Started my "Northwoods Amateur" build tonight (BWS Pro Clone)

TTNuge · 01-10-2012, 08:32 PM

Well after drooling over many different smokers including a few BWS Fatboys, Stumps, some clone builds and many more I decided to bite the bullet and try to build one myself. A lot of the inspiration comes from Winemaster and his clone, another BWS build I found at a different site as well as Ryan (speers90) and his build since he lives less than a mile from me and I got to see a bit of the action with his build thanks to this site.

I first started by buying my wife a Welder for Christmas. I got away with it and she actually liked it as she has mentioned an interest in welding in the past. I originally got a Hobart 140 but after some roundy round and some "advice" from my Dad who also was interested in a wire feed welder to go with his stick unit I ended up upgrading to a Hobart 190 with spool gun. I don't plan on using the spool gun for this build but I figured what the heck, why not get it anyways.

Then I made a trip to a local steel dealer and picked up a load of steel. Between the tubing and sheets it was just over 700#s so it's going to be a monster. I started with the thought of putting it on wheels but I may just end up with a dedicated trailer.... I'll figure that out later.

The unit is going to be just over 5' tall on wheels, 28" wide and 27" deep. The smoking chamber itself is going to be 48"x24"x24" with at least 5 shelves and at least 12 shelf locations. I have a 1/4" heat diffuser plate to go above the fire box and it will be set up with an intake dedicated for Stoker use.

Not much to look at right now but considering I only had a few hours, I have never welded two pieces of metal together before and I was alone I was pretty happy with my progress. I'll only get a few nights a week to work on it and I'll be losing a couple weeks the end of this month to business travel but I hope to have it done soon so I can practice and enter a few comps this spring with it.

Hopefully I'll have some more progress pics later this week. Also looking forward to my new Stoker w/25cfm fan to arrive, hopefully with the wi-fi code.

Thanks for looking,
Trent

Lazybones · 01-10-2012, 08:38 PM

Looks good to me!....I'm planning on starting a clone build pretty soon as well. Should be a fun project!

speers90 · 01-10-2012, 09:16 PM

Alright!

Will work for bbq · 01-11-2012, 12:53 AM

Nice start

WineMaster · 01-11-2012, 06:24 AM

Very cool. Looks good so far. Just make sure that a full size aluminum pan will fit on the racks. You wont regret that tip. Good luck. Keep us updated.

Dan

DaveMW · 01-11-2012, 06:45 AM

I look at these different build threads and shake my head at my lack of talent (and guts) to try building things like this. I look forward to following your progress.

Big George's BBQ · 01-11-2012, 07:41 AM

Sounds very interesting Keep posting your progress please

Cloudsmoker · 01-11-2012, 07:45 AM

My thoughts exactly. Thank God for these talented dudes.

TTNuge · 01-11-2012, 09:03 AM

Sitting here looking at my pics I realized I welded a cross bar on the top in the back where it should have been in the front. The one in back needs to be split for the exhaust to go up. Oh well, it can be cut to fit but I can't believe I did that and didn't realize until just now.

Reserve those "talented" comments until the end, we don't know how this is going to come out yet! :) Like I said, this is pretty much the first time I've ever picked up a welder, I've got more guts than brains I'm sure.

TTNuge · 01-16-2012, 08:26 PM

Finally got a bit more time to get over and work on the smoker again. Slow going so far but that's what happens with a demanding job, a wife and three kids. And now I leave on Sunday for 2 weeks in Chicago so progress will be slow once again.

Got the two cross braces on the front of the smoker, one across the top and the lower one that will be for the top of the firebox door and the bottom of the meat compartment door. Also welded in a couple angle brackets and finally the 1/4" diffuser plate that separates the firebox from the smoke chamber. Was pretty happy with the fit and the weld, first time welding 1/4" plate and there was a lot to weld. Welds may not look professional but they'll do the job.

Front View:

Side View:

Close up of the diffuser plate:

Thanks for looking.

Trent

speers90 · 01-17-2012, 12:40 PM

Looking good!

