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smokey indiana · Post by **smokey indiana** » April 1st, 2011, 4:38 pm

Here is pic of the piece of metal I just got from scrap yard. 28"x48" it is 1/4 thick. This piece was $40. Trying to keep cost down by buying leftovers. When I get this smoker done everything in it will come from scrap. I think half the fun in building this smoker is trying to make odd pieces work.

Post by **Tom_Heath** » April 1st, 2011, 10:57 pm

Awesome find on the diamond plate!!!

I think, if it was me, that I would try to keep my welds to only about 2 inchs then move to the opposite side. Then let it all cool at a normal rate. I wouldn't worry to much about the 1/4" its pretty stout, still wouldn't make giant long passes.

If you run hot and fast you will put less heat into the work piece then if you were using the welder at a lower setting.

Again, my main reason for offering this info is to prevent a disaster, a bad warp is a complete and total disaster. Been there.
Also as info to future readers.

smokey indiana · Post by **smokey indiana** » December 21st, 2011, 10:48 pm

Need some help with a few things. Any help would be appreciated

smokey indiana · Post by **smokey indiana** » December 21st, 2011, 11:00 pm

How much space should there be between end of baffle plate and end of tank. The tank has a bell on the end

smokey indiana · Post by **smokey indiana** » December 21st, 2011, 11:04 pm

Also the doors dont fit tight the last two inches on bottom of door. Should i heat. Dont wont to warp door. Would really prefer not to heat. Any suggestions

KILLSWITCH505 · Post by **KILLSWITCH505** » December 21st, 2011, 11:21 pm

wrap a chain around the door and use a floor jack on it

smokey indiana · Post by **smokey indiana** » December 22nd, 2011, 7:29 am

Please explain more killswitch. Hows floorjack and chain work

GreenSmoker · Post by **GreenSmoker** » December 22nd, 2011, 10:27 am

smokey indiana, take a floor jack and lay a piece of lumber over the lift pad. 2/4 or 4/4 or ? lay your door over that and wrap a chain around the bottom of the jack and over the door snugly. I've found that putting the end under a trailer hitch on the p/u holds that end down and helps. Jack it up and start to get pressure on things. Make sure you are set where your bend is needed. Have a heavy mallet, rubber, dead blow or something. As you get pressure if it needs a tweak hit it. Usually the jack will get it as you get solid pressure on it. You may have to do it more than once to get the right shape. Don't go for it all at once as you may blow right past it.

KILLSWITCH505 · Post by **KILLSWITCH505** » December 22nd, 2011, 11:53 am

+1 to GS but looking back on your post you have already flagged your door you'll probably need to weld the chain to the back side of the door as not to bend the flange. i would come 2'' from each corner and weld the chain (not tack but a good weld). measure the opening of the door (on the cooker) we'll say its 30'' when you start jacking i would let it go to 31'' for spring back release the jack and measure repeat until you get what your looking for

smokey indiana · Post by **smokey indiana** » December 22nd, 2011, 12:36 pm

I cant get doors off. Welded hinges opposite so they would not come off. What should i do if they are already on smikee

KILLSWITCH505 · Post by **KILLSWITCH505** » December 22nd, 2011, 1:54 pm

you could cut the hinges. I've used high temp silicone with really good luck or you could also use wood stove rope gasket

TrailerBuilder · Post by **TrailerBuilder** » December 22nd, 2011, 6:10 pm

Your cooker is looking great, nice work so far. The good ole dreaded door. The jack and chain method works great, but as mentioned, go easy and a little at a time, dont want to go to far. Hope the pics help.

smokey indiana · Post by **smokey indiana** » December 22nd, 2011, 6:58 pm

Any more ideas on how to fix door if already welded on

k.a.m. · Post by **k.a.m.** » December 22nd, 2011, 10:54 pm

smokey indiana, here is a way to tweak your door that is already welded up.
With the door shut mark the cooking chamber on both sides where the door starts to pull out. Then open th door and place an angle iron across the opening just above the marks.

Then close the door on the angle iron and wrap a chain around the body. You will need a binder to clamp the chain tight and I mean bare down on it to take all bounce out of the door.

If your seals are in place use a small piece of angle iron just above them to keep the chain off them.

