Chevypoor
Active Member
Lookin' good! Nice work...mmm steaks, no chicken, wait what about pork!
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Smoker build
- Thread starter THEFERMANATOR
- Start date
- Staff
- #22
I LIKE PORK. I do more pork on the smoker than anything else. The thing I'm looking forward to the most is a brisket. My old smoker wasn't big enough to do a whole brisket, so I had to cut it into pieces to smoke one(it was a small cabinet smoker). So I'm looking forward to cooking a WHOLE brisket in ONE piece and seeing how I can do with one of them.
- Staff
- #23
Got a bit furthur along today, I sure hope I can get it done by Tuesday so I can burn it in and season it for Thursday. Got the firebox all welded on, sealed up, and the door on it(still have to build a latch for it). Got it upright, so it is looking like a smoker now.
Heres the smoke chamber before I closed it up.
And here it is all closed up.
The legs are all welded on, and supports welded in.
Got it upright, firebox door on, and the wooden skids for it to sit on bolted on.
Firebox door open, still have to decide how to build a latch for it and straighten the door out some as it pulled during welding.
Heres the smoke chamber before I closed it up.
And here it is all closed up.
The legs are all welded on, and supports welded in.
Got it upright, firebox door on, and the wooden skids for it to sit on bolted on.
Firebox door open, still have to decide how to build a latch for it and straighten the door out some as it pulled during welding.
Last edited:
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Good progress.
How bad is it out of shape? Maybe a piece of 1" angle iron on top and bottom seam will add rigidity and keep it straight. Give an easy mount spot for hinge and over hang it about 1/4" of the bottom as a lip seal.
How bad is it out of shape? Maybe a piece of 1" angle iron on top and bottom seam will add rigidity and keep it straight. Give an easy mount spot for hinge and over hang it about 1/4" of the bottom as a lip seal.
- Staff
- #25
It is off about an 1/8" or so at the tops of the doors. I already welded on a piece of 1/4" thick X 1.5" wide rim to seal it up and give it an overhang. It was straight, but welding on the rim is what pulled it out of shape(I was tired, got in a hurry, and decided not to spot it across, but juts weld it as 1 bead. BAD IDEA). I already straightened it some in my 30 ton press. It takes about 4-4.5 tons to bend it out, so I got plenty of pressure to do it.
Will L.
Well-Known Member
What ever you cant get with the press, get a bucket of ice water ready, then hit it with a rosebud. pour the water where you need it to shrink.
- Staff
- #27
I worked on it for a GOOD portion of yesterday, and didn't get much done. I spent the bulk of the day working on the door for the smoker. It was straight when I cut it as I double checked it after cutting it out, but from sitting on the floor it twisted. I spent close to 3 hours last night trying to get it straightened out, and I only got it with a 1/4". Everytime I put enough pressure on it to take the twist out, I either bend the corner I'm putting pressure on, or bow the door out and take the curvature out of it. This thing is driving me nuts, and at 12:30 I called it a night.
Will L.
Well-Known Member
Pic of it out of shape might help
- Staff
- #29
Some wood stove rope gasket glued in place maybe.
I would suggest a better way to confine the gasket but hopefully you get the idea
I would suggest a better way to confine the gasket but hopefully you get the idea
- Staff
- #30
Well I have officially called it, and I did not make the deadline to have it done in time to do smoked ham and turkey for Thanksgiving. The last 2 days have been nothing but road block after road block. I have spent close to 7 hours trying to straighten the door out and get it to line up correctly. I had it REALLY close one time, but it pulled back out when I went to weld the perimeter on it. I only spot welded it, but it pulled back out, so another 2 hours getting it back to where I started. The firebox has also been a hurdle, but mostly my own doing. Fabricating at midnight, dead tired, and pushing through it, your bound to make some mistakes. So I ended up wasting another 1 and a half fixing my screw up there after spending 2 hours building the basket. Almost done with the firebox, just have to weld on my latch assembly I built, cut some wood for my handles, and make the latch catch, and it will be done. But that friggen door for the smoker is still kicking my but.
Heres how I'm having to straighten the door out, along with my 60 ton press to get the curveature back in it.