Full Draw BBQ · 01-17-2012, 01:57 PM

LOVE these builds!!!!!! Thanks for posting the updates!

HB-BBQ · 01-17-2012, 02:32 PM

Looks good so far. I too lack welding skills but am always intersted in these homemade smoker builds.

KingRanch450 · 01-17-2012, 03:26 PM

Keep posting pics of your progress. Love these build threads

EX~DY · 01-17-2012, 03:30 PM

Subscribed! Nothing like a good build thread to inspire!

01-10-2012, 08:32 PM	#1
TTNuge Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-22-11 Location: Waconia, MN	Started my "Northwoods Amateur" build tonight (BWS Pro Clone) Well after drooling over many different smokers including a few BWS Fatboys, Stumps, some clone builds and many more I decided to bite the bullet and try to build one myself. A lot of the inspiration comes from Winemaster and his clone, another BWS build I found at a different site as well as Ryan (speers90) and his build since he lives less than a mile from me and I got to see a bit of the action with his build thanks to this site. I first started by buying my wife a Welder for Christmas. I got away with it and she actually liked it as she has mentioned an interest in welding in the past. I originally got a Hobart 140 but after some roundy round and some "advice" from my Dad who also was interested in a wire feed welder to go with his stick unit I ended up upgrading to a Hobart 190 with spool gun. I don't plan on using the spool gun for this build but I figured what the heck, why not get it anyways. Then I made a trip to a local steel dealer and picked up a load of steel. Between the tubing and sheets it was just over 700#s so it's going to be a monster. I started with the thought of putting it on wheels but I may just end up with a dedicated trailer.... I'll figure that out later. The unit is going to be just over 5' tall on wheels, 28" wide and 27" deep. The smoking chamber itself is going to be 48"x24"x24" with at least 5 shelves and at least 12 shelf locations. I have a 1/4" heat diffuser plate to go above the fire box and it will be set up with an intake dedicated for Stoker use. Not much to look at right now but considering I only had a few hours, I have never welded two pieces of metal together before and I was alone I was pretty happy with my progress. I'll only get a few nights a week to work on it and I'll be losing a couple weeks the end of this month to business travel but I hope to have it done soon so I can practice and enter a few comps this spring with it. Hopefully I'll have some more progress pics later this week. Also looking forward to my new Stoker w/25cfm fan to arrive, hopefully with the wi-fi code. Thanks for looking, Trent __________________ http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123907 - My Backwoods Pro Clone

01-10-2012, 08:38 PM	#2
Lazybones On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-06-11 Location: D/FW, Texas	Looks good to me!....I'm planning on starting a clone build pretty soon as well. Should be a fun project! __________________ -Peter -Lazy Bones BBQ -Custom competition trailer with an offset and a cabinet. And a kettle or two.

01-10-2012, 09:16 PM	#3
speers90 is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-28-11 Location: Waconia, MN	Alright! __________________ Ryan The Beast: 500 Gallon Homemade Reverse Flow [url]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187401[/url] Weber 22" Cajun Fryer FF2

01-11-2012, 12:53 AM	#4
Will work for bbq Babbling Farker Join Date: 06-23-10 Location: NorCal	Nice start __________________ Chalupa 00 Slowskys Racing Agent 000 (Double O Zero) Certified MOINK Baller When all else fails just ask yourself, WWGALD??? *Super sexy Farkernaut Avatar by N8man*

01-11-2012, 06:24 AM	#5
WineMaster Babbling Farker Join Date: 01-16-07 Location: Southern MN	Very cool. Looks good so far. Just make sure that a full size aluminum pan will fit on the racks. You wont regret that tip. Good luck. Keep us updated. Dan __________________ Dan MJH From Backyard Bomber BBQ -- Junior YS 640 Comp 22.5 Weber Kettle Blue Thermopen Comp Team Wine & Swine

