Bkndsdl's Insulated Hybrid

[Frank_Cox]

Dagum buddy! fine lookin build fo sho!!

[Puff]

So Mike,

This really came out great. It is clearly massive. Is it now a fixture outdoors or are you planning to move it some where? This intrigues me since I cannot move anything I've built so far without monumental effort and I remember how you were describing having to move it in and out of the shed to work on it. If so, how will you move it? You never know but you may have a great plan in mind...

[Bkndsdl]

Strong Work!

Thanks man!

Don't let it bother you. We all make mistakes as we learn. If it were me, I'd cut them off set the doors and either weld on new ones or reuse the old ones. The doors should work really well because you will use this many times over a very long time.

Yeah but it really sucks because I used small pieces of the gasket to get the gaps set just right.....I think the pieces I used got worked in really good and they may have worn in or collapsed a bit from use. I think I will end up removing the horizontal door hinges and resetting them.

Dagum buddy! fine lookin build fo sho!!

Thanks bro!

So Mike,

This really came out great. It is clearly massive. Is it now a fixture outdoors or are you planning to move it some where? This intrigues me since I cannot move anything I've built so far without monumental effort and I remember how you were describing having to move it in and out of the shed to work on it. If so, how will you move it? You never know but you may have a great plan in mind...

Thanks Puff. I have it in the shed right now until I am ready to paint it. with the casters on it, it actually rolls really easily. I plan on using my trailer to move it; the trailer tilts, so I planned on hauling it up the trailer with my chain hoist, then locking it down to the trailer, and moving the trailer to the back porch where it'll rest. Once I get it on the trailer, I am going to add some angle to the outside frame so I can pin it to my trailer, in case I ever want to take it somewhere, but it will mostly stay on the porch. I have a 150 gallon propane tank that I plan on making into a towable smoker for parties and church cookouts and such, but until I get that built I want to be able to move this one.

[Rodcrafter]

Good job!


Making memories.

[Bkndsdl]

I'm back guys! I took some time off at Christmas and New Year, and am ready to get back to it. But first....

Lookie what I got for Christmas!!





And got this for my birthday!!



So I promptly made some boudin! Turned out awesome!!





As far as the smoker, I have made a bit of progress......but first.........a big, big DUH.



Rolled it out of the shed by myself, and got a bit overzealous and pushed a bit too hard, right off the concrete slab. Thank goodness no one was around. It took the better part of 2 hours to get it upright and promptly rolled back in the shed, where it sat for another few weekends.......had to get my nerve back up. It sustained no damage thankfully, but my pride took a big dent.

This last weekend I was able to make some progress. I got most everything welded up, I adjusted the horizontal hinges so they fit right, I added the door drip rails, and got the angle supports in the storage area cut and welded in place. Pics to come.

[Bkndsdl]

Here are the pics; first one is the drip diverters on the doors. Pretty straightforward, with the exception being the vertical door. I wanted it to drip into the horizontal, so I made a trough for the drippings to get to the drain from the vertical to the horizontal. I also final welded the handles on the horizontal doors.





Here are the rails in the storage area. Took a while to cut these so I could make everything flush. Now all I have to do is add the expanded metal here.



I got started on the exhaust dampers. I ran out of the 1/2x1/2 angle so I could only make two of these. The exhaust damper itself is 3/8" plate, and I plan on making a simple actuator to keep it open. It is heavy enough that I won't have to worry about keeping it closed. I haven't hinged them yet.

[Pete Mazz]

Never tried boudin, but I'm willing to learn!

Smoker looks great!

[Rodcrafter]

FC gets into that stuff in LA.


Making memories.

[Big T]

Did you say you were going to build a simple actuator ???? Don't slack up now!! That thing is a Beast, you're lucky you didn't have to call a tow truck to get it back on the wheels!

[Squiggle]

Nice work dude, definitely lucky no one was under that beast. Love the Xmas & birthday presents, very cool!

[Bkndsdl]

Never tried boudin, but I'm willing to learn!

Smoker looks great!

Thanks man! Boudin is actually pretty easy. Here's the recipe I used:

1 (4-pound) pork roast
Water, for braising and boiling
1 pound pork liver
2 cups rice
2 large yellow onions, diced
6 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 cup diced green onion tops
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

In a heavy pot with tight-fitting lid, add the pork roast and fill the pot with water to a depth of 4 inches. Cover, place in the hot oven and braise the pork roast for 2 hours or until falling apart. Remove the pork from the pot reserving the cooking liquid.
In a pot filled with water over high heat, add the liver and boil until well done, about 10 minutes. Remove and drain.
In a rice cooker, make the rice following the package directions and keep warm until ready to use.
Dice the onions and add to the meat. Run the meat and onions through the grinder.
Add the rice, Cajun seasoning, cayenne, salt, and black pepper. mix together thoroughly by hand. Add the cooking liquid as needed.
Stuff the mixture into sausage casings using a sausage stuffer. Boil or smoke. Enjoy!

[Bkndsdl]

Did you say you were going to build a simple actuator ???? Don't slack up now!! That thing is a Beast, you're lucky you didn't have to call a tow truck to get it back on the wheels!

Lol, I plan on a simple arm with a connecting rod to the exhaust lid. It'll have a guide that it moves in, and locks in place in the open position. See, simple!!

It didn't take a truck, but it did take my engine hoist!!

[Bkndsdl]

Nice work dude, definitely lucky no one was under that beast. Love the Xmas & birthday presents, very cool!

Thanks man!

[Bkndsdl]

Got some work done!! I can see the light at the end of the tunnel, like maybe even in just a few weeks!

