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

[Bwick84]

Scored a free trailer for the smoker. Looks like a truck axle so should be able to handle the weight.

My buddy has a bunch of universal forklift keys so we "borrowed" one at a job site down the street to lift the tank onto the trailer.

 

[Bwick84]

You can also kind of see in the picture that we started on some hinges made out of rod and tubing.

 

[mikemci]

Dumpsters aren't very thick. You need minimum 1/4" material. You look like you know what you're doing to me. If you get unsure, there are a lot of knowledgeable and helpful people here. Just ask.

 

[Bwick84]

Dumpsters aren't very thick. You need minimum 1/4" material. You look like you know what you're doing to me. If you get unsure, there are a lot of knowledgeable and helpful people here. Just ask.

Thanks for the tip on the dumpsters. I did plenty of research so I'm not going in completely blind, just a lot of stuff we haven't done before.

 

[ShencoSmoke]

Push that tank as far forward as possible, mine sits just about where yours is now and it pulls horrible, 45mph max because of the bad balance.

 

[Bwick84]

Push that tank as far forward as possible, mine sits just about where yours is now and it pulls horrible, 45mph max because of the bad balance.View attachment 119601

What's your tongue weight like?

By the way, great build. Enjoyed reading through your thread.

 

[ShencoSmoke]

What's your tongue weight like?

By the way, great build. Enjoyed reading through your thread.

It's actually balanced perfectly where I can move it around by hand, but pulling on the road is a different story. I'm going to cut the tongue off and extend it and add weight (wood fired grill)

 

[Bwick84]

It's actually balanced perfectly where I can move it around by hand, but pulling on the road is a different story. I'm going to cut the tongue off and extend it and add weight (wood fired grill)

Don't you usually want at least a little tongue weight for pulling?

 

[ebijack]

Don't you usually want at least a little tongue weight for pulling?

10% tongue weight of the total weight is the typical number used.

 

[newtwoq]

Push that tank as far forward as possible, mine sits just about where yours is now and it pulls horrible, 45mph max because of the bad balance.View attachment 119601

I meant to ask you this in Woodstock, what's the finish on your tank?

 

[Bwick84]

10% tongue weight of the total weight is the typical number used.

That's around what I was thinking. Thanks!

 

[Bwick84]

It got cold so we brought her inside. We had not cut through the corners so we could get the hinges and some flat bar welded on before we cut all the way through. I stole Aaron Franklin's idea for hinges and a handle from his youtube video.

After getting all of those on we got the doors open! Man they are heavy. I thought we might be able to get away with not doing counterweights but I think they will be needed.

 

[450]

Looking good. Just a thought, have you considered using an end of another 500 gallon. Those tanks are plenty thick(5/16 minimum) for a fire box. Would save a bunch on steel. I recently built one that size, and making an insulated f/b does cost a lot, plus a pile of welding. Counter wieghts on the doors are a plus. Good luck, and keep posting pics.

 

[Bwick84]

Looking good. Just a thought, have you considered using an end of another 500 gallon. Those tanks are plenty thick(5/16 minimum) for a fire box. Would save a bunch on steel. I recently built one that size, and making an insulated f/b does cost a lot, plus a pile of welding. Counter wieghts on the doors are a plus. Good luck, and keep posting pics.

Yeah, that is definitely an option. I've also been on the lookout for old wood stoves. There are some bigger ones out there. They might be a little smaller than what the calculator says to use but I would think the fire brick would help make up for it.

 

[Bwick84]

Got the flat bar all welded on the doors. I used 1/4"x1 1/2" which was probably overkill. We just heated it up with the torch and slowly bent it. Then clamped it down with vice grips and welded it on. I might still run a bead the full length just for aesthetics.

The old diamond sticker was cut off from the no smoking sticker which created the outline of the Superman symbol so naturally one of my buddies stole my kids chalk and made some artwork on the door. Maybe I should name it Super Smoker.

 

[Bwick84]

What do most of you do for the old valve holes? Just cut them out with a torch and weld in some plate steel?

 

[Bwick84]

Burned it out last night.

 

[Bwick84]

I didn't get much done over the holidays. However, I finally found my firebox! It's a big diameter 120 gallon tank so I can use the whole thing. It puts me around 1/4 of the volume instead of 1/3 but we'll make it work.

 

[JohnnyB]

That'll be plenty big enough. How's the rest of the build going?

 

[Branded BBQ]

Nice. Built my own RF out of a 250g tank.... loved the build and love the finished product even more because of the build. Enjoy!!