Help with 275 gallon smoker build

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smokincuga

Newbie
Original poster
Nov 9, 2014
11
10
Northern Iowa
This is my first smoker build. I don't have much fabrication or welding skills but I'm doing my best. I was wondering what size fb I would need and what opening I would need for the fb to cc. will be posting pics of what I've started so far soon. Thanks
 
So I came up with a fb of 30x30x30.  chimney pipe diameter of 8"and 26" length. Im still not sure about the opening for the half moon. Just wondering if these numbers seem ok.
 
Hello SmokinCuga, and welcome to the forums.

If your tanks is a true 275 gallons, then your numbers look good so far.

I would recommend measuring your tank and calculating the volume yourself rather than relying on the advertized size.

The true volume is typically greater than the advertized size to allow for head space for propane expansion.

Your FB-CC opening should be 254in[sup]2[/sup].

To calculate the dimensions of your FB-CC opening, we need to know the tank diameter.

I hope this helps.
 
OK, now we are getting somewhere.

Best to post all the pertinent information (for instance what kind of tank you are using) up front in your first post.

Now that we know that it is an oil tank, your numbers are still good so far.

The FB-CC opening depends on how you are going to lay out the smoker.

Assuming a sort of "conventional" layout for an oil tank, you can treat the bottom of the tank like a 27" diameter section. A cutout with a radius of 13" and a segment height of 12.5" will give you an area of 252in[sup]2[/sup] which is close enough to the 254in[sup]2[/sup] that the calculator calls for.

If you want to have the cutout match the inside of the tank exactly, you can use a cutout of 13.5" radius and a segment height of 12.5" for an area of 259in[sup]2[/sup], which is still good.

It also helps to post a sketch of what you are thinking of building. Doesn't have to be fancy, but will go a long way in allowing people here to know what you want and be able to offer useful advice. Simple way to do this is to make a hand drawing and take a picture of it with your cell phone and attach it to your post.

I hope this helps.
 
Your drawing is spot on.

You have a good plan, and you are off to a good start.

You should be easily able to have the RF plate also serve as a water pan.

Most folks don't use water in an offset smoker, and in the case of a reverse flow the radiant heat from the RF plate (without water) does a lot of the cooking.

Keep updating your thread, and we'll follow along.
 
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