Square bottom cook chamber?

[JohnnyB]

Buddy of mine is looking to fab his own cooker, and we were looking at making a complete square cabinet cook chamber vs the rounded pipe bottom. Is there a reason pipe is used for the bottom in general? Is it just for ease of fabrication, or is it better for the draft? The idea here is he has a plethora of stainless 1/4" plate to use (yeah, I know), and he's trying to avoid carbon if he can. Thanks as usual!

[BBQ Freak]

My Assassin has a square bottom so I do not see why not .

[BigBobBQ]

The only real benefit I see to a round chamber is a low point to put in a drain for grease and easy clean up. A flat bottom is a little harder to drain or clean.

[ThePlane]

The only reason im building a round pit, is because that's the material I have. if I had plenty sheets of stainless, then id build a square body smoker. I believe the end product will all be the same. but if you are starting from flat sheets of stainless, maybe you can put a break in the bottom to create a little valley for draining purposes.

[TuscaloosaQ]

Square is fine.. You can put a little miter on the 2 side plates and fit the bottom to it and have a slope.... I see no problem at all

[4ever3]

Most are round because using pipe you only have to weld end caps on and BAM! The cook chamber is done! However if it's a reverse flow the bottom is flat (under the grate that is.)

A square or rectangle cook chamber would be no problem other than adding labor and weld wire.

Post pics if he builds it!

[Rockinar]

Pipe is used because it's easier the fab up two caps for the ends and glue on a fire box. Pipe is just simple and it works.

Square works just as good, it's just more work.

[Smoke on Badger Mountain]

Almost all my smoking is done on my 48" offset. It has a rectangle cook chamber and a square firebox. It cooks great! And it's real easy to scrape out with a shovel.

[longwayfromhome]

Check out Pitmaker offset models - they are octagonal in section.

[JohnnyB]

Awesome, thanks guys! It's going to be a reverse flow, so no worries about cleaning it out. We're going to make this thing a work of art. I've never seen a completely stainless unit before, and I'm excited about how it's going to come out.

[4ever3]

Use caution with an all stainless cooker, it'll move a mile and a half (ok, not that much) when it goes from ambient temp to cooking temp!

[TuscaloosaQ]

Use caution with an all stainless cooker, it'll move a mile and a half (ok, not that much) when it goes from ambient temp to cooking temp!




He ain't lying...and it is a lot less forgiving as far as drawing and moving when welding it out....

[Mark]

consider vertical.

This is what I did converting a surplus insulated stainless steel hotel pan holding cart on to of a stainless steel drum for the firebox:

[JohnnyB]

The first one I made has stainless everything except the cook chamber, racks, and exhaust pipe. The firebox/baffle plate still moves a ton so I can barely latch the door if I heat it up too quick, but I bought all the angle to brace it and the door up so it won't happen anymore (as bad, maybe?). But yeah, stainless is a pain in that department. Still though, some extra metal here and there, I'm sure we can make it work.

[4ever3]

Oh well heck, you've been there done that and got the tshirt!

Carry on and post pics of that bad boy I as you go if a' can 8)