PLANNING FIRST BUILD ( PICS NOW INCLUDED )

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How much dry ice and water?  The tank is 300 gal. 

I looked at some KAOWOOL insulation 1" thick.  Will this stuff work? Have any of you used the same stuff?  Would you recommend something else?  Is rockwool better?

Thanks for all the help and info.
 
10# for every 100 gallons.....so you will need 30# of dry ice.....water enough to allow the dry ice to breakdown........ I use an electric cut off grinder, so I keep the water below where I am cutting....... Once you add the dry ice to the tank allow it to sit for about 15 min.......this will give time for the CO2 to push the O2 out......

Got nothing for you on the insulation........
 
When I cut my propane tank open, I connected a running lawnmower exhaust via a 3/4 copper pipe into the tank. And just let it run, for a long time. That removed all air.  I used a plasma cutter to cut my tank.
 
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I flushed the tank out again tonight with soap and water.  I left it empty, it is going to get pretty cold here tonight and i did not want a big ice chunk in the tank.  I think the smell is getting a little better, the wife does not agree. 

I want to get some steel for the fire box ASAP.  How thick of 1" sq. tube?  I would not think that it would need to be very heavy stuff for the frame. 

Is there any reason not to start with building the fire box?  I see most of the builds have started with the tank. 

Any input or opinions on what insulation to use would be great.
 
I decided to go with 1 1/4" sq. tube 14ga.  I picked up 36 ft of it.  It cost me 40 bucks.  I also priced the steel plate for the fire box.  A 4x8 sheet of 1/4" plate was $193. and a sheet of 1/8" was $107.  Pretty expensive but not as bad as i thought it would be.

I am still trying to decide on the insulation.

I will hopefully be able to start framing the firebox next week, then weld the 1/4" plate on the inside of the frame.  After that i will need the insulation.  Any help with deciding on what insulation would be great. 

It will be a few days before i can get started.  I will get a picture or two when i get goin.
 
I purchased 1.5" insulation from McMaster Carr. Easy to handle...I think it was rated to 2300 degrees and behaved nicely when I welded near it. Haven't fired up my rig yet, which is the real test, but so far so good. I believe they had multiple thicknesses and densities.
 
I'm more of a wild card and just cut the tank.  Smell was HORRENDOUS.  I used a new high carbide skillsaw blade found at lowes and Harbor Freight made to cut metal.  My tanks are a full 1/4" and it cut like butter.   I then cleaned inside of tank with cheap detergent and water from dollar store.  I used a dollar store string mop to scrub out with and then a shop vac to suck mess out.  Had to throw shop vac away.  After a couple of days drying and airing smell was very tolerable and less.  I then took tanks to sand blaster and blasted the inside.  Smell all but gone then.  Tanks are waiting for me to finish right now.  Hopefully this week I will get back to them.  check them out at "dual RF smokers, my first adventure"
 
Been following this thread..... I think you're 90% of the way there for making a nice corn liquor still!:biggrin:
 
OK.  I JUST GOT STARTED ON MY BUILD AND I HAVE ALREADY MADE A MAJOR SCREW UP.  I CLEANED UP THE TAG ON MY PROPANE TANK AND WHAT I THOUGHT SAID 300 GAL ACTUALLY SAID MAX TEMP 300.  IT TURNS OUT MY TANK IS A 350 GAL TANK.  THE TANK IS 77 IN LONG, 41 IN DIA., 3/8 IN THICK.  80850 CU. IN. VOLUME.  THE RECOMMENDED FIRE BOX SIZE IS 26950 CU. IN.

MY FIRE BOX IS 36IN X 36IN X 26IN  INSULATED.  33.5IN X 33.5IN X 23.5IN INSIDE.  26372 CU IN. 

AFTER SEEING HOW BIG THE FIRE BOX ACTUALLY IS I DECIDED THAT MY VERTICAL COOK CHAMBER WAS GOING TO BE WAY TO TALL.  I HAVE DECIDED TO MAKE IT 36IN WIDE BY 24IN DEEP BY 30IN TALL AND INSULATE IT ALSO.  33.5IN X 21.5IN X 27.5IN INSIDE.  19806 CU IN. 

I ASSUME WITH THE MAIN COOK CHAMBER BEING 350 GAL INSTEAD OF 300 GAL THAT MY FIRE BOX WILL NOT BE BIG ENOUGH TO RUN BOTH COOK CHAMBERS AT THE SAME TIME.  THIS THING IS GOING TO BE WAY BIGGER THAN I WILL PROBABLY EVER NEED ANYWAY.  DO YOU THINK THAT I CAN STILL USE THE SAME GENERAL PLAN AND JUST NOT USE BOTH COOK CHAMBERS AT THE SAME TIME? 

