Suggestions building smoker/grill from well pressure tank?

[rkhanso]

WARNING - I am not an experienced welder/metalworker, but do have a welder and am willing to try.
Oh yeah....my first post, too.

My 64gal well pressure tank sprung a leak last year and I had to replace it. While the old one was sitting in my shop - ready to be thrown out, I thought "that looks like a smoker."

I cut/ground a lid off, welded some legs to reinforce the rusty base, put some pipe (I used galvanized...maybe a bad choice?) at the bottom where the elbow blew out - where the water entered the well and put a flange on it so I can bolt up a fan.

The next item to modify it to turn it into a vertical smoker was to put a 'lip' where the top and bottom meet up so I can have a solid base for them to meet at, and to put some fiberglass gasket for a seal.

I bought some 1/2" flat stock, thinking I could roll it into a circle and weld it on the edges (see the drawing below). But after looking at that, I don't think it's possible to roll it that way (sideways?). I'm trying to figure out a way to put a lip on these edges that will stay flat for a good mating surface. I also need to fabricate a pretty hefty hinge system because that top lid will be too heavy to lift off/on the smoker.

Has anyone made something like this before? Any suggestions?

Here is what the tank looks like:




Here are a couple pictures after trying to come up with some hinges. I was just looking at them work on the boards they are glued to in the pictures. Was thinking about putting rod between where the hinges come together wit a heavy-duty spring on it for some dampening effect (if it's possible)


and

[DownHomeQue]

Nice start! yea i can see the problem you are having you might consider bending your flatbar around the lid.. so that it lines up perfectly when you close the lid. im saying bend it the regular way not sideways.. and it should work the same.. because bending that flatbar sideways is very difficult...