Firebox door latches...fabrication and design

[Puff]

The weather here has been very uncooperative as I'm sure it has been out by you guys out in the Midwest. 15 " last week 8" the other day and ice today with rain. My plowing technique is to drive over the 1/3 mile dirt driveway and just pack it down. Only once in 33 years it was plowed. And that was courtesy of a neighbor with a front end loader who was concerned that if a fire ever broke out, we' screwed.. Had over 28" in that storm. Right now I've got 8" of hard slush that steers the truck on its own...yuk!

I am trying to finish up the oil tank smoker so it can be painted some day in April or May. My firebox door is about 19x19 as pictured and the door latch is likely going to wind up like a knife switch type.

My question is: will it be better to use one in the center OR two spaced equally. I am thinking if I needed to go with two, is it possible to use a tie rod on them so it if you lift one, the other would lift with it? Not sure how it helps on warping

Would I just drill a good sized bolt or weld in a spacer first?

Looking for any and all suggestions...and as always, thanks in advance

[Rodcrafter]

At that size you could do just one. Puff as far as it goes, even a little leak in the FB is not bad because you always have air coming in anyway. If you have to shut it down in a hurry it is the other end that will do most of it. Closing the air inlets will almost kill the fire anyway.

[Gizmo]

RC is probably right. After all - his cooker is a lot bigger than mine.

I put 2 on with a tie-rod (Earl) for warpage reasons - the one in the middle hangs on while the top and bottom corners of the door warp out and away from the FB. Putting each latch at 25% in from the top and bottom stops that.

Prolly okay either way….

[Puff]

Great! Thanks for both answers. As it sits, I'm amazed that the fit is about 95% flat all over. There is a 1/8" gap on the trim seal on the outside bottom corner so maybe the two latches can help keep it in line as you suggest, Gizmo

RC: that's the one thing that scares me some...." If you have to shut it down quickly". Yikes!

[J.R.'s Butt Hutt]

Any of you guys got some good links to manufactured door latches (maybe wood stove door latches) or pictures of firebox door latches you have made. I'm looking for some ideas. My fire box is going to be a piece of 3/8 thick, 26" pipe 70" long horizontal to the cook chamber with two doors.

J.R.

[Puff]

I wish I could point you directly to them as they are here with some very nice pictures. If I had some heat for bending, I know exactly what I'd do but I have no torch here only at work 60 miles away.
I'll bet someone will come along however that can help out and re-direct your needs
Good luck

[Big T]

J.R. the latch that a lot of builders use can be found @ http://www.bbqsmokersupply.com/

[Gizmo]

These are really cool….
I used the 305U on both Egor and Orvis for the FB.
I just changed out the rubber closure bolt with a stove bolt to get rid of the rubber.

http://www.thetoggleclampstore.com/

[Clover Ridge Smokers]

For the FB latch I suggest making your own. I'm attaching a couple of pics to show you how I did it. It's hard to see in the pic, but the piece on the inside of the FB is welded at and angle. By doing this, the harder you push down on the handle, the more it seals the door.

[Big vin]

Thats clever clover!

[Smokeone]

I know I'm late, but Clovers design is a winner!

[Rodcrafter]

That is similar to what I do, the difference comes in as to what the inside of the door is like if it is flat or is is curved do to being pipe. Here are pics of both, The flat doors flat bar is grind-ed on the striking edge so it slides by the edge it will hold against.

Flat example;



The outside of a flat door;



The outside of a curved door;



The inside of a curved door;



I cut my would be washers out of 1/4" plate so they never bend or need replacing. The 1/2" round stock is easy to adjust the striking to the inside of the CC by heating and bending according to need. These work very well.

[J.R.'s Butt Hutt]

Thanks Guys,
I think I'm going to try and get some fabbed up for the fire box!