My build didn't stop there though, found me an old 80 gallon air compressor tank from a 2 stage compressor, so it is made of .210 thick steel and is one heavy SOB. Got it cleaned out as best I could, and embarked on building it up. I'm going for a reverse flow build with a slight twist, I'm building it with the firebox underneath the smoker, directing the smoke out through a chamber of the right side of the firebox, upwards where it makes another 90 to the reverse flow baffle and into the smoker. I've seen a few builds like this, and they all said they used a bit less wood since you weren't losing your heat out the top of the firebox to the air, but instead it rises up into the smoker. That and I wanted to keep it compact because it will go on skids, and be sat on out back porch.
So onto my actual build. The tank is .210 thick steel so being thicker than 3/16" should hold it's heat in well. I'm building my firebox and all associated parts feeding into the smoker out of 1/4" steel, used an old piece of 16 gauge for my reverse flow baffle, have some 12 gauge I'm goign to build my water pan/drip pan out of and run a 1/2" pipe out the bottom for draining, a 4" chimney stack made of thick wall steel pipe, and a sheet of stainless mesh for the cooking surface.
This is my first build, so I'm sure it will have room for improvement, but the calculator says I'm pretty close with all my measurements. I know theres a calculator here, but this one includes firebox to chamber volume in it, as well as being linkable with all of my measurements at the link. Link to BBQ Pit Calculator My firebox will be 18 tall, 18 wide, and 20 deep. My firebox will have 2 3.5" vents for the intake, and a 18.5X3 exhaust for 55 cu in. My cooker opening is 58 cu in with a reccomended opening of 51.79, so al ittle oversized there, but I'm not to concerned considering the smoke will do a 180 coming out of the firebox into the cooker. I will probably go a little tall with the chimney simply because I have the longer piece of pipe, and will be recessing it down about midway to the cooking grate.
Some pics of my build. My tank after cutting off the accesories and welding up the bungs in it.
And where I'm at now. The firebox with 3 sides on it welded on.
A shot of the reverse flow chamber, and where the smoke will do the 180.
And the opening
Heres the grating material I have. It is stainless from an old juice bottling plant, so it should work out nicely for a cooking grate. If not, it is easy enough to swap it out later on for regular diamond opening steel.
you'll be smokin' in no time.
