ADVICE ON A WARPED FIRE BOX DOOR NEEDED!!!!

[canuck76]

Hello all!

We were doing great on our build until the burn in. Most of it went well, the gadgets work great but the fire door warped, wondering if theres anyone on here that has experience with this and a plausible solution for fixing this door? Any input would be very appreciated.

Heres a few pictures of it.

A pic of it before going out to be seasoned for the first time. (after sand blasting)  

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

Firing it up!! 

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

A pic of the door vents

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

A bigger shot of the door. Its 1/2" thick with those 1/4"x 2' braces on it

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

it originally sat flush with the housing/box

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

The bottom rolling out too

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

After about three hours you can see a really good roll in it. Had hinge issues too and it wouldn't close after this but we figured out the hinge issues.  

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

Another shot of the deflection 

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

This was tho hinge problem, not hard to figure out. 

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

Another shot of the roll in the door

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

The next morning. 

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• canuck76
• May 10, 2017

 

[crankybuzzard]

Is the door removable?

If so, you can remove the door, tack it down onto a HEAVY piece of plate or a heavy welding table where it is nice and flat, and then add some cross supports to it.  After welding on the cross supports, let it completely cool before grinding off the tack welds to the table or plate.  This has worked for me before a few times, and hasn't worked a couple of times.

More than likely when you welded the horizontal pieces on, you gave it the potential to draw, and after getting very hot during the burnout, it took the opportunity to draw back.  

Good looking smoker!

 

[canuck76]

Great idea, the welder working on this with me may have a big heavy secure table we can do this on, plus might be able to build a jig to flex it back a bit too!

 

[daveomak]

Those straps on the outside of the door is what warped the door...    The door heated up and expanded while the straps stayed cold and didn't expand...  Been there..... done that.... 

 

[ahumadora]

It probably bent back some when it cooled of but not completely.

You might have to start giving it some love taps with block of wood and sledge hammer to get it back flat.

Next , weld a big X right on the inside,  corner to corner with at least 2 x 1/2" or similar flatbar on edge like the outside.

 

[canuck76]

Thanks for the input folks, we've got the door straightened out and did a second test run, not any where as hot, and things are looking good! It holds temperature amazingly we'll and is very easily adjusted thanks to all the ways we've built in to move air around! 

Now to get the seals around the doors!! (then off to our first competition....in two days...)

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• canuck76
• May 11, 2017

A good shot of all the levers that run the flue's and damper's (yes there are 4 in a row there!)

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• canuck76
• May 11, 2017

Even broke out some patio chairs for this one!! The welder stayed to see how the door reacted, all is well!! 

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• canuck76
• May 11, 2017

Just a fun shot of the side burner at dusk

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• canuck76
• May 11, 2017

 

[ahumadora]

You certainly have the whole steam punk theme going on with this build.

nice going.

 

[canuck76]

Yes it does! We weren't going for that really, it just turned out that way. I kinda like it!

Were seriously thinking of clear coating it lust like that rather than painting it too.

Maybe....

 

[bigmel]

I saw this rig at porkapalooza!!! It was amazing! Gave me the grit to start one of my own. Thanks for not running a pellet burner like the rest of em!

 

[canuck76]

Thats awesome! The power of the internet hey!!?

Im by no means an expert but I did learn LOTS while building and using this cooker for the first few time's so if you need a sounding board while building yours, Im all over it!!