First build. 130 Gallon. On my way to Smokeville!

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » March 21st, 2014, 1:51 pm

For the last few months, I've been searching for a tank and either not finding one, letting a deal slip away, or only finding someone trying to sell me plastic for the price of gold. In the meantime I've been reading, learning, and watching others builds as they progress. Now after all that, I'm proud to say boys...I got myself a tank!

Picked it up this morning. The guy drained the last of the propane, rinsed it out with a little water, we put it in the van, and I headed for the house. Man this thing stinks!! I had the windows down and a mask on all the way home. I hope the fumes I inhaled don't kill me any sooner than I am supposed to die. Just in case, I better get started so I can enjoy some good Que before I go!

The tank is approx 144 gallons. It's 30" x 47". The surface is pretty smooth. Old paint is peeling off the sides, and it has very minor rust. It even has two 6" x 16" feet that make it sit about 3 inches off the ground. I figure they will work great for mounting. Overall its in great shape. I'll post some pics once I take it out the van.

Anything knowledge/experience/tips that anybody wants to throw in is greatly appreciated.

Well it's about that time...Take me to school boys.

bluecatfish · Post by **bluecatfish** » March 21st, 2014, 9:02 pm

Be careful cutting the tank! Frank cox has a video and instructions on here somewhere for safely cutting a tank, but I am unable to find the link now. Maybe some one has it and will post it. Good luck on the build and don't forget the pics!

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » March 21st, 2014, 9:58 pm

First Pics

Clover Ridge Smokers · Post by **Clover Ridge Smokers** » March 21st, 2014, 10:04 pm

You have some work ahead of you brother. She will be nice when you are finished

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » March 21st, 2014, 10:06 pm

Fortunately, I won't be cutting the tank. The guy who is building it for me is. He's been around a long time and built lots of grills for people around town out of everything from propane to fuel tanks. I figure he knows what he's doing, but I still plan to ask him about keeping the tank wet while he cuts it especially since the propane fumes are fresh. I wonder once its cut if a good burn out is enough. I have read that some people rinse the tank out with degreaser a few times before the process begins.

Rev.Mike · Post by **Rev.Mike** » March 21st, 2014, 10:39 pm

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MPJMw71cl6I

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » March 22nd, 2014, 1:34 am

Thanks Mike! You can add a gallon of bleach to the tank of water....and after a burn out once the tank is cut open you should be good to go!!

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » March 28th, 2014, 9:00 am

Ok so I am taking measurements for the FB opening. Should be approx. 90 sq inches according to the calculator. The bell of the tank measures about 7 inches deep. First tell me if I have this part right. Lets say I build the box and have the half moon cut (roughly 5"h x 15"w). To have the FB at the lowest point I would have to cut in 7 inches and up 6.5 inches to raise the box up an extra 1.5 inches to create a lip to prevent drainage back into the FB. I am I correct? If so my issue is that I hate to lose 7 inches of length into my tank since its only 47 inches long, plus I am thinking that having that much of the FB into the tank would create more of a hot spot on that end. Would it be possible to sort of split the difference by using the natural curve of the bell as the lip? I figure that way I would only have to cut in 3.5 inches and up 5 which gives me a little more real estate in a game of inches. Now if I'm making too much of this feel free to let me know. But I definitely need to know if I am on the right track with the way the cuts are layed out. Take me to school boys.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » March 28th, 2014, 9:55 am

1. If you are going to make it an RF and are going to weld the BP, then you can put the lip you spoke of on it opposite end from the FB. That would allow you to not put a lip on the bottom of the tank to prevent grease running into the FB.

2. You could make the 2 sides of the FB fit the radius shape of the bell end and that would keep it out from under the CC.

3. Whatever you do don't make the throat too small, you said the calc told you 90 sq in but your approx cut was only 75 so don't skimp in this area. It will be like pushing a chain if you do.

jm2cw

Rev.Mike · Post by **Rev.Mike** » March 28th, 2014, 11:14 am

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » March 28th, 2014, 11:43 am

Thanks guys. Rod can u explain #2 a little more?
I'm planning on a removable BP so I can use my cooker as a grill too. Can I still put the lip on the opposite end?
What should the dimensions of the throat be? Calculator said 15" diameter so what is my height?

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » March 28th, 2014, 11:47 am

I also just realized that one end of my BP would have to be rounded to match the bell if I don't cut in to the point where it squares off which is about 7 inches. Don't know how well that would work because it would have to be a really accurate cut to get a good seal right?

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » March 28th, 2014, 9:36 pm

Rod on #2 are you basically saying, notch the FB instead of the tank?

Post by **Big T** » March 28th, 2014, 10:02 pm

Yes, notch the FB to fit around the bell on your tank. If your BP is a real tight fit to where grease can't leak past the edges then you can put your lip on the end of the BP but if it isn't tight then you'll need to have a grease dam at the firebox. I think Gizmo built one like that recently ( Earl ) there are probably some pics on that thread.

