The Ugly Stick

[bstory]

[Puff]

Wow Big T,

I was looking at your post a while back and I didn't pick up on the thickness of that steel...this is a great job . It must weigh a ton. I like the arc in your stack elbow. You're probably going to need schedule 40 for the stack since anything less probably won't last as long as that cooker

I know how it stinks doing some of this moving steel, alone. The massive thickness of the steel in the door photo reminds me of a steam furnace in my grandparents house back in the early 1960s .... I think we were afraid to go in the basement as if the furnace was some sort of dragon...hey, we were kids

Very nice job, how are you cutting the steel and what are you using to weld it?

[Big T]

Thanks guys... Puff my boss let me borrow a section of our building to work in and I can use our shop equipment. We run a diesel repair shop and do some light fab work on trailers. I have mostly been using a plasma cutter from Harbor Freight , a Millermatic 250 for welding and the old oxy/acc torch from time to time. The welder is great and I've been really impressed with the plasma cutter, it cuts 3/8 steel pretty easy and I've made a few cuts on 1/2 plate but I wouldn't want to keep that up ,we mostly use it to cut thin SS and aluminum. I've checked out your build and I don't know if I'm as dedicated as you, I've done a lot of cutting with a metabo and I don't think I could've done all my cutting with one.

[Puff]

Big T,

I am not a fan of long cuts in 1/4" with these techniques. I have an adjustable tool stool so I sit down comfortably and have at it. Your stuff is thick . Cutting dust, wheel dust, metallic filings, I'd rather just guide the plasma handle along the line and be done. Even my stack took half a day. Had to cut the 6" chimney hole by hand with a 3" cutter. Probably have gone thru 20 to 25pounds of welding rod so far 6013 and 7018 mostly.

I like the expanded metal on the firebox damper... Likely can help to retain ash from dropping out. I have a slot I am adding to the trailer for a 4x5 foot piece of concrete tile board to lay under the firebox. In case it should shed or drop ash. It will help the grasses from igniting under the FB

Franks plan calls for a ash tray under the FB ...it's installed but I question the need when I might just open the door and shovel it out. I am looking for a better way to insure the door seal on the cc . I'll need to see how good or bad it came out soon.

Looking for your next pictures....Al

[Gizmo]

Next time you do a round stack elbow just cut out a section of 10 inch pipe - no curling required…..

And schedule ANYTHING is strong enough to last as long as the rest of the cooker.

[Puff]

Gizmo told me about his removable stack. I personally love it. If you look at his pictures of Earl, you will see it some where in my pictures also. The process is not too bad AND..50 years from you you can unwrap the spare you cut along with this one and your greatgrandchild can slip it right on the elbow !!!

While this is my first smoker, I don't know that I wouldn't use this method on any future builds...

[Big T]

Thanks Gizmo, I wasn't sure what the diameter would be. Puff I like the stack on Earl also but my smoker will be stored under a lean to so I need to be ale to close it up so it doesn't end up full of wasp. I plan on putting my damper on the end of my stack like TQ and some of the other guys do so I want to make sure it's attached well. I didn't get much done today but I did get my axle relocated on my trailer. I didn't think it would take as long as it did but the bolts were froze up on the axle mounts. I'll try to get a few pictures tomorrow, I've got it sitting on my trailer but I haven't made any mounts yet.

[Puff]

Big T, my smoker is 7 1/2 ft tall at the stack so making it removable is a nice feature lowers it by over 2 foot. I have those covers ready to go to keep it dry and bug free inside. Have an estimated time when you might be lighting it up? Once I get it trailer mounted, it burns that day....test burns but I t will give me some input of r any needed major adjustments befor sandblast and paint.....I hoping Sunday ....

[Big T]

Puff I'm not sure when I'll get done, sometimes it seems so close then I spend 2 or 3 hours working on it and don't accomplish anything. I'm thinking and hoping I can get done within the next 10 days but somedays I don't even get a chance to touch it.