My water/drip pan I built out of 12 gauge material. You can also see on the left the drain that routes outside the smoker for draining so no drippings stay in the smoker.
The wood basket on slides. I will probably add a smaller side to the front of it before I finish it up.
My firebox air intakes, slider plate to cover them, and above them you can see the water/drip pan drain(still have to get a cap for it.
And I got the chimney on it as well as the damper on top.
Heres how I'm having to straighten the door out, along with my 60 ton press to get the curveature back in it.
My water/drip pan I built out of 12 gauge material. You can also see on the left the drain that routes outside the smoker for draining so no drippings stay in the smoker.
The wood basket on slides. I will probably add a smaller side to the front of it before I finish it up.
My firebox air intakes, slider plate to cover them, and above them you can see the water/drip pan drain(still have to get a cap for it.
And I got the chimney on it as well as the damper on top.
Chevypoor
Active Member
Looks good- burning the candle is usually one step forward two steps back! Sorry to hear you did make the t-day deadline- there is always Christmas!
- Staff
- #32
After 10 days of being sick, I felt ALMOST human today(ALMOST, but not quite yet) and did a little more work on it. Got the firebox all finished up, and ready for a fire to be lit.
Heres the firebox basket finished up and my fandangled rod I made for pulling the fire tray out.
The firebox door all finished up with my own latch design.
And the air intake for the firebox is all done as well. Installed some grating to help prevent any chunks from falling out that may stray out of the tray.
And forgot to mention earlier, this cooker is part DURABURB. My smokestack is made from my old driveshaft that I twisted in the BURB. Still gotta get the friggen door straightened out and laying down semi straight, then it's pretty much done.
Heres the firebox basket finished up and my fandangled rod I made for pulling the fire tray out.
The firebox door all finished up with my own latch design.
And the air intake for the firebox is all done as well. Installed some grating to help prevent any chunks from falling out that may stray out of the tray.
And forgot to mention earlier, this cooker is part DURABURB. My smokestack is made from my old driveshaft that I twisted in the BURB. Still gotta get the friggen door straightened out and laying down semi straight, then it's pretty much done.
- Staff
- #33
Nice job Ferman. Smoking Christmas dinner?
- Staff
- #34
Should be cooking by then. I got the door as straight as could be today, I was so happy. Then I welded the perimeter on it and it pulled back out some. Got it straightened back out decent and was happy again, then I welded the hinges on and it friggen pulled again. It isn't that bad, but not as straight as I would liek it to be. Started welding in the cooking rack tonight, but momma said I had to come inside early tonight. Should hopefully have a fire in it by the weekend if I can get a few hours a day to finish it up.
. Got it straightened back out decent and was happy again, then I welded the hinges on and it friggen pulled again. It isn't that bad, but not as straight as I would liek it to be. Started welding in the cooking rack tonight, but momma said I had to come inside early tonight. Should hopefully have a fire in it by the weekend if I can get a few hours a day to finish it up.
- Staff
- #35
Haven't gotten much time to work on the smoker lately, but I have gotten an hour or two here and there to work on it. It's starting to look like a smoker, and getting close.
The cooking grates. They come out in 2 pieces for cleaning. Decided to go with conventional grating instead of the stainless for the cooking grates.
The grate on the outlet side goes all the way over, and you can see how far in I made the stack protrude in.
Got the door on, hinges welded on, and the handle mounted up.
Starting to look like a smoker.
You can see the water fill pipe I added for filling the water tray(had an extra piece of 1/2" pipe, figured what the heck).
Still have to decide if I want to leave the door as is, or add a counter balance to it so I don't have to open it so far to keep it open. Also need to add on end racks, and build my 2nd rack to go inside the cooking chamber. Hoping to maybe light a fire in it tommorrow to get some smoke in it.
The cooking grates. They come out in 2 pieces for cleaning. Decided to go with conventional grating instead of the stainless for the cooking grates.
The grate on the outlet side goes all the way over, and you can see how far in I made the stack protrude in.
Got the door on, hinges welded on, and the handle mounted up.
Starting to look like a smoker.