When you have this in place take a good sized hammed and whip the door once or twice then check the chain tension if it has loosened a bit check your door. Believe me it will re-curve doing this, the secret is to keep the spring out of the door with the chain while hitting it.
I hope this helps.

Post by **Tom_Heath** » December 23rd, 2011, 9:55 am

There is a couple ways to fix the doors.

One would be to wrap a chain around the offending area of the door and then use a bottle jack to apply tension to the chain and tweak the door.
The other choice would be to weld a bead oppisite every weld on the door flanges. On the inside. The flange weld is likley what has warped your door.
If the doors wont come off easy, I would go for the welding method. Thats just me though.

Post by **Tom_Heath** » December 23rd, 2011, 10:00 am

I am really starting to HATE these little emoticons/smiles......They are taking up to much realestate on the vertical. I seldom scroll to the bottom to check for another page, bad me. I post in the quick reply and once it post I see there there was 12 other replies on the next page. RRRRRRR

I sure wish the settings would let us put the smiles the same as they are in the chat screen on the home page. Or even let us minimize them out of the way.

I love the little guys but HATE um at the same time when there in the way.

Tommy Joe · Post by **Tommy Joe** » December 23rd, 2011, 12:26 pm

Earler in this thread cut off disk were being talked about. I was a working out of Hastings, NE on a coal fired power plant. The prime contractor called a saftey meeting and set rules on the use of cut offs. They brought up a case of a fellow using one to do a little polishing and it broke apart and a piece going into his chest hitting his heart and killing him. So don't be a dummy wear your PPE (personal protective equiptment) ALWAYS!!!!!!!! I know at times it seems like a pain in the arse and you may be a tough SOB or in a hurry, but think of your family!!!!!!

or

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » December 23rd, 2011, 5:01 pm

You're absolutely right! ... and small world - I'm in Kearney, NE!

Post by **Tom_Heath** » December 24th, 2011, 10:58 am

Sorry for the venting guys !!!!

:PBox:

For me LOL

Yes I agree times 200 on the PPE. !!!!!!

I made a custom guard for my metabo so that I can run the 6" cut-off's.
I see guys every day use um with no guards.........it always catchs up some day, somehow.

Be Safe.......gotta make it to the next smoke.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » December 24th, 2011, 8:08 pm

k.a.m. · Post by **k.a.m.** » December 25th, 2011, 8:49 am

I was using a flap disc from HF a while back the kind that are glued on the backer with no hub. The disc hooked on a corner and I did not notice it had cracked I picked it up and started polishing again when it blew up and took a chunk out of my face shield. That was an eye opening moment as I found the rest of the disk about 30ft from where I was working. I know the guards are a very important safety feature and use them but sometimes they get in the way and I have to remove them. Be careful guys and suit up for the job. Heavy welding shirts, gloves and pants are a must along with boots. I always use full face shields rather than safety glasses.

YouTube · Post by **Frank_Cox** » December 25th, 2011, 9:46 am

k.a.m. wrote:I was using a flap disc from HF a while back the kind that are glued on the backer with no hub. The disc hooked on a corner and I did not notice it had cracked I picked it up and started polishing again when it blew up and took a chunk out of my face shield. That was an eye opening moment as I found the rest of the disk about 30ft from where I was working. I know the guards are a very important safety feature and use them but sometimes they get in the way and I have to remove them. Be careful guys and suit up for the job. Heavy welding shirts, gloves and pants are a must along with boots. I always use full face shields rather than safety glasses.

Man! that was a close call kam! Another reason to not skimp on the price when buying gear! I always wear my welding helmet and put it grind mode. change the lenses frequently. x2 on the PPE!

KILLSWITCH505 · Post by **KILLSWITCH505** » December 26th, 2011, 2:01 pm

man i thought you guys like living on the edge

i had a chop saw blade come apart on me once after that is safety or nothing in my shop

k.a.m. · Post by **k.a.m.** » December 26th, 2011, 5:03 pm

KILLSWITCH505 wrote:man i thought you guys like living on the edge i had a chop saw blade come apart on me once after that is safety or nothing in my shop

Denny, I bet that was a pucker factor from beyond Brother.

Post by **Tom_Heath** » December 26th, 2011, 9:50 pm

Theres that word again.....

The pucker factor

Yup....been there done that.

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