# 275 Gal Oil Tank Pig Cooker Build



## wtair10 (Feb 16, 2022)

Hello,
Looking for some design idea's for making the lid easier to open and close. I'm replacing an old pig cooker made from the same size tank that was built many years ago by someone else. The design for cooking is pretty simple, so no need to reinvent the wheel. It uses indirect heating, the builder created troughs for the charcoal on either side of the tank by welding plate metal the full length of the tank. The grate the pig lays on is much like a stretcher with handles on either end to set/lift the pig off the grill and lays between the 2 troughs, again no issues with that design. My dilemma is the design of the clam shell lid, it takes 2 people to lift, there's no counter weights or springs. It's also flimsy which can be fixed by welding angle iron around the top and bottom to make it more rigid. 
I'm looking for ideas for a counter weight system or springs to enable a single person to open/close the lid.

Thanks

Weyman


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## radioguy (Feb 16, 2022)

Weyman,
Welcome to SMF, one of the best places for all things BBQ.   You may be able to use some gas struts to assist with your lid.  Those strut have to be located outside and away from heat.  Or you may consider fabricating a frame and lift mechanism similar to a Santa Maria style.  Please post a picture or drawing so we can see what needs to happen. Please drop on by Roll Call and introduce yourself. 
Have a Great Day!
RG


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## kilo charlie (Feb 16, 2022)

Welcome to SMF!

Which way is your tank mounted? 
Mine it's a PITA to lift too, but I can do it myself. 
When you get to adding counter weights and such, don't forget about bulking up your lid stops.

My lid is assisted by the heavy smokestacks ! HAHA


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## wtair10 (Feb 16, 2022)

radioguy said:


> Weyman,
> Welcome to SMF, one of the best places for all things BBQ.   You may be able to use some gas struts to assist with your lid.  Those strut have to be located outside and away from heat.  Or you may consider fabricating a frame and lift mechanism similar to a Santa Maria style.  Please post a picture or drawing so we can see what needs to happen. Please drop on by Roll Call and introduce yourself.
> Have a Great Day!
> RG


Hi RG,
Without infringing on copy rights of photo's the design I'm looking to do is similar to the user Weberlamp's that was posted on May 21st 2014 on this site. Same clam shell  design minus the shelves and fireboxes. It appears from the Front jpg that he has some sort of spring mechanism with welded angle iron brackets mounted in the back. I came across his pics and this Forum when I Googled 275 Gal pig cooker door designs. I've seen some designs with the gas shocks mounted on the side, but I'm afraid that will get in the way of the rack handles that protrude out the sides. I guess I could design with gas shocks mounted on the back instead of springs, same theory.

I'll try and upload some pics of the old cooker when weather permits. Haven't decided whether to mount the new tank parallel to spine of the trailer of perpendicular.


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## TNJAKE (Feb 16, 2022)

wtair10 said:


> Hi RG,
> Without infringing on copy rights of photo's the design I'm looking to do is similar to the user Weberlamp's that was posted on May 21st 2014 on this site. Same clam shell  design minus the shelves and fireboxes. It appears from the Front jpg that he has some sort of spring mechanism with welded angle iron brackets mounted in the back. I came across his pics and this Forum when I Googled 275 Gal pig cooker door designs. I've seen some designs with the gas shocks mounted on the side, but I'm afraid that will get in the way of the rack handles that protrude out the sides. I guess I could design with gas shocks mounted on the back instead of springs, same theory.
> 
> I'll try and upload some pics of the old cooker when weather permits. Haven't decided whether to mount the new tank parallel to spine of the trailer of perpendicular.


Post the pics of his build. Once we add pictures to this forum they become property of smf. So it's perfectly fine


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## forktender (Feb 17, 2022)

If you aren't planning on selling them, there is no such thing as copyright infringement.


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## boykjo (Feb 17, 2022)

Here is a pic of my pig cooker. It is a popular design which I incorporated from pig cookers I have seen. The spring was purchased at Agri Supply.
Hope this helps.













Boykjo


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## wtair10 (Feb 17, 2022)

Here's a snap of WeberLamp's cooker I found when Googling door designs. Unfortunately there's not a rear facing photo.


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## wtair10 (Feb 21, 2022)

Thanks guys, yeah no plans to sell/market, just trying to improve an old design. Below are pics of the old pit, have no clue who designed or made it, but it's been a great cooker for 20+ years. As you can see there are no stacks, just 2x simple plate metal vents on top and in the rear located in the center is a small port for the oil to drip into a tin pan. The builder only welded angle iron on the front of the lid and bottom section, I think if they would have welded angle iron on the sides of the top it would certainly have stiffened it up more, all the designs I've seen have all the way around top and bottom.

My thoughts (drawing below) would be to use the existing L brackets for the feet on the new tank (no need to reinvent the wheel) and use the threaded pipe feet that come with those tanks. I would then drill 3/8's or 5/16ths hole through all 4x feet and insert a threaded eye bolt into each. I could then adjust the threaded eye bolts until I get the right tension for the finished weight of the lid. I'd need to weld piece of metal for a lid stop, but figure I can do that after I determine the how wide I need it to open beyond 90 degrees.
It's a new tank, my buddy bought a camp and the previous owner was going to replace the existing oil tank so he just let it go with the sell. My buddy has no intentions of using the oil burner and has no need for the tank.


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## bensb34 (May 5, 2022)

forktender said:


> If you aren't planning on selling them, there is no such thing as copyright infringement





forktender said:


> If you aren't planning on selling them, there is no such thing as copyright infringement.


A lot of people think that’s right, but as a copyright attorney, it’s not.  Less likely that someone will come after you but if you use someone else’s stuff - whether or not it is registered and whether or not you are selling it - it is infringement (unless covered by an exception)

And if someone posts a pic to the forum they don’t have rights to,  an owner could come after the poster and the forum in some instances.

Enough of that - how far should cylinders be from the heat?  My cooker has a really heavy top


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## forktender (May 5, 2022)

There are ways around that make a few simple changes to the design now it's your design not theirs.


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## bensb34 (May 5, 2022)

forktender said:


> If you aren't planning on selling them, there is no such thing as copyright infringement





forktender said:


> If you aren't planning on selling them, there is no such thing as copyright infringement.





forktender said:


> There are ways around that make a few simple changes to the design now it's your design not theirs.


A lot of the people I end up dealing think that. Not worth it for me to roll the dice on having to pay damages and the other side’s attorney’s fees!


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