List looks complete. Can't wait to see the finished product.
Are youbgoing with a solid baffle or putting holes in it? I added holes to mine to allow a bit more direct heat (mine was designed with higher temp cooking in mind, mind you). It also allows the dripping to get to the fire a bit and add more flavour. I am still to build a smaller plate (6"x6") with a handle to set over the center holes to reduce the direct heat if needed.
List looks complete. Can't wait to see the finished product.
Are youbgoing with a solid baffle or putting holes in it? I added holes to mine to allow a bit more direct heat (mine was designed with higher temp cooking in mind, mind you). It also allows the dripping to get to the fire a bit and add more flavour. I am still to build a smaller plate (6"x6") with a handle to set over the center holes to reduce the direct heat if needed.
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I plan to do a solid baffle plate with a small gap around the edges. I do also plan to make a grate that can replace the baffle if I wanted to more of a grill type cook over top of the fire.
I do love a good list. Nothing more satisfying the crossing things off.
I'm a list person myself haha.
I made the parts for the seals around the door and got them 75% tacked on today. I'll finish that and the latches tomorrow. I'm glad I only tacked the hinges on because I'm definitely going to need to cut th tacks and re position the doors and shim the hinges up a tad so the seals work correctly.
I've hear a few people show concern for stacks on vertical smokers dripping into the food. I guess I never thought of that but I see UDS with a stack right in the middle.
Would a drip baffle if sorts be worth working into the design? A small plate under the exhaust slightly larger than the exhaust that would catch anything that dripped.
Also seeing how small UDS exhaust are it made me wonder if I really need the 4" exhaust. The opening on the propane tank onder the valve bung that's getting cut off is 3". I have some 3" pipe laying around anyways...would save maybe an hour's if work. Hell I actually probably have a 3" chrome exhaust pipe...would jazz it up a bit
If your heat source is lrimarily charcoal, 3” should be fine. You shouldn’t need much length which will limit condensation. I wonder if the round dome of the top of your tank would help any moisture from your stack to drip down the sides instead of dripping straight down. I’d try and make sure the edges where your stack connects to the top of the tank are rounded.
The best-practice for hinges is to shim the doors about half the thickness of the gasket and then use a ratchet strap to hold the door in place. You can then weld on your hinges. This procedure should give you a crush space for your gasket so it seals properly and the door closes without binding.
Don’t be to upset....you are definitely not the first person to have to cut them off and ro-do!
If your heat source is lrimarily charcoal, 3” should be fine. You shouldn’t need much length which will limit condensation. I wonder if the round dome of the top of your tank would help any moisture from your stack to drip down the sides instead of dripping straight down. I’d try and make sure the edges where your stack connects to the top of the tank are rounded.
Yeah I'll probably do charcoal with a hunk of wood or two. That's how I've always done it in the past. The lump coal I use is hickory and then a few hickory chunks. Yeah that won't be a issue. Should work out good
The best-practice for hinges is to shim the doors about half the thickness of the gasket and then use a ratchet strap to hold the door in place. You can then weld on your hinges. This procedure should give you a crush space for your gasket so it seals properly and the door closes without binding.
Don’t be to upset....you are definitely not the first person to have to cut them off and ro-do!
Thanks for the tip. That was going to be my approach. I have some various sheet steel thickness. The gasket is .125 so I was going to stick some sheet steel under the hung and lay th indoor on but the ratchet strap is a tip. Only issue I'm having how is the top door has a twist. I'm assuming from the ring where two half's of the tank are welded. I should be able to twist it out.
I'm just glad that I have enough fab experience that I had the intuition to tack them knowing that it was bound to happen lol.
I was able to round up a bunch of small small washers from my workbench for my shims. Just used masking tape to put them around the door edge. Was easier than cutting down stock...
My gaskets came in the mail today so I'm pretty sure I have all the materials and parts I need. Now it's just a me problem haha.
Tonight I cut the valve bung off and smoothed it out in prep for the exhaust stack. Also cut the crappy bent up bottom stand off so it will stop falling all-over.