01-11-2012, 06:45 AM	#6
DaveMW is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 07-31-10 Location: Livngston, Montana	I look at these different build threads and shake my head at my lack of talent (and guts) to try building things like this. I look forward to following your progress. __________________ [FONT=Century Gothic]Weber Kettle 22.5" Restored "J" - Black[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]Weber Kettle 22.5" "AT" - Black[/FONT] Weber Kettle 18.5" "DR" - Black Weber Jumbo Joe "AH" - Black [FONT=Century Gothic]Weber Smoky Joe "F"- Black[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]Weber Genesis - Black[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]Weber Go-Anywhere - Black[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]UDS - which surprisingly is not black[/FONT] [FONT=Century Gothic]Great Outdoors Smoky Mountain Smoker[/FONT]

01-11-2012, 07:41 AM	#7
Big George's BBQ somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 02-07-08 Location: Framingham, MA Name/Nickname : George	Sounds very interesting Keep posting your progress please

01-11-2012, 07:45 AM	#8
Cloudsmoker is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-30-11 Location: Dallas, TX	My thoughts exactly. Thank God for these talented dudes. __________________ Primo Kamado \| Pitmaker Safe \| Pitmaker Mobile \| Klose Mobile "On Fire" limited edition Thermapen

01-11-2012, 09:03 AM	#9
TTNuge Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-22-11 Location: Waconia, MN	Sitting here looking at my pics I realized I welded a cross bar on the top in the back where it should have been in the front. The one in back needs to be split for the exhaust to go up. Oh well, it can be cut to fit but I can't believe I did that and didn't realize until just now. Reserve those "talented" comments until the end, we don't know how this is going to come out yet! :) Like I said, this is pretty much the first time I've ever picked up a welder, I've got more guts than brains I'm sure. __________________ http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123907 - My Backwoods Pro Clone

01-16-2012, 08:26 PM	#10
TTNuge Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 11-22-11 Location: Waconia, MN	Finally got a bit more time to get over and work on the smoker again. Slow going so far but that's what happens with a demanding job, a wife and three kids. And now I leave on Sunday for 2 weeks in Chicago so progress will be slow once again. Got the two cross braces on the front of the smoker, one across the top and the lower one that will be for the top of the firebox door and the bottom of the meat compartment door. Also welded in a couple angle brackets and finally the 1/4" diffuser plate that separates the firebox from the smoke chamber. Was pretty happy with the fit and the weld, first time welding 1/4" plate and there was a lot to weld. Welds may not look professional but they'll do the job. Front View: Side View: Close up of the diffuser plate: Thanks for looking. Trent __________________ http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=123907 - My Backwoods Pro Clone

01-17-2012, 12:40 PM	#11
speers90 is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 08-28-11 Location: Waconia, MN	Looking good! __________________ Ryan The Beast: 500 Gallon Homemade Reverse Flow [url]http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=187401[/url] Weber 22" Cajun Fryer FF2

01-17-2012, 01:57 PM	#12
Full Draw BBQ Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 03-22-11 Location: Frisco, TX	LOVE these builds!!!!!! Thanks for posting the updates! __________________ [B]Full Draw BBQ[/B] [B]Frisco, TX[/B] Lang 60D trailer [COLOR=darkorange][B]Orange[/B][/COLOR] Thermapen 22.5 Weber Kettle - retired Gateway 55 gallon Clone X2

01-17-2012, 02:32 PM	#13
HB-BBQ is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 06-14-07 Location: Huntington Beach, CA	Looks good so far. I too lack welding skills but am always intersted in these homemade smoker builds.

01-17-2012, 03:26 PM	#14
KingRanch450 is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 12-15-11 Location: Rockwall, Tx/Lake Fork, Tx	Keep posting pics of your progress. Love these build threads __________________ Custom built offset/Char Griller Akorn/Traeger Timberline 1300

01-17-2012, 03:30 PM	#15
EX~DY On the road to being a farker Join Date: 09-03-11 Location: Hainesport, NJ Name/Nickname : Dominic	Subscribed! Nothing like a good build thread to inspire! __________________ Weber Performer :mrgreen:, Weber Genesis Silver C, Weber Smoky Joe, Mini-WSM, Great Outdoors -(Ugly Vertical Cabinet), cheap a%% Kingsford Kettle In the end it will be okay. And if it's not okay, it's not the end.

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