Started building me a smoker !!

[toms73novass]

Almost every place I looked all I could find is thin metal smokers that will not last over the long haul. They also are more difficult to keep a consistant temp (less thermal mass) and do not have fireboxes that will hold a standard log.

If I wanted to spend about $2000 I could get what I wanted or I could roll my own .

Everything is going to be 1/4. Smoke tube is 20" x 3.5' and firebox is 20".

Still have a bunch to do, but I thought I would post my progress.

1/4 plate welded to pipe ends:

Firebox baffle:

Some welding:

Door cut out:

Still have to make support structure, firebox door, cut out top of firebox for direct cooking, racks etc...

 

[lotsoftools]

Nice! That thing is going weight a metric ton, but I like it.

 

[JayL]

Subscribed.

 

[ilovevocs]

Very nice. You going to fab the hardware or use store bought?

I like your garage setup their, looks small but well laid out. Do you weld over that epoxy floor? My floor is still concrete but im hesitant to upgrade as my garage gets used hard. These small garages seems to get abused becuase rather than having several dedicated spaces your doing a bit of everything in one small space.

My garage evolves from paint shop to fab shop to machine shop and back. its only 25 x 30. Quite a downgrade from my 50 x 60...

 

[toms73novass]

The shop is 32x28 with tons of stuff in there now. If I do have to weld over the epoxy floor I use welding blankets to help protect it to some degree. I try to do most of my welding and grinding outside.

However, I also chose to use black, white and tan flecks in my epoxy to hide the occasional burn mark. There is no way the only one would notice the marks unless they really got close to the floor and staired looking for them. I would NEVER weld over an epoxy floor that did not have the flecks, they would stick out like a sore thumb.

 

[Stainless169]

I made one out of 3/8" and the cooking chamber was 20" as well. The only difference in mine was that it is reverse flow and has a vertical heating/smoking chamber over the firebox. I weighed it at work and it was 950 lbs when I was done.

Nice skills btw. Cuts and welds look really clean.

 

[srmofo]

how did you roll the 1/4" ?

 

[kald]

Nice! What are you going to use for wheels? I have a older,heavy New Braunfels Black Diamond with pissant little 4" wheels. Everytime I move that sucker I swear I'm going to fab up some buckboard style wagon wheels for it.

 

[Big Gus]

I'm a UDS guy but I'll say your project is looking good so far!

 

[toms73novass]

how did you roll the 1/4" ?

No roll, all weld.

 

[toms73novass]

Nice! What are you going to use for wheels? I have a older,heavy New Braunfels Black Diamond with pissant little 4" wheels. Everytime I move that sucker I swear I'm going to fab up some buckboard style wagon wheels for it.

I have 8" wheels for under the firebox are (the heavy side) and 4" casters for the outer end. Hopefully they will do the job...

 

[metal1313]

No roll, all weld.

i think he was asking how/where you got the main body since a pipe that size isnt common and most people cant roll 1/4 plate into a nice cylinder like that

 

[srmofo]

i think he was asking how/where you got the main body since a pipe that size isnt common and most people cant roll 1/4 plate into a nice cylinder like that

Exactly, he said roll his own or spend 2k

 

[bad_idea]

I can't answer for the OP, but I know I could roll a piece of 1/4 plate into a cylinder that size at work on the roller. Perhaps a he used a roller at work? I am curious to know a way to do it without an expensive roller though.

Anyways, nice looking smoker. I could see myself doing this one day. I look forward to seeing the completed smoker.

 

[toms73novass]

Ahhhh. Sorry for the confusion. Roll my own, was refering to making it myself (old cigarette reference).

All welded was refering to the corners of the box (not press brake rolled/folded edges).

I did purchase the pipe in 20", fortunately a half hour away is a large pipe supplier.

Here is a shot with the wheels on it and what will be a lower shelf that will probably have expanded metal in the open area.

 

[Ben Iv]

Looks good, though I am curious how those rubber wheels will do underneath the firebox.

 

[srmofo]

Ahhhh. Sorry for the confusion. Roll my own, was refering to making it myself (old cigarette reference).

All welded was refering to the corners of the box (not press brake rolled/folded edges).

I did purchase the pipe in 20", fortunately a half hour away is a large pipe supplier.

Here is a shot with the wheels on it and what will be a lower shelf that will probably have expanded metal in the open area.

awesome. Any Idea on the weight of that bad boy?

 

[kald]

How do like that Thermal Arc? What model is it?

 

[toms73novass]

I like it does a good jog, like it much better than an old Hobart 200 of equal size that I was borrowing.

This unit is a Fabricator 210 .

 

[toms73novass]

awesome. Any Idea on the weight of that bad boy?

Well, I would guess when done about 450 lbs.

 

[toms73novass]

OK update time.

Have the smoker mostly done. I added seals to keep smoke from escaping around doors etc, painted and coated the inside with crisco and fired her up. Still have some bit of tweeking on the fire box doors. With the expansion of heat the have become sticky and need a touch of grinding in a few spots and hit with touch up paint. Then I should be all set to smoke the first piece of meat!

