Poor Man's first build

[Piomarine]

For my first post I would first like to say "Hi!" from Arlington, TX. I am a senior at TCU and severely lacking in the cooker-fund department. I am an experienced smoke chef and I have been strongly considering making my first smoker. I want to go on the larger size to accommodate some of the parties I have been asked to cook for in the past. I understand that they are not real efficient, but I have been looking at the double and triple barrel designs and think that I could make some real improvements to help increase the efficiency while still keeping the price under $400.

Below are some CAD renderings of what I am looking at in terms of basic design. The firebox would be fully insulated in 1 1/4" firebrick and mortar, and all seams welded. The design is a modified triple barrel designed to resemble the "Diamond Plate Pit" style of the firebox behind the cooking chamber.

I already have a line on a trailer (likely for free) which will cut down on cost considerably, and I can get clean, non-lined, food-grade barrels around here for $15-20. I would love any comments, questions, or concerns any/all of you have.

[JohnnyB]

You may want to reevaluate your firebox vent placement, either adding some on the door end, or placing them somewhat evenly spaced along the long side (lefthand looking at FB door). With a two FB/CC inlet setup, and vents on only one end, the fire will only burn on that end, and the smoke will only go through the closest inlet to the CC. The far end will be starved.

[4ever3]

The intake and the pipe from the fire box to the cook chambers will make the drum on the intake side burn hotter than the other.

I'm thinking a smaller firebox with the door and the intake opposite the cook chamber doors (facing the tongue.)

[pjtexas1]

or you could crack the fb door the equivalent amount of the intakes on the opposite side.

[hachi-roku_fan]

You might want to consider rotating the whole set up. As is, it appears to be as wide as a H1 Hummer. Might not be too easy to tow around.

[Nuco59]

Not pooh pooing your plan but I'd go with Uds's - but guess we differ on 'poor' :-D

[SmokerKing]

the handles are way too big

[aks801]

the handles are way too big

Really, player?

Agree that you could rotate the set-up so it is longitudinal rather than lateral.

Either move the firebox-to-smoking chamber pipes so they are not at the very end of the smoking chambers, or possibly do weld in plates in the upper part of the smoking chambers to make it more of a reverse-flow.

I like what you have going there, and Go Horned Frogs!

[SmittyJonz]

You are a decent welder and have a quality gas welder.? Drums are hard to weld, easy to burn right thru them.

How much are you wanting to cook at once.? How many meats for how many people ? You are gonna cater and Health Dept regs. n all?

You wanna stickburner and tend fire whole cook or run on charcoal and set it forget it.?

[HJP]

HJP

I agree with the idea of rotating the set-up so it is longitudinal rather than lateral. Also, not sure you need the firebox that large.

[DownHomeQue]

If I were you would turn the cooking chamber and firebox have the cooking chamber open on the Driver side and Firebox open on the passenger side.. I would check at strap yards and see if you could get ahold of some 1/4 plate to build firebox out of..

[DownHomeQue]

Also check at the salvage yard for scrap propane tanks.. would make a much more formidable cook chamber than the drums.. last longer and hold temp better than those drums will in this configuration.. I feel like it would eat fuel in cold weather..

[SmittyJonz]

I Would just build 2-3 UDSs and haul them on the free trailer........with a box for gear/ charcoal n wood chunks.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436

:mrgreen:

[SmittyJonz]

http://dallas.craigslist.org/ftw/for/5619193058.html

http://dallas.craigslist.org/dal/tls/5648094422.html

[Piomarine]

Thank you to everyone! I can see everyone's ideas and can see how they would work better than the initial idea I drew up.

Smitty, thanks for the words of painful honesty, and for the alternative ideas. I really like the air compressor tank you found and now I'm starting to think that a moderately sized reverse flow might cost about the same if I don't add a warming box. I am a decent welder, just haven't welded in a couple years, and have a friend who is lending me his 115V MIG. I am not doing any formal catering just cooking for our very large Sunday school class at church, and that's cooking for about 40-50, and I'd like to have something to take to competitions. Also I've had stick burners and charcoal burners and I personally prefer babysitting a fire. I'll let ya'll know what I decide to go with.

[SmittyJonz]

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=162551

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=227861

8-)

[lankster35]

I would be concerned abut the mortar and fire brick in the box. I do not think it will stay together bouncing around on the trailer.

[dadsr4]

I'm kind of an uninvolved commentator, as I am quite happy owning two kettles.
If i were devoting this amount of time and effort in a build, I would wait until I could use some thing like a propane tank for the chambers. I've seen too many 55 gal. barrels rust out, and all the problems welding them, to proceed on a project using them as you are planning.