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » March 28th, 2014, 11:01 pm

If I notch the FB how does that change other factors and layout? Opening on tank ? Size of FB?

Post by **Big T** » March 29th, 2014, 5:37 pm

The formula for your build (throat ,FB ,bp opening) will be the same if you tuck the FB or cut it to fit the bell on your tank. The layout of your tank will depend on what you're trying to accomplish. I know you said you want to make a removable BP so you can put a charcoal box in the CC and use it as a grill so your going to have to figure out where everything will go to make it work. I know that you can make it multipurpose but I think most guys just build one or the other, I can't remember any recent builds that were a smoker/grill. I like my bottom rack to be dead center of my tank and my BP to be 3.5'' below that so I build everything around that starting point but I'm not sure if that would work for a grill, it seems like the meat would be to close to the coals. If you can post a drawing of what you have in mind you might get a few more ideas to help you out.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » March 30th, 2014, 2:07 pm

Big T
Is saying the right stuff. I have been busy. I made a sketch for you to consider. This will give you 99 square inches of opening and 9" from the center of the tank. Good place to be. Make the fb fit the curve of the bell as an extra. Use the same square box, the curve will add about 15% to the fb. Another good place to be at no cost to your cc space.
Jm2cw

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » April 8th, 2014, 2:30 pm

Thanks for the input guys. Sorry for the delay in responding ...life is trying to take over. Back in the saddle again. Lets look at the 30" drawing for a sec. When I look at your numbers, am I correct in thinking that the top of the FB opening would be 6" from the bottom of the tank? The area beneath the opening would be my grease sheild. The 9 inches to center you spoke of is measured from the bottom of the tank, so that leaves 3 inches between the BP and the center of the CC, which is where the 1st rack would go. I would have 15 inches of space above it to fit in another rack, or 2 if I don't mind them being close. Am I getting it right? If so then I would have to adjust the numbers slightly because the tank is actually only 29 inches inside.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » April 8th, 2014, 3:04 pm

Mo Smoke wrote:The 9 inches to center you spoke of is measured from the bottom of the tank, so that leaves 3 inches between the BP and the center of the CC, which is where the 1st rack would go. I would have 15 inches of space above it to fit in another rack, or 2 if I don't mind them being close. Am I getting it right?

Mo Smoke,
The 9" I spoke of was from the top of the FB opening and or BP to the center of the tank. This gives you room for a shadow plate as Gizmo calls it between the top of the FB opening and the real BP with about a 1" air gap extending from the FB about 1'. This will make for a very nice even temp across the CC. Then if you cut your door at 1" or 2" below center for you door, you will have your first and main grate at the perfect distance from the BP.

IMHO
jm2cw

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » April 8th, 2014, 3:10 pm

Ok where did I go wrong? Whats the distance from the bottom of the tank to the top of the FB opening? The grease bridge is taken care of with the shape of the opening right? Is there an advantage to using the trapezoid over the half moon cutout?

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » April 8th, 2014, 6:39 pm

I think I see where this jumped the rails…..

For this discussion the bottom of the tank is our index so it's value is zero.

Top of tank is: up 29" tank (as measured from the bottom of the tank).
so the main grate will be: up 14.5 inches
If the BP is 4 inches below the main grate then it is: up 10.5 inches
If you choose to put in an intermediate plate to spread the heat more (shadow plate) then place it: up 9.5 inches
Top of FB would then be: up 8.5 inches.

Draw the biggest trapezoid inside that crescent area that you can and calc it's area. If it is at or slightly over the throat then you're done. If it's not large enough then start stealing height for your trapezoid from the gap between the main grate and the BP. Personally I've had only 1 inch work fine in that spot. It's mostly smoke circulation to the bottom of the meat at that point.

Trapezoids are easier to cut for us poor slobs with nothing but a zip-disc and easier to calculate the actual area since they are all straight lines. Besides the smoker wouldn't care if all our throat openings were heart-shaped….

Post by **Rodcrafter** » April 9th, 2014, 10:58 am

Your awesome Gizmo!

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » April 9th, 2014, 7:19 pm

You guys really know how to lay things out.

Mo Smoke · Post by **Mo Smoke** » July 22nd, 2014, 4:16 pm

Its been a while since I updated you guys on my build. Kind of a slow process but I've been grinding it out trying to get it done in between the everything else that everyone else wants or needs me to do. Hats off to you guys who do this all the time. For some reason, I never considered how much work would have to go in to this project. I feel like I have been working a part time job… just so happens that I like this one. While I was reading, asking questions, and working on my design. I did a couple of things. First I washed the tank out a few times, then let it sit and air out for about a month. Then I made my first big move. Took the tank to Blast Off ! They're a Father and Son sandblasting outfit about 30" minutes south of me. Surprisingly not many places out there who do this kind of work. Man they did a good job, had my baby super smooth. Afterwards I sprayed her with primer to keep her from rusting out. Check out the pics.