Reshaping/bending smoker parts

Pics?

You have to have photobucket or flicker or such

Check out this
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Unless i am misunderstanding the issue

You can go to http://www.photobucket.com and create an account for free. They can't fix your smoker's door (sorry) but you will be able to post pics on here and get some suggestions.

Choose the Go Advanced option at the bottom

Click on the paperclip and it will open a window with a browse option
Brouse to the location of the picture on your PC and choose - You can do up to 10 at a time and max 20 on a post.

Click upload

You can then use the paperclip option to put them in the post where you have the curser

Hope this helps!

SD

How thick is the metal? !/8" or less?

Get some 2x4's, some 3/8" all-thread, flat washers and nuts at Home Depot. Cut 6 pieces of 2x4 about 12" longer than the width of the door. Drill a 3/8" hole 6" in from the ends of the cut 2x4's. Sandwich the door between the 2x4's ( evenly spaced along the length of the door. Run the all-thread through the holes you drilled. Put a flat washer and nut on each one and tighten the nuts alternately. This will squeeze the door to be a larger radius. You will need to go beyond the radius you want because it will spring back some when you take the pressure off. I hope this is clear enough to understand.

You can reshape it without tools for what your trying to do. Remove the lid, lay it on flat ground, plywood etc and step/put some body weight on the lid in the center of the top or which ever end needs the most reshaping. You can draw pencil lines the length of the lid on both sides on the wood to help give you a visual how much you are spreading the edges. Like mentioned, it will spring back quite a bit, go slow and do not try to get it perfect in one try. Reinstall the lid and keep checking after each try. By changing where/how you apply weight/pressure you should be able to get a perfect fit. By using small shims etc if required to raise/lower one corner if it is twisted a bit, you should be able to get it perfectly straight. If that makes sense.

It's pretty light gauge steel do it oughta move - I'd try the 2x4 method. You could let it sit clamp down for 30 minutes or so that way.

If you could find something round- the right radius- you could put the door over it and wrap with ratchet straps.

I recently had a similar problem with my vertical bandera. It would not close without a lot of force being applied, reason was it was bowed at the top. What I did was to take a short 1x1 put in inside the top of the door against the smoker box, then I use a come-along wrapped around the top of it, then started cranking it until I thought it was good. Turned out I had went a little to far so I took a hammer and another block of wood, then beat it back into a better position. This worked very well, and now it is much easier to close, and seal much better.

My box is square, your is round, so I would remove your gauge, then place a 2x4 vertically centered on the door and the back, then try the come-along. It is the only tool you will need, so either beg, steal, or barrow one, if you do not have one. Watch what is going on the whole time to make sure everything is going as it should, and is not kinking or buckling anything, more 2x4s place on the sides may become necessary.

While you have your gauge out, mite as well test for accuracy, adjusting if needed. I got in a hurry and did not place anything between the box and the come-along cable, so I had to hit it with a little bit of spray paint after it was all done. I think I payed 20.00 at Walmart for the come-along. If you go this or a similar rout, it should not be necessary to heat it.

It may be necessary to place a couple sections of something thin under the door and box to make sure it is not going to catch on the lip of the smoker box, and rides up over the lip.
Dave

ATX_LeGrand said:

Does it matter what temp the door is when I'm applying weight to it? Been going at it for about 90 minutes now and neither side has changed at all. Garage is about 55 degrees.

Click to expand...

By weight, I was talking body weight and possibly jumping a bit. I would expect it to take at least a couple hundred pound force. Temp wouldn't matter. Might take you and a friend standing on it. It will go, just know that when you find the right weight, be careful as it will move and could go to far if not careful.

One question, did you install the gasket, or was it already there? If so does the gasket go all around the door? If you put it on did you notice any change on how the door shut? I find that when a gasket is placed on the hinge side of a door it will make it hard for the door to close, and it usually is not necessary on that side, because it is a tight fit most of the time already.
Dave