My First smoker build. 30” offset.

[GRailsback]

Your going to add counter weights. You want to be able to lift it with one hand.

[k.a.m.]

Well I got my hinges, handles and dampers drawn up in CAD and dropped off the metal with my cnc plasma guy. Waiting on him to get them cut out. I also dropped off a couple sticks of 2x1/4” strap with a shop for them to roll me out some circles to use as door straps.
I stopped by our local steel supplier and rummaged through their secondary pieces of plate and found a piece that will be big enough for end caps. Also got most the material for the pull out meat racks and tracks.
I built a circle cutting guide for our plasma cutter.
I got a free boat trailer to mount the pit on. I just had to unload the old junk boat off of it and haul it off to a trash pit. I learned that it’s harder than I thought to sling a boat off of a trailer.

I ran the math today to figure out how much my doors were going to weigh, and it looks like they will be right at 55lbs each on the cook chamber. I planned on waiting until I get the doors cut out and hinges installed and go from there as to if I’m adding counterweights.

Are you using two part strap hinges and external door seals?
If so make sure your pivot point is behind the edge of the strap or your door will not open.

[Mgdwj]

After 2 welding supply stores I found the wizard wrap I needed.
Got a little bit of actual work done today. One of the pieces had some dried cement on it. A little time with a needle scaler and a wire brush got it clean.

I took a door strap and tacked some washers to the ends to use as a straight edge. A ratchet strap to hold it nice and tight on the pipe. The plasma torch tip was cutting funky so I had to bust out the oxygen acetylene torch. A few taps with a hammer until the hole in the torch where lines up where I wanted them.
Got the firebox cutout and one end of the main cook chamber cut. I’m going tomorrow to get a piece of 36” diameter pipe a friend gave me and will use a piece of it for the vertical chamber. After I get the 36” piece then I will start working on the saddle between them.

[Mgdwj]

Are you using two part strap hinges and external door seals?
If so make sure your pivot point is behind the edge of the strap or your door will not open.

Hinges are similar to these and yes with external door seals.

[k.a.m.]

Are you using two part strap hinges and external door seals?
If so make sure your pivot point is behind the edge of the strap or your door will not open.

Hinges are similar to these and yes with external door seals.

IMG_1049.jpeg

Yes that hinge is positioned correctly with the pivot point slightly behind the door seal.

[Mgdwj]

Got the saddle cut on the main cook chamber. I still need to cut the vertical chamber to length. Then it’s ready to weld together.

[OldUsedParts]

[k.a.m.]

That is going to be a beast!!!

[Mgdwj]

Nothing exciting just cutting circles My homemade radius guide for the plasma torch

[k.a.m.]

Nothing exciting just cutting circles My homemade radius guide for the plasma torch

IMG_1089.jpeg

I like it!!!

[spacetrucker]

I made one years ago, using all thread, a bolt sharpened to use as a pivot point welded to a nut that fit the allthread, and nuts to jam the pivot point(this allowed for smaller or larger radius) with a fork on the end to hold the head of the cutting torch...
sorry no pictures

[Mgdwj]

What’s y’all’s opinion in making this smoker with a cart to roll it around. Keep in mind this is going to be 10’ long and weigh about 1800 lbs. I had originally thought of making it with wheels and steering to be able to move it around I have golf cart steering knuckles with wheels and tires. I also have a trailer to mount it onto.

[OldUsedParts]

What’s y’all’s opinion in making this smoker with a cart to roll it around. Keep in mind this is going to be 10’ long and weigh about 1800 lbs. I had originally thought of making it with wheels and steering to be able to move it around I have golf cart steering knuckles with wheels and tires. I also have a trailer to mount it onto.

Hopefully KAM and G"Rails will see this and Comment !

BTW, do you plan on just using it in one place or moving it around from place to place ????????????????????????

[Rambo]

What’s y’all’s opinion in making this smoker with a cart to roll it around. Keep in mind this is going to be 10’ long and weigh about 1800 lbs. I had originally thought of making it with wheels and steering to be able to move it around I have golf cart steering knuckles with wheels and tires. I also have a trailer to mount it onto.

Hopefully KAM and G"Rails will see this and Comment !

BTW, do you plan on just using it in one place or moving it around from place to place ????????????????????????

That’s a good question

[Mgdwj]

Well both sorta, I do big cooks about once per year. Mostly for family members weddings. In the past I’ve had to cook in batches or borrow a pit from someone. It would be nice to have it trailer mounted for the times I need to have it mobile and cook away from the house. It would also be nice the be able to strategically place it in my back yard so I can watch the temp through the window.

I’ve wanted a big pit like this for several years now. My daughter is getting married at the beginning of April and she asked me to cook BBQ for it. She wanted brisket, ribs, pulled pork, sausage, and chicken.

I’m leaning toward just mounting it on a trailer to the save time and engineering it would take for the cart.