Reverse flow offset build (lowes smoker ripoff)

imperfectutopia · Nov 11, 2010

Just thought id share, as it seems like everyone on this forum likes to see builds - maybe someone will get an idea for their own and maybe someone has an idea for me as a last min mod... The thing is almost complete right now, I didnt think about posting as i went along but oh well.. Anyway, you know that hexagonal smoker trailer that Lowes carried over the summer? http://www.lowes.com/pd_45628-15476-3X4GT_4294857381+5003722_4294937087?productId=3033737 , http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=77538 .. Well i like it's core concept, which is it's shape. I didnt like several things about it that I have changed in my design. 1) Price!! It wouldnt have mattered if it was made of solid gold and it came with a superhero midget to haul it around, i cant justify spending that much on a smoker. 2) Relatively thin metal. 3) small firebox - i couldnt see being able to load it up and go to sleep for a long cook. 4) It is not reverse flow - ever since i heard of the concept i have been in love with it... So I struck out to build one of my own. It's reverse flow, has a 30" long by 16" deep smoker box with with doors on both the rear and the top for easier loading, cleaning and coal removal. 60" long by 32" deep cooking chamber... All 1/4" steel. Now, PHOTOS!!!

Divemaster · Nov 11, 2010

Very Cool!

colonel00 · Nov 11, 2010

I like it a bunch. Great job on everything :thumb:

My only question is whether you will get enough airflow from the firebox to the cook chamber.

The Grill Sergeant · Nov 11, 2010

What a thing of beauty! U guys with ur fabricating talents amaze me!

1FUNVET · Nov 11, 2010

Great job :thumb::thumb:

landarc · Nov 11, 2010

Nice, I can see you are putting a lot of thought into the details.

imperfectutopia · Nov 11, 2010

Thanks guys! Colonel, I really hope so.. That is an area that i was not terribly sure of. I found the calculator on here and the opening (4" X 8") is smaller than what was reccomended (it wanted two of them, but i dont see how there would ever be enough room!), so fingers crossed! Do you think that using a blower controller will help the flow? Oh. and i just realized i have a typo, the firebox is actually 24" deep, my mistake!

Dr_KY · Nov 11, 2010

I love the shape of it!!!!!!!

I gotta build one now thanks for the inspiration.

The only problem I have had with that placement of firebox is not getting the heat inside the box soon enough, the heat/smoke wants to 'sit' at the top of the box rather then flow into the cooker with ease like the units with the box cut into the smoking chamber. It could be that I don't have enough draw from the exhaust.

Smokin Mike · Nov 11, 2010

the attention of detail that you are doing is outstanding! did you make the second handle on the lid? The metal covering the tongue/hitch is a really nice touch.

you even have a forklift, lots of cool toys in your shop.

thanks for posting the pictures, I truely enjoyed looking at them. again outstanding build.

Johnny_Crunch · Nov 11, 2010

wow, nice looking cooker!

Norcoredneck · Nov 11, 2010

Nice job.

moocow · Nov 11, 2010

Nice job, if it won't work as a smoker then it might have a future as a concrete mixer!

Chef Country · Nov 11, 2010

I like it

Mister Bob · Nov 11, 2010

Experience leads me to agree with colonel00. I built a similar offset with a 6" pipe between the fire box and smoking chamber. It was simply not enough so I ended up eliminating the pipe, butting the two sections together and cutting out everything in between.

A 6" pipe has a cross sectional area of about 28.27 square inches. Assuming a 1/4" wall thickness on your tube, you're dealing with 3.5" x 7.5" inside dimension which is 26.25 square inches. I would fire it up as early in the build as possible to test it out. If you have trouble getting and holding temperature, you may want to do what I did.

If you look closely, you'll also notice that I went from a reverse flow to a direct flow.

Here are the before and after pics:

keverhart · Nov 11, 2010

Wow! I wish I had those skills and equipment.

Yleekyoti · Nov 11, 2010

Nice build !!!

jestridge · Nov 11, 2010

Very nice workmanship. Give me some ideal on my next one.

landarc · Nov 11, 2010

I see that you put the exhaust stack on top of the cooking chamber. Do reverse flows not benefit from a grate level exhaust?

BobBrisket · Nov 11, 2010

Freakin awesome. Very nice craftsmanship as well. You gots SkiLLZ!!

Bob

cashfoley · Nov 11, 2010

Again, kudos on the build out!

I may be wrong, but do you have a risk of dragging your firebox? What's the clearnce? Can you put on larger tires if necessary?

Reverse flow offset build (lowes smoker ripoff)

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