Re-purposed Gas Hot Water Heater

Hey guys, wanted to share a photo of a re-purposed gas hot water heater...my brother made this for me for my birthday a couple of years ago...it's an awesome grill and I very successfully used it as a smoker last night! The chimney is the steel tube that went down through the middle of the hot water tank. So if you decide to upgrade your hot water heater...

More pics to come! So the trolley is from an old throwaway gas grill, and this particular tank did not have a glass liner.

Hot Water Heater Turned Grill/Smoker Pictures

More pics! There are vent holes on both sides of the grill/smoker, both below the level of the charcoal grate. Charcoal grate is expanded steel in two pieces for easy removal for cleaning out ashes. The grill grate (also expanded steel) is welded to a frame made of an old bed frame one of my brother's employees was throwing out. Lots of room for direct cooking and, thanks to the design, the entire grill grate can also be used for indirect cooking. Fuel can be added to the charcoal grate below and on either side of the grill grate, and the entire cooking grate can be used for indirect cooking or smoking. The steel is nice and thick so it insulates like you would not believe! During the burn out we had the inside of the grill cruising along at over 700 degrees WITH THE LID CLOSED. Yup. This thing's amazing!