Help me plan my modification

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ntrouble

Newbie
Original poster
May 28, 2014
10
10
Rockwall, TX
Hi.
I have spent some time researching the threads here. I have picked up a smoker that is in need of some modification. I have decided to go ahead and do a full conversion to reverse flow.
Now I need to plan out how to make the needed revisions. There are several challenges I see on this smoker, starting at the firebox. It is too high on the smoker in it's current location. It will need to be lowered around six or seven inches or so. The issue I have is figuring out what to do about the end cap. Is my best option just cutting it off and adding a flat sidewall above the firebox or is there a simple way to patch the end cap?
Around here, the end caps are used for fire pits and for that reason, they typically sell for a premium.
The air intake will have to be completely re-designed as well as the exhaust stack.
Here is the "ugly duckling". I have a couple weeks to plan out the mods before I actually start on them. So I am trying to make a good plan of attack for this project.
 
Well that might help, huh?
24 inch diameter, 36 inches between the seams and 48 inches end cap to end cap.
Firebox is 20x20x20
 
http://feldoncentral.com/bbqcalcula...25.48&fi=4,2,0,19.20,2.40&fc=8.08,11.42,51.20

The top of the firebox needs to be about 6" above the bottom of the cook chamber floor and your firebox is bigger than what is required, that's why I have a smaller number plugged into the calculator. I then took the area required for the FB to CC opening and multiplied by 1.5 to get to about 75 square inches required. From the circle calculator, that works out to about 6" above the floor of the cook chamber. You could run the RF plate lower inside the firebox and plug the hole from the inside of the cook chamber, it won't have to be as pretty. That would give you a double top in the firebox and maybe help paint stay on a little better. So you could lower the ceiling of the fire box by 4 inches and run the RF into the cook chamber and your firebox would still be around 100% of required size. It seems like it would be a lot easier than cutting it loose and putting it back on. If you want the firebox to be taller, you could always cut the bottom off, ring it with 4x4 angle iron and weld the bottom back in place. Just a thought.....
 
:yeahthat::yeahthat::yeahthat:

The door looks sprung and doesn't seal..... Am I looking at it correctly.....
 
Hi Dave.
The door was not installed correctly and the bullet hinges were removed last night. I will be addressing that issue as well. There is no doubt this thing will need a complete overhaul. Once I removed the hinges the door fit a lot closer. This is how it sits in the hole with no hinges.
 
Well, I won't say I know how to fix any of this without wrestling with it for a while. I am grateful for any suggestions on what to do.
 
It looks like I am finally getting ready to start working on my smoker renovation. After double and triple checking dimensions I wanted to run some basic ideas past the master builders here, if it is ok.
Cook chamber dimensions are as follows:
23.5 inch interior diameter
32 inch seam to seam measurement
46 inches inside width (end to end)

My plan is to lower the firebox to somewhere around 5 to 6 inches from the cook chamber floor.
The firebox measures 20 1/4 inch cube. It is 19.75 inches inside.

I would like to not lose the rounded ends, so I will either take Len's suggestion to extend the firebox lower or I will remove it and add a strip to fill in the gap above the firebox.

I guess my question is where would you suggest I put the reverse flow plate? I will be using that location to determine the placement of the firebox.
 
Straighten the door first.... hydraulic jack on the inside part of the door, sitting on the chain that is going around the door... jack until the door matches the curve of the tank.... (you will have to make a template for that method)... Then weld on something similar to my ugly drawing... a door/brace/support/hinge/handle combination... Use the inside edge of the door opening for the template to make the template from.... cut the bracket and tweak it to fit the tank perfect before you weld it to the door.... Don't forget to leave a nickel's thickness, of a gap, between the door and bracket when welding... tack first.... check door fit..... adjust... check fit.... etc..... until the door fits PERFECT or you will have a headache... a poorly fitting door is a misery you don't want or need.... Air leaks in a smoker, no matter how small they seem, cause major problems FOREVER...... no air leaks and you will be very happy......

.......Click on pics to enlarge...




and the magic circle calculator.......

http://www.1728.org/circsect.htm
 
Last edited:
I ran the calculations in my post above. The RF plate needs to be 6" above the bottom of the cook chamber and you need 75 square inches of opening at the end of the RF plate where the smoke will turn up towards the grates. Good luck and keep us posted!

Len
 
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