The Texas BBQ Forum

Forum,

Has anybody ever cut a door the full width of a food chamber?

I am building a 24" x 40" (foot chamber only) reverse flow smoker. Chamber is made of 1/4" thick, new steel pipe.

Before cutting the door, I will weld in the reverse flow plate and both ends. The fire box side will have smokestack and firebox openings precut before its welded on to the steel pipe (i.e. the food chamber).

My question is can I cut the door the full width of the pipe or should there be cut where the ends leave a strip of the pipe on each end to form the door opening?

When welding the reverse flow plate and the ends I'll go slowly and do intermittent spot welds so there shouldn't be any warpage of the pipe. Warpage would likely make the door not close correctly.

Anyway, anybody have any experience with full width doors?

Thanks,

Dave

If you are using 1.5" door straps you will need to leave at least 3/4" from the end.

I am planning on using internal "straps", ie smoke guards.

I guess my question is if I weld up the chamber slow and carefully, can I cut end to end with out wrapping the door?

Dave10321 wrote:I am planning on using internal "straps", ie smoke guards.

I guess my question is if I weld up the chamber slow and carefully, can I cut end to end with out wrapping the door?

I would give your chances of not warping some on the low side. Most doors warp when cut it is the nature of the pipe or plate relieving itself from being rolled. Most doors need to be tweaked how much no one can say and it will not matter what you use to cut it with if it is in a bind it will spring.

Not to be naive, but how do you tweak a 1/4" piece of steel that is out of shape a little?

Dave10321 wrote:Not to be naive, but how do you tweak a 1/4" piece of steel that is out of shape a little?

I use a chain and jack along with a big hammer on the door to reshape them. On the chamber it gets a little more intense but usually the door is the culprit.