New Drawings, Need Your Input

[J.R.'s Butt Hutt]

Hello Everyone! I recently posted in the "Question" section inquiring about programs to draw my pit project in. Members came up with some great advice and I downloaded a trial version of Sketchup for free. I have attached my drawings with some info from the calculator for you guys to look over and give me your thoughts. The drawings are of the pit only. It will eventually be a covered, climb on rig. Here is some other information for you to take into consideration:
CC volume is 400 gals, 36" x 96", 1/4" thick boiler tank
FB is 26" x 70" 3/8" thick pipe. Calculator has it a 120% without deducting the flat surface of the FB top.
Warming cabinet is 24" deep, 70" wide, and 36" tall made out of 3/16" deck plate with adjustable shelves.
Ventilation consists of (4) 4" draft knobs on FB doors and (2) 6" vents one on each end of the FB.
(2) Smoke Stacks are 5" x 50" approx and I plan to damper them as well.

Sketch.JPG (20.35 KiB) Viewed 396 times

[Big T]

It looks like it's going to be a great cooker when you get it finished.

[Smokeone]

Looks like it should work. Are those drawers in the firebox, or doors? Just curious, never seen drawers before.
Is there any opening into the warmer, and is there any exhaust ports for it? I think they would be useful. But sometimes I shouldn't think!

Will definitely cook a pile of meat!

[jaybird302]

One question I have. What is your baffle plate thickness? Since it's essentially the bottom of your warming cabinet, is it 3/16" as well? I'd think you'd be better off with 1/4" there and the rest would be fine at 3/16". I'd be afraid of running in to warping issues what with it being your fire box's top and all. One other thing that came to mind while looking over your drawings(which look dang near store bought, well done), you might run in to the 3/8" pipe "unspringing" as you cut it. Over all I don't think it'll hurt your design, but it could mess you up while you"re cutting it.

Ok, I lied, I have more than one question... Will you be building your racks in a manner that will allow them to slide out? Due to the design you have here, the heat/smoke will be exiting the baffle plate basically right in your face when you open the door. I think that slide out racks will make you more comfortable and help mitigate that pesky smoke inhilation... That's my $.25 worth.... Looks like a fun build, I'm looking forward to following your progress.

Jay

*Edit* Yeah, I just looked a little closer, you have sliding shelves on the drawing already. Good job J.R. I'm glad we worked this out.... Yeah... We...

[dwwantasmoker]

and

[J.R.'s Butt Hutt]

Hey Jaybird302,
The top of the firebox and the baffle plate are going to be 5/16" plate. How do think it will fair when the fire heats it up? Smokeone asked were those doors or drawers on the firebox. I am planning on making doors in the 26" , 3/8" pipe for access nearly the length of the firebox. Yall got any Ideas on how to cut the firebox doors to keep the spring back to a minimum? I also need some ideas on how to let heat and smoke from the firebox into the warming cabinet. If I do that I would guess another set of smoke stacks would do the trick. How would you get the grease out if you used it as a smoker as well?

[J.R.'s Butt Hutt]

Hey Big T, where you from in LA?

[Big T]

J.R., I'm about 20 miles north of Mobile .

[J.R.'s Butt Hutt]

Big T, watch out for the slippery roads today!