Propane Tank = Upright Smoker??

[KSims1868]

I know I see a LOT of custom built BBQ pits made from an old propane tank, but they always seem to make horizontal / off-set firebox smokers out of them.

Has anyone ever taken an old propane tank or air compressor and built an upright "drum" style smoker? Seems the weakest link of a UDS is the flimsy drum. It won't hold up to the elements, and eventually you'll have a rusted out drum needing to replace it every couple years.

So...would using a big propane tank or compressor tank sound like a good idea for a more "long term" (ie: higher quality) upright smoker applying the UDS principals to an upright tank smoker?

[mbshop]

makes sense to me. a upright air tank is screaming for a mod like that. if i could find a cheap one its what i would like to try doing.

[1FUNVET]

Go for it and keep us posted.:clap2:

[Dave Russell]

This summer we had a family reunion and smoked a bunch of leg quarters on a really neat upright smoker. We smoked almost all of a forty pound case and had plenty of room left, so this thing will hold as much meat as I ever want to smoke.

It had a fire box well away from the tank with two pipes letting the heat and smoke into the bottom of the tank. The tank had three racks mounted on a pole in the middle that rotated if the motor was on. This way none of the meat stayed right in front of the hotter side of the tank where the heat came in. It's a really cool design and my cousin is lucky to have access to it anytime.

Funny thing is, the gauge was about 100 degrees off. That answered the queastion as to why the old man said he smoked chicken at about 150. It's kind of a "community" smoker, and sometimes he forgets who has it, but my cuz has gotten really stoked about smoking lately and is gonna try to see to it that the thing doesn't disappear anymore. He's smoking more chicken this weekend for his company picnic.

Don't think I'd want one made "uds style", as it would use a lot of charcoal, and if it got away from you, it would get @#$ hot!!!!