New Vertical Build

[pjtexas1]

Is the wife balking at the amount or can she not see the final product? Would she rather you buy something already built?

 

[SmittyJonz]

PJ got a nice one to sell for $500.......

 

[pjtexas1]

PJ got a nice one to sell for $500.......

Yeah but I'm not pushing that. I'm trying to see if maybe he can sweet talk his way into something the wife can see vs something she can't. I know my wife would rather I buy because she doesn't want to listen to me moan and complain while I try to build something with my limited skills. :mmph:

 

[dwfisk]

OK so I put together a materials list while I was hardly working today at work and after doing a retail price check on the steel cost alone, for all 3 phases of this project, I literally felt my heart sinking and my wallet crying. If I can't find a way to curtail the cost of this project I will be dead in the water (and I mean that literally...If I spend $350 on steel my wife will kill me and dump my body in the river ). Any recommendations for finding cheaper steel are appreciated and might just be life saving. I'm going to go check a local scrap yard this weekend that sells by the pound and will report my findings.

I responded to your PM. I have a bunch of drops/spare parts laying around the shop (exhaust pipe, hinges, latches, etc.) that I'd be happy to donate to your project (aka help clean up my shop :becky.

 

[Piomarine]

I did my pricing at metals depot online. I knew their prices would be high but wanted to get a feel for what the retail market was charging. Most of the cost came from copious amounts of 1/2" square tube which I will use for maintaining door radius just like on boomshocklacka and eventually for work tables on the sides. Also I wanted to ask, your grates are sitting on angle and slide in and out but how do you keep them from tipping over when pulled out? I was thinking about using C-channel for the grate supports so I could slide it out and not have it tip over. I will check out momentum too. I work as a teacher in Mansfield so that would be an easy trip after work one day. Dwfisk, I will happily take anything you have to donate to the cause and everything in your PM sounded great!

 

[SmittyJonz]

Just weld a tab at front just above the angle for anti tip, no need for C channel.

 

[BadkissonTT]

I did my pricing at metals depot online. I knew their prices would be high but wanted to get a feel for what the retail market was charging. Most of the Cindy came from copious amounts of 1/2" square tube which I will use for maintaining door radius just like on boomshocklacka and eventually for work tables on the sides.

You need to find a real steel company local..I'm very far south in Texas but I went yesterday to a local place and priced some stuff i think i'll need when i finally decide on what i want to build..

Here are some prices:

Plate 3/16 ...4'x8'.....$135
Plate 3/16....4'x4'.....$74
Plate 1/4...4'x8'...$152
Plate 1/4...4'x4'....$98
Square tube 1.5"x1.5"x 3/16 and 20' long...$41
Angle Iron 1"x1"x3/16" and 20' long........$14.75
Expanded Metal 3/4 #9 ...4'x8' FLAT....$56

plus tax

I won't need all of these, but wanted prices for each.....

Bought a Harbor Freight wire welder that runs on 110v for the house...$80+tax the other day on sale..!

Now i gotta just make my mind up on the design and they told me they would cut whatever i need @ $2 per cut....and i'd figure it would be a really smooth cut and take limited amount of grinding....

 

[pjtexas1]

i know we get tunnel vision and all we can see is bbq and cookers but that boat is really nice. building the cooker should be no problem for you.

 

[dwfisk]

I did my pricing at metals depot online. I knew their prices would be high but wanted to get a feel for what the retail market was charging. Most of the cost came from copious amounts of 1/2" square tube which I will use for maintaining door radius just like on boomshocklacka and eventually for work tables on the sides. Also I wanted to ask, your grates are sitting on angle and slide in and out but how do you keep them from tipping over when pulled out? I was thinking about using C-channel for the grate supports so I could slide it out and not have it tip over. I will check out momentum too. I work as a teacher in Mansfield so that would be an easy trip after work one day. Dwfisk, I will happily take anything you have to donate to the cause and everything in your PM sounded great!

Instead of 1/2 square tube, use 1/2"X1/2" square hot rolled solid rod, about 1/3-1/2 less costly and just as easy to form a curve.

