500 gallon RF Build revised

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Did you weld the wood grate in place ??    Cut it off at the ends...   Add legs....  put it back in....  you want it removable in the event it burns out....   which will happen...
 
I did not weld in the wood grate it is sitting on angle and I have a lot more of the same material. I put it in one piece just for ease of assembly. When the time comes to change it out I will cut it out and replace it with a two piece assembly
 
I understand about not messing with what works. I came up with that all by my lonesome the idea I had was just to direct the ash into the ash drawer for easy cleaning. I will have to cut my wood grate in half so it can be removed for access to the bottom to clean. I am thinking though since I have it all in place maybe I should test it out to see how it does? I can always fire up the plasma cutter and yard it out if it causes any problems?
I think a test burn, no matter how you are putting it together, is a great idea. When I build my next one it will be getting several test burns....will be trying to avoid some of the mistakes I made on this one...
 
I got a bunch of work done the last couple days. The front panel is cut and I am starting on the doors to the firebox. I got the cook chamber doors aligned and tack welded in place so that I can hopefully keep them from mismatching when I weld the firebox to the cook chamber. I am going to build the front panel complete on my fab table and locate and weld the doors on and then mount it to the firebox. After that is done I will weld it up then weld the firebox to the cook chamber.
 
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Now that the FB is in place, mark the opening, leaving a 1-2"" high dam across the bottom of the opening, then remove the FB and cut out the opening...  The 1"high dam will prevent fat from running back into the FB when smoking  a bunch of butts or brisket...

 
Well I let spring fever and halibut fishing interfere with my smoker build for a couple weeks (I have about 110lbs of halibut in the freezer to show for it!) But Sunday there was no fishing and it was raining so out to the shop I went to get some work done. I cut the opening for the doors to my firebox and for the ash drawer. Then I got it all located and welded so now I am ready to weld the firebox to the cook chamber! I am going to finish building the doors which are already cut as well, the white line outside of the door opening is the outline of the actual doors I am going to add 1" x1/4" C channel to the edges and add asbestos rope to seal the doors.
Here is a few pictures of yesterday's work.
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Question !!   If you need to remove the grate will it come out through the door at an angle ?  I see problems in the future with ash accumulation getting under those angled plates and no way to clean it out.  The ash removal pan I like but would have made it the entire width of the FB and done away with the plates. On long smokes I feel you will need to be emptying the ash pan before you are done.  Just my observation,

Gary
 
Question !!   If you need to remove the grate will it come out through the door at an angle ?  I see problems in the future with ash accumulation getting under those angled plates and no way to clean it out.  The ash removal pan I like but would have made it the entire width of the FB and done away with the plates. On long smokes I feel you will need to be emptying the ash pan before you are done.  Just my observation,



Gary

The grate is one piece for now, if and when its needed (I know it will need to be replaced at some point and I have tons of the stuff) I will just cut it in half and remove it and install 2 new pieces I did measure to make sure I could do that. As far as cleaning goes it is sitting on 2" angle and not welded in place so I can lift it out of the way to clean it.
 
I finished my firebox doors and welded then in place today. I am very happy how they turned out the fit is nice and even and now I need to decide on the numerous methods of closing and latching the doors. I am still not sure what direction I am going to go. The firebox is now fitted up to the cook chamber so I can mark the cut line for the opening into the cook chamber and then weld R up! Here are some pictures.
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I got a bunch of work done today
Cut the firebox to cook chamber opening and got the firebox welded to the cook chamber and cut the tack welds on the doors and I am happy to say the doors didn't budge! One door is now removed to add trim and new hinges and to install the reverse flow plate
Welding the firebox in small steps moving to opposite sides and letting each weld cool did a great job keeping it from warping.
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Love the build. It's pretty much the same as I was planning with the FB doors on the front and vents on the side.

   Adam.
 
 
Love the build. It's pretty much the same as I was planning with the FB doors on the front and vents on the side.

   Adam.
Thank you I am very happy with how it has gone so far. I am really glad I have taken my time and asked a lot of questions because if I had just jumped in and done what I thought would work I would have been very disappointed! 
 
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I am heading out this morning to start on the reverse flow plate and drain and work on the doors!

I really struggled with weather to do a one piece flat R/F plate or to taper it and add drains and it came down to the fact that with the doors already tacked shut I would have to open them back up to attach the plate and one person trying to push a 80" long piece of 1/4 steel thru the CC opening that is exactly as wide as the plate would be damn near impossible so I opted for a center channel and drain. I also figured if this was a much smaller smoker a drain would not be needed as much however when I get a bunch of pork butt in this thing that will be a different story! 
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I finished the trim on one door and got it hung in place last night. I just need to make sure the position is good and its not riding anywhere as to interfere with the door opening and closing then locate and weld the hinges in place.
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Today I got the drain holes drilled and the drain located and cut and located the reverse flow plates. I am not going to weld the plate closest to the doors until after I take it to be media blasted before paint. Now I need to get after the racks and the angle to support them and hinges for the doors.

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