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Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:14 pm
by Fabkid33
Hello this is going to be my first smoker build
I went through the felden calculator and the fire box Is about perfect size for the smoker I'm building. Tubing is 24 inch diameter with 3/8 wall thickness the fire box is 32 inches long and both horizontal and vertical tubes are 50" long questions I have are I was thinking of building a door I can raise and lower in the vertical part to adjust airflow in smoker also I was thinking I could close the vertical part off and only use the horizontal section when smoking smaller things with a separate stack ? ANY other tips or advice would be great . I want to start welding it together very soon !!!!

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:22 pm
by Rambo
You need to Private message member KAM; he's the best. good Luck; looks like you've got it together.

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Fri Nov 08, 2019 1:42 pm
by OldUsedParts
Welcome to the Forum and I agree with Rambo about PM'n KAM - - - - he's the Boss Hoss here on Pit Building "Correctly" :salut:

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Mon Nov 11, 2019 11:22 am
by k.a.m.
Fabkid33 wrote:Hello this is going to be my first smoker build
I went through the felden calculator and the fire box Is about perfect size for the smoker I'm building. Tubing is 24 inch diameter with 3/8 wall thickness the fire box is 32 inches long and both horizontal and vertical tubes are 50" long questions I have are I was thinking of building a door I can raise and lower in the vertical part to adjust airflow in smoker also I was thinking I could close the vertical part off and only use the horizontal section when smoking smaller things with a separate stack ? ANY other tips or advice would be great . I want to start welding it together very soon !!!!

Gonna be a great build I look forward to following it. :D
The door between the vertical and the horizontal is a good one in my opinion. I would however look at it as a way to shut down the vertical as mentioned and not used to regulate temps.
When open look at the vertical as your exhaust if you trim the flow with the door it will cause the horizontal to stall creating cooler smoke that cannot move out. Trying to balance the two will be nearly impossible because getting the vertical to decent smoking temps will have the horizontal running probably 50° to 75° hotter. Just a heads up for when you start running it and are scratching your head trying to figure it out. Concentrate on the horizontal and then see where that leaves you for your vertical temps.
You will only need about a 12" tall exhaust on the vertical and I would shoot for at least 8" in diameter.
Your secondary exhaust for the horizontal can be recommended height and I would run at least 6" diameter.
I will find some pics of my tuning plates for you. :D

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:55 pm
by Fabkid33
Progress pics ....8 hours in my shop and a Pyle of grinding pads and plenty of grinding no big deal for me people say I'm a magician with my 2 dewalt 4 1/2 inch grinders this is what I got together I very happy with it, I have been welding and fabricating for 23 years I have build tons of crazy things and coped plenty of tubing for Rollcages etc but never 24 inch pipe came out really good less then 3/16 inch gaps all the way around . Also I didn't cut the cylinder out all the way where the horizontal meets vertical chamber I think this should be enough air flow , questions is now which way to place the hinge ,bottom hinge top hinge side hinge or thought about making it slide up and down with a threaded rod and a crank on top of the vertical chamber to adjust it taking into consideration shelf space in that chamber . Just me and my forklift making it happen also great to build something for yourself after all the hours that I enjoy building awesome things for my great customers and giving my special skills and experience to make it beautiful ,functional , happiness etc !!!!!!!

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Sun Nov 17, 2019 12:02 am
by Fabkid33
20191116_194241.jpg
Pretty good fit !!!!
More pics
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Grinding materials and torch slag !!!#

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 2:58 pm
by k.a.m.
Are you referring to the hinge for the damper?

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 7:06 pm
by Fabkid33
Yes the damper to close off the vertical chamber to the horizontal chamber

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Mon Nov 18, 2019 8:22 pm
by Fabkid33
Do you think my hole in the vertical stack will be big enough for good flow ?

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 12:18 am
by Fabkid33
The feldon calculator says for a half moon fire box opening to cook chamber I need a diameter of 17.7 plus a 1.5 grease lip do I need to measure up 19.2 inches from bottom of horizontal cook chamber and that's where the top of the fire box should be ?

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:39 am
by k.a.m.
Fabkid33 wrote:Yes the damper to close off the vertical chamber to the horizontal chamber

I think a cable coming up the inside then out and down to a bar and wheel like a Santa Maria would be cool. You could have the door on a track and have infinite adjustment. You could even two part the cable to reduce the weight coming up and make cranking easier.

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:39 am
by k.a.m.
Fabkid33 wrote:Do you think my hole in the vertical stack will be big enough for good flow ?

Yes I do if you have a large enough diameter exhaust opening.

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 9:45 am
by k.a.m.
Fabkid33 wrote:The feldon calculator says for a half moon fire box opening to cook chamber I need a diameter of 17.7 plus a 1.5 grease lip do I need to measure up 19.2 inches from bottom of horizontal cook chamber and that's where the top of the fire box should be ?

You could come up higher and have a taller grease lip is ground clearance is an issue. Ideally if you are running plates you want them at least 6" below your lower grate and the top of your firebox should be where your plate rails are I usually set my firebox up higher then have a 6" deflector coming down at about 25° angle to create my 6" height. I have been super busy I haven't forgot about the plate pics I will get them.

Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 10:05 am
by k.a.m.
I dug these up out of photobucket. The reason for the straps was my plates on Bahama Mama locked together to create a reverse flow plate. She is a Hybrid by my design to work as plates or reverse flow. My smaller cooker Little Mama is a straight tuning plate cooker.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Posted: Tue Nov 19, 2019 1:28 pm
by Fabkid33
Here is a pic of how im going to cut the plates between my firebox and cook chamber
Middle line Is my 17 3/4 diameter ( feldon calculator half moon diameter) then I went with a 2 inch grease lip bottom line then I added 2 1/2 inches above my middle line for top cut hope this is right let me know asap working on it now