Smitty nailed it on the anti-tips, a 2"-3" length of flat bar welded to the front top of the angle is plenty.

Quick inventory, I can contribute
4-1/2X1/8X16 exhaust stack
4@2" weld on hinges
4@ door latches
1@3" TelTru slightly used
2@6" cool touch spring handles

 

[Piomarine]

Yes to all!!! I love the tab idea, my wallet loves the square rod idea, and I can use every item you listed on the donation front!

Also thank you on the boat. I did not build the hull, just stripped it bare and rebuilt the interior from the ground up. To make it better, the boat was a family heirloom, bought new by my wife's great grandfather in 1956.

 

[BadkissonTT]

PJ got a nice one to sell for $500.......

Still kinda curious what his # is....$$$ wise..????

 

[pjtexas1]

Still kinda curious what his # is....$$$ wise..????

$500 would be good as with the cover I'm almost $700 into the cooker. I was going thru old receipts tonight and found where I paid $104 for the cover. I have 2 brand new in the box 5" River Country therms I can throw in as the factory ones are generics. Are you interested? Make me an offer. I'll deal with a brethren.

Found the email...
Smoker - $389
Gauges - $50
Delivery - $100
Subtotal - $539

Tax - $44.47

Total - $583.47.

 

[pjtexas1]

$500 would be good as with the cover I'm almost $700 into the cooker. I was going thru old receipts tonight and found where I paid $104 for the cover. I have 2 brand new in the box 5" River Country therms I can throw in as the factory ones are generics. Are you interested? Make me an offer. I'll deal with a brethren.

Found the email...
Smoker - $389
Gauges - $50
Delivery - $100
Subtotal - $539

Tax - $44.47

Total - $583.47.

crickets chirping...price must be too high. ound:

 

[Piomarine]

I've been thinking more about the air intakes discussion and last night, while I was picking up some of the worst BBQ I have ever allowed to pass my lips, I saw a pit that intrigued me. The air intake was nothing more than a hinged door with a chain and a hook, and it got me thinking...something like that would be EASY to add to my upcoming pit and with a longer chain, I could adjust airflow without bending over or putting my hands next to some 400* hot steel. This one was crude, and I would look at doing one in the same fashion as the chamber and FB doors (i.e.: cut from the tank and a lip to seal). Just wanted to get thoughts on this idea.

 

[SmittyJonz]

Just Hit Momentum Metal right before they closed. Walked the scrap piles and found a decent piece of 1/8" to make a 14x16" firebox door for my turd charcoal smoker. $11.43

Oh Ya - I checked on round stock solid- they stock 1/2" and 3/4" and 1 smaller size but didnt hear if she said 5/16" or ? They don't stock solid sq stock but do have sq. tubing.

 

[SmittyJonz]

Well it's Ugly but Ugly is what Smitty do.......probally gonna have to try gaskets as it's a charcoal smoker.......

 

[pjtexas1]

What was wrong with the stock door?

 

[SmittyJonz]

Warped n sucked air and Ran at 450*. It was 14 gauge with no bracing. This is the Craigslist Turd I insulated and made it even Uglier.......it ran Good as a stickburner as bought......

 

[Piomarine]

Still looks nicer than anything my welding skills could crank out especially with a borrowed 115v gasless MIG!

I will check out Momentum in the next couple weeks! Do you remember their price on 1/2" square tube? If it's not bad I may not need to wait till "phase 3" to make the side tables.

Also, did you get a look at the picture I posted of the air intake? I am not real fond of the ball valve idea either as it's complicated and stupid expensive to do it right, but the idea of using a hinged hatch door for the intake made sense to me and would be easy and CHEAP!!!

 

[SmittyJonz]

I would order a couple PinWheel intakes off the interweb........
I'm working with a Northern Tool cheap flux core, Heat is switch 1 or 2. No dial. Has dial for wire speed......my welding is ugly popcorn and I don't like grinding much -so I just leave it......