Stainless steel muffler smoker !

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argofanatic

Fire Starter
Original poster
Mar 12, 2012
30
12
Mayo, Quebec, Canada
That's right, you did read correctly. A muffler.

This ain't your regular muffler however, this puppy came off a million dollar 750kw generator!

40" in diameter and 8 feet long build from 1/8" thick stainless. Yea baby.

I've seen so many wonderful and ingenious builds on this forum that I would like to draw upon your collective wisdom

to help me make this a success if not an adventure.

Here are a couple of pictures of this monster and an idea or two that have been dancing around in my head.



Idea number one: Vertical inline.

Stand this monster on end, use one flange opening as the firebox air intake, use the other flange opening as the chimney outlet.

Each opening is 13-1/2 inches in diameter.

I would cut out bottom section with the flange to make a door with built in round air inlet.

Cut a couple of doors above that to place shelves for food.

Weld in a firebox to smoke chamber separator.

Attach a chimey to the top flange with a 90 degree elbow.

Seems like a simple enough plan.

Waddayathink ?

I'm looking for any suggestions.

Thanks.
 
Better you than me.
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Good lord, how much does that thing weigh?
 
OK, so here's my design so far. Looking for any comments from all you experienced folks.

Knowing that this monster is going to weigh in somewhere around 600-700 lbs once complete I think putting it on wheels is a good idea if I ever decide to move it.

I borrowed the dual door idea from a build I saw on this site (forget which one, I studied so many). I also borrowed the circular shelf idea from here.

I figure if I add a motor to the whole lazy suzan type shelves, I can guarantee that every square inch will get maximum smoke.

The trailer concept I think is kind of clever, tilt the unit for transport, don't have to worry about an 102 inch structure tipping over.

I also figure a couple of steps and integrated "cooking deck" is a good idea since cooking shelves will be anywhere from 30" to 80" off the ground.

The deck brings everything down to a reasonable height.

I think I came up with a name for this thing too: I think I'll call it ... "OPTIMUS PRIME"

So here are my drawings as the design now stands ...


 
I like the swivel down idea for transporting it. To build on that thought may want to think about...

- Swivel Exhaust

- Door on the top side instead of down when in transport mode.

- another set of racks

- a firebox

With these changes it may work for smoking either vertical or horizontal. Just a thought, may screw up the motorized lazy Susan thought when smoking vertical though...
th_dunno-1%5B1%5D.gif

 
 
That is one hell of a big unit. Your build is ambitious. I think horizontal would be easier maybe even more practical, but I got to admit, the visual impact of 8+ feet of Vertical Stainless Steel belching Smoke can not be denied...You're going to need that 8 Wheel ATV to drag that big sucker around. I got to ask, did it cost anything? How did you aquire a Generator Muffler?...JJ
 
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I got to ask, did it cost anything? How did you aquire a Generator Muffler?...JJ
The cost for the muffler was the very affordable price of ZERO dollars.

It did however cost me $300 to have a flat bed tow truck deliver it from 200 miles away!

It's quite a bit (OK, a lot) bigger than I was hoping for, but by using the unit pretty much as is, I'm hoping to minimize welding. I do have a small MIG, but I wasn't planning on stainless until this fell on my lap. It's going to look real sweet once it's sandblasted and/or wire brushed.
 
A little more progess...

Stainless is cut for the "Lazy Susan" shelving. Going to try my hand at TIG welding.

I should be an expert by the time I'm done I have about 190 1" welds to do!


A couple of pipe burners for the propane assist. Both are 36" long 1" pipe, one with 1-1/2" slit spacing, the other with 1" spacing.

 
Holy guacamole Batman!  

Whatever the outcome or design, this will be a smoker for the ages.  I'm thinking you guys north of the border are crazy 
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.

Like piaconis posted, I"M IN!

Curt.  
 
Damn son, you got yourself a whole passel of go-get-em going on there!
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I love the tilt trailer idea combined with the powered shelves! Just a thought, you may have to reduce the size of the exhaust vent, otherwise your gonna have way to much draw.

.... and maybe change the name to "Optimus Prime(rib)" LOL
 
Bwah ha, good one!

Thank you all for the encouragement, it's a pretty ambitious project.

With regards to reducing the exhaust vent, I was going to put a damper in. That way if I decide to do long smokes with the propane assist (to finish off the last several hours) I can choke down the exhaust and keep more heat in.  Good or bad idea ?

Got part of the lazy susan welded-up. TIG welding sure looks easy in the hands of a master. I SUCK !

Thankfully I am getting better, my first two dozen welds sure weren't pretty.

 
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