NLTzLUCFWrZQgodjBgAdw

 

[sholmes]

Still no pictures?  Not sure if i am doing something wrong or if I just need to wait longer?  Anyone know how long it usually takes for a new members pictures to come up?

 

[daveomak]

Loading pictures.....

If you can load them in your computer from camera or phone, I have a separate file on my computer for SMF pictures.....   Then in the reply box, where you write about your stuff, there is an icon 2 spaces to the left of the paper clip.....  click on that...  click on "upload files"... then search for your SMF pics file....  find the picture file, and double click it....  once it loads, select the size and click submit......   then hit return twice to make room under the picture for more pics or writing stuff... repeat to add more pictures in the same post.....   That method is so much easier that other stuff once you get the hang of it......    Need more help, I'm here....

 

[sholmes]

When i click submit i get a message that says [error uploading images].  My plan is a pdf that i scanned to my laptop.

When i try the photo of my 300 gal tank and hit submit it acts like it is going to work, then the picture just does not show up. 

 

[rasimmo]

I had problems with a PDF also. I scanned again and saved as jpeg and was able to use that here. The images do take a little bit to get releases from jail. That stops when you get a few posts. Not certain of exact number.

 

[sholmes]

Is there someway to tell if my pictures are being held up and reviewed because i am new, or am i just not doing something correctly?

I have read on here somewhere that a new member has to make a certain number of post before photos can be posted.  If that is the case does anyone know how many?

I do not want to keep trying to post the pictures and have them all come up repeatedly.

 

[rasimmo]

There is a test section here somewhere. Try doing different things there. If they show up there before here, then something was wrong and you need to resubmit them. That will keep duplicates out of this. I had to do that until I got it all figured out.

 

[radioguy]

sholmes,

Good afternoon, I am a recent new member, and I hope I can shed some light on the posting problem.  As a new member the site will accept your post (regardless of pics included or not), after you submit it and indicate that it was accepted pending a review by a mod  (since you are new & unknown).  It will become visible to the public once approved by a mod, for me it has not been a long wait for these posts to appear.  It sounds like you are having a file error or browser issue.  When posting a picture make sure it is a graphics file, jpeg,bmp, gif and so on. If you are trying to upload a pdf as a picture that may be the issue.  A pdf should be "attached" and I am not sure how it is handled, I haven't done an attachment yet. 

One quick way of making a graphic file from a pdf is to open the pdf in reader, then (assuming windows OS), press shift/prnt screen, this will put a shot of your entire screen on the clipboard, then you can paste it to MS paint or other graphic program, and edit and save as a picture file.  I hope this helps you get some photos up.

Let me comment on plasma cutters, I will probably take some heat (pun intended)  for commenting on a cheapo chinese cutter.  First up, I am a hobbyist metal worker, I don't do this for a living or depend on my equipment for income.  I do believe in buying USA made products.  I have aquired varous used equipmnet over the years for my hobby.  Snap-ON MIG &  Miller MaxStar.  That being said, I could not justify paying a lot of $$ for a quality plasma that I would only use 1-4 times a year.  Believe me I have been watching / bidding on eBay  Craig's for quite sometime.   I bought a lotos ltd5000 refurb off e-bay for $241 (free shipping), it is not the best quality, the torch is flimsy and cheap, but boy can it cut and it cuts well.  50amp box (they say it can cut 1/2"), cuts really good to about 3/8", I think I can do 1/2" just have to slow it down & work on my technique.  The only major drawback are the consumables.  The electrodes and tips do not last that long IMHO.  They will sever your material, but when I need a good clean cut, I change the tips.  Since it is an "off brand" I am locked into buying the ones that will fit this torch.   My neighbor has a 50amp Everlast, it works well and is built a lot better then my lotos.  

Dave O is right, make sure to use an air dryer on your compressed air, it will make cleaner cuts and save consumables.  

Tom - RadioGuy

 

[sholmes]

I messed around in the test area and tried several different pictures.  They did not show up there either.  I will wait awhile longer and see if something happens.  I might have to get a computer wiz to show me what i am doing wrong.

Thanks for trying to help everyone.

If i ever get this figured out i may start a new thread just so that the whole first page is not taken up by this problem.

 

[s2k9k]

I messed around in the test area and tried several different pictures.  They did not show up there either.  I will wait awhile longer and see if something happens.  I might have to get a computer wiz to show me what i am doing wrong.

Thanks for trying to help everyone.

If i ever get this figured out i may start a new thread just so that the whole first page is not taken up by this problem.

This might help you out:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/a/how-to-upload-a-photo-q-view-to-your-post

None of your posts have been held by the software so there must be something else wrong.

What file type are you trying to upload?

 

[sholmes]

I have tried jpeg pictures and a pdf of my build plan.

I must be doing something wrong,  I will get figured out.

 

[geerock]

sholmes, morrning and welcome to the forum.....  New members posts, etc are screened for spam.... the computerized jailer has them locked up....  they will be released when someone gets an order from the judge for a bail hearing.....    or something like that...    Dave  

Umm..... what?:biggrin:
Judges? Bail hearings? Jailers? That one had me rolling on the floor!

 

[sholmes]

cooker.jpg

• sholmes
• Feb 24, 2013

Here is my plan. 

 

[weedeater]

SHOLMES,

Going to the test area to try to figure it out is a good suggestion.  It is a little hard to find.  It is under the" Forum Tab", under "Just for Fun" which is the last thing in the list. I don't really understand why it is where it is.  You can try posting some stuff there and figure out what works and doesn't without worrying about putting up multiple posts. 

I see as I was writing this post you most have got it figured out or got out of jail one. 

 

[sholmes]

here is my main tank.  I finally got the pictures/plan to come up.  Now if some of you pro's with some experience could let me know if you think this plan could work, what might need changed, how to calculate the numbers on a different set up like this?  Thanks for all the help trying to get my pic problem figured out.  I think i must have got out of jail on parole because i did not do anything different, it just started working.

20130216_142619.jpg

• sholmes
• Feb 24, 2013