My 100 gallon reverse flow build

[silenthunter]

your build looks great! how wide did you make your trailer? what size and thickness steel did you use, for the trailer? does it feel top heavy at all?

 

[southernsausage]

very nice!!!

 

[boomhower]

your build looks great! how wide did you make your trailer? what size and thickness steel did you use, for the trailer? does it feel top heavy at all?

Thanks.   The trailer frame is 33" wide.  This lines up the trailer springs with the spring perches on the axle I got.  The axle I got (free) has WMS (wheel mount surface) to WMS distance of 42.25".  The trailer frame is fabricated from 2" square x 1/8" wall tubing.

 It looks top heavier than it is.  It is actually very stable, although I do get a little nervous when I'm towing it around sharp corners.

Boom

 

[silenthunter]

Thanks, I am just planning my build! This info will help.

 

[tom walker]

Originally Posted by boomhower    Edited by Hank Hill to save a little space.

"I wanted something small enough to fit in my small back yard in a subdivision and hopefully not upset my HOA too much,  but still big enough to cook for 100 people or so."

 Boomhower,

Always feed the HOA first.

Get them hooked on BBQ. Then get them started on their own builds and they will never give you any schlitz.

I love your build. The firebox is mil-spec awesome and the hinges are outtasight!

Home Owners Association: "HOA". Somehow that seems fitting, calling them a bunch of HOAs.
I had a little "issue" with some HOAs down here but the Sheriff said I was justified and within my rights.

They won't be back.

 

[boomhower]

Thanks, I am just planning my build! This info will help.

Oh,  and FYI,  I spoke with both my BMV and my local police about the "trailer".  Because my "trailer" is so small, that the tailights of my truck can be seen while towing this, and the fact that it cannot really be used to "haul" stuff like a conventional trailer, I do not have to have trailer lights or license and title it as a trailer.  The police captain I spoke with said that they would consider it more as "towable equipment" much like a commercial cement mixer or a log splitter.   Here in Indiana, these items are not required to be licensed and titled.   He said to put some reflectors on the back and sides to cover myself in case someone rear ends me and I'm good to go. 

   Check with your local police and BMV on this.  This is another advantage to keeping your smoker smaller in size.

Boom

 

[daveomak]

Boom, morning.... that is good to hear.....  In this state, Wa,  they tax and tag anything that moves....  Dave

 

[silenthunter]

How close to the 12 o'clock mark did you make your top cuts, for your doors? 

 

[boomhower]

How close to the 12 o'clock mark did you make your top cuts, for your doors? 

SH,

  I cut the top at of the door at 10 degrees off of 12'oclock and the bottom of the door exactly at 3 o'clock.  (So, my door is a total of 80 degrees of the tank circumference.

Here's a section view of the smoker door:

section.jpg

• boomhower
• Jul 26, 2012

I hope this helps.....

Boom

 

[bob1961]

very nicely done

 ....how long is a 100 gal tank and how thick is it........bob

....

 

[silenthunter]

My 100 gal is 23" x approx 62".

Thank you for the cut diagram

 

[boomhower]

very nicely done

 ....how long is a 100 gal tank and how thick is it........bob

....

Bob,

My tank is 24" O.D. and 62" overall length.    The wall thickness of the main cylindrical shell is .250" and the formed dome "endcaps" are .287" thick.

Boom

 

[bob1961]

hey thx, yeah i'm thinking on what size tank i want to use....but mine i want to cut off the round ends and use as fire pits in my yard and cap tank off with flat plate....i want at least 48" long at that point and maybe go 30" dia as in a 250 tank so that ribs will fit in the 30" way.........bob

....

 

[heavyg]

That thing is incredible...WOW

 

[tom walker]

Ah shucks, you fellers make me feel like a bum.

I may as well smoke my meat in a hollow log out in the swamp. (Again.)

This is increadably good work. I'm looking at those welded seams and wondering how he managed to keep his kids from screwing the whole thing up.

Really!
I taught welding and this is as good as it gets. Top marks to Boomhower. What do you do for a living, anywho?

Now a question:

How does the heat/smoke get from under the water pan to the meat?

I just didn't see any natural flow but I realize that maybe the photos just didn't catch it.

So, one more photo, please?

Thanks mucho,

Tom

ByTheWay,

Has anyone done an R2D2 verticle smoker?

I've gotta get some photos of that one so I don't build it myself and loose my wife.

Please, fellas.

Ok, I'm kidding. I wouldn't loose my wife, just my vegan girlfriend.

 

[frosty]

WOW, what a beautiful smoker!!!   

 

  The fat back looks excellent, and the price was certainly right!!

 

[boomhower]

This is increadably good work. I'm looking at those welded seams and wondering how he managed to keep his kids from screwing the whole thing up.

Really!
I taught welding and this is as good as it gets. Top marks to Boomhower. What do you do for a living, anywho?

Now a question:

How does the heat/smoke get from under the water pan to the meat?

I just didn't see any natural flow but I realize that maybe the photos just didn't catch it.

So, one more photo, please?

Thanks mucho,

Tom

ByTheWay,

Has anyone done an R2D2 verticle smoker?

I've gotta get some photos of that one so I don't build it myself and loose my wife.

Please, fellas.

Ok, I'm kidding. I wouldn't loose my wife, just my vegan girlfriend.

Thanks for the compliments.  To answer your questions.  I'm a design engineer.  We build test rigs for stuff like helicopter gearboxes, military drivetrains/transmissions, and wind turbine gearboxes/nacelles.  Although, I have spent 10+ years as a machinist/welder/fabricator prior to this gig.

The reverse flow concept has an opening at the far side of the smoker away from the firebox.  You can see it in this pic....  On the left, the reverse flow plate/water pan is welded to the top of the firebox.  On the right side, the plate ends before it reaches the end of the tank.  The smoke travels under the pan from left to right.  It then comes up around the right end of the pan and travels right to left across the smoke chamber where your meat racks are.  The smoke exits on the left side of the smoke chamber through the chimney.



It's funny you say that about R2D2.  That's what my buddy wanted to do with this one when I first picked up the tank.  (The first pics kinda look R2D2ish).  I wanted a reverse flow smoker though, so this is what we built.

Boom

 

[smokinjoe1970]

man  Mad Respect .. Thats an amazing rig

 

[dbear]

Hey Boom....

Great Fab work....I am a AG Mechanics teacher at the high school, and I plan on building something similar to your smoker with the students.... I was wondering if I could use your CAD drawing for reference??

I see you stated that your tank is 24x62, is that from rounded end to end?? Also, how wide are your doors.....and did you cut them out with a cut-off wheel??

Thanks again for any help you can provide!

Thomas

 

[boomhower]

Hey Boom....

Great Fab work....I am a AG Mechanics teacher at the high school, and I plan on building something similar to your smoker with the students.... I was wondering if I could use your CAD drawing for reference??

I see you stated that your tank is 24x62, is that from rounded end to end?? Also, how wide are your doors.....and did you cut them out with a cut-off wheel??

Thanks again for any help you can provide!

Thomas

dbear,

Just PM me your email addy and I'll send you what I have in my CAD.  Although, I did make a few changes to the door widths during fabrication, the CAD model should be close.

Boom