I don't know what I'm doing...500 Gallon Smoker Build

Bwick84 · Dec 3, 2015

Me and a buddy decided to build a smoker out of a 500 gallon propane tank because why not? I've been really getting into smoking the last few years and want something with a little more room.

I started with a cheap electric but never really cared for it (no picture) and have also used a Weber Kettle.

Then got a Traeger and liked the convenience but lacked the flavor I was looking for

Then got my offset and absolutely love it I just run out of room for the amount of meat I want to cook.

So when my buddy asked me to smoke a pig for his birthday we of course built a cinderblock pit.

After that we got the itch to build our own. Neither of us have much fabricating experience. I haven't welded since high school shop class and he has never welded. Should be fun.

We went to a propane dealer and purchased an old 500 gallon tank. We filled it up a couple times with soapy water and then started cutting out the doors.

No smoking by the tank.

ebijack · Dec 3, 2015

Cool!
I'll be watchin the progress.

dwfisk · Dec 3, 2015

Subscribed, be happy to help where I can. Based on your thread title, I thought this might help http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html. You can also use the search tool to look a several 500 gallon builds documented on here. Best of luck.

Dauvis · Dec 3, 2015

Good luck!

pjtexas1 · Dec 3, 2015

what's the worse that could happen? after cutting the doors i would have to hand it off to someone to finish. :becky: at least you guys have a chance to make a decent cooker. looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

Bwick84 · Dec 3, 2015

dwfisk said:
Subscribed, be happy to help where I can. Based on your thread title, I thought this might help http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html. You can also use the search tool to look a several 500 gallon builds documented on here. Best of luck.

Yeah, I have been looking at that. I'm still trying to figure out my options for a firebox. I'm trying to build this on the cheap and so far all my options put the firebox too small. I wouldn't mind building one but the first steel supplier I checked with wants $375 for a 4x10 sheet of 1/4". That gets spendy real quick especially if I decide to insulate it.

Jeff H · Dec 3, 2015

Bwick84 said:
Yeah, I have been looking at that. I'm still trying to figure out my options for a firebox. I'm trying to build this on the cheap and so far all my options put the firebox too small. I wouldn't mind building one but the first steel supplier I checked with wants $375 for a 4x10 sheet of 1/4". That gets spendy real quick especially if I decide to insulate it.

That isn't a great price for retail plate, but it isn't a ripoff either. Call around though, you might find someone who is willing to sell it at the more wholesale prices which is around 1/2 of that price.

Bwick84 · Dec 3, 2015

pjtexas1 said:
what's the worse that could happen? after cutting the doors i would have to hand it off to someone to finish. :becky: at least you guys have a chance to make a decent cooker. looking forward to seeing what you come up with.

My buddy I'm building it with has a pretty extensive woodworking background and I've always been pretty good with my hands and a quick learner. My daily driver is an old CJ5 that I've had to maintain. Just no making fun of our welds!

Bwick84 · Dec 3, 2015

Jeff H said:
That isn't a great price for retail plate, but it isn't a ripoff either. Call around though, you might find someone who is willing to sell it at the more wholesale prices which is around 1/2 of that price.

Yeah I'll keep checking. We have some recycling centers but not sure about any good scrap yards. Thanks for the info.

newtwoq · Dec 3, 2015

Awesome man, I'll keep an eye on this one as I'm doing my 40 gal build.

What was the offset you pictured above?

Bwick84 · Dec 3, 2015

newtwoq said:
Awesome man, I'll keep an eye on this one as I'm doing my 40 gal build.

What was the offset you pictured above?

It's just a cheap Oklahoma Joe Highland. It's maybe 1/8" steel at best. However I sealed up all the gaps with high temp silicone and it holds heat pretty dang well. Might not be the best but it's put out some really good Q.

yakdung · Dec 3, 2015

Bwick84 said:
My buddy I'm building it with has a pretty extensive woodworking background and I've always been pretty good with my hands and a quick learner. My daily driver is an old CJ5 that I've had to maintain. Just no making fun of our welds!

Nice CJ ! I had a CJ5 Renegade with a V8 three speed manual. Too much fun I had to get rid of it.

Texmex01 · Dec 3, 2015

Bwick84 said:
My buddy I'm building it with has a pretty extensive woodworking background and I've always been pretty good with my hands and a quick learner. My daily driver is an old CJ5 that I've had to maintain. Just no making fun of our welds!

Man, I miss my 86 CJ-7 Laredo....:biggrin1:

Bwick84 · Dec 3, 2015

yakdung said:
Nice CJ ! I had a CJ5 Renegade with a V8 three speed manual. Too much fun I had to get rid of it.

Texmex01 said:
Man, I miss my 86 CJ-7 Laredo....:biggrin1:

It's been my daily driver for I think 8 years or so. I bought it from the original owner. Has a hard top for winter.

LifeLongWNYer · Dec 3, 2015

Bwick84 said:
Yeah I'll keep checking. We have some recycling centers but not sure about any good scrap yards. Thanks for the info.

I was cleaning out my Mom's basement and took a few things to the scrap yard today. One thing caught my eye was a huge pile of dumpsters. There was a variety of sizes and conditions, but many of them had 2-4 sides with relatively straight steel. I was in a hurry so didn't ask them, but I want to go back and see what they would sell one for. There is enough straight steel in most of them to build a pretty good firebox, BUT is that steel thick enough?

JBP

.

Smoke on Badger Mountain · Dec 4, 2015

Very nice! I'm sure you will have fun, and learn a lot along the way. There is nothing quite as much fun as building your own pit.

ebijack · Dec 4, 2015

Nice CJ!
Are you going RF or direct cross flow?

Bwick84 · Dec 4, 2015

LifeLongWNYer said:
I was cleaning out my Mom's basement and took a few things to the scrap yard today. One thing caught my eye was a huge pile of dumpsters. There was a variety of sizes and conditions, but many of them had 2-4 sides with relatively straight steel. I was in a hurry so didn't ask them, but I want to go back and see what they would sell one for. There is enough straight steel in most of them to build a pretty good firebox, BUT is that steel thick enough?

JBP

.

That would be interesting. I've got a caliper that I could measure the thickness with. I just need to find a scrap yard close by. I've only been able to find recycling centers (which won't let me go through their yard) and auto scrap yards. I'll keep looking.

Bwick84 · Dec 4, 2015

Smoke on Badger Mountain said:
Very nice! I'm sure you will have fun, and learn a lot along the way. There is nothing quite as much fun as building your own pit.

I'm definitely having fun with it.

Bwick84 · Dec 4, 2015

ebijack said:
Nice CJ!
Are you going RF or direct cross flow?

I haven't decided for sure yet. I've never used a reverse flow, but I know they are popular. It probably depends on what I end up doing for a firebox. If I end up a little undersized I'll probably just stick with direct flow.

I don't know what I'm doing...500 Gallon Smoker Build

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somebody shut me the fark up.

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is one Smokin' Farker

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is Blowin Smoke!

Take a breath!

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Knows what a fatty is.

Babbling Farker

Babbling Farker

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Knows what a fatty is.

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