First build - 100 gal tank

[Shadrock]

I've had this 100 gal tank for several years, I cut this fire box off another smoker I had, and acquired this old jet ski trailer... I posted it for sale for a while on Craig's list a while but didn't get any bites. So I've decided to go ahead and throw it together. I enjoy metal fab anyway...


tank specs


fire box close up
I enlarged the fire box 6" to match up with the new tank size and to also take a longer stick of wood.


Tank shot



Tank 57" long x 24" diameter x .25" thick (100 gallons)
Fire box 25" deep x 17.5" wide x17.5" tall x .25" thick with door and dampers
Trailer 10' x 40" approx

Fire box mocked up


First mistake I made, I put the firebox too high... I guess I got in a hurry before I did any research.






Instead of welding up the large holes in the bottom, I welded in a U channel and slanted it for a clean out.


Starting the mid plate


Mid plate tacked in
You can see the bow in the top, I think it's due to the seam thats about 4" behind it. It's going to give me fits on the door alignment.


another pic (yeah, intake holes are going to have to be added, that's what I used for the old tank)




Adjustable dampners






And the food racks are in. I foobarred the smoke stack, the volume is right per calculation, but I should have made it taller so the smoke wouldn't be in my face...


I'm currently working on the firebox basket now... And I thinking about adding a pinwheel vent to the fire box so it will have the much needed intake.

So far I wish I lowered the mid plate about 3 inches, and I should have used a taller skinnier exhaust pipe to keep the smoke out of my eyes. I need to figure out how to fix the main door on the tank. It doesn't sit flush... I tried strapping it down and adding heat, but it made it worse.

See anything that you don't think that will work or anything that I can change that will help it work better? I'm open for suggestions.

[Big T]

I like the adjustable throat and BP. I can't tell how close your bottom rack is to the BP but I've read on here that 2 to 5 inches was optimal. You might be able to drop your bottom rack and give yourself a little more clearance between the racks. There's a forum on here called fabrication how to's and there's a few pictures on there of how to fix a sprung door. I don't know if it will work for yours but it did on mine.

[Shadrock]

Thx for your thoughts... The bottom rack is about 4.5"-4.75" from the mid plate. Seems like I've read that the distance from the mid plate to the rack should be the diameter of the pipe which is 5". But I think it'd be a great idea to another slider under the one I have. It'd just be two more pieces of angle.

I'll definitely read up on that sprung door!

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

What are the dimensions of your FB? I like the long slim look.

[Shadrock]

What are the dimensions of your FB? I like the long slim look.

Thx, it's 17.5x17.5x24. It was originally on another cooker. I cut it off and extended it to fit this tank. I also liked the idea of using a normal length logs to cook with.

One other bad thing is the firebox is only 3/16" steel. Kinda weird that the firebox is thinner material than the cooking chamber. I thought if I didn't like it, I'd add an outer shell and insulate it, it'd be a good time to add a warmer box.

[Rodcrafter]

Your doing very well. If push comes to shove on the door fitting issue. You could cut the hinges loose and add 1/2" rope gasket to door then weld them back on and it would look like you planned it that way.

[Rev.Mike]

[Smurf]

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

I ran your build through the pit calculator and your FB is a little undersized for a 100 gallon tank. Based on the info you gave, your FB is 95.45% of the recommended size. Most of use shoot for a FB that is 105-115% of the recommended. Not sure if you have options of enlarging it or not.

[Shadrock]

I ran your build through the pit calculator and your FB is a little undersized for a 100 gallon tank. Based on the info you gave, your FB is 95.45% of the recommended size. Most of use shoot for a FB that is 105-115% of the recommended. Not sure if you have options of enlarging it or not.

Whew, not easily... Yeah my figures came out to 95%, didn't realize people where going larger. The fire box is protruded into the cooking chamber about 6-8", maybe that'll provide the extra heat needed. I'll keep an eye on it, and see how it does as is. If I ever decide to add a warming box and insulate the firebox, that'd be a good time to enlarge it.

Now if stuff around the house would quit breaking, I'd get back to the smoker project...

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

Keep an eye on it one you get it up and running. Do some test runs to see what top end temp you can maintain. Weather can also play role in how well it performs.

[Shadrock]

Yeah, we'll see how it does...

Sneaked into the shop this morning and made the wood/charcoal basket. I made it slanted for two reasons, so the ashes fall to the center and the main reason, I reused some old materials.

[Rev.Mike]

[bluecatfish]

[Big T]

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

[dwwantasmoker]

[Shadrock]

Made a little progress today...

Laying out the pinwheel damper


Marked my path and made a jig for the plasma


The slots are cut out, I need to pick up some 1/4" sheet to make the wheel...


I cut the old hinges off and resprung the door. I got a touch of OCD, couldn't handle the door sticking out an 1/4"


New hinges made, I like these better. I don't think they'll put undue stress on the flanges. Also made the mounts for the door handle.


What you guys think, 2 door hinges or 3? Three look like it's too much, plus I'm going to add the counter weight in the center...


Mocking the smoker up to the trailer


I think I'll have it sitting pretty close to this.


Any advise on trailer positioning, mounting etc?
*The trailer cross supports are 2" channel that's 3/16" thick. I'm thinking about using that.
*Probably best to keep a low center of gravity, but at the same time, I don't want to be bending down too low.
*I'd like to offset the smoker a few inches to onside and adding a couple propane burners to the other side. Mount the propane cylinder up front and maybe a small wood rack. But I want it to pull good...
*How "front heavy" do you guys make your trailer?
*Does most of everybody put gaskets on their smoker chamber doors? I thought about ordering some off the site...

Just thinking off the top of my head, I may move the wheels back . That would allow me to shift the smoker back on the trailer and give more space in front of the smoker. I'll sleep on that.

You guys think those tire will support the load? Jet ski's are pretty heavy...

[bluecatfish]

In my opinion 3 hinges since the 2 are so close to the end of the door and the door looks fairly long and there would be no support in the middle.

[Shadrock]

None of the hinges are welded on yet. But I thought about going ahead and using the 3rd hinge since I already have it.

[Big T]

My build is very close to what you're building. I went with 2 hinges and moved them in just a little more than where you had yours, I thought it looked better. I also moved my axle all the way back and moved my smoker as far back as I could to leave room on the front. I don't know what the best tongue weight is but I wanted to be able to pick my tongue up by hand and push it around on hard ground. If I had to guess I'd say I have around 150lbs of tongue weight maybe a little less but I've still got a few things to put up front. I don't know if making it offset on the trailer is a good idea with the width of the axle it might sit crooked. I put rope gasket around my CC door and will probably put it around my FB door to minimize air leaks and heat loss. I mounted mine at a comfortable working height on my trailer, I pulled it to the blaster on the interstate at about 75 mph and had no problems. I know everybody does things different but that's how I done mine, hope it helps.

[bluecatfish]

I didn't realize the hinges were not welded on yet when I suggested 3 hinges. I agree with Big T. If you move the 2 hinges in to more or less equalize the distance between them 2 should be fine. I know 3 hinges are sometimes a pain to get lined up to where they don't bind. Big T is speaking from experience and there is no substitute for experience.

[Shadrock]

Needed to weld up the hole on top...


fitted...


Welded...


Smoothed out


I'm going to cook for my family for Christmas, so I decided to go ahead and temporarily mount the smoker to the trailer and finish the trailer later. I got to get some fire time to get use to this dude and I only have a few weeks.

Plasma sure is nice on mounts


I just mounted it neutral, I'll add weight to the front of the trailer after I mount a propane burner.

[Big T]

[Clover Ridge Smokers]