It's time.

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » March 30th, 2018, 8:40 am

I pulled the trigger on the double pan plans last weekend, and dropped the data off at a local shop to see about getting steel last night. Almost time to start making sparks... I've been using a leaky horizontal offset smoker for a few years with a HeaterMeter (which improved the food GREATLY, I can't recommend this device enough... but I digress,) and it's time to replace it. After Will & John (from the HeaterMeter forum) posted up about their gravity feds, the light came on, that's the style I need to go with. I'd considered everything from the mini to the double pan, and the only real cost difference is up front for me, there's practically no difference in operational cost. BUT..... if I want to cook a lot of food, I can't to that in a mini, yet I can just smoke a single chicken in either a mini or a double pan. In short, I can't use volume that I don't have.

I am going to weld up a fixturing table (pics to come over in the fabrication forum) to help get this monster built up & keep it square.

One quick question about insulation. The plans call for 1.5" rigid board mineral wool insulation, the wall cavities are all made out of 2" square tubing. Isn't this going to be a bit of a loose fit?

This is what I've been able to turn out with my leaky smoker. Planning on doing better, and it looks like between now and July 4th..... there may be a whole lotta meat going through it.

Edit: Oops.... missed the 2MB pic size limit. I'll resize these tonight and post them up.

Dirtytires · Post by **Dirtytires** » March 30th, 2018, 10:25 am

Congrats and good luck with your build.

Insulation is your choice. Just make sure it is high temp rated. I used a 1 inch ceramic rolled insulation and have been happy. Mine was in a firebox but would say the 1.5 inch would would work just fine as it will still snug up in the tubes...too thick and it will just compress as you jamb it in and loose it’s effectiveness.

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » March 30th, 2018, 12:28 pm

Compressing the insulation is a bad idea, probably more so for the rigid board style.

High heat? Absolutely, that's why the mineral wool is spec'ed.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » March 30th, 2018, 12:57 pm

Welcome to the crew!

Those plans have been used by mini people. You can always reach out with questions,to the phone number on the plans, just give them some time to get back to you.

You can cruise this site looking at the other builds like that and see what they say about them.

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » March 30th, 2018, 1:26 pm

"used by mini people"? <chuckle> Some of them might be a little sensitive about that.... I did find the thread with the IR camera images.

Right now, I'm still pulling data together, more than anything. But, in in a couple of weeks, I'll be draining the accounts.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » March 31st, 2018, 6:09 am

That was interesting! I don’t know how I got 2 half thoughts and not 1 whole thought. “Mini people or many people” or can they be exchanged? I should stop now before I hurt myself.

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JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » March 31st, 2018, 10:23 am

Gotta love autocorrect.

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » April 22nd, 2018, 10:05 am

Just about to order steel & ancillary bits.

Pipe flanges for the airbox inlet & drain. What's everybody using? Malleable or cast iron are not too difficult to find, but wouldn't be ideal for welding onto the firebox or floor sheet. Amazon does carry a couple of forged carbon steel flanges, just a bit more expensive, but should weld up better.

Dirtytires · Post by **Dirtytires** » April 22nd, 2018, 11:21 am

Don't really need a flange, unless I'm missing something in your design. Why not just cut the pipe to length and weld it on...you will still have the threads on the other end for the ball valve.

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » April 22nd, 2018, 11:52 am

I'm pretty much just building the double pan GF straight (minor changes to the legs, and adding a HeaterMeter cavity.) I guess with the second sheet welded onto the pipe/nipple a couple of inches back, it's not going anywhere.

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » May 2nd, 2018, 8:11 am

Steel has been ordered. Parts kit, insulation, casters, & most of the other fumbly bits are here.

Post by **Big T** » May 2nd, 2018, 8:16 pm

Post by **Rodcrafter** » May 3rd, 2018, 5:20 am

JKalchik wrote:Steel has been ordered. Parts kit, insulation, casters, & most of the other fumbly bits are here.

Make sure you spend a little extra money on casters, many folks find that their choice of casters won’t hold up.

