My try at a 125ga propane tank

[smokerct]

The Weber just isn't doing it any longer and the wife doesn't think I'm totaly nuts yet so.

The RF pan is 2 pieces cut to a taper and welded down the center, going to a drain at the low end. I still need to add the end piece.

The plan is to have the stack exit just above the pan over the fire box, outside. I will get 2 24"x24" racks.

It will also be mounted on a small trailer, still working that out based on what ever the firebox ends up being.

Nothing inside is welded so if you see anything I can do better, let me know. Thanks.

The tank:

Door:

Pan

Pan 2:

 

[smokerct]

Making progress, got the hinges welded on last night and half the pan welded just before I ran out of wire.

Finding materials for a fire box is still the biggest challenge around here.

More pictures to follow

 

[smokerct]

Is 3/4" tubing large enough for the pan drain?

 

[abaralnek]

thats the size i went with today. was going to use 1" but the hardware store didnt have a 1"ball valve to go with the pipe.
 

 

[smokerct]

Works for me, that just happens to be the size of the piece I have laying around.

 

[abaralnek]

i cant see it not working? use what ya got.

 

[smokerct]

Picked up a sheet of 1/4" so the firebox is in progress.

Big question, door on the same side as the smoker door, or door on the end of the smoker, I have seen a pretty much equal number of both around.

Is there any benefits to one over the other as long as proper airflow is maintained or is it just what ever you like the looks of?

Thanks

 

[smokerct]

Well it sort of worked it self out, the tank is so wide that having the 24" side against the smoker tank made the most sense. So both doors on the same side.

Got all the pieces cut out of the 1/4"sheet, fit and welded 3 sides of the firebox together, going to fit the fire box to the tank tomorrow, and then try and lay out the door

Pictures in the morning

 

[smokerct]

Got the firebox mostly together and cut the tank and have the 2 fitted for welding.

Here is what we have so far:

IMG_2736.JPG

• smokerct
• Aug 26, 2012

IMG_2737.JPG

• smokerct
• Aug 26, 2012

IMG_2738.JPG

• smokerct
• Aug 26, 2012

IMG_2739.JPG

• smokerct
• Aug 26, 2012

 

[ribwizzard]

I put the firebox door facing rear of the trailer, that way when I want to clean it out, just jack up the tonque jack and angle the firebox down.  I also wanted my dampner in the door, with the rest of the firebox completed welded and sealed up, and thought the air moving in a straight line would be better.

On the flip side, having the box face the front, its probably easier to load, more convienent.

Just get your hinges on before you weld that, unless your swinging the opposite way.

 

[smokerct]

I'm going to put the vents low and on the rear facing side for the same reason, I'm going to finish the firebox 100% before it gets welded to the tank. I'm already not looking forward to the door, so I want to try and keep it as simple possible

 

[ribwizzard]

I took a 1/4 " plate and squared it up, used 3 weld on hinges from Ace hardware , the welded a piece of angle on the oposite side and used a de-sta-co pull latch. I tack weld the door on while I installed the hinges. I have since this pic installed my vents in the door, I will get pics of that soon.

 

[billy k]

I haven't been on here in a while but this is the exact same build I am wanting to attempt. Not to big but not to small for the amount of effort your putting in. It's looking real good to me. Sorry I don't have any advise, as I haven't done a build yet but I am going to be keeping an eye on this one for guidence.

Thanks, Keep up the good work.

 

[smokerct]

Picked up the exhaust stack yesterday, finally the last big piece. The calculator says 38" of exhaust, is that over all length or how much that needs to stick out of the smoker?

And any benefit to cutting the bottom on an angle to increase the surface area of the intake?

I'm hoping to start seasoning this thing over the weekend

 

[ribwizzard]

I really think the calclator is of on the length,  get the diameter right and make the length to what looks in proportion.  I think how high the pipe is INSIDE THE CHAMBER is more important. Mine are 8 inches into the chamber, I did cut the bottom at an angle, more for looks than anything.

 

[bruno994]

On a RF rig, I don't believe that you need any of the stack reaching into the chamber.  I don't think you gain advantage like on a direct flow pit by having the exhaust deeper into the chamber.  Mine is inside about 1/2" internal (just to give me some beef when I was welding it to the tank) cut at an angle to fit to the tank and draft is no problem on mine.  The bigger the better on the exhaust, in my opinion.  I went with 6" sch 40 from a local machine shop, the calculator called for something like 24", but I used the piece I was given which was around 30" and have had no problems.  Good looking build so far.  

 

[ribwizzard]

On a small diameter cooking chamber, your probably better off not extending the pipe too far in.  But on taller chambers, the advantage is not for heat or flow, its to hold the moisture in .

 

[sunman76]

If you put your stack in about grate level it will insure the heat and smoke stays lower before it zips up and out the stack....

 

[smokerct]

My original thought was to mount it with an elbow type thing a few inches above the lower cooking grate, with a damper like a wood stove?

I have a 42" 4" pipe, I could also just stick it on the top if mounting it low doesn't matter.

I'll draw up something and post it, I really only want to do this once, I would much rather cook then cut and weld steel.

 

[smokerct]

A is what I was thinking of at the start, B is the other option. Only reason I went with A was an opening that is already there needs something done with it, and the stack seemed a good a thing as any.