60 Gallon Build with Warming Chamber

[love2flymn]

Been planning/modeling my next build. I have a 60 gallon tank that I'm chopping up, squaring off the doors, and adding a warming chamber to the firebox. The firebox and warming chamber are both insulated. I'm planning to use the WC as warming chamber and a chamber to hang sausages etc so it has a throat and stack of its own.

By the time i got this thing all modeled up, I realized I should have just scratch built it from raw materials and salvaged the tank, but I have too much time invested in modeling it, so I'm just going with it. I'm also on a little time crunch. Hoping to get it done by mid-late september.

Initial questions. I originally modeled the door frames up with 1" x .125" angle, but now I'm thinking it should be 1.25" or 1.5" x .125. See picture, blue arrow.

Also I planned my cooking grate frames to be made from 1" x .125 angle. I think I used this in my last 20 gal smoker, but is this heavy/big enough?

I'm sure I'll have more questions, but that's a start. I'm hoping to get material ordered ASAP so I can get his pig started.

Thanks!

[love2flymn]

I think I decided to go with all 1.25 x 1.25 x 1/8" angle. For door frames, etc.

[Rodcrafter]

[Puff]

Hi,

This is only based on my own experiences so it is only opinion... Could you benefit from using 1" square tubing to build the doors and keep the 1 1/4" angle for the door frames. Doing so would provide you a broader gasket mating surface for the door seals particularly if you used the flat Nomex self adhesive gasket against your inside angle iron. I have had great success doing this and adding a bit of compression to the doors while welding on the hinges. The seal I have on all of the smokers Ive built this way in the last two yrs has been superior. I should add that my door handle latches all use a touch of compression as the door gets tighter and tighter

Only sticking in my 2 cents.

[love2flymn]

Thanks Puff.

I've decided to go with 1" Sq for the doors, and I'm going to order materials today (hopefully).

[love2flymn]

Do they sell trailer axles/wheels/leaf springs in a "kit"? Or do I have to pick out all separately?

Steel is ordered, picking it up tomorrow.

[forty_creek]

You can get them in a kit


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[Smurf]

Etrailer seem to have decent deals. Better prices than our local places and sometimes free shipping.

[love2flymn]

http://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools/ ... _200648988

I'm thinking this one. Comes with leaf springs and whole setup for $200.

Otherwise,
Etrailer - http://www.etrailer.com/Trailer-Axles/D ... ST-60.html but I have to buy the leaf springs to go with it anyway.

Is 3 x 1-1/2 x 7ga (.187") rect tubing a good size for trailer frame? Or is that pretty heavy?

[Rodcrafter]

What size trailer are you going to make? Some people are going to put a lot of other things on the trailer when doing this.


Making memories.

[love2flymn]

I'd like to add a wood storage bin to the backside and possibly a spot for a grill just in front of that.

[Rodcrafter]

That sounds fare. The steel and axle should be fine. I always go extra on everything so it is hard for me to recommend a 2000 lb axle. But it sounds like it should be ok.

jm2cw

[love2flymn]

What's the consensus on torsion axles?

[Big T]

I wouldn't recommend using torsion axles. We replace a lot of them on boat trailers that are only a few years old. They tend to cause the tires to ride on the inside edge and wear out prematurely. I have seen them bust the hub due to all the camber putting the load on the outer bearing. It's hard to beat a straight axle and leaf spring set up as long as it's not over loaded. jm2cw

[love2flymn]

Been working hard at this. Maybe later today I'll take some pictures and load them in.
My smoker went from 60gal to 80gal due to my neighbor talking me into making the top extended part square all the way back. Had I decided to do this from the start, I would have just sold my 60 gal tank and made a mack style square box cooker. Oh well, the tank was free.

I'm finding that either A) I'm horrible at welding or B) My welder is very inconsistent and not very easy to use. I have an old lincoln tombstone/buzzbox. Are these usually pretty solid?

By this I mean, I'll weld a stick with a beautiful bead, then I'll go to burn the next stick and it'll be wormholed or too hot or too cold or something. Maybe I need to just dry my electrodes out? They have been sitting for over a year.

[love2flymn]

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[love2flymn]

This is just mocking up the fb/wc with cc


Just trying out my tapatalk.
I'll get more pics tonight. Gotta show off the riiiims i bought for the trailer

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[Big T]

[Pete Mazz]

[Rodcrafter]

You're doing great! As far as the welder goes, some of the small ones that look like that are just a/c output and not very good welders. I had one that was bigger that looked like that but it was a/c and d/c it even had an polarity reversing switch. It was a 250amp machine. It did a great job. But as for the rods being damp, that sure does make things harder also.
Keep up the nice work.


Making memories.

[love2flymn]

More pics i snapped this morning before work. Unfortunately i can't work on it this weekend because we're heading up to the lake. Oh well.

I just have to weld the inside seams. Or do you guys only weld outside seams?

I do have a small Hobart handler 125 (or 135?), but the wire feed speed doesn't seem to work. It just feeds fast and very inconsistent. i read maybe it needs a new control board? Or maybe a new gun liner.


Example of my "good" welds.


Wc/cabinet damper


Chain hoist setup


Riiims.


Small axle 2k#



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[mp4]

Nice rims!

[bluecatfish]

Nice welds! I only weld outside seams. With a good weld around the outside I personally don't think it necessary to weld inside, and a lot of the time space is limited inside. jm2cw.

[love2flymn]

Thanks guys.
Maybe I'll just do some 1" welds on 8" spacing on the insides.

My other welds look nothing like those i posted pictures of, haha.

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[Rodcrafter]

I only weld the outside too. Those wheels are sweet.


Making memories.