120 Gallon Tank Build (lots of pics)

speers90

speers90

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Ok, here we go with another 120 gallon tank build. This one is a little different in that the tank is a 120 gallon vertical tank instead of a horizontal.

Got started by marking out where the firebox will connect to the cooking chamber. Then filled the tank with water before making any cuts. Once the tank was full of water I cut the top collar off. After that was out of the way, I cut out the firebox opening.

Then it was time to empty the tank and cut the bottom collar off. Next, I wrestled the big sucker into place and got it leveled and marked where the cooking chamber door will be. The door will be cutout along the inside edge of the blue painters tape. The bottom edge of the door will be 1" above the centerline of the tank.

From the opening for the firebox I was able to get some accurate measurements for the size of firebox I need to build. It will be 20" tall X 22" wide X 20 deep.

Tonight I will write out a materials list that I will need and hopefully get that order placed tonight so I can pick up those materials first thing next week.

Won't be able to work on it again until Saturday, but hope to get the door hinged and cutout that way I can do a burnout.
 

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dealm9 said:
look forward to seeing the progress. have you made one of these before?
Click to expand...

I have made a 36" reverse flow, but it didn't turn out as nice as I wanted, and it seems a little small. The shelves on this one will be nearly the same width but will be about 10" deeper.

I was originally looking for a 120 gallon horizontal tank, and just about let this tank go until a couple of our brothers convinced me that this one would do just as well.
 
I love these builds!!!!!! Thanks for sharing and posting pics! What did you use to cut off the collar and the inlet for the firebox?
 
speers90 said:
I have made a 36" reverse flow, but it didn't turn out as nice as I wanted, and it seems a little small. The shelves on this one will be nearly the same width but will be about 10" deeper.

I was originally looking for a 120 gallon horizontal tank, and just about let this tank go until a couple of our brothers convinced me that this one would do just as well.
Click to expand...

awesome. i love the determination. i was just curious because in the near future i would either like to build one of these or buy a lang, and am curious as to how the cost of making one of these stacks up to buy the equivalent commercial one. how much did the last build end up running you and do you have any estimates on what this one will cost when she is all said and done. look forward to watching this thing come together:thumb:
 
Full Draw BBQ said:
I love these builds!!!!!! Thanks for sharing and posting pics! What did you use to cut off the collar and the inlet for the firebox?
Click to expand...

I used an angle grinder on the collar, and then I started to use an air cut off tool for the firebox section, but I would have been there all day with that pathetic thing. So what I did was cut a few holes on my line and let the water drain to that point, then I finished the cutout with my angle grinder. The point being, that I was trying to avoid using an electric tool with water flying all over the place. Another solution would have been to siphon water out of the tank until there just enough head room to make the cuts.

I hope to have a plasma cutter some day, but you just work with what you have available.
 
dealm9 said:
awesome. i love the determination. i was just curious because in the near future i would either like to build one of these or buy a lang, and am curious as to how the cost of making one of these stacks up to buy the equivalent commercial one. how much did the last build end up running you and do you have any estimates on what this one will cost when she is all said and done. look forward to watching this thing come together:thumb:
Click to expand...

I don't have accurate numbers on the 36" that I built because I designed and built it one way. Tried it and wasn't happy with it, then converted it to a reverse flow.

I expect this one to cost about $600 - $700. I will keep track of it and post it when it all completed. So far the tank cost me $80 and I spent $25 for a bunch of cutoff wheels for the angle grinder. I have an almost full box of welding rods, so that is another $20 or so.

I plan to do all of the work, except I think I will take it somewhere to have it sandblasted.
 
speers90 said:
I don't have accurate numbers on the 36" that I built because I designed and built it one way. Tried it and wasn't happy with it, then converted it to a reverse flow.

I expect this one to cost about $600 - $700. I will keep track of it and post it when it all completed. So far the tank cost me $80 and I spent $25 for a bunch of cutoff wheels for the angle grinder. I have an almost full box of welding rods, so that is another $20 or so.

I plan to do all of the work, except I think I will take it somewhere to have it sandblasted.
Click to expand...
awesome, that is a very good price for a smoker of what you are planning. all the info on this build is much appreciated. keep up the good work:thumb:
 
dealm9 said:
awesome, that is a very good price for a smoker of what you are planning. all the info on this build is much appreciated. keep up the good work:thumb:
Click to expand...

That is one of the advantages of going with a tank, the cost of new steel pipe is steep. I used new steel pipe for the 20" D X 36" L that I already finished, the pipe plus the steel to enclose the two ends was around $300. So with this tank I am at the same point and only got $80 into it.
 
I'm a little confused (not hard to do that to me). Are you making this a vertical smoker, like a Bandera, or a horizontal smoker? I'm hoping it'll be like a Bandera, cause I have a tank that I need to get working on, and that's my plan.

Matt
 
el_matt said:
I'm a little confused (not hard to do that to me). Are you making this a vertical smoker, like a Bandera, or a horizontal smoker? I'm hoping it'll be like a Bandera, cause I have a tank that I need to get working on, and that's my plan.

Matt
Click to expand...

Matt, I am making a horizontal, reverse flow offset out of this tank. It would make a wonderful vertical smoker though. I just happen to like cooking on offset stickburners.
 
I love watching these builds. Especially when you don't have the tools with all the dingers, buzzers, and bells. The most fascinating builds, for me, are the "make do with what you've got" builds. Love to watch the creative mind at work! :thumb:
 
tish said:
I love watching these builds. Especially when you don't have the tools with all the dingers, buzzers, and bells. The most fascinating builds, for me, are the "make do with what you've got" builds. Love to watch the creative mind at work! :thumb:
Click to expand...

Thanks Tish, I think it makes you appreciate the nice tools once you finally get them, but there is usually more than one way to get something done.
 
Today I got the majority of the remaining materials ordered for this build and went to home depot to pick up a few things so that I can make some progress this weekend. I am sure it will be next week before I can pick up my order.

On a side note, I said that at the end of the build I would detail what my exact cost is. I had previously estimated between $600 - $700, but I must have forgotten some materials when I did that off the top of my head estimate. When I wrote everything out I came up with between $900 - $1100.
 

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Would you mind posting a materials list and cost? I am tossing around building my own horizontal smoker.
 
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