Found Tank New Build

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It was real bad looking for anywhere to live in ND unless you worked for someone who had housing. Even there was a shortage then. Now it's a lot better.

We bought a house a year ago, lived in a RV prior that. All with a family, dogs and cats. Fun... Especially during the winters.
 
Wow    It was years ago when I was up there not a lot to choose from then. Main thing I remembered IT WAS COLD !!!!

Gary
 
COLD, that is. That's why the overkill on the FB making it 1/2" thick. Need some way to make a fender or "table" over the tire. Unless it was because I had the cooking chamber at 550 degrees. Tire had gotten way too hot to touch. I put the compressor pump stand over it to cool it down before it blows. Hope to see if there is a store around that sells firewood, problem is I won't know what kind it is.

At least I can get the unit oiled and ready for ribs this weekend, I hope.
 
I wish I would have jumped in earlier and suggested an insulated FB, Just wasn't thinking about how cold it gets where you live. As for as tires getting to hot you can weld another plate on the sides and back of your FB with a space in between  this will help on the heat. Also look online there are several web sites you can order many types of smoking wood.

Gary
 
Went with the 1/2" plate steel, that should hold in the heat well. If not, I'll be working on the smoker in the spring after I get used to this one. Need to add the shelves and beef up the trailer. Using the smoker will give a learning experience.

Bought some briquets and have wood chunks, gonna play with the temps till I get it right. Hope to pick some apple branches for more trial and error.
 
Brushed the smoker of soot and sprayed oil all over the insides of the CC and grating. seasoning it one more time to make sure all is nice and clean.

Bought a couple bundles of wood from a store, don't know what is in there, was told cottonwood, oak, maybe pine, etc.

I know not to use pine wood, but if it's minimal would it still be ok to use? I am looking at the end grain of the split logs taking out the what looks like pine, looks like only a couple pieces.

Maybe I'll go to friends house and pick thru his burn pile and get the apple branches out.

Hope to go to the shop today and make me a briquet basket. Bought 10 lbs of spareribs, gonna try my first smoke.

So much to learn, never enough time to play.
 
I know around here the wood you get at the stores is oak, I wouldn't use the pine for sure.

Gary
 
I was looking at pellet hopper setup. Curious to how much heat the pellets will put out since the firebox is real small. Don't know much about them other than I can get cooking pellets locally.

Right now I am using a combination of wood and charcoal. Temps have been a steady 250. So far 2 1/2 hours into cooking and looking great.

Need to identify the wood I am using as it does smell good. I also added hickory chips into the coals for smoking.
 
Hi Ron

They put out 36,000 BTUs  I think that it would work great for your application. I'm always available to chat about custom application using the Pellet Pro hopper assembly. You can Skype me  at    SmokeDaddy Inc   or call me at 847-336-1329 

Thanks Dennis
 
Just a few more minutes till the wife's Fully Loaded Potato Casserole is done.

Ribs are in the smoker glazing the bbq sauce. Picked up one of the ribs, fell apart real easy and moist.

Temps stayed at a constant 250-260, outdoor temp is was 30 degrees with about 5 mph wind. Last cooking hour temps dropped to 27 with 8 mph wind, cooled the CC to 200.

I am watching every little thing so I am more prepared for the unexpected.

Just need to built the briquet box and finish the door.

Can't wait to do more cooking.

 
Ron,

The ribs look great.  Nice job on the smoker.  I am also learning and it has been fun.  Maybe take notes this winter as to how mucj charcoal, vent settings with the outside temp.  That way you won't forget the next time you use it,  Good luck with your smoker this winter.

Dino
 
Wife wants to do rib-eye roast and chicken. Not sure how to do this with different temps. I am looking forward to using my smoker as much as I can since we love BBQ or smoked foods.

Any suggestions in cooking both?

The rib-eye will be cooked to med rare, then I will need to cut after it's done and settled put back on the grill to make it med well for the girls, pink is not their color. Trying to get them to understand the meaning of a good steak, kids....

Still working on a good rub that I like, starting to use a load of ideas here. Going to do the chicken using Slaughterhouse Brine. Probably smoke the chicken for a bit then put on grill for the glaze.

Still looking for a roast setup. Going to shop and build my charcoal basket Klose style.
 
Been a while since I have done any smoking. Going to take smoker back into the shop and make a new FB door, having a hard time with the intake vents staying where I want them since I tried the hinged vents. Will be cutting out rectangle vents with a slider, more forgiving.

Have a question, how can I figure in the counterbalance on the CC door, especially the angles. Like to weld one and add rebar to the top tube for weight until I get it right. It's the placement of the arms I am having a problem with. The wood handle extends out far enough to stop against the stack to keep from falling to other side.

Hoping to smoke some ribs this weekend.

Ron
 
I maid a opening on the side of f.b. with a door .u just have to make or buy a propane

burner. make yourself a rack to receive your burner when you want to used your propane

burner and remove it  when you want to use wood. you can also use wood with propane.

            good luck
 
 
Ron, morning....  Mild steel is fine.... not much different than a wok....   Expanded metal works, or expanded and flattened...  After heating the smoker up to get rid of the oils used in milling, coat all the steel inside with lard or veggie oil ....  spray or wipe on....  like conditioning a cast iron pan.....     I'm not sure of the sizes of steel when it come to expanded....   You want it fairly thick so it doesn't sag and stretch under the weight of the meat...  for flipping burgers, you might get a small piece of expanded flattened to set on top of your regular grates.. smaller holes...  and you're in business....  

someone will have a number for the exp. metal for the cooking grates to look at......

Dave
When I built my big smoker, I buy my steel from a welding and fabrication place. What they suggested to me was 3/4" expanded steel. They said it was what people use for cooking chikens on pits with. I had made a frame with 1" angle iron and welded in a ctr brace. I cooked a 100# hog on it with no issues. I also fabricated handles on each end as so two of us could pull it out of the smoker for carving and serving.
 
 
Got the door cut open and hinges installed. Used a zip cutter as I didn't want to warp the door. I decided to use the drain plugs as a handle as they are rusted in there pretty good.

So far so good, I can almost taste the smoked meats I am gonna cook. Next step, the firebox. Noticed the shop welder, they must have welded the setting selector switch. Cannot get it set to go hotter as I need to weld 1/2" plate. Need to get that fixed.

Ron


Looking great 
Looks-Great.gif
 
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