Smokin Compressor

[OldracerJones]

I have an old Craftsman 30 gal compressor, one of the oilless ones that has since burned up. I bought a new Craftsman Professional 60 gal but now am trying to turn the tank of the old one into a baroque smoker.
I've figured out how to cut the door but am having a hard time trying to design the firebox at the bottom so I can have the smoke but want indirect heat. My initial thinking was to put a plate in above the firebox slightly smaller in diameter than the tank so heat and smoke could go up the walls but keep most of the heat radiating through the plate.

Think it will work? Any different ideas on the plate?

 

[blackgold]

so you will definately want to put a plate from the edge of firebox about 12" into cook chamber. My pit has what they call tuning plates. it's 8"? plates that you stack along the bottom in line with the first plate you put in You'd put steel on both sides for the plates to sit on (just like a 1" wide piece welded in across front and back.. You adjust these plates from each other to make the pit heat more evenly across the whole pit. the tuning plates are held in place with a nut welded in above the plates and a wing nut threaded in to it to push down on the plate. Get enough of the steel you use to make lips for your door. My pit is a lil bigger but I think the same principles are as important if not more important on smaller pits because the food tends to burn on the firebox side and your temps are hard to control (make it even across the pit) without the plate and tuning plates.
Brian

 

[blackgold]

you'd want the plates all the same diameter as your pit. If you're letting smoke by that close to your fire, you're letting the fire up too.
Brian

 

[jlckmj]

look here, you will find your answers
Jim

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/197/smoker-builds

 

[jonese]

FYI: I have a craftsman 6 gal air compressor that burned up a few years ago. I hung on to it fortunately and then out of nowhere got a letter in the mail saying the motor was being recalled. I took it back to sears and they put a brand new motor on it. I'm not sure if the 30gal units were recalled as well but you might want to check into it before you start cutting. As cool as a custom smoker would be I'd rather have a back up air compressor.

 

[OldracerJones]

Thanks, I'll check to see if it listed as an issue.

 

[OldracerJones]

so you will definately want to put a plate from the edge of firebox about 12" into cook chamber. My pit has what they call tuning plates. it's 8"? plates that you stack along the bottom in line with the first plate you put in You'd put steel on both sides for the plates to sit on (just like a 1" wide piece welded in across front and back.. You adjust these plates from each other to make the pit heat more evenly across the whole pit. the tuning plates are held in place with a nut welded in above the plates and a wing nut threaded in to it to push down on the plate. Get enough of the steel you use to make lips for your door. My pit is a lil bigger but I think the same principles are as important if not more important on smaller pits because the food tends to burn on the firebox side and your temps are hard to control (make it even across the pit) without the plate and tuning plates.
Brian

Thanks for the info, makes sense to me.

 

[OldracerJones]

look here, you will find your answers
Jim

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/f/197/smoker-builds

Great site, thanks.