Mayday! I built it ... now help me fix it

[Beerwolf]

OK I got my pig machine up and running... got a couple of fabrication issues I need to resolve... input is appreciated :

This pit has the firebox under it and inthe middle. Alas I am getting a nice little grease leak. Ive welded the farker about 3x and still am getting a dribble. Im considering some hi temp silicone. Any other ideas?

I comitted a MAJOR fabrication error: After the door opening, I used some C Clamps to form the 1/8" x 2 flange around the door. Problem being, I slightly straightened the door in doing this and have a small air leak at the lower corners. ( Anyone considering this needs to remember to attatch a bar clamp to the edges of the door cutting to maintain the concave shape of the door)

Sealing this door thing needs to happen, I am considering either silicone or Rope, but should I run it all the way around the door or just at the opening?
ll take any ideas.. even dumb ones, but then again, the only dumb one is the one that isnt brought up!

[thirdeye]

Can you post some pictures? It may be easier to offer a fix.

[tkuehn5410]

Personally, I'd go with silicone - easy to fix if you don't fix it right the first time. It's also much easier to deal with than rope.

[Captain Caveman]

on mine, I used hi-temp silicone to hold the rope gasket on. I bet silicone would work by itself though.

[ZBQ]

Where is the grease leaking out of?

[Beerwolf]

The grease is leaking out of the seam between the heat riser and the bottom of hte smoke chamber... Ill work on pics, Ex wifey has digital and is being "difficult" this week.

[tonto1117]

Not sure, but this might be a quick fix...

Thermo-insulation Tape

http://img405.imageshack.us/img405/8305/thermoshieldee9.png

[timzcardz]

I comitted a MAJOR fabrication error: After the door opening, I used some C Clamps to form the 1/8" x 2 flange around the door. Problem being, I slightly straightened the door in doing this and have a small air leak at the lower corners. ( Anyone considering this needs to remember to attatch a bar clamp to the edges of the door cutting to maintain the concave shape of the door)


Are you sure it was the flange fabrication?

Not sure of the situation, but it sounds like this is made from a tank, and the door was cut out of the tank. If so, was the door an issue at all before the flange was added, possibly due to residual stress in the steel that was released by the cutting? Residaul stress would cause it to straighten slightly.

As opposed to heat straightening of steel, can you heat curve it back to the desired shape?

[ZBQ]

Did you clean the seam before welding? Even a TINY amount of grease INSIDE the crack will blow a hole in your weld.
(I welded for years)

2 options I can think of:

Use a grinder and cut/dig the seam out till you are completely through. Use a good degreaser to clean an area around the seam to be welded about a foot all around (so that when you are welding the grease doesn't start running and get into the weld) then weld it shut. Use filler rod if you aren't good enough to fill a hole and stitch it shut.

The easier of the two:

Clean the outside area around the seam about a foot all the way around (grind any paint off too) and then weld a "patch" over the seam that is leaking. I would make the patch at least 4 inches larger than the leaking spot. Both longer and taller. Tack it at the corners, then half way in between that then weld the bottom first, then the sides and top last. That way if a tiny bit of grease comes out of the seam it you SHOULD have the bottom welded before it hurts anything.

Hope this helps. Any more questions just ask.:-D

[Captain Caveman]

on mine, I used hi-temp silicone to hold the rope gasket on. I bet silicone would work by itself though.

Sorry, I thought you were talking about sealing your firebox door.