Hey Chuck that sounds perfect to me!, mines only 20 " in diameter and it fits all I`ve wanted so far, Oh yeah!, welcome aboard mate!, get yourself a digital camera and a photobucket account so we can see your progress!....
I would say if you can get all the meat you want in the space that 24' pipe provides, then it is big enough. As for the thickness, it would depend on if you are going to put it on a trailer or how you would need to move it. I say that because as you know it is heavy. But it will get twice as heavy before you are done. Myself, I would rather use heavy than light, my smoker is 26" x 3/8" after it was finished it weighs about 2500lbs. But I use a forklift to put it on my trailer if I'm going somewhere with it. Other wise it sets my the ramp at my office, and I don't have to worry about someone stealing it.
So it is really if you can handle the weight of it or not.
Current Smokers: Backyard RF Offset and Hybrid RF Offset trailer rig with Cowboy cooker and fish fryer, always room for more........
Once you get that beast up to temp I bet it will hold like a champ with 3/8, just gonna take a bit longer on the warm up phase but man is it gonna be a sweet smokin machine.
If it can't be smoked .... try frying it. It that don't work, it's probably best just left alone
That pipe is great for what you want to build!!!!!
I just got a piece of 24" 7ft long 3/8 thick yesterday for a hybrid build I am doing for myself. It will be reverse flow and then a section will be direct cook separated by a baffle plate
In order to calculate the volume of a pipe in gallons, you need to calculate the volume of a cylinder, as most pipes are cylindrical. The volume of a cylinder equals pi times the radius squared times the height. This will give you a measure in cubic feet. You then need to convert the cubic feet into gallons. One cubic foot equals 7.48051948 US gallons.
Just leave enough stack inside to make a nice weld - it'll work fine.
And on the eighth day God created barbecue …. because he DOES love us and he wants us to be happy.
Current smokers: Egor (trailered RF) and Easybake (tabletop pellet drive)
Thanks for all th great info from everyone. When I signed up for this I figured it was just another forum were u post an no one listens I was very wrong about this one. What gag and type of expanded metal should I use for the cooking surface and charcoal/ wood basket.
Welcome to the greatest site for building cookers. This is a very active site as you've already found out. We are here to anser any questions you may have and want to see you succeed as a builder.
Here is a link to a great bunch of calculators that you might find helpful with your build. http://www.handymath.com/
I'm jealous you can get 3/4 #9 flat TQ because that would be great stuff. Around here they jump from 1/2 #13 flat to 1/4 inch standard.
Everything in between I would have to buy an entire sheet just to get it.
So I use the 1/2 #13 flat and I have been happy with it on everything so far.
Then again - I don't build very large smokers for whole hogs etc. either….
And on the eighth day God created barbecue …. because he DOES love us and he wants us to be happy.
Current smokers: Egor (trailered RF) and Easybake (tabletop pellet drive)
And on the eighth day God created barbecue …. because he DOES love us and he wants us to be happy.
Current smokers: Egor (trailered RF) and Easybake (tabletop pellet drive)