New build, input or suggestions?

[ksmedman]

Been lurking, have a typical big box type smoker, but want to up my game.
To that, have started a build to give me a better platform (understanding that it's not the arrow, it's the indian...)

Anyway, starting with 5/16 20" pipe, bought about 1100 pounds worth of steel for my smoker and another we're building for a boys ranch we support.

Getting the 770 pund pipe home... more iron in the back of the truck. You can see the grates I'm using.
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/006_zpsgkeck6ny.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/006_zpsgkeck6ny.jpg.html)

20" water pipe. Lot's of hot weather grinding to get it ready:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/003_zpsz3r5crsr.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/003_zpsz3r5crsr.jpg.html)

Firebox cut, 55" total:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/024_zpspydsisrd.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/024_zpspydsisrd.jpg.html)

Firebox mounted on legs, and jig for plasma welder to cut the doors:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/032_zpsmnlvmzuj.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/032_zpsmnlvmzuj.jpg.html)

Firebox is cut to about 22", big enough to put whole splits in. I'm using a design similar to Aaron Franklin's in his book.
Hoping to have it done by July 4, would like to get my first brisket done before fireworks!

Sorry for the pic thread, but any input/suggestions are welcome.
This bad boy will be somewhere around 350 pounds when done... ought to keep heat well!

[SmittyJonz]

Follow the calculator...........Airflow/Draft is KEY.


http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html

[foam2]

I'm really interested in your build - consider me subscribed.
thx

[ksmedman]

Follow the calculator...........Airflow/Draft is KEY.


http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html

Thank you sir!
May have the chimney a little long, going to have to see how it pulls.
Updated pics:

Overall progress so far:

http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/007_zps4xbvpu1t.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/007_zps4xbvpu1t.jpg.html)

I like the chimney set up, the collector box is more work, but looks like it'll pull more evenly than a simple elbow bend:

http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/008_zpsy3akaylb.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/008_zpsy3akaylb.jpg.html)

Getting down to the finish work. Grates, fireplate and deflector, finish the doors (hinges, handles, etc...), and the finishing touches.
Should have it done, burned in, and have my first smoke by July 4!
Wish it was cooler...

ETA: Also rethinking the wheel set up. This is a heavy son of a gun!!

[ksmedman]

OK, so we're getting close now!

Here's the smoker with doors attached, deflector plate done, warming plate added to the firebox, firebox grate in and chimney control added:

http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/008_zpsqg2877kt.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/008_zpsqg2877kt.jpg.html)

Doing the first burn in. Wanted to see how it pulled, and we wanted to close up the pores inside before I finish the outside:

http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/011_zpsjpakkxgv.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/011_zpsjpakkxgv.jpg.html)

Last things to be done are the handles and thermometers, dripping collection, and prep table on the front. Then some paint and I'm ready to smoke!
Probably going to do some chickens and maybe a pork shoulder for the first smoke. Want to see how it heats, etc... before I try a brisket.

I haven't done much chicken, any recipes or suggestions, hints, etc...?

[Sean "Puffy" Coals]

Looks sweet! Nice welding skills!

[SmittyJonz]

Looking Pretty Good. :thumb:

[BigBobBQ]

looks good, I wish I could do something like that.

[yakdung]

Nice! A few suggestions. Consider a bottom shelf, make the front prep table removable and add a rain cap for the stack.

[dwfisk]

Looking really good. I just finished Franklin's book and especially enjoyed the chapters on building his pits fire & smoke. Looks like you picked up his key design features and are far enough along to add (what he calls) your firebox-cook chamber baffle/buffer plate a cooking grate, thermometer and knock out a July 4th brisket. Best of luck.

[Joe Black]

't seen a pic of the FB door. Be sure that you have plenty of air flow. A small damper at the top, in addition to the main damoper, is good to direct heat into the CC. It really looks great. I wish I had those skills and was maybe 40 years younger. Good luck, Joe

[foam2]

Followed your build from the beginning. Curious to see how much cooking capacity you have with this smoker. Any photos of the inside with food on will help get a sense of size.
Thanks

[Doog]

Just wondering how you did the hinges? Nice build!

[ksmedman]

Sorry I didn't update sooner, actually finished before the 4th, and used it for the first time on the fourth. Had to travel for work this week, so I've been behind!

