dwfisk
Quintessential Chatty Farker
I had posted an earlier thread about starting to make a new series of offset smokers, traditional flow and reverse flows in 20, 24 and 30 inch diameters and a variety of lengths.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=234624
Well, this is the start of the 20 Series, the 20 inch diameter X 1/4 inch wall pipe cut for two different size smokers; a 19.5 inch X 30 inch main cooking grate version, and a 19.5 inch X 42 inch "stretched" main cooking grate version. This build thread will be a 30 inch reverse flow and a 42 inch traditional.
I wanted to do something a little different with this thread and focus on the "how to" more than the final product. There are so many ways to fabricate smokers that I don't even pretend to have the corner on the "how to" market but just thought how I do things might be interesting. So here goes.
First job is breaking down the 21 foot pipe into firebox and cook chamber lengths. I'm using my plasma but this can also be done with an oxy-acetylene torch or (if you are a real glutton for punishment) a cutoff wheel on a grinder. I'm not great at free hand cutting so I've equipped my plasma torch with a cutting guide that lets you adjust the standoff properly and even angle it if you need a bevel cut.
For cutting pipe (or tanks), I've fabricated jig, just a ring of 1/8 inch X 1 inch flat stock that clamps around the pipe to run the torch guide against.
From the edge of the guide wheels to the center of the plasma arc is exactly 1 inch so it is a simple matter of setting the guide at the desired length plus 1 inch; in this example a 16 inch firebox + 1 inch = 17 inches. Also in this shot you can see one of four upside down movers dolly's the pipe is sitting on to allow me to rotate the pipe under the plasma torch to maintain a good cut angle.
A couple shots making the cuts:
And an example of just how true and clean you can cut if you just take your time.
After a couple hours work, two smokers cut out: on the right a 16 inch firebox and 37 inch cook chamber for the 2030 model; and, on the left an 18 inch firebox an 49 inch cook chamber for the 2042 "stretch".
And putting the extra +11 feet of pipe (enough for at least a couple more smokers) away with another handy little tool :becky:
I've got a steel delivery scheduled for late next week and will be back to cut out the end caps, firebox door and dampers out of 1/4 in plate, again using the plasma torch and my circle cutting jigs.
Thanks for checking in.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=234624
Well, this is the start of the 20 Series, the 20 inch diameter X 1/4 inch wall pipe cut for two different size smokers; a 19.5 inch X 30 inch main cooking grate version, and a 19.5 inch X 42 inch "stretched" main cooking grate version. This build thread will be a 30 inch reverse flow and a 42 inch traditional.
I wanted to do something a little different with this thread and focus on the "how to" more than the final product. There are so many ways to fabricate smokers that I don't even pretend to have the corner on the "how to" market but just thought how I do things might be interesting. So here goes.
First job is breaking down the 21 foot pipe into firebox and cook chamber lengths. I'm using my plasma but this can also be done with an oxy-acetylene torch or (if you are a real glutton for punishment) a cutoff wheel on a grinder. I'm not great at free hand cutting so I've equipped my plasma torch with a cutting guide that lets you adjust the standoff properly and even angle it if you need a bevel cut.
For cutting pipe (or tanks), I've fabricated jig, just a ring of 1/8 inch X 1 inch flat stock that clamps around the pipe to run the torch guide against.
From the edge of the guide wheels to the center of the plasma arc is exactly 1 inch so it is a simple matter of setting the guide at the desired length plus 1 inch; in this example a 16 inch firebox + 1 inch = 17 inches. Also in this shot you can see one of four upside down movers dolly's the pipe is sitting on to allow me to rotate the pipe under the plasma torch to maintain a good cut angle.
A couple shots making the cuts:
And an example of just how true and clean you can cut if you just take your time.
After a couple hours work, two smokers cut out: on the right a 16 inch firebox and 37 inch cook chamber for the 2030 model; and, on the left an 18 inch firebox an 49 inch cook chamber for the 2042 "stretch".
And putting the extra +11 feet of pipe (enough for at least a couple more smokers) away with another handy little tool :becky:
I've got a steel delivery scheduled for late next week and will be back to cut out the end caps, firebox door and dampers out of 1/4 in plate, again using the plasma torch and my circle cutting jigs.
Thanks for checking in.
