Mini build progress

[okcsmith]

Thought I d post a few pics of build. I am a newbie welder with more equipment than time but this project has been a great excuse to start teaching my 14 year old how to weld-As they say 14 year olds will always have better welds than 57 year olds even as newbies because they can see ! I know it is not all square and the welds are ugly but its great fun!

I am wondering if I need insulation around firebox and chute? Also does the end of the c channel plate attach to the opposite wall ? Not sure it is quite long enough. I could not find 9 inch channel so I welded up mine with 1/4 plate


(Sorry cannot figure out how to make images rotate correctly)

[Big T]

The channel does attach to the wall and I would put insulation around the FB and chute as well as the outer skin. It looks like y'all are doing a fine job, keep up the good work.

[Chromeski]

Off to a great start

[Dirtytires]

Looking ok to me....great family project.

[ajfoxy]

Looking good so far.

[Chromeski]

Did you stuff the tubes with insulation?

[okcsmith]

Yes, forgot a couple but got 80% done up front. Using 3 inch batting from roxol -found it at home depot and lowes under different names but is wool based and heat resistant > 2000 degrees without formaldehyde. Also scored some cheap 1 inch solid panels online with free shipping but was not sure that it was enough to fill 1 1/2 walls to insulate. Will likely use both and weld some roofing nalis in place to hold it up. Any ideas on keeping insulation around firebox and chute? Maybe good old baling wire? Also, where is easiest place to get pipe for air intake and chimney? do most folks use galvanized and grind off zinc in welded areas? Just wondering. I am leaning toward screwing on outer skins so i can remove easier if something malfunctions. Figure I could bend upper lid to 90 degrees at top on both sides to overlap sides for front and back ?

[okcsmith]

is there a way to rotate pics? Maybe resize or make smaller?

[Big T]

I don't think that you can rotate pictures once they're posted and I'm not sure why they ended up that way. I either use an app on my phone to resize pictures or post them straight from my phone using tapatalk app. I've seen a few guys use some scraps of expanded metal or flat bar to secure the insulation around the FB. I would stay away from the galvanized material even though it isn't inside the CC but that's just my preference. I'm not sure where everyone is getting there pipe but if you can't source it local you can check bbqsmokersupply.com or give them a call.

[Frank_Cox]

looking good!!
If ya need any parts shoot me a PM... we can send ya pre-cut smoke stack and air inlet parts...

[okcsmith]

For the chimney is it ok to use a 4 inch diameter pipe or will it throw off the smoker flow-I have a 4 inch piece handy but can get 3 inch if 4 inch is too large? By the way thanks Frank for the offer-I can get the 2 or 3 inch pipe from the steel yard at a fairly inexpensive price compared to shipping from your place but I'll have a lot left over for the next project

By the way, I extended the cabinet by 4 inches in height for a total of 36 inches to get another rack inside if that matters

[Chromeski]

The 4 inch will work fine and you could always close the flu a bit if needed. The extra 4 Inches will work out fine just takes a little longer to recover temp.

[Chromeski]

Have you made any progress?

[okcsmith]

Getting ready to frame out doors and skin it

[okcsmith]

[Big T]

[Chromeski]

Almost done. Looks great

[okcsmith]

Any tips on welding skins on doors to avoid warpage? I have mig and tig available but newby with both. Should I stitch inside first then weld edges in small stitches or tack and weld around edges? Got quite a bit of warpage on inside walls but no one will notice.

[Dirtytires]

I’m not sure what ‘inside’ you were referring to but you definitely don’t need to weld both sides for door skins. I’m sure you know that tho.

I tend to stitch weld, about an inch or so on each panel at a time. It takes forever because the heat takes to long to dissipate. I have had better luck with a smaller dia wire as well....you might experiment with 0.025 vs 0.030 to see.

[Chromeski]

Looks great so far. I plan to finally get a little done on mine next weekend. After I destroy my sheetmetal I'll know what not to do better

[mp4]

I have troubles keeping my stitch welds small enough...I just cant help myself. My new welder has a timer on it I set it down to just spot weld around the door and then ground it smooth. I did the same thing to the firebox panels for my brother-in-law's rig and he actually liked the texture it left. We just hit it with the grinder to take the sharp edges off.

[okcsmith]

Yes, I assumed that but thought if I stitched a couple of places on inside of door panel to hold it down where insulation goes, it may make it easier on the outside edges. I am also wondering if I should make the outer skins a little smaller to allow for better weld to edge of square tubing? I guess I need to quick talking about it and get er done!

[Dirtytires]

If I’m welding a panel to an edge, I try to get the panel 1/16 to 1/8 from the edge. It helps to cut down on the grinding a bit and keeps the weld away from the other corner so the second panel will lay flat and not be in the previous edges weld.

[okcsmith]

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crop 2.jpg (54.38 KiB) Viewed 657 times

Finally done a few months ago-thought I would post some pics and thoughts. The bad: as you can see it ain't perfect but it smokes great! My impatient welding skills ended up with several warped sides and top. I let the boys welds the edges on the outside and for the most part their welds were better than mine. Don't try to weld your smokestack by holding it level by hand to tack it unless you like it crooked like mine; I realized after the build that a few of the metal tubes did not all get insulated-ouch that's hot! Fan blows some ashes into the bottom of the smoker but not up on food. My door is warped and hinges are not perfect so I had to use red rtv to seal door-ugly but effective and easy to apply with saran wrap in between beads. The good news:I added 4 inches to the height for another rack which helped, I added a heatermeter and even tried battery power which worked well with fan I bought.Using a propane torch with a mini camping propane bottle is a quick way to light the chimney, Holds great heat easily once hot. All in all a great experience, not bad for a 59 year old doc who loves to bbq!

[Big T]

Looks great!! It doesn't get much better than cooking some great food on something that you've built with your own hands.