Anyway, here is the finished product, primed, painted and all the accessories added.
Dual Tel-tru BQ300's, added the spring handles and cedar work area:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/002_zpsi6wokvcs.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/002_zpsi6wokvcs.jpg.html)

Good angle showing the firebox and warming plate:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/003_zpsljlnj6d8.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/003_zpsljlnj6d8.jpg.html)

Heat deflector plate going into the smokebox, and grate cut to accomodate:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/006_zps2a47igip.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/006_zps2a47igip.jpg.html)

Chimney and draw chamber. You can see the old smoker in the background... a big step up!
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/007_zpsijnmj2k7.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/007_zpsijnmj2k7.jpg.html)

It's roughly 1100 sq/in of smoking space. Thinking about adding a second tier basket on the left for veggies, etc...
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/008_zpshiydrii7.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/008_zpshiydrii7.jpg.html)

You can see the Tel-tru mounts. We took a threaded pipe union, cut it in half, and welded them into the door from the back so it's a clean presentation on the front. I had to index them so that I could get the thermometers straight up and down at tight. It's the little things that really make it IMHO. I'm very pleased so far!

[ksmedman]

Just wondering how you did the hinges? Nice build!

The hinges are made from scrap trailer hitch cotter pins. The scrap yard we got the metal from has a mountain of stuff like that at $1/pound.
Placed and tacked, then heated in place to bend as needed.
The handles are 1/2" bar stock that I just bought at Ace, again heated and bent.
Used that because the spring handles had 1/2" openings, and because we needed longer sections. If we were going to do it again, might just use 1/2" bar and bend a continuous section from the left hinge down to the handle. But this works fine.

[Bob C Cue]

Very impressive work. Congrats.

[ksmedman]

OKay, so here is my first attempt on the new smoker:

Two ~15 pound pork butts, precook weight. Just a rub using Pork Barrel BBQ rub as a base, added brown sugar and red pepper:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/020_zpsrelzzuhi.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/020_zpsrelzzuhi.jpg.html)

I could probably put eight butts in it without too much crowding:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/021_zpsy1zcdjyi.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/021_zpsy1zcdjyi.jpg.html)

A couple large chickens that I had smoking also. This is the first flip, about three hours in? They're big chx, 5-6 pounders after brining. I think I'll use smaller birds next time, it was my first time trying smoked chicken.
Brined, rinsed, and then washed in zesty italian, then added Montreal chicken rub. Seems like a lot, but wanted them to have good flavor:

http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/026_zpsky5qen0c.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/026_zpsky5qen0c.jpg.html)
Big water pan in there too, plenty of room for more if I wanted.

About four hours in, and the fat strip is cracking! Getting ready to wrap:
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/024_zpspecl2fs7.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/024_zpspecl2fs7.jpg.html)

I also smoked a dozen brats, and some sweet corn. Everything turned out great!
http://i385.photobucket.com/albums/oo294/ksmedman/027_zpsm8rzswlf.jpg (http://s385.photobucket.com/user/ksmedman/media/027_zpsm8rzswlf.jpg.html)

Pork was smoked well, but I think I'm going to add more heat to the rub next time. The chicken was awesome! Our kids devoured both birds, didn't have any left to share with the neighbors... lol.
Brats didn't make it to the end of the smoke, so I guess they were good too!

Overall impressions from my first smoke are that this unit is MUCH easier to maintain heat in.
Initially, there is about a 100 degree difference in the two thermometers (the closer to the firebox is hotter). But an hour/ hour and a half in, and the difference is only 20 degrees. All that metal (it weighs about 400 pounds) acts like a heat sink, and allows much more even heating.
It also uses much less wood than you'd think, less than that smaller smoker I was using before, actually. Once a coal bed is set, you don't need more than one decent split in there, that's plenty of heat for smoking. I was using oak for coals, and intermittently small splits of hedge.
I noticed that, counter intuitively, closing the firebox door more actually increases the heat. That chimney pulls enough that it creates a blowtorch effect, really heats up quick.
I think I'm going to add another plank to the work table in front, also. I could use the space, and I'm not having any issues reaching everything.

Thanks for looking, it's been a great project and I learned a lot.
Any feedback or suggestions are very welcome. Next attempt, brisket!