Overspray’s Custom Gravity Feed Single Pan

[Overspray]

Hey guys, I guess I’ll start my build thread here. First, I’m be building a Single Pan GF setup. It will be somehwhat unconventional, and have an automotive style to it.

The overall height and CC will be extended 6” taller, to accommodate an extra shelf, the exhaust will be exiting the side instead of the top, the width will be extended about 3” as well. The chute and fire box doors will be flush. (I’m not too worried about water intrusion and have a plan for it). Plenty of other little touches along the way to make it mine.

Please feel free to add your input and experiences on what I have going on, as this is the first build I am undertaking.


So here we go...

I got enough 1.5 tube to build out the frame and doors. My manager let his CampChef cooktop go to crap and got a new one, so I snagged it to make a removable grease pan. You can also see the channel I procured for the heat transfer.

The doors for the charcoal chute as well as fire box are cut, insulated and tacked together.

I actually bought the plans for the double pan as well, and even cut out the fire box for it. Luckily when I changed my mind, my scraps were nearly perfect for the single pan box. The opening is 1/2” too tall, so I’ll address that before it’s completed.

I’m the last pic, those are handles that I ordered from a 1935 Ford. The CC door will have an automotive style handle and latch mechanism.

I’ll have to figure out a better way of posting pics and orienting them to make the thread flow, so bear with me.

[Big T]

Sounds like it'll be a cool project.

[Dirtytires]

Great to see it start.....take your time and do it right the first time.

[Diggerg]

Looking forward to seeing this progress

[ajfoxy]

Looking good so far...

[Overspray]

Not much to speak of this week but made a little headway. Got the top section all cut out, chute door placement and gaps look nice. Insulated the tubes and fully welding What’s here as we speak. I should be able to get the bottom done next week and probably weld in the upright supports. We’ll see!


Also should have my bullet hinges at my door when I get home, as well as some gasket material.


Rule of thumb is to allow 1/2 thickness of gasket for your closed gap. So when welding the hinges on the doors and using. 1/4” gasket... use 1/8” spacers to mimic the compressed gasket. Correct?

[Overspray]

Got a little more done. Fully welded, and due to my lack of patience and not pre planning for it, it warped of course. Pushed it back out and it’ll work for now.

Due to the flush door, and the way I have it designed, the cross bar that’s usually flush with the lid interferes, so I welded it in underneath and spaced it 1/8” as it now a tad as part of the door sealing surface.

Here’s the bottom with the spacers inline

And the top with the door.

[towtruck]

It's coming along....

[Weldun]

Looking like a man on a mission!

[Overspray]

Looking like a man on a mission!

I’m hungry

[Overspray]

A little more progress today.

Shaped out the extended lower frame, with flush firebox door. You can see the 1/8” shims I’m using as spacers for the gap and gasket spacing. I’ll burn it together tomorrow and hopefully join the top and bottom by the end of the week.

[Overspray]

Apparently I’m doing something wrong with the pics. Any advice on how to get them showing properly?

[Weldun]

I'd really like to help you but if you've ever looked at any of my pics you'd see I haven't conquered that problem either. I gave up!

[Big T]

It looks great!! I'm not sure about the orientation of the pictures either. They seem to have a mind of their own.

[Overspray]

Already at it today. Uprights tacked in, top set on. I’ll need to massage it some before tacking the top frame on. Starting to look like a smoker a little more everyday! I can already smell the que... oh wait, that’s a hot in my shoe...

Side note, figured out the pic situation as long as your taking/posting from a phone. Make sure you take your pics horizontally. Seems like the attachments/website expect a wider pic over a taller one.

[Overspray]

Was out of the shop a lot today but still managed to get the CC framed out. Just have one more bar to insulate and tack in, and I’ll move onto the chute and ash box.

[Big T]

[Dirtytires]

Great progress.

And good info on the pictures...I know a lot of people here struggle with that.

[Overspray]

Questions for you builders, and probably Frank.

The exhaust... I know GF or well vertical cabinets in general use the CC as part of the theoretical exhaust. Will it matter if mine exits out the side and doesn’t terminate ABOVE the cabinet?

The intake... I have a different plan for my ball valve to stay hidden. Will it matter taking air from either A. Under the smoker or B. Some remote location plumbed by tubing?

Just want to make sure my ridiculous ideas don’t hinder the actual performance or science behind the design.

[Big T]

The exhaust can exit out of the side or back of the cabinet as long as you mount it as high as possible. I've seen guys plumb their intakes in from underneath the FB so it shouldn't be an issue, especially if you're running a guru or some type of fire management system. If you plan on using a natural draft then I wouldn't have the plumbing making a lot of turns or covering a long distance.

[bvbull200]

Curious how this build is coming along! I'm especially curious about your approach to the latch on the CC.

I'm gearing up to start building mine and haven't found a CC latch solution that I'm fully in love with, yet.

Let us know where you're at with this!