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.
Learning generally boils down to "Repetition or the avoidance of pain", some people learn by doing, some by watching and some just have to pee on the electric fence.
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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 ?
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.
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
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.
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.
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.
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.
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!
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.
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!
Last edited by okcsmith on September 7th, 2020, 10:09 am, edited 1 time in total.