Starting my build

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » March 23rd, 2013, 12:22 am

OK so I am starting my Clone build Saturday.

It is going to be a pretty big clone and there is a reason for that - I like to cook a lot of ribs 40 - 60 at a time so I needed some space to handle the amount of ribs.
She will have a cook chamber of 30" deep X 36" wide X 51" tall and will have 10 or 11 racks in it.
I hope to have the frame welded up and ready for skins by the end of tomorrow - As long as my new welder works well, I bought a Hobart 130 welder for this project. Cross your fingers...
I also got free welding table from work as they were scrapping it out - I had to rescue it

Here is a couple pics of the materials waiting to be put together Saturday:

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » March 23rd, 2013, 12:24 am

The ash box is going to be 12X12 1/4"
The fire box is 12X9 1/2" thick and 24" tall
The rest of the chute will be 27-28" of 1/4"

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » March 23rd, 2013, 6:15 pm

Seems like you have a plan!!!

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » March 24th, 2013, 8:21 am

Nice looking build you're starting!
What is the temp rating on that insulation?

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » March 24th, 2013, 11:42 am

Its listed at 2150 deg F.

Smokeone · Post by **Smokeone** » March 24th, 2013, 12:09 pm

Looks like a great start. I think I should have done all the layout and cutting before I started assembly.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » March 24th, 2013, 1:04 pm

2150 ought-a do it!

KenV · Post by **KenV** » March 25th, 2013, 9:27 am

A couple questions, are you going to have insulation between your charcoal chute/firebox and your cook chamber wall and are you planning on extending your heat transfer tube into the cook chamber at all?

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » March 25th, 2013, 6:03 pm

Yes and yes

KenV · Post by **KenV** » March 25th, 2013, 10:01 pm

Good deal, those 2 changes over my actual stumps made my clone work better and evened the temps out throughout my whole cook chamber.

YouTube · Post by **Frank_Cox** » March 31st, 2013, 7:38 pm

Sounds like a great build!

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » April 1st, 2013, 9:23 pm

Here is the frame at about 75% done.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » April 2nd, 2013, 7:12 am

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » April 2nd, 2013, 7:32 am

What kind of welder you using there ?

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » April 2nd, 2013, 8:39 am

Its a Hobart 130 -

I suck at welding as you can see. I am getting the hang of it though but some look really good then the next weld is horse crap (its not the machine)/

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » April 2nd, 2013, 11:58 am

No problems ....look better than mine!!!

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KenV · Post by **KenV** » April 2nd, 2013, 2:27 pm

That's what flap wheels are for. Looks like a good start.

Smokeone · Post by **Smokeone** » April 2nd, 2013, 6:24 pm

Ken hit that nail on the head.

Keep it up man, you will be laying a perfect bead before long.

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » April 3rd, 2013, 7:21 am

You running flux core? If so it will clean up good....

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » April 5th, 2013, 7:37 pm

Did a ton of grinding and now ready for skin and cook chamber install.

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » April 5th, 2013, 8:19 pm

Sweet

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Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » April 21st, 2013, 6:33 pm

Just an update, I borrowed a big welder to help me with this project - the 110 sucks.
The cook chamber is almost all in after cutting one side off so I could get it in...Then and added some more cross braces. It is upside down in these pictures.

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » April 21st, 2013, 7:18 pm

....I like the progress so far....

YouTube · Post by **Frank_Cox** » May 3rd, 2013, 9:41 am

It's built stout for sure!!

Two Bears · Post by **Two Bears** » May 4th, 2013, 1:20 am

So I enlisted my wife to help me flip it over right side up, It went down easy but getting it upright was lets say a shat ton of work ! It must weigh close to 800 lbs but we finally got it back on the wheels.
I got the expanded steel installed and ground a bunch of welds down so the skins will fit better.
The ash box and fire box will go in Saturday then cut the hole for the heat transfer tube (wish me luck), then the charcoal chute and skins and doors.

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