Here's the fold down shelf. This took a while to get right, but it's working just fine now. Here's the up position:



And the down position. Works perfect!! I added square tubing to frame it out, and I have a piece of aluminum diamond plate that will serve as the top of this shelf.



I got 3 of the 5 vertical racks made.



I finally got the exhaust dampers built and installed. I got the actuators made, and they are simple and work great Big T!

Here it is in closed position.



And in the open position.





Here is how it stays open, just a simple piece of plate at an angle to hold it open.



I added a stop to the back of the damper to keep it from over-rotating.





And here's the same thing, on the reverse flow stack.



Other things I got done; I got the handles for the firebox and vertical and the intake handles drilled for a cotter pin. Plan is to put the stainless spring on, slide a 1/2" washer on the rod, then pin it. Other than that, just a few minor welds and cleaning up stuff here and there.

I am getting close........I found the paint I want, and I plan on ordering it tomorrow.

Thanks for looking!!

[Squiggle]

[Pete Mazz]

Gettin' close!

[mp4]

I really like the stack lid actuators!

[Bkndsdl]

Thanks man!

Gettin' close!

I know man, it's been over a year since I bought the first load of steel. Can't wait to get it done!

I really like the stack lid actuators!

Thanks man, pretty proud of 'em myself. I can easily reach them from the front of the smoker, which is what I was going for.

I was able to get the vertical's stack actuator done today, but didn't get any pics because I worked until dark. I will get some tomorrow; it is a bit different because of having to go around the back of the vertical, but it turned out good and works just as good as the others.

I worked as late as I could tonight because it's supposed to rain the rest of the week. I hope it passes on by and the weekend is clear, but if not next week the days get longer with the time change, so I'll have more time in the afternoon to work on it. I am really hoping that the weather lets me get another solid weekend on it; if I do I should be able to blast and paint the following weekend. I am ready, and so is the fam........right after I picked up the last bit of steel I needed to finish it, my wife told me 'Ok, no more excuses! You have everything you need, now I want turkey!'......lol........got some motivation!!

[Big T]

I see that we have different definitions of simple but I knew you wouldn't disappoint us this late in the game, lol. It's definitely a work of art with all that high tech engineering that's went into it.

[Rodcrafter]

Hey, you gotta keep her happy or she will cut you short on funding the next two. LOL. Keep up the good work!!!!


Making memories.

[Pete Mazz]

Keep her fed with her favorite Q and she'll be on board with the next build.....

[Bkndsdl]

I see that we have different definitions of simple but I knew you wouldn't disappoint us this late in the game, lol. It's definitely a work of art with all that high tech engineering that's went into it.

Lol, thanks! I guess simple is in the eye of the B-uilder............

Hey, you gotta keep her happy or she will cut you short on funding the next two. LOL. Keep up the good work!!!!

If momma ain't happy, nobody's happy!! Thanks!

Keep her fed with her favorite Q and she'll be on board with the next build.....

Lol, it'll be a while before I can attempt another build, but the food coming off this one should soften her up when the time comes. Lol.

I got one more vertical rack done, the bottom one. Now I have to cut into the new sheet of expanded metal. I plan on using the rest of the sheet to make sides for my trailer and hopefully a ramp / gate.

I just ordered my paint...........$240!! It is called XTC and it is high temp and apparently high price!! I got primer and the paint. That's the biggest sign of just how close I really am with this thing!!

[Squiggle]

[Rodcrafter]

[Bkndsdl]

Made some more progress, getting closer day by day! Paint came in last week, and I am stoked.

I finally figured out (I hope) how to keep the vertical cool enough to control the temps enough to use it for smoking sausage and the like. First, I need to cut out a hole in the bottom of the vertical chamber (haven't done that yet). To separate the heat from the vertical, I decided to make two boxes stuffed with insulation that will be under the divider plate of the vertical. The boxes will slide in from the bottom and then I will slide a piece of 3/8" plate under that, pushing them up to the bottom of the divider plate. This will hopefully keep the divider plate from getting so hot. When I want to use it for say sausage, I will put the boxes in, and use the vertical as a reverse flow. When I want to use it as a hot oven, say like I want to do pizza, I will remove the boxes and remove the plate in the bottom of the vertical. This way I will have maximum versatility.

Here are the boxes; really simple. The notch is because of the square tube that holds the fire grate; I had to go around that and also around a square tube that connects the rail to the bottom of the divider plate. just above them you can see the 3/8" plate that will slide in under them. Between this plate, the 3" of insulation, the 3/16" plate at the top of the boxes, and the 3/8" divider plate, I think I'll have enough between the fire and the divider plate to work how I want it to.





Here they are stuffed slam full of insulation, about 3" worth. Here you can see the other notch to clear the vertical square tube.



Having a bit of a time getting them to work just right; still working it out. In the meantime, I added the stick warming plate. I wanted a spot inside the firebox to warm the sticks so as to keep the white smoke to a minimum when adding sticks to the fire grate.



Just the right size.



Also got the grate storage racks done. These are for the vertical racks; they will hold 4 of the 5 vertical racks.



And the horizontal racks, under the horizontal. Crappy pic but you get the idea.



Tomorrow, I plan on pouring some more concrete so I can blast the smoker right in front of the shed; I will turn it long ways and cover the shed with plastic to keep it from getting blasted / sprayed. This way I won't have to move this baby but once. I want to do the blasting on the smoker and some spots of my trailer at the same time, so not having to move it means I don't have to put all the wood decking back on the trailer, move the smoker, take the wood back off the trailer, blast and paint, put the wood back on the trailer, then move the smoker again.......hoping to only do both once.

Thanks for looking!