Stainless steel muffler smoker !

[argofanatic]

Stupid question, but ... Do I need a firebox ?

I was going to weld a separator between the fire below and the cooking chamber. Do I need this ?

The last shelf of the lazy susan is actually a combination drip pan and water pan. I designed it to catch drippings and allow smoke to go around the perimeter.

If you look at the last picture, the bottom shelf is smaller than the other shelves for this purpose.

Comments please.

Thanks.

 

[scarbelly]

WOW this is going to be awesome 

 

[athabaskar]

Stupid question, but ... Do I need a firebox ?

I was going to weld a separator between the fire below and the cooking chamber. Do I need this ?

The last shelf of the lazy susan is actually a combination drip pan and water pan. I designed it to catch drippings and allow smoke to go around the perimeter.

If you look at the last picture, the bottom shelf is smaller than the other shelves for this purpose.

Comments please.

Thanks.

With your drip/water pan array at the bottom, you probably can get by without a separator between, just like a water smoker. A separator (or baffle) is something to consider though, if you ever hope to make a quick getaway. It might get a bit dicey laying that puppy over with even a burnt down fire remaining in the box.

If you had a side firebox it would be elevated over the top when in transport mode, if I read your drawings correctly. That sort of defeats the purpose of the low-profile lay down design.

 

[shoneyboy]

That is 1 nice find

!!!! I thing I would agree with MossyMO with putting the door to the top, so when it’s up right it will be facing the back. Are you going to build a fire box inside the chamber or have it external?  You could just use the existing 13.5 hole and run you a piece of pipe inside it with some slits cut into it, a door on one end and weld the other end closed  and there is your fire box….. It will need venting, but I have seen less on bigger…….

 

[argofanatic]

Athabascar, good thinking about the quick getaway, I didn't think of that.

This thing is going to be parked 99.9% of the time so not an issue.

I would agree with MossyMO with putting the door to the top, so when it’s up right it will be facing the back.

Good suggestion both of you, but my thinking is this ...

The cooking chamber door is face down on the deck when mobile, the fire door is opposite the cooking chamber so it is up in the air so to speak.

In cooking mode, the fire door is low to the ground in the back and easily accessible. The cooking chamber door bottom being at 27" off the ground

so it will be easier to access from the raised "trailer deck".

Here's an updated drawing. Gives you an idea of the scale of this monster also!

Smoker-Model.jpg

• argofanatic
• Aug 1, 2012

 

[scarbelly]

Here comes the old security guy in me - with the cooking doors down - no one can mess with the interior of the cooking chamber in the stored position and with a small lock on the firebox the unit is easily secured from scrap and other thieves 

 

[jirodriguez]

One benefit of adding a seperat firebox would be if you ever needed to transport it with ash or anything in the firebox then you could put in a slide door that could cut the firebox off from the cooking chamber entirely.

 

[isosa]

     Fist of all I have to say "Optimus-prime(rib)" is superb!

     Second of all, I have to ask: Is this for a restaurant or catering service? There is space for smoking a lot of meat in it!

     Third of all, I would incline for a fire box, not on the back position -when it is upright- but on the side position. And I say that for two reasons:

1 I think it can be easier to clean the ashes from a fire box than from the upright cylinder.

2 A fire box can be used to grill on it. [Second function for Optimus-prime(rib)]. You could even have the grill dis-mountable and have the smoke box made so it accepts it in two positions at 90 degrees from each other so you can grill even when Optimus-prime(rib) is at the transporting position.

     I can see a safety issue when pivoting from and to the upright position. I can imagine the wheeled structure tending to roll on you or even pivoting suddenly to an upright position just like the cylinder. To prevent this from happening thee should be a counterweight or an equivalent means to fasten the cart at its position -on the ground and horizontally restricted from movement-.  

     Just my suggestions. But all in all grrrreat!

     Regards.

 

[boshawg]

WOW is all I have to say just WOW

Now where can I get one?

 

[skull fish]

Honestly..... I can't stop laughing>>>

This is insane!!! When  this is up and running, Jeff, you need to go out there and sign this bad boy. I told the wife,,,,, were gonna need a bigger smoker ... in the yaaarrd!

Good Luck! Thanks for sharing....

 

[sniltz]

 WOW!!!!!!  That is cool!!!  Very Ambitious!!!! 

 

[pellet]

Can we get a few Tim The Tool Man grunts! THINK BIG! UGH UGH UGH!!!

 

[cncbbq]

I sure would like to see this project updated, that is going to be one big ole cooker.

 

[texas redneck]

Man, I can't wait to see how this one is going to turn out.

 

[bbq bill]

Whats the latest on this smoker? I was really looking forward to seeing it up and going... Argo's last post was in August.   Anyone know ?

 

[bikercowboy]

That is awesome! Can't wait to see it finished. I used to mechanic on big Waukesha compressors your idea is genius!

 

[cityofvoltz]

Thats an epic exhaust!  if it stands 8' tall you will need a transforming ladder to reach the top shelf.  I suggest trying to fab an autobots logo to put on it when complete.

 

[argofanatic]

Thats an epic exhaust!  if it stands 8' tall you will need a transforming ladder to reach the top shelf.  I suggest trying to fab an autobots logo to put on it when complete.

P-R-O-G-R-E-S-S !!!

Ha!

8 feet is for sissies !

This monster is 100" tall.

Snow is now gone, finally got to get some work in on the beast.

Now I have to hurry up and finish it, my drum smoker didn't survive the winter. :(

Here's my progress so far ...

Rising from winter sleep !

IMG-20130228-00022.jpg

• argofanatic
• May 6, 2013

IMG-20130504-00002.jpg

• argofanatic
• May 6, 2013

IMG-20130504-00004.jpg

• argofanatic
• May 6, 2013

 

[fwismoker]

I have so many questions in my head on this one and will wait to see how they get solved. 

 

[argofanatic]

     Fist of all I have to say "Optimus-prime(rib)" is superb!

     Second of all, I have to ask: Is this for a restaurant or catering service? There is space for smoking a lot of meat in it!

     Third of all, I would incline for a fire box, not on the back position -when it is upright- but on the side position. And I say that for two reasons:

1 I think it can be easier to clean the ashes from a fire box than from the upright cylinder.

2 A fire box can be used to grill on it. [Second function for Optimus-prime(rib)]. You could even have the grill dis-mountable and have the smoke box made so it accepts it in two positions at 90 degrees from each other so you can grill even when Optimus-prime(rib) is at the transporting position.

     I can see a safety issue when pivoting from and to the upright position. I can imagine the wheeled structure tending to roll on you or even pivoting suddenly to an upright position just like the cylinder. To prevent this from happening thee should be a counterweight or an equivalent means to fasten the cart at its position -on the ground and horizontally restricted from movement-.  

     Just my suggestions. But all in all grrrreat!

     Regards.

Thanks isosa, and everyone else. I haven't been getting update emails from the thread so I haven't seen your posts.

I apologize for the late response(s).

Catering? Nope. This is just for myself my wife and and the occasional visitors (I guess I can invite more people now LOL).

To clean the ashes I think I will put in a removable ash pan. Simple and quick.

To handle the pivoting safety issue, the procedure will be to only stow/un-stow while attached to the vehicle to prevent the whole unit from tipping.

I should have the doors mounted soon, then I can proceed with the mobile engineering challenge.

Cheers !