SCORE!!!!! Now what to do with it.....

[Smokin_Joe]

Wow what a score. Today my neighbor called and asked for the tiller, so he could start a garden..No problem I took it right over, and when I got there, I see this gem hidden behind a pile of rusting junk, there it was.. a 500 gallon tank...a little dented, and some surface rust but man the potential.. After i asked him about it and told him what i would like to do, he said " hell just take it, after you get done, i expect some ribs." So now I have to ask which way to go...vertical or horizontal.

Ill be posting some pron starting tomorrow..... thanks guys

 

[JohnJ]

I am leaning towards vertical... actually I generally stand that way, but I would try vertical as I haven't seen that many that large tanks turned smokers in a vertical alignment. COuld really be cool! Could be a disaster, but I doubt it.

John

 

[jeffboyette]

Horizontal with compartments and two shelves. Hell put a 55 gallon stick burning firebox on the side. Make it a reverse flow. Hell I don't know what I'm talking about just dreaming on my perfect build.

Vertical with 5 shelves would be easiest of course require less wood and wouldn't have hot and cold spots eliminating the tuning headache of a made from scratch no blue print build.

 

[Smokin_Joe]

Ok so I went and took a few pics, and measurements of the "new" project, and it turns out that with a dia. or 42in and a length of 94in this is a 550 gal tank... this is gonna be fun.

I'm 6'4" and this thing is pretty big next to me..

 

[Arlin_MacRae]

Nice score! Can't wait to see the pics.

 

[BigButzBBQ]

Love coming across stuff like that! Excellent score! As far as the vertical/horizontal question goes, I think it will depend on it's location. As in, is it going to be in your backyard or on a trailer? If trailered, horizontal will be the most stable. If back yard, vertical could be better, then you could hang meat in there like sausage and hams and have your own smoke house.

 

[Garyclaw]

Have fun and good luck

 

[bigabyte]

That's gonna make one nice smoker!

 

[Smokin_Joe]

After the input I have decided that i will go horizontal and build a trailer for it.. here is roughly the idea.. anyone have thoughts on this drawing?

 

[cowgirl]

Nice score Smokin Joe. With a tank that size, have you given any thought to making a reverse flow smoker?
Hope you take lots of pictures for us.

 

[Babyboomerboy]

Doesn't look like your going with a reverse flow smoker, but you got a great start on a fun project. Good luck

 

[BigButzBBQ]

Might want to do 2 doors for ease of lifting, otherwise you might have to put one heck of a counterweight on there, plus, opening one big door equates to alot of heat loss. Also, firebox may have to be flipped for weight reasons on a trailer. Reverse flow if you wish, tank is big enough for it. But, in the end, anything you come up with is going to be awesome with a tank like that.

 

[jeffboyette]

I would definatly go reverse flow. With as big of a pit that is, it will do alot to keep your temps even, and stable. You will eliminate having to tune the thing and risking ruining some good meat in the process. You get much more even smoke distribution. The bisquit technique isnt a good enough tell all for me. Figuring out baffle size, where and how big to make openings, and tuning plate size and locations and you will be in for a world of aggrevation.

Ive seen fireboxes off to the side (or rear if your looking at it from the front) so you dont have it sticking to far off the back of the trailer. Makes the pit look like an "L" It also brings the firebox closer to the axle giving you more ground clearance and security from bottoming out. You could put a wood cage in the L or even better a large half charcoal grill/half gas propane grill top,


Go to ace hardware and get a gas burner or even one of these to modify to work.

You could use gas side burner for boils, frying, or warming sauces. Being your going to mount a propane tank on the front for your burner and grill, you could put a built in "Weed Burner" in the firebox to get the fire going or maintain temps. My Gator Pit Predator has it and it really helps getting the fire started. Save alot not having to buy charwood for a fire bed.

 

[Smokin_Joe]

hey guys and gals, thanks for the info. i thought about the 2 doors, just was too lazy to draw them on.. also if anyone has a little drawing of reverse flow i would love to build one up.. after finding all the info i did on them (just no drawings) thanks again, and there will be PRON

 

[Derek]

Offset for shure for shure.

Nothing beats a facy looking offset smoker with semi truck smoke stacks

 

[Jorge]

My eyes and brain are pretty fried after spending too much time at the computer for work.

What was in the tank? How thick are the walls?

The first question is to make sure it's worth the effort, the second has to do with the firebox. Again, my eyes and brain are on the cooked side.... If the drawing is to scale the firebox is looking a little small to my eye. The wall thickness will have a lot to do with how the pit will warm up, and how it will retain heat as well.

With a length of 94", I'd be tempted to divide it at some point, leaving enough room to cook a decent size hog in the larger chamber. The smaller of the two could become a grill, or have a smaller firebox added and have fixtures added for smoking sausage etc... For that matter you could add a baffle to the divider for cold smoking in the smaller chamber as well.

The size of that tank gives you a world of options.

 

[Old Smoke]

Ok so I went and took a few pics, and measurements of the "new" project, and it turns out that with a dia. or 42in and a length of 94in this is a 550 gal tank... this is gonna be fun.

I'm 6'4" and this thing is pretty big next to me..

BE CAREFUL!!!! That tank looks like it could have been a fuel tank at one time. Other wise keep us posted with pron. I would like to see a home built reverse flow.

 

[Smokin_Joe]

it was bought to be used as a fuel tank, but the former owner never used it. His plan was to use it around his small farm, but never got around to building the stand or anything else.. he has just moved it around for the past 10+years..

 

[BRBBQ]

Reverse flow like a lang

 

[peppasawce]

I'm happy for you man, build a heck of a Smoke station out of that sucka!!!