Looking for smoker tips Pics (Now w/Bling)

[flaboy]

Well, I started welding the seal plates around the opening for the doors last night. Got the bottom tacked in and closed the doors and what the heck? they were way off from where they were. I took a long straight edge and put it against the front and the dang thing had warped a 1/2 inch out in the center. I sure wasn't expecting that. I banged on it with a big sledge hammer and got it back to about a 1/4 inch but wither need to bang on it some more or set the FEL down on it and see if I can push it back a little with it.

I just spotted it every 6 inches or so but I guess it warped it anyway. If anything I was expecting it to warp in, not out. Oh well, just another of life's little challenges.

 

[backhoeboogie]

Hold your rod heat on the seal plates as much as you can and "run" to the lid. Get off of it quick. You don't need an awful lot of penetration- it isn't structural integrity there; it is a seal. Turn the heat down if you can or maybe run 6011 instead of 7018 if you have to. You can buff the spatter off.

Call me when it is time to eat and I will give you a hand with that part of it

 

[flaboy]

Hold your rod heat on the seal plates as much as you can and "run" to the lid. Get off of it quick. You don't need an awful lot of penetration- it isn't structural integrity there; it is a seal. Turn the heat down if you can or maybe run 6011 instead of 7018 if you have to. You can buff the spatter off.

Call me when it is time to eat and I will give you a hand with that part of it

Yeah, yeah, I am getting a lot of that "call me" stuff. :lol2: Actually I am using a Miller Mig instead of the old arc and spark box. I finished putting the rest of the seal plates in last night. I discovered I am not too good at welding with no light, and feeling for the joint between the tank and the plate but I got her stuck. I would have tried to crawl up in the tank but I didn't have a fan to exhaust the fumes.

I figured I might as well put the rest of the plates in and then "adjust" the tank. Didn't see much difference in the tank after putting the plates in last night so I assume I just need to adjust where the doors close at the bottom.

 

[backhoeboogie]

I discovered I am not too good at welding with no light,

I can weld at night once I strike an arc. The problem is the bugs. It seems everyone within a quarter mile makes a bee line for the arc. The big ones really interfere with the bead and some wind up in the hood with me. Welding is the ultimate bug zapper.

I wanted a mig rig for years and finally got one. I hardly ever use the thing. Mostly I wanted it for aluminum irrigation pipe repair but we aren't in another drought yet.

 

[flaboy]

I finally made enough off of some of my projects to buy a Miller 212. I had a small Hobart and wasn't pleased with it. I love this thing. It will get hot if needed. Of course the old arc and spark box is required for welding my old rusty farm equipment back together.

Yeah, I can weld once I get it lit up. My problem was inside this dark tank even with the auto darkening helmet, I had a hard time placing the tip. That and the restricted movement turned into more of splatter weld than any thing else but it's stuck.

 

[flaboy]

Well, here are some updates. Got behind on it due to the weather.

 

[Train]

Flaboy, what did you use to cut the tank and how many times did you rinse it? I need to cut a tank for a project but it just makes me a little nervous. You look at all the different forums and it seems to be about fifty fifty with, "I cut em all the time" and " NO DON'T, you'll blow up the whole neighborhood".

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I have saw a guy hook the tail pipe of his truck up to a tank and cut it after the truck fumes had run threw it for awhile. I have pulled the plugs out of them and set them on a brush pile and set the pile on fire.

 

[flaboy]

Flaboy, what did you use to cut the tank and how many times did you rinse it? I need to cut a tank for a project but it just makes me a little nervous. You look at all the different forums and it seems to be about fifty fifty with, "I cut em all the time" and " NO DON'T, you'll blow up the whole neighborhood".

I used a grinder with a cut-off wheel. Actually I used 10 4 1/2 inch cut off wheels. I filled and rinsed it 3 times. The smell makes you nervous thinking there is still gas fumes in there. The third time I filled it (sitting in the sun) I could no longer see fumes come out the holes as I filled it. These 3 rinses I did in about 4 days. I read the same stuff you read about filling them and letting them sit for weeks. I was not that patient. After draining the last time, I rolled the holes over on the side, put some nice dry hay down, soaked some baling twine in lamp oil (about 15 feet), ran this home made fuse to the hay and lit her off. As expected nothing happened. I had about 3 feet of flames whipping at the open holes in the empty tank.

If you have room, I prefer the fuse method. Some gun shops carry long fuse wire also.

I talked to one guy that rinses them with a whole bottle of dish soap twice. Fills it up and starts cutting. I would think that would be dangerous with water flying into your electric grinder but maybe safer than my way. I talked to another guy the cut his open with a torch afer a couple of just water rinses and full of water.