One thing that I would do if doing it over would be to temporarly tack gaskets in place before welding the doors in place. Because of the thickness of the gasket near the hinge area it would not allow the doors to close all the way. I ended up putting the gasket on 3 of the 4 sides. The side near the hinges is metal to metal so they dont leak anyway.

 

[deere2210]

Really looks great!! I've got an old air compressor I'm starting a build on for my wife and was wondering how to make it mobile. Any problems with it being top heavy (tipping) when moving it around? Also, what kind of gaskets did you use on the doors?

OK update time.

Have the smoker mostly done. I added seals to keep smoke from escaping around doors etc, painted and coated the inside with crisco and fired her up. Still have some bit of tweeking on the fire box doors. With the expansion of heat the have become sticky and need a touch of grinding in a few spots and hit with touch up paint. Then I should be all set to smoke the first piece of meat!

One thing that I would do if doing it over would be to temporarly tack gaskets in place before welding the doors in place. Because of the thickness of the gasket near the hinge area it would not allow the doors to close all the way. I ended up putting the gasket on 3 of the 4 sides. The side near the hinges is metal to metal so they dont leak anyway.

 

[toms73novass]

No, no problem being top heavy, the lower firebox center of gravity helps out.

I used 5/8 "tape" (rather than rope) style fibreglass stove gasket, used 600 deg red silicone rtv to hold them in place.

 

[kunkernator]

I want a smoker now...

 

[ilovevocs]

It turned out nice. Great work. Did you just spray bomb it? The finish looks great.

 

[neonnblack]

Nice build even though i prefer reverse flow for stick burners, you have different temp areas for different things on a regular set up. PLus you could make some tuning plates to fine set temps. You on BBQB?

Here is my abomination.

 

[bad_idea]

That turned out really nice. Lets see some pics with the doors open. Impressive craftsmanship. What tools did you use to build it? Welding machine, grinder, shear?, brake?, sand blaster? I would like to build something like that myself, but I don't wanna drop a bucket of cash on it. Whatcha got invested in it (ball park), if you don't mind me asking.

 

[toms73novass]

Yes I used Stove Brite satin paint, was really nice stuff.


Well I'll take more pictures of the inside another day.

I do have baffle plates in the bottom so I can adjust temps at different parts of the barrel. Infact with this inital burn in the right was hotter than the left, I closed the spaces in the baffles on the left and equalized the two sides of the the barrel.

I probably will have 7-800 in this when I am done, but don't plan on having to make another one in my lifetime.

I am not on a BBq board yet, but will be.

Well the build was not cheap, but much less than if I purchased one like this. It is all 1/4 plate. I have a cheap chicom plasma cutter that got the job done. I have a nice thermalarc mig welder. There was no brake used all welded and grinded. I killed my mikata grinder and bought a nice Matobo that eats through steel.

 

[niget2002]

Nice build even though i prefer reverse flow for stick burners, you have different temp areas for different things on a regular set up. PLus you could make some tuning plates to fine set temps. You on BBQB?

Here is my abomination.

You can still use tuning plates on a traditional smoker... My pit has a 5 degree temp difference between the two ends. What I need is to build a better firebox. I scavenged one off of a cheap pit someone was throwing out and the bottom is rusting out.

Sent from my DROID RAZR using Tapatalk 2

 

[neonnblack]

Yes I used Stove Brite satin paint, was really nice stuff.


Well I'll take more pictures of the inside another day.

I do have baffle plates in the bottom so I can adjust temps at different parts of the barrel. Infact with this inital burn in the right was hotter than the left, I closed the spaces in the baffles on the left and equalized the two sides of the the barrel.

I probably will have 7-800 in this when I am done, but don't plan on having to make another one in my lifetime.

I am not on a BBq board yet, but will be.

Well the build was not cheap, but much less than if I purchased one like this. It is all 1/4 plate. I have a cheap chicom plasma cutter that got the job done. I have a nice thermalarc mig welder. There was no brake used all welded and grinded. I killed my mikata grinder and bought a nice Matobo that eats through steel.

Nothing beats tje home made smokers. especially for the price.

Look into BBQ brethren, im on there. Its pretty much the GJ of smoking and bbq'ing.

 

[toms73novass]

Nothing beats tje home made smokers. especially for the price.

Look into BBQ brethren, im on there. Its pretty much the GJ of smoking and bbq'ing.

thanks I will

 

[MoonRise]

Looks nice Tom.

 

[kald]

Turned out very nice!!

 

[shovel]

Great job Tom! Your smoker is better built than any commercial smoker I have seen, and you did excellent work. If work ever slows, I have plans to build another trailer mounted competition pit. You probably know this already, but there is no rust inhibitor is the high heat paint. The firebox will get hot enough that the paint will flake off and the box starting to rust if it gets rained on. A canvas tarp thrown over the pit as soon as it cools will extend the life on the firebox paint. Excellent job and thank you for sharing.