My Smoker build is almost done, but I need some help.

[Igotgas]

Hello all,

Thanks to my wonderful family, I have been able to make a lot of progress on my first smoker build over the last week. However, I have run into a few hurdles and I was hoping this fantastic forum could help me out. First here is some pron of my almost finished build.

IMG_0334Small.jpg

My first question is about the burnout. I searched the forum and found a lot of threads for UDS burnouts but none for what I am doing. My tanks were propane tanks, they had been sitting since the late eighties, one with propane in it, and the other was empty. I was thinking of lighting a few chimneys of charcoal and putting them in the cook box, but that didn’t seem sufficient to me. I burned it for a few hours Friday just to see the temperatures it would run, but that didn’t do much for cleaning the old or new metal. Also, I don’t want to get it so hot that it warps the lid either. Any help would be appreciated. Thanks again to all of you that make this place a home for people like me.

My second question has to do with the tuning plates. I got my baffle tack welded in, but I do not know what next. Do the plates sit at the same level as the bottom of my baffle or do they need to be higher.
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[QDoc]

I can't quite make out what you're doing but as a word of cautiion , remember a gas smoker requires more air than a wood smoker and gas is more prone to flash explosions when air hits the cooking chamber. Apparently the smokey atmosphere shuts down the oxygen then when it opened....boom. Ask others.

[1FUNVET]

I'm kinda confused as well. Are you using propane ? Whats the unpainted propane tank on the left used for? I would also put your exhaust at grate level. I'm sure someone smarter than me will reply. Good luck.

[Igotgas]

Originally Posted by QDoc

I can't quite make out what you're doing but as a word of cautiion , remember a gas smoker requires more air than a wood smoker and gas is more prone to flash explosions when air hits the cooking chamber. Apparently the smokey atmosphere shuts down the oxygen then when it opened....boom. Ask others.

Yes I did learn about the flash this weekend. Luckily I run the burner an its lowest setting to reach the low 2oo's so the flash is more like a poof. I think I will be adding more vent holes to the firebox before I start cooking

[landarc]

I am still a little weirded out by your gas idea, but, here is something.

The tuning plates go at or just above the edge of your baffle lip, the idea is that the tuning plates push the heat along the bottom of the cooking chamber to allow for more even heat across the width of the chamber. Thus, the heat must start off below the tuning plates. Do not weld the plates in, you want to be able to move them about, hence the tuning part.

For burning out, you could start a fire in the cooking chamber and leave the door open, this will prevent the door from warping. You do not need a hugely hot fire, just enough to raise temps to above normal cooking range.

[Igotgas]

Originally Posted by 1FUNVET

I'm kinda confused as well. Are you using propane ? Whats the unpainted propane tank on the left used for? I would also put your exhaust at grate level. I'm sure someone smarter than me will reply. Good luck.

Yes it is a Propane smoker. The tank on the left is where my burner is and where the wood chunks will go. I put my exhaust between the two grates ( thanks to input from here).

[Igotgas]

Originally Posted by landarc

I am still a little weirded out by your gas idea, but, here is something.

The tuning plates go at or just above the edge of your baffle lip, the idea is that the tuning plates push the heat along the bottom of the cooking chamber to allow for more even heat across the width of the chamber. Thus, the heat must start off below the tuning plates. Do not weld the plates in, you want to be able to move them about, hence the tuning part.

For burning out, you could start a fire in the cooking chamber and leave the door open, this will prevent the door from warping. You do not need a hugely hot fire, just enough to raise temps to above normal cooking range.

Thanks for the help. I kind of thought that but was unsure. Out of curiosity what weirds you out about using gas?

[landarc]

It just looks so much like an offset, but, uses gas. It is built a lot like a charcoal burner but, has gas, which I happen to think has some disadvantages when smoking foods. Ignore the man in the corner babbling, and carry on.

[jestridge]

Well it looks good,what type of burner did you install?

[Capozzoli]

Does look real nice. I like the retro design. Did you make the wheels too?

[Igotgas]

Originally Posted by landarc

It just looks so much like an offset, but, uses gas. It is built a lot like a charcoal burner but, has gas, which I happen to think has some disadvantages when smoking foods. Ignore the man in the corner babbling, and carry on.

No worries. I am just learning and was curious. I learned on a gas smoker so thats what I built. I would like to hear of the disadvantages.

[Igotgas]

Originally Posted by jestridge

Well it looks good,what type of burner did you install?

Thanks. I installed a cast iron-low pressure burner that is capable of 15,000 btu's

[Igotgas]

Originally Posted by Capozzoli

Does look real nice. I like the retro design. Did you make the wheels too?

Thanks. My Father-in-law says it looks like something from the 1800's. I did not make the wheels they were something that my neighbor was getting rid of and I took them to make a wagon for my daughter, but I made the wagon without them.

[jestridge]

Originally Posted by Igotgas

Thanks. I installed a cast iron-low pressure burner that is capable of 15,000 btu's

That should do the trick. the most danger is if it goes out and you try to relie without purgeing If you do ever experience something like this, open all doors and wait at least 10 min before trying to relight.

[jestridge]

Originally Posted by Igotgas

Thanks. I installed a cast iron-low pressure burner that is capable of 15,000 btu's

It should be big enough to do the trick. but if you ever check it and the burner is out be sure to open all door and give it a good purging before trying to relite wait at least 10 min.