Finished Build: It Ain't Pretty But It's Done

speers90

speers90

is Blowin Smoke!
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Finally finished my patio cooker! I was working on a cooker design that had the air entering the cooking chamber at the top and working it's way down to exhaust. Sounds okay in theory, but in reality it was not what I was wanting.

After cooking on it a few time, I decided to scrap it and build a offset, reverse flow. Not the prettiest thing in the world but I am sure it will get the job done. Already have plans for another one!
 

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Ain't nothing wrong with that!!! Looks a hunnert percent better than some of the ones I saw at Academy Sports the other day! And they are SELLING those LOL
 
Thanks guys! You are too kind. I test fired it before I sprayed a couple layers of paint on it, so I know that functionally it works great. I build stuff for a living, usually out of wood, so I am pretty hard on myself when it comes to how things look.

I guess that gives me a goal for the next one, make it look purty!
 
Very cool. I just bought me a new mig welder so I would love some additional closer photos if possible. Thanks
 
speers90 said:
Thanks guys! You are too kind. I test fired it before I sprayed a couple layers of paint on it, so I know that functionally it works great. I build stuff for a living, usually out of wood, so I am pretty hard on myself when it comes to how things look.

I guess that gives me a goal for the next one, make it look purty!
Click to expand...
My dad is a finish carpenter/cabinet/millworks man and he is the same way... Can build dang near anything out of wood and it look gorgeous... I'm more of a metal man myself! I love welding and fabricating more than wood. To me, metal is more forgiving if you know what you are doing. I ain't never been able to splice a piece of wood together if I cut it too short and it look worth a flip (but a good painter can caulk it:becky:) but I have "filled the gap" with metal more than one occassion and an angle grinder with a good grinding disk, another angle grinder with a flap disc, and a die grinder with a deburrin tool is my friend. Oh, that and a ready supply of 7018's!!! The universal "eraser" rods! If I'm not happy with a 6010 or 6011 I can grind em smooth and then run a 7018 over it and it looks marvelous!

Some of my students haven't quite got the hang of welding "pretty" yet and they weld what we refer to as "gorilla BOOBIES" but that is ok, a few swipes with a grinder and usually I can make their welds NOT look like a bear's arse sewed up with barbed wire anymore!
 
Bluehawg said:
My dad is a finish carpenter/cabinet/millworks man and he is the same way... Can build dang near anything out of wood and it look gorgeous... I'm more of a metal man myself! I love welding and fabricating more than wood. To me, metal is more forgiving if you know what you are doing. I ain't never been able to splice a piece of wood together if I cut it too short and it look worth a flip (but a good painter can caulk it:becky:) but I have "filled the gap" with metal more than one occassion and an angle grinder with a good grinding disk, another angle grinder with a flap disc, and a die grinder with a deburrin tool is my friend. Oh, that and a ready supply of 7018's!!! The universal "eraser" rods! If I'm not happy with a 6010 or 6011 I can grind em smooth and then run a 7018 over it and it looks marvelous!

Some of my students haven't quite got the hang of welding "pretty" yet and they weld what we refer to as "gorilla BOOBIES" but that is ok, a few swipes with a grinder and usually I can make their welds NOT look like a bear's arse sewed up with barbed wire anymore!
Click to expand...

Bluehawg,

Thanks for the tips, I used 1/8" 6013's for this build, and for the most part I would say I did ok. Do you think with 7018's you end up with a much nicer looking bead? or is that just what you use to cover up? I have a Lincoln 225 AC stick welder and ran it set at 90 for most of this build. Any advice on if I am in the ballpark on where it should be set at.

I think my other issue was that I used 1/8" steel for the firebox and strapping for around the doors, on the next one everything will be 1/4" so it matches the 20" schedule 10 pipe that I can get.

Being a contractor it drives me nuts to not have the tools that make the job simpler, so right now I am looking at plasma cutters. Of course as a contractor when I say "simpler" that is code speak for faster!!!

Ryan
 
Skidder said:
Very cool. I just bought me a new mig welder so I would love some additional closer photos if possible. Thanks
Click to expand...

Skidder,

If I were you I'd take a look at the current Phrasty build, he is an artist when it comes to these cooker builds. Here is a link for his current project:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=121043

Bluehawg also has a build going on right now:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=121382

And here is another one for a previous build by Phrasty:

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=88599
 
speers90 said:
Bluehawg,

Thanks for the tips, I used 1/8" 6013's for this build, and for the most part I would say I did ok. Do you think with 7018's you end up with a much nicer looking bead? or is that just what you use to cover up? I have a Lincoln 225 AC stick welder and ran it set at 90 for most of this build. Any advice on if I am in the ballpark on where it should be set at.

I think my other issue was that I used 1/8" steel for the firebox and strapping for around the doors, on the next one everything will be 1/4" so it matches the 20" schedule 10 pipe that I can get.

Being a contractor it drives me nuts to not have the tools that make the job simpler, so right now I am looking at plasma cutters. Of course as a contractor when I say "simpler" that is code speak for faster!!!

Ryan
Click to expand...
I'm actually using 1/8 6013's on some of mine right now as well. They will give just as pretty weld as 7018's... 6013's are actually easier to weld with and can be burned at a little lower heat. 90 amps is good for them. Main thing is to keep them perpendicular to your work piece and instead of just a "drag" technique try to put a little whipping motion in em, not too much but just a teeny tiny minute side to side as you drag em and don't go too fast. I will post try to post up a pic of one tomorrow. The slight side to side motion will allow you to slow down your travel speed and get a weld with a smoother bead that will penetrate a lot better. If you travel too fast all the weld will be made up of rod filler and won't fuse to the base metal as well.
 
wyocurt said:
Great build. :-D Now lets see some good smoke and great food
Click to expand...

I will be cooking something this weekend, not sure what it will be yet. Although my neighbor suggested ribs, I think he just likes the free samples!
 
Hell yeah that works! Looks good! I'd light her up! Any chance of seeing what she's like inside? I'm curious... :thumb:

Cheers
 
I like the caster on front. That will come in handy getting it in tight quarters or when you are trying to store it. Beats the heck out of having to pick up one end for sure!
 
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