I HAVE SOME 8 1/4 IN INSIDE DIA. PIPE I WAS HOPING TO USE FOR THE CHIMNEY.  HOW LONG?

I AM THINKING OF PUTTING A 10IN X 4IN INTAKE ON BOTH SIDES OF THE FIREBOX AT THE BOTTOM AND ANOTHER INTAKE IN THE TOP OF THE DOOR.  WILL THIS WORK?  HOW BIG SHOULD THE INTAKE IN THE DOOR BE? 

WITH THESE DIMENSIONS WILL I BE ABLE TO RUN THE VERTICAL COOK CHAMBER ALONE?  I REALIZE THAT THE FIREBOX IS WAY BIG FOR JUST THE VERTICAL CHAMBER. 

WITH ALL OF THE ADJUSTMENTS ON THE INTAKES, OPENINGS, AND CHIMNEYS WILL I BE ABLE TO DIAL THIS THING IN AND MAKE IT WORK? 
 
NEED TO GET THE INSULATION FOR MY FIREBOX.  I HAD DECIDED ON KAOWOOL 1 IN THICK BUT WHEN I WENT TO ORDER IT THE SHIPPING WAS CRAZY EXPENSIVE.  IS THERE ANYTHING BETTER OR CHEAPER THAT I CAN FIND LOCALLY?  I USED 1 1/4 IN SQ TUBE TO FRAME THE FIREBOX, WILL 1 IN INSULATION FILL THE SPACE GOOD ENOUGH?

I ALSO NEED TO DECIDE ON THE OPENING SIZES FOR BOTH COOK CHAMBERS.  I THINK THE OPENING TO THE MAIN HORIZONTAL COOK CHAMBER NEEDS TO BE 211 SQ IN.  I WAS THINKING ABOUT MAKING THE OPENING ROUGHLY 21 IN X 10 IN SQ.  BASED ON MY REVISED PLAN AND MEASUREMENTS HOW BIG DO YOU THINK THE OPENING TO THE VERTICAL COOK CHAMBER NEEDS TO BE? 
 
I was having the same problem with insulation with my fire boxes that you are I talked to my building supplier and he told me to go to the installation company for insulating houses I found the isolation there for $32 for two fire boxes didn't have to order it
 
Under Dave's post he's always got the calculator th the smokers if you stack size in diameter and it will tell you how long it needs t stack size in diameter and it will tell you how long it needs to be
 
I FOUND SOME CERAMIC FIBER BLANKET INSULATION WITH 2300 DEGREE MAX TEMP.  FROM WHAT I HAVE READ IT SEEMS TO BE GOOD STUFF AND IS QUITE A BIT CHEAPER THAN THE KAOWOOL.  I THINK THAT I AM GOING TO GET IT ORDERED ON MONDAY.

I NEED TO DECIDE HOW BIG TO MAKE THE OPENING TO THE VERTICAL COOK CHAMBER.  WITH THE FIRE BOX BEING WAY OVERSIZED FOR THE VERTICAL COOK CHAMBER HOW BIG DO YOU THINK I SHOULD MAKE IT? 

I WILL TRY TO POST A PICTURE OF THE PROGRESS THIS EVENING.
 
I AM HAVING A HARD TIME FIGURING OUT EXACTLY HOW TO JOIN THE FIREBOX AND THE TANK.  I KNOW THAT MY COOK CHAMBER OPENING NEEDS TO BE APROX. 211 SQ IN.  I THINK I AM GOING TO NEED A HALF CIRCLE SHAPED OPENING BUT I DON'T UNDERSTAND HOW TO MAKE SURE THAT IT WILL MATCH THE OPENING THAT I CUT IN THE COOK CHAMBER.   I WOULD LIKE TO KEEP MY FIRE BOX MOUNTED AS LOW AS POSSIBLE ON THE 350 GAL TANK.  I THINK THAT I WANT THE FIRE BOX SET INTO THE COOK CHAMBER ALL THE WAT TO THE WELDED SEAM IN THE TANK. 

I AM SURE THAT I AM MAKING THIS HARDER THAN IT IS.  AM I MISSING SOMETHING?  CAN SOMEONE HELP ME OUT WITH THIS? 
 
Look at my thread and see how I did it today.  The tank cutout height was determined by the reverse flow plate  I then put firebox in place and traced tank onto firebox.  I then took firebox out and cut it.  After all cutting was done I again dryfit it all together and welded up..  When I was lining out cut in tank I simply used a 2 foot level and sharpie pen.   was reall easy.  I cut firebox openings, tank opening and welded all together in about 3 hours this evening.  Good luck!!
 
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