First build ,60 gallon center feed, maybe

[mofomatic]

got the air inlet on. still need to come up with a baffle.

installed the door seal on the fire box, and got the hinges tack welded. seems to work ok. will finish weld next build day.

going to use the same 1/2" rod and spacers used in the hinges to make Blazer's latch for the fb door.

almost ready to mount the tank....

[Rodcrafter]

Your doing a nice job!

[The Czar]

How about a close up of those hinges?

[mofomatic]

there is my hinge idea. i dont have a torch at home so i have to weld up 90° bends.

i get these exhuast manifold bolt spacers from work. i have to drill them out since they are metric.

what ever anti corrosion coating they use, smells way more toxic than regular zinc dipped hardware when welding. definately want to grind it off.

[mofomatic]

having some problems getting pics to upload...

used the 1/2" rod to line up spacers and welded them in.

used the same materials for the latch.

[mofomatic]

back of latch. i did not use a spacer on the inside, and i added a slightly ramped chunk of metal to help the latch engage smoothly. with the ramp and the round bar. it closes nice. and if i want to adjust tension, i can whack it with a hammer.
i stacked the baffle plate material and some other stuff on top pf the door to keep it tight when i was welding the hinges.

so there is the fire box. i need a door handle, a baffle plate for the air inlet, and i need to make the log basket.

[The Czar]

Sweet...I love em!

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[Clover Ridge Smokers]

[Gizmo]

Keep it up - that's some perty nice work there...

[Rodcrafter]

[Smokeone]

[Miketheforester]

So do you make beer or just party enough to have extra kegs around any time you need them?

[mofomatic]

everyone-thanks for the kind words. this site has tons of good info. makes it easy to put something together.

mtf-a little of both. i built a 2 tier beer machine, single pump, 10 gallon batches, we use the kegs for brew pots and fermenters. pretty much every container needed for brewing is a keg.

[jwsimpleville]

Those fancy vise grips are a handle all their own. I say leave them.

[mofomatic]

got the hole cut. just sitting on there. i wont weld it until i figure out if i should have it sand blasted or try to flap wheel/grind off the rust. but anyways. the whole is cut and it lines up.

[mofomatic]

i have two pieces of that plate for the baffle. i think i came up with an easy way to figure out the correct shape and size for the bp openings. i'll share it if it works out like i think it will.

and there it is. just kinda of sitting there(still not welded). i glued the door seal on the cc door. ready for hinges, and paint removal

[The Czar]

Killer dude!!!

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[Rodcrafter]

Keep up the good work!

[mofomatic]

so i got lazy and uncreative for the air inlet damper. i got 2 rain hats from work that were going to the scrap bin. i tightened the pivot bolt a little and now the flap will stay where i leave it. it seals up pretty well. about as well as any sliding, rotating adjustable inlet.

it was free and require almost no effort on my part. i will look at it again in a few days, see if it still seems like a good idea. thinking about doing the same for the smoke stack. the stack and air inlet are truck exhuast pieces anyways, so may as well keep it going...

also got the lower half done. 8" castors. 4"x3" tubing for the frame(dirt cheap at metal place). fire box is welded to that now.

[smokethis]

keep up the good work she's starting to look like a cooker
Oh and I think we all like ez and most of all free solutions and if u don't like it you can always change it

[Miketheforester]

Looks good to me. Easy is good!

[Smokeone]

Those rain caps are like beer, there's two kinds, mine and free. They both work for me!

[Tom_Heath]

What he said !!

[mofomatic]

Making some progress. got the CC tacked to the fire box, CC door hinges on, smoke stack tacked on. Being a center feed, and needing the stack to be in the middle. I would up putting it kind of low to clear the door. but It is still above the cook grate surface(you know, when I get to it). A few people have said it does not matter too much how high or low the stack opening is, so that should be fine.

I've ben wondering how the stack was going to fit in the middle like that, I am happy with it.

I need to make the basket for the fire box and I can burn it out.

[Miketheforester]

Man that is looking pretty nice. I still really think the center feed design is going to be cool.