500 Gallon Reverse Flow Build

[speers90]

I spent this evening cleaning up my work area and making a temporary standoff for the plasma cutter, performance improved greatly with a proper standoff.

 

[MattG]

Looking forward to following this build! Post more pics!

 

[speers90]

So here is a pic of my first couple efforts with the plasma cutter, the opening on the right is what I started out butchering yesterday with a drag tip and free handing a bit. The opening on the left is from a makeshift standoff pattern that I cut from some 7/16 plywood. The cut was much cleaner and I was actually surprised at how fast it cut 1/4" plate.

I have a rolling standoff guide on order and I will be building a circle/radius cutter attachment to use as well. While I am waiting on that to show up, I can get started on the firebox. Going to be a monster, measuring in at 36" wide, 30" deep & 30" tall.

 

[mikemci]

Should have bought this.[ame="http://www.amazon.com/LONGEVITY-Forcecut-Plasma-Cutter-Voltage/dp/B007KCWJU0/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1398830895&sr=8-1&keywords=longevity+plasma+cutter"]LONGEVITY Forcecut 40D 40 Amp Pilot Arc Plasma Cutter Dual Voltage 110v/220v - Plasma Arc Cutting Equipment - Amazon.com@@AMEPARAM@@http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41OqJ1bxaQL.@@AMEPARAM@@41OqJ1bxaQL[/ame]

 

[RookieTJx2]

Is your drag tip slotted on the end?

 

[Ryan921]

Friends and neighbors getting together every month for a BYOBBQ party?! :-DGood times! I need to move, my neighbors are farking jackasses! :roll:

Can't wait to see more of this build!:thumb:

 

[Yendor]

Looking good, quite the task at hand there. You're a perfectionist and I expect you'll get it right the first time.

 

[melman680]

Nice...plasma cutters comes in handy for all your cutting. I own an Everlast power plamsa 50 last 2 yrs and it still perform well.. Name brand sucks..

 

[speers90]

Is your drag tip slotted on the end?

Not sure it I would call it slotted or not, seems to be built to maintain a very small standoff. All I know, is that when I built my own temporary standoff to maintain a little less than a 1/8 gap, I was getting a better and faster cut than anything I have tried so far.

I am a newbie to plasma cutting and I know this machine is not a top of the line unit, so I think I will have some learning curve but I am ok with that.

 

[RookieTJx2]

I have a hyper therm with a drag tip. My tip has what can best be described as an X cut into the tip about an eighth inch wide and deep for the gases to escape. When mine starts cutting poorly, my gaps are plugged up...

Also, when my tip gets worn, I'll take a file and make the slots deeper.

 

[speers90]

Slow going when you can only work 30-45 minutes a night, I got the firebox door opening cut out and framed in. Hope to get the door framed up and installed tomorrow evening. After that I want to get the firebox together this weekend.

I did a quick grind test to see if i liked the look better with a smooth finish instead of a welded finish, I did so I will spend some time grinding the weld.

 

[davefan360]

Coming good so far. Its nice to have most of the steel andtools at the start of the build. And I know your pain about the hour a night. At least your build is inside. I can only work on mine a hour a night and have to do it on the driveway.

 

[speers90]

Coming good so far. Its nice to have most of the steel andtools at the start of the build. And I know your pain about the hour a night. At least your build is inside. I can only work on mine a hour a night and have to do it on the driveway.

I think by the end of the weekend it will look like we are getting somewhere. Finally supposed to be decent weather so the kids can play outside while I work on the cooker.

 

[RookieTJx2]

Flap disks are best...

 

[speers90]

Flap disks are best...

Yeah, those things are the best.

 

[Bigr314]

Wow! can't wait to see it finished and cooking.

 

[speers90]

Realized that I framed up the door opposite of how I wanted to do it, so I had to fix that, I got the firebox tacked up. Lots of welding and weld smoothing to do tomorrow.

 

[speers90]

Felt like I got quite a bit accomplished today, got the door built for the firebox.

I really like the compression latches on the meadowcreek cooker so I decided to go with those on my build.

Started the weld/grind process on the exterior edges of the firebox. That is a tedious process so I have decided going forward that I will do one (maybe two at the most) section a day, just to keep myself from getting impatient and saying good enough.

The roller/standoff guide for my plasma cutter showed up in the mail today. I tried to pick up the tank today, but they said I could only pick it up during the week when the regular's are on duty, which is not a big deal, just thought I'd try.

 

[RookieTJx2]

What size disk grinder you using? On the larger longer parts, I'll use my six inch. It's faster and gives straighter cleaner grinds.

 

[speers90]

4.5" is all I've got, but I could be talked into buying a bigger one!