 

[backhoeboogie]

The smell makes you nervous thinking there is still gas fumes in there.

I used the old 10 gallon propane bottles for air tanks. They won't refill them any more. Fill them with air and close the valve and they stay full. You can purge them with water, fill them with compressed air and turn them upside down to blow them out over and over. You still smell the permeating odor coming out of them occasionally. There's no way to get rid of it after years of filling and using the tanks.

 

[Earl Thigpen]

Yea, it ain't the smell that gets you.

I've seen both ways described by Red Bull and I've tried the water thing on a gas tank out of an old Studebaker. Blew the dam thing all to heII and it's a wonder I'm still here. The fitting I was trying to sweat on blew right past my head and hit the goggles. Never did find that fitting.

Anyway, I've used the exhaust trick and it works. My old Uncle has used burning and that seems to work.

Flaboy, you know Hobart was bought by Miller (or the other way around). I have a Miller MIG and that machine can make a professional welder out of just about anyone. I really like it.

 

[flaboy]

Ok, here is the update. Since the price of flat plate if SO expensive, I am using a second tank of equal size to be mounted vertically on the end of the horizontal box. The bottom will be the firebox and the top will be an additional cooker. The vertical unit will have it's own stack and the horizontal will be a reverse flow with it's stack at the firebox end. If it does take too much fuel I will add a stack on the far end with shut-off so I can cook either way.

Marrying the vertical tank to the horizontal is quite a challenge but I am almost there.

After several hours of cutting and adjusting I got the fit pretty good.

I managed to melt my tie down strap by not watching where I set the torch down.

Inside of the horizontal tank.

 

[Bullbuyer]

Flaboy -
I'm gonna take back most of the bad things I've ever said about you - that is some dang fine welding right there. I really like this design, I think it will work very well.
Do you have an easy way to clean out the vertical tank?
BB

 

[flaboy]

Flaboy -
I'm gonna take back most of the bad things I've ever said about you - that is some dang fine welding right there. I really like this design, I think it will work very well.
Do you have an easy way to clean out the vertical tank?
BB

BB, the key here in what you said is "most". Don't take it all back you will ruin my reputation. :lol2:

It took me 10 hours to clean that dang vertical tank. I tried paint remover, torch, and just about anything else I could find. Nothing would take that dang silver roofing tar off very easily. I finally used a lot of paint remover, a lot of scraping, a lot of elbow grease, and a sander but I finally got that stuff off.

As far as the inside goes, when I get it all together I will have a big fire in the horizontal and the vertical tanks before I really start to season the tanks. I kind of like the idea of being able to cook in the vertical or horizon or both tanks at once depending on how much I need to cook.

 

[flaboy]

Ok, I finally had a chance to clean up the second tank I am using for the firebox and vertical cooker. It took me 10 hours to clean that dang silver roofing cement off of it but I finally worried it off. I have now made the firebox to horizontal tank opening. The part I cut out will be put back in and I will make it adjustable from the outside to open it more or close it as needed. This tank was empty minus a little psssst when I first cracked the valve. I rinsed it twice with liquid dish soap and cut it.

The clean and sanded vertical tank.

Firebox opening. I put the horseshoes on there to make Bullbuyer smile.

Thanks to the front end loader I placed the tank back to the horizontal to see how it fit.

 

[dirtdoctor]

I have saw a guy hook the tail pipe of his truck up to a tank and cut it after the truck fumes had run threw it for awhile. I have pulled the plugs out of them and set them on a brush pile and set the pile on fire.

Takes three things to make a fire; fuel, oxygen and ignition source, remove one of them and you're good. The truck exhaust replaced the oxygen, same as dry ice would, only problem I see is knowing when the oxygens been replaced.

 

[flaboy]

Made good progress this weekend. Got the firebox closed off in the vertical tank, got the opening to the horizontal tank figured out and cut and hinged, made the grills for the vertical cooker, and started the horizontal cook trays.

 

[hrbelgians]

Looks Good!
I think you oughta get a "pattent" in for that thing, I might even buy one!!! :tiphat:

 

[flaboy]

Ok, got some more done.

Here is the slider firebox vent and ash tray clean out.

Here it is with the vert tank welded in place to the horizontal tank and I am burning the tanks out. I still have a lot on my list to do like stack adjusters, handles, guages, door adjustments (every time I weld something the doors change), and some other stuff.

 

[RAWCJW]

Thanks for the pics! keep us updated I have a 250 gal air compresser tank new from the scrap yard I am getting ready to start one.I really like the looks of the lang smoker. Let us know how well the reverse flow works will ya