My first RF smoker build, any help would be appreciated

[gary s]

Actually it is a screw down. If your application had a grove you could push the tail into the grove. But we screwed ours with flathead SS screws. If you ever need to change it no mess.

Gary

 

[jhsdigital]

Got a little more work done last week. Got the support bracket for the folding shelf done and got the CC door latches installed. Going to get the RF plates done hopefully this week then I'm done with the fabrication.

Handle 1.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Nov 18, 2013

Handle 2.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Nov 18, 2013

Shelf 1.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Nov 18, 2013

Shelf 2.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Nov 18, 2013

Shelf 3.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Nov 18, 2013

 

[gary s]

We'll be eating ribs in no time.

Gary

 

[waterboy12]

Awesome build! Any pics of it finished?

 

[jhsdigital]

Waterboy12,  just finished the removable RF plates last Friday, I'm hoping to get it to a sandblaster's next week and then to a paint booth.  I'm getting close !

 

[urbotrimmm]

I put 2 coats on mine.  Warning.....it goes a loooooong way.  Bought 3 gallons for my 2 7' smokers  Still have a gallon and a half left.

 

[urbotrimmm]

$200 not the greatest but not bad.  I paid $200 here in Oregon for inside and out of the two 7' smokers

 

[jhsdigital]

urbotrimmm,

was two coats enough?  I was thinking about doing three. it will probably be outside a lot since the stack is to high to fit it in the garage, so I wanted to make sure it had a good thick coat of paint on it.

 

[dockman]

When building a RF like this do you guys make grease trap run down hill? Also what does grease run into?

 

[bruno994]

 
When building a RF like this do you guys make grease trap run down hill? Also what does grease run into?

Most put a slight drop from one end to the other on their RF plates, I did not, mine is installed level.  My grease runs into a pipe that is in the center of the RF plate on the opposite end from the FB, down to a 1" ball valve under the pit.  Whenever I clean my pit, I just hang a 3 gallon bucket under the valve and wash all the grease and buildup down the drain. In the pic, you can see the valve under the left end of the CC.

RFSmoker2012027.jpg

• bruno994
• Dec 9, 2013

 

[dockman]

Got it thank you!

 

[urbotrimmm]

I put my RF in perfectly level also.  I cook LOTS.  Usually at least 200 lbs a weekend.  My smoker has only greased up with the 43 turkeys I did at Thanksgiving.  Otherwise I just scrape cooked on drippings up into a pile and use the drain in the rinse out phase.

 

[gary s]

See, most of the grease and liquid burn up or form a crust when it hits the RF plate anyway. I put mine at a slight angle toward the drain. The only time I really notice anything dripping in my bucket is when I cook sausage or a lot of fatty stuff.

Gary

 

[bruno994]

Agreed with Gary, most of it just hardens and crusts over, even after cooking a couple briskets and ribs during a comp, I will probably not get more than a couple cups of grease from the drain.

 

[jhsdigital]

ITS DONE, FINALLY !!!!!!!!!!

Sorry for being away so long, my youngest encountered some health problems and that took up all of our time. he is doing better but not out of the woods yet, but a least we can see daylight through the trees !

overall smoker final.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

Here it is all finished.

firebrick.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

Firebrick in the bottom of FB to help avoid burnout

FB grate.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

pullout FB grate

double RF plates.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

removeale plates.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

Made both RF plates removeable

intakes.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

FB intakes

FB door intake.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

put an intake on FB door to help with flow down the RF plates

tel tru temps.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

Dual tel-tru temps

IMG_2791.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

folding and removable shelf

IMG_2787.jpg

• jhsdigital
• Mar 23, 2014

slide out cooking grate

Thanks to every ones help in this build, this forum is amazing ! Going to try and do a seasoning burn this week, and cook on it next weekend. Just in time for Summer party's by the pool. Once again THANKS everyone !

 

[ribwizzard]

Looks good, what are you going to cook first?

 

[daveomak]

Hope the youngest is doing great... Very nice job on the smoker..... Best Wishes...

 

[gary s]

Great job, first class. You put a lot of thought into all areas of this smoker and it shows, very very nice, Ready to see smoke coming out.

Gary

 

[jhsdigital]

Ribwizzard, first cook will either be ribs or pork butt. The youngest wants a whole hog, he likes to keep me on my toes.

I have another question: lets talk seasoning the inside of the CC. do I use peanut oil, crisco, or something else? From what Ive read I heat up the smoker and spray the inside with peanut oil, sound about right?  Also how do I keep the inside of the FB from rusting later on?

 

[daveomak]

To reduce most of the rust, keep the inside rinsed out to remove the salt... That should help a lot... and keep it sprayed with oil....