Newbie attempting 250 gal Reverse Flow Smoker build

Hey all! I have been lurking for years shamelessly stealing technique and recipes while drinking my hand crafted beer and decided it was time to bite the bullet and join up. I have been the designated "Pitmaster" for my church for years which I enjoy but as with any good thing the "herd" has grown to a point I need some better tools to keep them well fed and happy. I live in Durango, CO and with any rural mountain town we don't have alot of BBQ resources or normal resources at all. We have ONE place that has a....shall we say less than adequate offset smoker made of tinfoil on little red rider wagon wheels that can hold 8 racks of ribs burning anything next to the fire box while not allowing the other end to reach 4 degrees above ambient air temps with out burning 6 cords of wood. For the honor of utilizing said medieval torture device (which will now be called Voldemort) you are allowed the privilege to pay $50/day. I decided since A) Our events are getting bigger and B) said device (AKA Voldemort) is expensive and doesn't really work. I asked myself what would it cost to build a device that actually works as intended and maybe I could rent to true believers for even less.... so here starts my winter project. Build pictures and progress will be slow as I am doing this with the heart of an Armenian camel dealer and trying to find for free or cheap all the pieces necessary.(I will also need to brew massive amounts of beer to pay my fellow workers who actually know how to weld and stuff) I found a 250 gal propane tank for $150 and will pick it up tomorrow, My father gave me a trailer for free. My work buddy who does steel fabrication as a side job is getting my 0.25in plate in exchange for home brewed beer.

so to start here is the trailer I will be starting as the base of this glorious smoker that will bring freedom to the mountains of Durango. The only thing to make this more American would be if were powered by Jet A fuel.

NY Pork Junkie said:

I will preface this by saying that there is nothing I enjoy more than tinkering, building, and generally tackling weird projects. I'm behind you all the way on this one since it also involves a great cause.

That said, an ugly drum smoker can feed about 50 people, and consistently produces extraordinary results even for newbies. Given that they are basically fool-proof, cost $100 to build, and don't need a trailer, it seems like the way to go for something that'll only be used 5-6 times per year.

If you've got 100 hungry parishioners, 2 drum smokers can be built in a weekend for a $200 and are basically foolproof. Alternatively, you can tackle the 250 gallon build, have a hundred hours & $1,000 in it, and still wind up with an eyesore that never works right. On top of that, it'll cost more to register the trailer than it will for annual charcoal for those fuel sipping UDS, not so for good hardwood firewood in Denver.

I'm only saying his because you haven't spent the $150 on the propane tank, and that's basically all the money you need to finish this project in UDS style.

God bless & good luck regardless of which way you go. If you do decide to build the big pit, there's probably no better place to get guidance than from the fine gentlemen on this forum. :-D

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Thanks for the feedback! I have considered this is probably bigger than current needs but our events keep growing so I think this will serve our needs for the future. I also am really looking forward to the challenge of it. I have alot of time off due my crazy schedule so I need stuff to keep me busy so I don't drive my wife crazy. Last I think there is a pretty good chance if I can build it well I will probably be able to rent it out myself and recoup my build cost.

I have used feldons, Trying to decide between a round FB made from a 50 gal propane tank and square FB made from .25in plate. Any suggestions/wisdom? Also the jury seems divided regarding insulating really making a difference. In Colorado (and in a mountain town) ambient temp swings are a part of life........

Picked up the tank I'm using as a cook chamber tonight, now to start purging it so I can start cutting.

Decision is in and I am going with the square FB. I am planning on two doors and a total of four racks. To purge I am planning on taking off all valves and plugs, letting it sit upside down for a week (propane should settle out to lowest point and drain from tank) Flip it back up and fill with water mixed with dawn, drain it and then have my firefighter friend use the explosive gas monitor to check tank. Probably fill with water and cut chimney hole and tops of doors while full just to be safe. I'm pretty nervous about it (in a healthy way i think)

One survivalist web site suggested to just remove valves and throw a road flare at it and let it flash. He hasn't had one explode yet.......................Pretty sure Darwin will be around one of these days......

Good news and bad news. Good news is that the axle is actually 3500lb drop axle and good to go. Bad news is wiring is shot and will need to be redone and several pretty bad rust spots that will need alot of love before I can paint and get tank up on it. I was thinking of leaving the small tires on it. It pulls very nicely and seems like a good height so I can just weld feet already on tank to it without any modification to lift it higher. Any wisdom on this?

I have 5 different valves on the top that I am removing so I can fill the tank and purge it. How do you all seal the holes? Should I just get appropriate sized bolts and screw them in or do I cut the threaded portion out and seal with plate?

When I cut the 250 gal tank fire box opening. do I just follow the weld line around and make it as tall as my calculated "halfmoon opening"? ie feldons says 21.15 diameter so make it about 11in tall?