It's time.

[JKalchik]

If it's worth doing, it's worth doing *RIGHT*. "Prior planning prevents piss poor performance." A little forethought should prevent a lot of cussing down the road.

Looking back at Frank's plans (and I really do owe him a tasty beverage....) there should be plenty of clearance to make a 6" deep controller pocket. Unfortunately.... the cheesy little sheet metal brake I have just won't do 1/8", so I either cut 5 panels and weld up a square box, or see if the gent down the road is willing to make some quick bends for me in exchange for beer money or barbecue (I'd be more than willing to cater lunch for his gang at least once.)

The lifting eyes won't be that difficult. Tubing with an ID to match the bolts, a 1/4" backing plate, and nuts tacked onto the backing plate. The lifting eyes will be mounted on the verticals, so that the lift forces will be in shear on the bolts, not tension, and mostly in clamping force as well (hence the crush sleeves.) Just have to weld up the sleeves so there's no water intrusion into the wall cavity, and use high temp anti seize on the bolt threads.

[JKalchik]

<scratches head> Removable firebox grate. Something about that just appeals to me, although I can't put my finger on just why. I know that it'd be difficult to remove it with any charcoal left, but it'd be simple to build in now. I can't think of any reason to not spend 20 minutes and a few extra feet of of angle iron to make it removable.

Yes, these are brain droppings. At the moment, I'm brewing a Kolsch (beer,) for my brother's 65th [surprise] birthday party in June, I'm kind of tied up at monitoring a brew kettle. Gotta have the smoker well & truly done by then, I'd really like to be making food by Memorial Day to make sure I've got it burned in.

[ajfoxy]

Removable firebox grate is almost an essential. If you get a flare up in the chute you want to be able to drop the charcoal load right sharpish.

[Frank_Cox]

haha, I can tell this is gonna be a fun thread to watch! <chuckle>

[JKalchik]

Sign above the head: "We aim to please. Will you aim, too, please." It's apparently my mission in life to set a bad example..... I shall endeavor to provide entertainment.

I was thinking about just extending the vertical posts on the corners down for leg mounts, but that's a bad idea unless I gusset the bottom corner. Without the gusset, all of the weight transfer, especially on the firebox side, will transfer through the weld at that joint. Or, move the legs inward over the joint. I'll probably just cut a couple of 45 degree gussets from the 2" square tubing and weld those in after the bottom skin is welded on. Overkill?

[JKalchik]

I see that Cole gusseted his caster mounts as well (great minds & all that....) Not really talking about all that much weight, an inch or 2 of gusset, especially if it's doubled from tubing should be way more than sufficient.

@ajfoxy, you have a very good point. Time to over-engineer the grate for forcible removal in case of a runaway. Or should I plumb in a water jet underneath.......

There is something about a removable grease pan suspended below this thing. I may have to think about using a little tubing & angle to fabricate a hotel pan holder (darn it, all I need is an excuse for another order to http://webstaurantstore.com.....) for a grease catcher. Just use a threaded cap instead of a ball valve & let it drain.

[JKalchik]

Bullet hinge question. My cynical side says my cook chamber door is gonna sag, period. I'd expect to hang the door a little out of plumb when welding up the hinges, but how much? Those hinges are sturdy , it shouldn't take too much. Hmmm..... Might have to make a support slider at the bottom right corner for a positive locator. That'd also take a lot of worry out of that door coming down on a long trailer run. Time to see if I can find .... shoot, I know exactly what I want.... I want a tool slide from Lamina Bronze Products back home (now Anchor Lamina.) I need to find a local distributor, or call a friend of mine from high school.

[Frank_Cox]

actually, I have never seen the weld on bullet hinges sag. they will hold a crazy amount of weight when welded on properly..

[JKalchik]

Hmmmm..... I don't think that I have much of a problem with my Millermatic 200 & penetration. If it'll weld up the firebox (and it's been welding up quarter inch stock on a fixture table without even breaking a sweat,) those hinges won't be an issue. But... There's got to be a little slop. Is it really as simple as clamping the door firmly on the smoker in it's final position and welding on the hinges? (yes, waiting for the welds to cool COMPLETELY before removing the clamps.)

If I screw this up, I guess I can always grind off a little paint from the bottom & weld on a support like I was thinking. Or just grind of the hinges & try again....

The gent who just retired from the steel shop where I bought my supplies said he'd have no problem welding up a half inch firebox with my MM200 in a single pass with .035 wire.

[Big T]

Set the door in place with some shims that are half the thickness of the gasket that you plan to use, gently clamp the door down and weld the hinges on. Let everything cool down and the you should be good to go!