[Big T]

I got the axle moved back and my cooker mounted

mounted the stack

I started cutting my CC door, I left some tabs so it can cool down.

Getting closer everyday !

[Gizmo]

Looks like some serious progress to me !!!

Also looks like a good balance point for the axle from where I'm sitting.

[Puff]

Big T,

Any thought about what this assembly might weigh just the cooker and firebox?
I believe my tank and it's racks, stack and new doors might be near 300 and the firebox also near 300 with the charcoal/wood tray and dampers All told maybe 750 with the baffle and a few odds and ends. Your steel is much heavier than mine. The tank is 12 gauge and the rest is 1/4"

[Big T]

Gizmo I don't know what the tongue weight is right now but it's a little light. I set it back just a little farther than its balance point but I'm hoping that it'll even out by the time I finish the front of my trailer. Puff I'm not sure what it weighs but it's pretty heavy, most of the metal is 3/8. I have a friend at one of the trucking companies that we service that said I could put it on their scales but I'm waiting until I'm closer to done.

[Gizmo]

BigT you're prolly right - wait until you've got the bulk of the parts on it before you stress out over it…..

I can ALWAYS find something else to worry about…..

[Smokeone]

Looking good T!
Gonna be nice rig!

[Big T]

I got a little more time in today

I finished cutting my CC door

I made my stack opening as high as I could

welded the BP solid and installed the grease dam and clean out

I didn't realize how big she is going to be until today

I didn't get a chance to test fit my CC door but I don't think it warped at all. I cleaned the opening and the door with the grinder and it sucked !! I still haven't got my material for my door seals, what's better the flat gasket or the rope and do you use the self adhesive or the silicone type ?

[The Czar]

Sweet....it's coming together nicely....


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[Gizmo]

Everything I buy is from my local fireplace shop so there's probably a lot more choice out there than I'm aware of but in my experience it's better to stick rope down with a bead of silicone.

I've found the flat self adhesive type will only stay stuck most of the first season before it lets go then you're back to sticking it down with a bead of silicone anyway. I'd rather just put it in that way the first time before it's been cooked on and the flange is cleaner. I've got cook chamber seals out here going back a couple years done that way and still holding tight.

The flat type also has less cross section so it won't make up for as much of a "non-perfect" alignment of the door & jamb. The flat also will harden after about a year to the point it won't hardly compress at all.

[Rodcrafter]

Coming along great!

[Puff]

That some very nice view points on gasketing material Gizmo. Makes too much sense when you take a minute to think about it.

Big T, those words came out of my mouth a few days ago when I lined up the trailer, tank and firebox... "Oh my! This thing is gonna be bigger than I'd thought." Looking really good ! How long before you think you'll fire it up?

[Big T]

Thanks guys ! Gizmo I was thinking the rope gasket was the way to go. My CC door held it's shape very well but I have some very shallow pitting on my CC so I didn't think that the flat would seal up. Puff I'm not real sure when I'll get it fired up, I'll have to stay after work if I want to get anything done because they have a youth deer hunt this weekend and gun season opens the following weekend. Seems like I have more hobbies than free time !!

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

Nice looking build

[Big T]

Thanks CRS

[Big T]

I got my door framed out with 1/8 x 2'', sat it in place and I'll be danged !! It's sprung so I guess I'll be trying the jack and chain method. I done a test fit before I banded my door and I thought it fit pretty well, I welded some round bar inside the CC and sat the door in place and it looked great. I just tacked my banding in place so I don't think it caused any problems, when I build my next one I'll put the round bar on the CC door instead of inside.

[Big T]

The old jack and chain method

I was able to get the door real close to it's original shape

built a fire basket from the scrap pile

I really had to do some serious jacking to try to get the door's shape back. I didn't think I was going to get it to stay, every time I would let the jack loose it would spring back out. I guess that's how it is for everybody. I built my fire basket and managed to make it too big to fit my door opening so I had to cut it down an inch. I ran out of oxygen about 5 minutes before I needed to, seemed like it was just one of those days where it's one step forward and two back !!