New RF Smoker Trailer Build

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thanks for the encouraging words about the welding.  Unfortunatley, i cannot take credit for it.  My Uncle is my welder, but he said my welds are getting better.  He is going to be doing the end caps, exaust pipe,and door trim for me.  i will be doing the RF plate and shelves and any smaller welds; that way it will not fall aprt on me when i am driving down the highway! 
Awesome thoughts, 

There are way to many poorly welded trailers and hitchs running up and down the highways. 

The pit looks great, I really like it. Keep at it with the welding, it will get easier with every rod you burn.
 
Wow, I haven's realized how long it's been since i posted last!  I feel i have made some major leadway with this project and seeing the light at the end of the tunnel.... even though it is very distant and dim!  

So I have the doors cut,  end plates tacked and in place, RF plate in place and tacked, firebox tacked and in place, and the smoke stack welded together and ready to go on the side of the pit.

I will post more pics later, my deadline is coming up and i feel i am on track to have this done by next weekend!

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I made a slight mistake on calculations.... I somehow doubled the length of my smoke stack!  We got the stack welded on the side and it seemed tall, but that was what the calculator called for....i thought.  Come to find out that i was originally going to do 3" pipe with (2) three foot lengths or one 6 ft length.  Well when i went to the steel yard, they had 6" pipe, but i got confused, so i got a 6' length pipe and called it a day.  well not that i double checked the calculator, i only need a 3" (actually 2.5', but i am going to round off to 3 ).  So i am going to cut 3' off the stack and use the rest for a counter weight on the door. 

So now i have the RF plate welded in place, the end cap seams welded all the way around, firebox welded all the way around, and the rails welded and in place. 

I need to reposition the baffle handle, adjust the smoke stack cover plate, make a firebox rack, make the shelves, put in thermometers, paint, then mount on trailer.  I should be ready for first burn this weekend!
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A lot of hard work has finally paid off!!  I got all the shelves made, the pit on the trailer ( now i really believe the pyramids were built by the aliens!  I had to use a chain hoist and a few floor jacks to get it on the trailer!)  and everything in place.  I still have to get a support angle iron welded on so it does not go flying off the trailer down the hwy, i need to plug the guage access holes on the bottom of the tank, weld the drain pipe on the bottom, install thermometers on the doors, and weld on the shelf handles inside.  But so far i should make my deadline... I have to pull it in the cookoff area tomorrow @10 am! 

Sunman, i did first burn Sunday night around 11pm, slathered 4 lbs of lard all over the pit and racks, got a good burn!  here are some pics, more pics to come later with some qview!

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Those pics were done the next morning after first burn, last night i painted the pit, here it is painted:

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OK guys (and gals),

My pit is now "done".   All the hard work has paid off and it is now sitting in the cook off area ready for me to fire some wood and cook!  The specs on the pit are as follows:

cooking chamber is 38" round and 6'10" long 7/16" thick. 

firebox is 24" round and 36' long 1/4" thick.

bottom pull out racks are 33" wide and 36 " long.

top pull out racks are  33" wide and 28" long

Cooking area approx. 30 sq ft.

air intake on the firebox is 8"

exhaust stack is 6" round 36" tall, 3/8" thick

opening  into the chamber is 10" tall and 34" wide.  I put an adjustable heat control baffle plate mounted on 3/4" rebar (its the handle you see sticking out of the firebox)

Used the 3/8" pipe for the legs on the pit.

Trailer is 12' x6'6" ft, tandem 3500lb axles. 

Total weight of trailer with pit on it approx 3500-4000 lbs.

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I fired it up and it kept pretty even temps.  10-15 degree difference from the two sides, so i can't complain. More pics to come later w/ q-view from the cook off.  I have to cook 60lbs of chicken quarters, two racks of ribs, three briskets and a couple whole chickens for my part of the cook off!

Thanks everyone for the encouraging words about the pit, and if i can be of any help to anyone, please let me know. 
 
What kind of time frame did you make this masterpiece in. I like to think other people can do these in a reasonable amount of time...unlike...me.
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It is truly a work of art.  Good job!!!!

Now bring on the QVIEWS!!!
 
Got it done in about a months time.  this was done with an experienced welder (my uncle), myself, and my retired dad. My dad and uncle worked on it a lot while i was at work, and i worked on it till night fall when i got home from work.  A big help was buying a new trailer, if i didn't, it would not have been done in time.  I am in a BBQ cook off this weekend and will be firing it up tomorrow and cooking a lot of meat on it.  I am looking at doing 50lbs of chicken quarters, a couple racks of ribs, and a brisket or two.  I will definitely take pics for the QView!
 
Man... that rig turned out nice! Give yourself (and your crew) a nice pat on the back for a job well done!
 
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