New smokin vessel build

[jose-da-weldr]

Hey guys, started on my first smoker this week. I've been wanting a smoker for a while now. So, work has been slow this week, so I decided to start on it. We have some scraps leftover from previous projects, and that's what I decided to use. Got a 18 inch and 16 inch piece of pipe, both are 3/8ths thick. I also found some cutouts that came from manway nozzles for vessels, hence the name for my build, that are also 3/8ths thick. I used a circle cutter I built to trim the caps down to size. Also prepped and beveled the caps for welding.

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[jose-da-weldr]

The next thing I did was cut and prep the 18 inch down to size. I used a picle to bevel the ends of the c/c. Once the cuts were cleaned, I gapped, tacked, and welded one of the caps. The reason for the gap is so the wire can penetrate both pieces of metal. It's not like stick welding where you can turn up your heat and penetrate. Next was to cut and prep the hole for the drain pipe. Once the hole was prepped, I gapped, tacked, and welded the other cap. Reason being was, if I didn't have a hole to relieve pressure, my root pass would blowout creating porosity, and the same thing would happen once I were to fix that. After I got both caps on, I welded the drain nipple, center punched, and later out the top and side for the door.

Question; what size and thickness should I get for the strap sound the door?

Next, I'm going to cut the 16 inch down to size for the firebox.

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[BurnBern]

Good start and some awesome tools you have there. Wish I had them when I built my smoker

[jose-da-weldr]

This is what I cut off of one of the ends. It was a piece of scrap that was cut to sit a 90° elbow so when you weld a piece to it, it rolls center in the positioner. Since it was scrapped, I decided to use it.
The 8 inch piece of pipe I tacked in the center of the cap was so that I can clamp it in the positioner and roll it out.
The last pic is of the machine I use everyday for all my pipe welding.

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[ajfoxy]

Nice work... bead a bit overkill for a smoker...
but hey it looks professional and you know it is not going to leak smoke at that point. Nice equipment you have got to work with.
I've been thinking about building a bevel jig for my plasma cutter, but have not gelled all the ideas into some form of reality yet. So at the moment I just eyeball it. But then all my metalworking is hobby so not mission critical.

[Pete Mazz]

Nice work!

[jose-da-weldr]

Good start and some awesome tools you have there. Wish I had them when I built my smoker

Thank You! These are the tools that we use everyday to prefab all our work, so if you have them, why not use them? Just makes things alot easier.

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[jose-da-weldr]

Nice work... bead a bit overkill for a smoker...
but hey it looks professional and you know it is not going to leak smoke at that point. Nice equipment you have got to work with.
I've been thinking about building a bevel jig for my plasma cutter, but have not gelled all the ideas into some form of reality yet. So at the moment I just eyeball it. But then all my metalworking is hobby so not mission critical.

Thank you!!! You might be right about the bead being a little overkill, but that's what I do on a daily basis, lol. As far as for the fb, I'll just weld 1/4 plates on the end, no need for a bead. Hahaha

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[jose-da-weldr]

Nice work!

Thank you!!!

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[Rodcrafter]

Hey I like heavy duty stuff and that does fit right in. Nice work! Keep up the good work!


Making memories!

[Dirtytires]

What...you are going to weld the firebox?

I figured you'd have a pan brake in the back room for 0.25 plate....lol

Just kidding....awesome setup and great progress.

[Big T]

Definitely have all the cool tools!

[jose-da-weldr]

Hey I like heavy duty stuff and that does fit right in. Nice work! Keep up the good work!


Making memories!

Thank you!! In the oil and gas industry, the majority of material has to be heavy duty, so, from heavy duty scraps to heavy duty smoker. Lol

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[jose-da-weldr]

What...you are going to weld the firebox?

I figured you'd have a pan brake in the back room for 0.25 plate....lol

Just kidding....awesome setup and great progress.

Weld, who does that? Hahahaha
I wish we had a break, that would make things alot easier. Anyway, thank you! Hopefully I get to make more progress soon enough. I'll keep posting pics as soon as I get back on it.

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[jose-da-weldr]

Definitely have all the cool tools!

Yes, the cool tools make work easier and more productive. It would take a long time just trying to make a straight beveled cut by hand, also a lot more cleanup afterwards.

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[jose-da-weldr]

Ok, made a little progress today. Went to the shop and cut the f/b down to size, cut the end caps for the f/b, and drew my layout to join the f/b to the c/c. That tool is the one I built for cutting circles. Let me know if this looks correct. According to the calc, it calls for 27.34 throat opening with a 11.25 cutout with a 1 inch dam. I went with a 16x17 f/b which gives me 112% diff.

Question: would a 34 inch door be good, or should I go with a 32 inch door? Ive never built a smoker, so I have a lot of questions. I drew out where the straps would be with a 34 inch door. Would 1 1/2 inch strap suffice, or should I go with a 2 inch? Obviously it's going to be 1/4 in thick. Please let me know.

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[Dirtytires]

1.5 inch strap is fine. Great progress.

[Big T]

As for the door size, I let the BP dictate that. You don't want anything above the BP gap so there's no reason for the door to open past the end of the BP. Also if you are building a RF, you don't have to have the grease dam at the throat but you'll need a 2'' dam at the end of the BP, it's ok to have both if you've already cut it.

[Cole]

Great work! Keep the pictures flowing.

[ajfoxy]

Nice... great work.

[Rodcrafter]

Nice!


Making memories!

[temurf]

Looking good.

[jose-da-weldr]

Thanks guys, I appreciate the positive feedback. I'm going to make a parts run this week, so I need your guy's input on what materials I need to get.
1. What size angle iron and thickness for the racks inside the CC?
2. What size sq. tubing for the cooking grates?
3. Should I use square tubing or angle iron for the framework? I have 2x2x1/4 sq. tubing and 2x3x1/4 angle iron here at home. What do you think would look best?
If I missed something, just go ahead and let me know what else I should get. Trying not to take too long on this build. Thanks

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[jose-da-weldr]

Here is my small supply of metal I have here at home. I also have pieces of 3/16 and 1/4 inch plate as well, but not pictured.

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[Dirtytires]

I used 1x1x0.125 angle for both the rack frames and the guides. My stand is 1.5 square tube. You will also need some strap for your door seals and some expanded metal for the grates.

Looking good.