120 Gal Tank build thread...

[Phrasty]

Originally Posted by Smokin Turkey

I have a pit calc that works very well. I oversize fire boxes for reverse flow as well as the box to chamber hole and exhaust. It gives the option to go hotter.

Looks good so far but why go with red brick? Use fire bricks to avoid off gassing and reflect heat instead of holding heat. My last build is insulated with 2" and 1.25" fire bricks. You can pm me if you want pointers on it. My build is way more efficient and runs much cooler on the outside because of the bricks.

I wish I could get the fire brick but they are really hard to find out here and quite pricey.. that's the main reason.

Cheers

[Phubar]

Dang...you're quick bro'!
Very nice work!

[Stevesonfire!]

Originally Posted by Phrasty

Thanks Steve. The hinges seem ok for now, But i agree with you... they could be a bit more "solid" Ill probably try to fab. some later and put them on. Ive been trying to fond out... what kind of heat do you get with your Reverse flow? How hot can you get it? Can you hold steady 300's with that thing? Let me know Bro... Thnkas

Cheers

300 is no problem at all. I usually cook between 225-250 with a good bed of coals and a small fire with the intake choked down to about 1/4 open.
When I start the smoker, I'll let the temp get up to 375-400 degrees to clean it out a bit, then bring it back down to my cooking temp.
Yours is looking great!

[Chef Country]

i noticed you had the grates what i would call upside down, not trying to tell you how to do you build but i would put the square down and on the inside of you angel iron you could put a small pice of rod 1/2 way out to keep from pulling the grate out to much, then for removal just lift up on the back of the grate a little and you can fully remove, Thats the way I make mine just I would hate to see a grate full of food hit the dirt bc it was pulled out to much

[txschutte]

Nice build, Phrasty. The point made about the safety of making sure the LPG is cleared is a great segment. There are places up here that will basically "steam clean" the interior of the tank for a small price.

Keep up the great work!

[deguerre]

I can see the Swan already. Looking good Phrasty!

[Phrasty]

Hi everyone. Poured with rain all day today.. Didn't really get much done. I did get a new cutting tip for my oxy-fuel torch... was messing with it a bit to see if I could get the hang of cutting with it... Yah... not so easy. Any of you vets out there have any tips on torch cutting? Tip height? Trade secrets as to what to look for?? lol . Eh... Just practice I guess. I ended cutting some steel I had to size for the firebox baffle. Here's a pic of my cuts... Don't laugh!!! (too hard)

hardy02ttu Looks good man, something to be proud of!

Thanks

2K1TJ Coming along great. What are the dimensions of your tank?

Thanks.. The tank itself is 25" dia. & 84" long. 3/16th thick.

Phubar Dang...you're quick bro'!
Very nice work!

Thanks Phubar... Just trying to git her done, get some bigger jobs, throw some PHood on and make some PHunds

Stevesonfire! 300 is no problem at all. I usually cook between 225-250 with a good bed of coals and a small fire with the intake choked down to about 1/4 open.
When I start the smoker, I'll let the temp get up to 375-400 degrees to clean it out a bit, then bring it back down to my cooking temp.
Yours is looking great!

Good to know. I'm thinking to make the vents a bit oversized to get the heat flowing a bit better. That be the right train of thought for higher temps, correct?

Chef Country i noticed you had the grates what i would call upside down, not trying to tell you how to do you build but i would put the square down and on the inside of you angel iron you could put a small pice of rod 1/2 way out to keep from pulling the grate out to much, then for removal just lift up on the back of the grate a little and you can fully remove, Thats the way I make mine just I would hate to see a grate full of food hit the dirt bc it was pulled out to much

Thanks for the tip... I had them "upright" initially but decided I liked the way it looked "upside-down" a bit better, so I welded the grate pretty well to the frame. I do a lot of individual sausages so the square bar would also act as a lip so they wouldn't roll off. It's all fun and games tim you lose a sausage... you know what I mean.... lol. It will be reversible tho. So I can always flip it back. As for the tray tipping I am going to attach an upper support so that when the tray is out it will be held down at the back with this tab welded on the upper section at the front of the tray slide supports....Does that make sense??

txschutte Nice build, Phrasty. The point made about the safety of making sure the LPG is cleared is a great segment. There are places up here that will basically "steam clean" the interior of the tank for a small price.

Keep up the great work!

Thanks Bro. No such luck here... and if you do find someone to clean the tank for you it will be done at a not so small price. You have to improvise. It works. The tank is cut... I'm still here. . In all seriousness tho. I post what I did NOT as a tutorial or advise on "How to" but rather simply... How I do it. Again I will emphasize... Cutting a gas cylinder at all is just not recommended. But if you do it... do it at your own risk. I will also add on a safety note that I cut the tank as soon as the water is emptied. If you wait too long there is a chance that the gas will start leeching out of the metal back into the tank.

deguerre I can see the Swan already. Looking good Phrasty!

Thank you!


I'm also building a grill for my neighbor. So I might throw up some pics of that build in here too rather than making another thread. When it rains it pours... 2 builds going at once.



Cheers!!

[SmokinAussie]

Great stuff Phrasty! I'm really impressed so far, and that includes everyone elses suggestions and observations. You all got me feeeling like I need to buy a welder.

And yesterday, I was driving on the freeway.. took an overpass, and there was this huge metal scrap area full of LPG Tanks of all sizes... about 100 of them.. I nearly crashed!

Cheers!

[Chef Country]

As for the tray tipping I am going to attach an upper support so that when the tray is out it will be held down at the back with this tab welded on the upper section at the front of the tray slide supports....Does that make sense??

yeah that sounds like it will work well, that will keep the tray from tiping out and thats all i was worried about, I might have to remodify mine now, The grates look fine the way they are and will work good as a holding rail like that.

[Phrasty]

Originally Posted by SmokinAussie

Great stuff Phrasty! I'm really impressed so far, and that includes everyone elses suggestions and observations. You all got me feeeling like I need to buy a welder.

And yesterday, I was driving on the freeway.. took an overpass, and there was this huge metal scrap area full of LPG Tanks of all sizes... about 100 of them.. I nearly crashed!

Cheers!

Thanks Bro... Knowing you made something is always a great feeling...

Cheers

[jimmyinsd]

i have to ask...are 8' (?) chain link fences topped with barbed/razor wire the norm in jamaica?

nice looking build by the way, should be a real sweet unit when you are done.

[Phrasty]

Originally Posted by jimmyinsd

i have to ask...are 8' (?) chain link fences topped with barbed/razor wire the norm in jamaica?

nice looking build by the way, should be a real sweet unit when you are done.

Lol yeah pretty common!!

Thanks!

[Phrasty]

Got the "scrap steel" for the firebox today basically free. (food payment) It's 5 sheets, 20" x 48" & 1/4" thick, it has a raised diamond pattern & a slight bit of rust on it but nothing structurally wrong... oh did I mention it was free??? Hopefully I can start cutting the firebox pieces out of it tomorrow and assemble over the weekend. Figured I'd make the FB 20"W x 24"D x 24"H. Any thoughts?

Cheers.

[Denis Allan]

I have to say.. your doing a good job.. I was looking at the inside edge of the doors.. did you also weld the inside edge.. and if you did.. is it causing you a fit issue with the extra metal inside..

Nice job with the cut off wheel grinder.. makes a great cutting tool..

Denis Allan

[The Frog]

That thing is really coming along Phrasty. You're going to be done in no time. As an aside, how much do you love your angle grinder? I affectionately refer to mine as The DeWalt. Every time I do any kind of fabrication it figures prominently.