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JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » May 3rd, 2018, 7:18 am

I'm firmly in the "go big or go home" camp with you on this one. I ordered the casters currently suggested by Frank (8", 500 lbs. each.) I was sort of looking for locking casters, but for where my smoker will customarily be located, that won't be an issue. Skins? <grin> All 1/8", not 16ga. Tubing is all 14ga instead of 16ga. I am going to add 4 lifting eyes at the upper corners for hoisting as well as trailer tie downs.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » May 3rd, 2018, 7:45 am

There you go!

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JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » May 3rd, 2018, 10:55 am

I'm chuckling this morning.... my boss is living vicariously through this project. We've also had a bit of a good natured competition going for a couple of years, he's got a Yoder pellet smoker.

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » May 4th, 2018, 7:06 pm

JKalchik wrote:Steel has been ordered. Parts kit, insulation, casters, & most of the other fumbly bits are here.

There may be some muttering & swearing here. I was hoping to be able to pick up the steel in the morning. The half inch isn't cut yet. Still might run up with the trailer to get everything else, the half inch would be an easy pickup after work.

Post by **Big T** » May 4th, 2018, 7:28 pm

It sucks when you have a plan and someone throws a kink in them.

Dirtytires · Post by **Dirtytires** » May 4th, 2018, 9:31 pm

A home build is full of setbacks...at least mine was. Best advice is to roll with it and just keep forward momentium. Forget the deadline however.

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » May 5th, 2018, 12:46 pm

Hot mustard, we are cookin' with gas!!!! oh, wait..... That's the point. Cookin' with charcoal, not gas.....

Brought home a complete load of steel. Busy place this morning, but managed to get in & get home successfully. Time to get busy, finish weld up the fixture table (24"x48" fabBlock w/ wheeled rack from http://weldtables.com.)

JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » May 5th, 2018, 5:07 pm

And as much as I want to learn to use my TIG welder (Fabricator 186 inverter,) my utterly ancient ~1987 Millermatic 200 MIG just runs rings around it on quarter inch stock.

Post by **Big T** » May 5th, 2018, 5:59 pm

Post by **Rodcrafter** » May 6th, 2018, 8:29 am

I use an old millermatic 200 also heavy hitter for sure.

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JKalchik · Post by **JKalchik** » May 6th, 2018, 10:01 am

A friend of mine decided he didn't have room for it about 10 years ago, asked me if I wanted it...."see you next weekend. How much?"

Figuring out a pass through between the cook chamber and a pocket for a temperature controller. I did pick up a couple of the Weber grommets listed in a thread just below, now I'm not sure that's going to work. I really want to get a tube between the holes, otherwise I expect the heat & smoke to vent into an insulation filled chamber. And.... just go through the 2" square tubing? That'd be easy, but difficult to get a protective tube installed. Installing a protective tube behind the 2" square tubing would be a LOT easier, but would require making the controller pocket a lot deeper (not like that's an issue... as long as I have room without interfering with the charcoal chute.) HEY..... son of a..... hot dog. I don't bloomin' well need a round tube to protect a round hole. If I can make the pocket 4" deep for the controller, I'll just whack off a 2" piece of the 2" tubing and tack that in place (before I weld on the end skin over the firebox door.) I can seal that up with high temp stove sealant once I drill through the skins, AND the holes do not need to be perfectly aligned. A 2" pocket would be easy, that's just 2 90 degree bends in sheet, a 4" deep box takes 4 bends with a finger brake as well as corner notches.

I also need to figure out crush sleeves for lifting eyes on the 4 sides (lift with a shop crane,) but that should be fairly easy with some short tubing and a reinforcing backing plate. Overkill.....

Part of my thoughts on all of this are discussions I've had over the years with my older brother. He retired as as senior food engineer for a major breakfast food manufacturer. I'd really like to avoid introducing hidden spots for critters to take root or migration paths.

Dirtytires · Post by **Dirtytires** » May 6th, 2018, 11:18 am

Looks like you didnt sleep much last night...lol. Definately easier to work out before you fire up the welder.

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