Welcome Steve! Glad you found this site. We are here to help and answer any questions you may have. I think at one time we've all burned out a smoker to two. Working with 55 gal barrels can be a challenge. The metal is thin which makes it hard to work with. Check with your local LP Gas companies and see if they have any tanks they are looking to get rid of. I think you will be much happier in the long run to make your smoker out of something with thicker metal.
Thanks for the reply ,, actually the barrel I got is really thick metal . It was a lantern oil barrel . I am planning on building a trailer rf smoker soon with a big propane tank. We will see how the barrel does first.
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)
I guess you are going to do what you said. And you told DC to hush at the same time. WOW! I've never seen anyone do that with a drum before. But there are some guys here that make the UDS style cookers with drums that are nice and do last, and are very controllable. look up Frank for more details on those. Keep up the good work!
Current Smokers: Backyard RF Offset and Hybrid RF Offset trailer rig with Cowboy cooker and fish fryer, always room for more........
Thank you all for the replies. Why fordf100 you ask ? Once upon a time I restored a 1955 Effie and kick myself for gettin rid of her.
Back to my build on the rf smoker drum I got it all put together tonite minus some handles ect. And I fired it up . Works like a charm if I shut the firebox door and the stack it holds a constant 250 degrees !!!! Just what I wanted
Still need to do a few things but all in all it's just what I wanted. I used the frame off my old Brinkman unit since it was still in good shape. Thinking about building a warmer over the firebox , maybe another project here in the next few weeks. We will see
Burning off the paint , can get hot quick with the firebox door open about 1/4 of the way open. By the way it was not my intention to shut that guy up who told me no pics it didn't happen....
I will get some inside pics for ya later this afternoon. I cranked up the heat to burn off the inside and the paint outside. The floor inside the cook chamber is just the side of on other drum tack welded in there. It was cheaper than buying steel .
welcome aboard!
Glad to have another painter on here! maybe you can teach us a thing or three.... Like some surface prep stuff??? I need to know more about it lol. fisheyes suck...
Lol yes those fish eyes do suck. I will tell ya what i know. I know a ton about automotive finishes and some powder coat stuff surface prep is pretty easy. Would like to learn about heat paints, other than rattle can or por15 that's about all the heat paints that I have ever had to spray. We can help each other, just ask I will tell what I know.