I need to get it in some legs before I do the exhaust stack and out the rack supports in so it all comes out straight. I think I'm using some 5/8 round bar to make a tripod stand sort of like.innmy picture.
Gotta love those nights in the shop when you kick some ass and cross things off the lists. This is coming along nicely.
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Thanks man. I was hoping I'd have it ready for it's first burn this weekend but doesn't look like it's going to happen. It's first cook is going to end up being a cool one. Temps are already falling into the 30s at night here in the Midwest.
Gotta love those nights in the shop when you kick some ass and cross things off the lists. This is coming along nicely.
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Thanks man. I was hoping I'd have it ready for it's first burn this weekend but doesn't look like it's going to happen. It's first cook is going to end up being a cool one. Temps are already falling into the 30s at night here in the Midwest.
I knkw what ya mean with Temperatures, I live in the Canadian prairies. She is about to get real cold in the next 6 weeks..and I do the majority of my cooking over live fire. Good thing for parkas, toques and my heated shop right there lol
Gotta love those nights in the shop when you kick some ass and cross things off the lists. This is coming along nicely.
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Thanks man. I was hoping I'd have it ready for it's first burn this weekend but doesn't look like it's going to happen. It's first cook is going to end up being a cool one. Temps are already falling into the 30s at night here in the Midwest.
I knkw what ya mean with Temperatures, I live in the Canadian prairies. She is about to get real cold in the next 6 weeks..and I do the majority of my cooking over live fire. Good thing for parkas, toques and my heated shop right there lol
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YUP! Winter is coming. I move most of my smoking to small scale Big Green Egg cooks in the winter. Too cold in MN. I'm really considering selling my current patio smoker and building a fully insulated CC/FB pit. Make another octagon smoker so I can insulate it more easily. It will be HEAVY! Still, how sweet would it be running the pit at -25 deg F!
Winter has never slowed me down that much. I have done many long cooks on my WSM bullet at -30°C. I just wrapped insulation around it. Worked like a charm. And beside, fire still makes heat at -40°C, propane does not. However this year with my live fire cooking I will be tested on my commitment to outdoor cooking...until I build a wind break lol.
Rule Hard wrote:
Thanks man. I was hoping I'd have it ready for it's first burn this weekend but doesn't look like it's going to happen. It's first cook is going to end up being a cool one. Temps are already falling into the 30s at night here in the Midwest.
I knkw what ya mean with Temperatures, I live in the Canadian prairies. She is about to get real cold in the next 6 weeks..and I do the majority of my cooking over live fire. Good thing for parkas, toques and my heated shop right there lol
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YUP! Winter is coming. I move most of my smoking to small scale Big Green Egg cooks in the winter. Too cold in MN. I'm really considering selling my current patio smoker and building a fully insulated CC/FB pit. Make another octagon smoker so I can insulate it more easily. It will be HEAVY! Still, how sweet would it be running the pit at -25 deg F!
So the main issue with winter smoking is the affect that the temps have on the amount of fuel it takes to get proper temps right? So the cooler it is the more fuel you'd expect to use in theory.
I didn't have a ton of time last night but I did grind the welds off from the ring to prep the tank further for it's legs. I also came up with a simpler idea for the legs. I have these 3/16 thick 2.5" square cut offs with misers in them already that will be perfect for the legs and it'll save time, look nice and the weight will help it be less tippy I hope
So the main issue with winter smoking is the affect that the temps have on the amount of fuel it takes to get proper temps right? So the cooler it is the more fuel you'd expect to use in theory.
Correct. It will gobble up wood like crazy at low temps.
On the legs, I’d tack that steel ring to the inside of your legs before mounting the to your tank. It will be way easier to get all 4 legs positioned where you want and held firmly in place to weld to your tank.
On the legs, I’d tack that steel ring to the inside of your legs before mounting the to your tank. It will be way easier to get all 4 legs positioned where you want and held firmly in place to weld to your tank.
That's a good tip. I was going tack the legs to my welding table and set the tank on them. Your idea gives me another idea though. Instead of a roni could just use straight round bar from.ojento the next to get them in place and have the same effect. Thanks for the advice...gives me more to think about
