Smoker mounted on pipe in ground

[torchrider]

The horizontal wood smoker I bought does not have a typical base with wheels. It has a vertical pipe meant to be mounted in the ground. I have a couple of questions:

1. Does a smoker ever need to be turned a certain direction depending on wind? If so I guess I should set this up to rotate somehow.

2. Would I be better off putting a base (think iron wagonwheel) on the smoker than putting it in the ground? The smoker is at least 3/8" steel and weighs several hundred pounds.

3. Does anyone have experience with a design that goes into the ground but lets the smoker rotate?

 

[graybeard]

WOW, 3/8 inch steel! I believe I WOOD put 4 legs on that bad boy just so you can be mobile. I'd like to see a picture??
Good luck,

beard

 

[timtimmay]

Rotating can be helpful when smoking in windy conditions, but probably not absolutely necessary. I think I would want it to be mobile and build a frame for it.

Picture?

 

[rbranstner]

Yea I would want it mobile but thats just me. We always have wind and bad weather so some times I need to move around to be able to keep my fire going. Yea I want to see a picture of this thing for sure.

 

[torchrider]

OK, here are some photos. It is still in the back of my truck and is likely to stay there until I can figure out how I am gonna mount it. :-).

 

[rbranstner]

Mount it to an old tire rim???? Or is it too heavy where a tire rim wouldn't be big enough to keep it upright?

 

[timtimmay]

That is a sweet smoker, I'm jealous

I would build a frame for it so you an move it around. You could probably make one that the post drops into.

 

[torchrider]

When you say frame, can you show me an example?

 

[torchrider]

Much too heavy for a tire rim. Me and another guy could barely lift it upright.

 

[timtimmay]

Something along this line, but you would weld that pole to the middle instead of having the upright over on the edge.

 

[mballi3011]

I would maybe weld some more legs onto it. If thats not an option then I would dig a big hole and mount a smaller pipe with a base on it to one of those patio blocks 16"x 16"x 4" and then typcon a plate to the block and then fill the hole with some concrete and that should be stable enough.

 

[mossymo]

torchrider
If you do end up leaving it on the pole, I would consider welding a hollow square shaft to the side of the pipe. Be nice to have to have the option of sliding it in a vehicles receiver hitch, beats pulling it on a trailer !!!

 

[meateater]

You could always cement a pole in the ground bigger than the one on your smoker, that way you could spin it or remove it.

 

[jaxgatorz]

That ^^^^^

 

[torchrider]

This is what I was originally thinking, but do you think water will get down insdie and rust/corrode it? Not sure how i would drain it.

 

[walle]

Or... if you go the other way, your ground pipe doesn't get full of shat, rust up, and...

Or... you could use a lazy susan type of plate between your smoker and your ground pipe. If you look a the heavy duty caster wheels, some even have grease zerts, and they would be plenty for that. Chop off the caster brackets and weld'er up. you could even do the big sleeve, small sleeve so that it's not totally permanent, but still rotates.

That's why I LOVE working with metal - endless solutions! Beat that bad boy into submission!

Personally, I would mount it on rack with some good wheels so you could drag it around. That smoker isn't that big, and you may want to take it on the road via loading it on a trailer.

If you're married to my wife, there's no suitable permanent place in the yard!

 

[meateater]

After you secure the pipe fill inside with concrete to 6 inches above ground level, drill a few holes at this level and you now have drainage. Easy fix.

 

[badfrog]

Wow! that should hold some heat for a while! great find!

 

[olecrosseyes]

After you get the mounting figured out, I would find an other wood product to use in the fire box!,

LOL! Nature Scapes?
(just having fun)
Good luck on the new addition!

 

[got14u]

ditto...probably the best solution if you don't have access to a welder..good luck and need finished pics after you decide