[ajfoxy]

[Rodcrafter]

That gent you mentioned is correct. I welded my 1/2” fire box with 1 pass and the same machine. I also put bullet hinges on the door. For the record there is no slop. They are smooth and that door is heavy but swings like it isn’t.

Oh here’s the proof.



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[JKalchik]

That gent you mentioned is correct. I welded my 1/2” fire box with 1 pass and the same machine. I also put bullet hinges on the door. For the record there is no slop. They are smooth and that door is heavy but swings like it isn’t.

Oh here’s the proof.



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<DarthVader>Impressive</DarthVader>

Comparatively speaking, bullets have huge pivots compared to pianos or a lot of other hinges, as well as fairly well machined surfaces and small tolerances. I'd expect just a little sag, none.... that's a bonus. Swing for the fence.

[Dirtytires]

I’ve got a 15 by 6 foot steel frame, solid center gate on 2 (of the bigger) bullet hinges. It’s been up for 10years now.....no sag, and swings every time with a finger. It’s ok to overthink some things but trust the hinge.

[JKalchik]

Just a few more bits.... a little 1 1/2" and 2" pipe, couplings, bushings, etc. , a coupling for the thermometer, a few bolts for the lifting eyes.... oh, and another bottle of gas for welder.

I've already been admonished by my fellow IT nerds to not touch anything critical or production related today as I'm putting this thing together for the next 10 days.

[JKalchik]

I'm remiss in posting.... frame is complete, along with the reinforcements & anti-crush sleeves for the lift eyes (need to take a couple of pics before I skin it over.) Ended up renting a mag base drill for a day for the through holes, and as much of a tool junkies as I am.... I just can't justify one of those.

Still don't have the top stove pipe cutouts done, personally I don't have a good way of cutting a round hole that large. Might have to explore alternatives....

[McBroom]

That gent you mentioned is correct. I welded my 1/2” fire box with 1 pass and the same machine. I also put bullet hinges on the door. For the record there is no slop. They are smooth and that door is heavy but swings like it isn’t.

Oh here’s the proof.



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We need more pictures of your cooker. Please. I’d like to see the whole 9 yards. Looks like it may be a cool smoker.
I think a smoker that looks like a train and drive-able, powered by a riding lawn mower chassis would be awesome.


I Love My 2018 RAM 2500HD 4x4 6.4L. USMC (ret)

[JKalchik]

Under the category of think before you leap (and I've been doing more thinking, and not enough building....,) once I complete the firebox & chute assembly, I'll sling it from my shop crane and ease it into the frame. Does the firebox butt right up against the crossmembers in the middle of the frame? Unless I'm adding something up wrong, there's an intentional gap there, correct? As long as I get the C-channel cut reasonably close (within 1/16" ideally, even 1/8" shouldn't be much of an issue,) the door curb will take up any additional adjustment necessary.

[JKalchik]

And pg. 15 of the plans looks like it's answered my own question... yes, Virginia, there is a gap.

[JKalchik]

Some progress being made.

14ga 2" tubing for the frame. Not half bad for a hack welder in a vertical position.

Some details on the lift eye reinforcements. There's a quarter inch reinforcing plate on the inside of the frame with quarter inch Sch40 tubing as anti-crush sleeves through it. I'll drill out the exterior skins for effectively plug welds and grind that all flat. All of the lifting forces will be on the 14ga 2" tubing,

Poor man's brake (fixture table from http://weldtables.com) helps like heck if I get the bend in the right direction for the interior bottom sheet.

And measure twice, cut once. Need to patch the 2" hole in the bottom skin, I drilled it out in the wrong spot.

[Big T]

[JKalchik]

I'm getting just a bit frustrated with my progress on this beast. I started fitting the interior skins this afternoon, don't seem to be able to get measurements right or square today..... and for some reason, the interior bottom skin seems to be way too long left to right (cook chamber hinge side to firebox.) Or am I missing how it fits in? Does it butt up against the frame member under the cook chamber door, or lay over the top, and the same with the cross member next to the firebox? A 33" wide sheet would be about right to span the cook chamber plus both cross members.

[JKalchik]

And I may still be answering my own questions..... pg. 2 shows the drain in awfully close proximity to the leg, the edge of the drain pipe should be two & a half inches from the edge of the sheet, a little more than the diameter of the drain pipe itself. Sheet B has to rest on both cross members.

[Big T]

I haven't built one of these yet but I know that when I can't figure something out it sometimes helps to read ahead in the directions. If that doesn't do it you could always call Frank for assistance.

[Rodcrafter]

It’s supposed to be on an angle it serves as a flow to the drain


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