You can see the water fill pipe I added for filling the water tray(had an extra piece of 1/2" pipe, figured what the heck).
Still have to decide if I want to leave the door as is, or add a counter balance to it so I don't have to open it so far to keep it open. Also need to add on end racks, and build my 2nd rack to go inside the cooking chamber. Hoping to maybe light a fire in it tommorrow to get some smoke in it.
- Staff
- #36
Getting close. Didn't light a fire in it today, but I'm pretty close to doing so. Just have to finish up the right side table, figure out how I'm going to hang the 2nd cooking tray, and I'm also building a diverter for the smoke stack.
Left side table is on and finished. It might not look stout, but I put my 250 pounds on it and it held me up just fine.
And the 2nd cooking tray.
Left side table is on and finished. It might not look stout, but I put my 250 pounds on it and it held me up just fine.
And the 2nd cooking tray.
hookedup50
Active Member
Nice Job!
NVW
Well-Known Member
Looks good Ferm, the door looks like it's pretty straight.
- Staff
- #39
Well it's about time to go get some wood, and fire her up. Got it all finished up tonight except for cleaning and painting which will happen after the 1st fire is lit in it to burn off any residue on it.
It's hard to make out, but you can see my diverter in the upper right to redirect the smoke out to the side. Had to add this on after I did some checking and seen where the smoke would be hitting under the back porch.
And the 2nd cooking rack installed. Got it setup so it can be removed fairly easily, and tilted up while cooking to access the meats on the lower rack easier.
It's hard to make out, but you can see my diverter in the upper right to redirect the smoke out to the side. Had to add this on after I did some checking and seen where the smoke would be hitting under the back porch.
And the 2nd cooking rack installed. Got it setup so it can be removed fairly easily, and tilted up while cooking to access the meats on the lower rack easier.
- Staff
- #40
Got a chance today to pop her cherry, and lit the 1st fire in her. It sure takes alot more wood than I thought it would to get it hot, but I could get it up to 300 on my temp gauge with the water pan about half full. Unfortunately my temp gauge must be reading way low though(more on that later).
1st fire lit in her.
Decided to put the 1st coat of paint down on it while she was burning in.
And I couldn't resist the urge to cook something on it. Found a pack of chicken breasts in the deep freezer, promptly thawed em out and slapped em on her.
Sure is a pretty glow coming out of the firebox at night.
Still have a few things to finish up on her, but all and all pretty happy. 1st order of business is a GOOD thermometer. I was cooking the breasts around 225-250 on it, but they cooked in under an hour and half and were over done in that time. 2nd is I need to add a heat deflector inside just above the halfway mark because I found a cold spot in the cooker. When I put the breasts in, I put one in each corner of the cookign area, and judged how they were cooking to jusge the temp. The lower left side cooked quite a bit slower with less smoke than the other 3 zones did. Hopefully a deflector will take care of this. 3rd, going to add a post on the side of it to hold a crescent wrench for taking the water fill plug out with, and removing the water drain plug. 4th going to add a tube to hold the wooden prop rod I made for the 2nd shelf. And lastly put another coat of paint on it.
1st fire lit in her.
Decided to put the 1st coat of paint down on it while she was burning in.
And I couldn't resist the urge to cook something on it. Found a pack of chicken breasts in the deep freezer, promptly thawed em out and slapped em on her.
Sure is a pretty glow coming out of the firebox at night.
Still have a few things to finish up on her, but all and all pretty happy. 1st order of business is a GOOD thermometer. I was cooking the breasts around 225-250 on it, but they cooked in under an hour and half and were over done in that time. 2nd is I need to add a heat deflector inside just above the halfway mark because I found a cold spot in the cooker. When I put the breasts in, I put one in each corner of the cookign area, and judged how they were cooking to jusge the temp. The lower left side cooked quite a bit slower with less smoke than the other 3 zones did. Hopefully a deflector will take care of this. 3rd, going to add a post on the side of it to hold a crescent wrench for taking the water fill plug out with, and removing the water drain plug. 4th going to add a tube to hold the wooden prop rod I made for the 2nd shelf. And lastly put another coat of paint on it.