Home Grown Gravity Feed with Flameboss 500

[tinspark]

Ok I have held out long enough.
I have been working on my homegrown GF smoker> I didn’t purchase plans (needed the challenge-lol!)
Did a bunch of research on the GF before this build> I have never seen one of these in person. But the thought of doing a long cook and getting a few hours of shut-eye was the driving force behind this build. There are not many of these here on the west coast (USA) so it will be a little bit of a leap of faith for me to build this thing because of not purchasing tested and time proven plans. And the fact that no one in my neck of the woods have this style of a smoker tha I know of...
I purchased the Flameboss 500 from Franks site and wanted that before I got too far
I added a cleanout- removable cover inside cc at the transfer tube channel to make it easy to get any potential ash obstruction out after each cook.
I decided to try the fire brick method to keep the furnace heat isolated, and will likely not insulate the chute. Mainly cause I think the thing looks cool.
I will take readings with my heat gun and see how hot things are. I will be insulating the cc and adding an external skin as well. I fabricated a sloping 12 gauge pan at the bottom with a 2" IPS elbow, and will add a 2" ball valve for easier cleanout. The flameboss 500 should keep things dialed in fore me.
Doors and seam between chute and FB has high temp gasket ordered. I also added an intake port on the side with a 2" sliding blast gate which I fabricated and installed. MIght want to use the air intake and slide gate instead of the flameboss once in a while.. I'll post up more pics as I get farther along.. We got up to 112 degrees a few days ago in Central Calif, and since we live in the San Joaquin Valley, a big bowl and have 30 plus fires raging, we literally have the worst air quality in the world today and yesterday!! we average 45-50 deg. Fahrenheit in the winter, so insulation was not too big of a deal here, but I like to touch things and not get burned. If the chute gets too hot I will lag it as well, but I doubt it will get too hot.. I opted to put the turn wheels over the heavy end and will be adding a handle on that end too. May swing door opposite the fan, but I am not that far yet. It looks like it may be tucked back though..

[towtruck]

Looking good!

[tinspark]

Thanks Towtruck. I think this thing will really come in handy

[dacolson]

That’s a lot of welding tinspark. Looking great.

[tinspark]

That’s a lot of welding tinspark. Looking great.

Thanks Dave. It was, and is a lot of welding. I switched over to .035 er70s-6 wire so that I can lay more bead faster. Did this also to keep heat down by not needing to slowly whet in a smaller diameter wire. Still a bunch to do. I will be stitch welding only the outer skins and have some alum angle that I had a buddy brake up for me and had him over brake by about 2 degrees which should hug the tac welded skins nicely to trim the outer edges of the cc, which should look really good and save a bunch of time, sanding discs and energy polishing the edges. I will put a swirl finish on the angle trim which should set it off.

[Big T]

You are a true craftsman!

[dacolson]

That swirl finished aluminum will be a great contrast to the steel. Great idea.

[Dargo]

Hey Tinspark,
Glad to see you started your GF smoker. Looks like you did a pretty large cook chamber, what size are your grates.

How long ago did you start, you are flying.

Looks like 1”x1” tubing for the cook chamber?

Is there square tubing in the corners of the firebox also?

I like you idea of stepping the frame in order to get the transfer tube lower in the cook chamber.

After seeing some of your other build I know this one will be awesome.


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[tinspark]

You are a true craftsman!

Thanks Big T. I do love fabricating stuff. I worked with a lot of better craftsmen than myself who helped me when I was messing my fair share of stuff up over the years..

[tinspark]

Hey Tinspark,
Glad to see you started your GF smoker. Looks like you did a pretty large cook chamber, what size are your grates.

1How long ago did you start, you are flying.

2Looks like 1”x1” tubing for the cook chamber?

3Is there square tubing in the corners of the firebox also?

I like you idea of stepping the frame in order to get the transfer tube lower in the cook chamber.

After seeing some of your other build I know this one will be awesome.


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Hi Dargo,
I really like your build!!
1) I purchased my el-cheapster Lowes firebrick july 22nd, and started the following week a few hours here and there.
2) I did go with 1x1 tubing since I live in a very temperate area as mentioned above. 1" rockwool insulation will be plenty of insulation on the cc
Also at 112 degree F a few days ago, I am close to not even needing any fuel to smoke with this thing. The main reason was to keep the weight down where I could.
3) That is not square tubing in the corners but a bent 12 gauge angles. I will be filling those voids with insulation as well. The fuel chute has flanges inside, which tightly hug the inside top of the firebrick and makes for a smooth finish inside, which holds the tops tight, and also should help with any bridging. Plus the fuel hopper is tapered out to help with potential bridging as well Smaller atthe top than the bottom.
I drew this thing up on a CADD program after I purchased my firebrick, and noticed on-screen that I had a lot of space space below the transfer tube, and it seemed like it could be better served above the tube. Plus Its kinda cool that I wouldn't have to stoop over as much to get to the bottom of the thing when I do the cleanout after cooks. Opening and closing the ball valve and washing stuff out. It Seemed good on paper. So far so good..
Thanks for the interest and kind words fellas!!

[Dargo]

Thanks, I also like yours. Lets see if we get more people showing off the firebox and charcoal chute.

I bet those “el cheapo” Lowes fire bricks will more than do the job.

I do not have a temp gun but I am also curious about the temp at the bottom of the charcoal chute, I agree that it will probably not be to hot.

I tried to get my design buddy to do the drip pan bent like yours but to the front (harder to do, so more cost from fabricator). I like that detail also.

Have you thought on the color for yours?


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[tinspark]

Thanks, I also like yours. Lets see if we get more people showing off the firebox and charcoal chute.

I bet those “el cheapo” Lowes fire bricks will more than do the job.

I do not have a temp gun but I am also curious about the temp at the bottom of the charcoal chute, I agree that it will probably not be to hot.

I tried to get my design buddy to do the drip pan bent like yours but to the front (harder to do, so more cost from fabricator). I like that detail also.

***Have you thought on the color for yours?


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***I haven't put too much thought into that yet. I am figuring that I will need to do a test burn to see where my temps are before I choose paint. and see if I am within a given paints temp range. I wont know til I throw some coal in it and get it burning and put a laser on it..I have a good buddy who is a painter and we swap a lot of work, so I may hit him up. If not and I am in range, I may do an automotive paint at the cook chamber, and possibly a different color at the furnace, which I can do here?? But I am not sure where things will be externally temperature wise until I check for potential hot spots..
What have you come up with??

[Dargo]

Thanks, I also like yours. Lets see if we get more people showing off the firebox and charcoal chute.

I bet those “el cheapo” Lowes fire bricks will more than do the job.

I do not have a temp gun but I am also curious about the temp at the bottom of the charcoal chute, I agree that it will probably not be to hot.

I tried to get my design buddy to do the drip pan bent like yours but to the front (harder to do, so more cost from fabricator). I like that detail also.

***Have you thought on the color for yours?


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***I haven't put too much thought into that yet. I am figuring that I will need to do a test burn to see where my temps are before I choose paint. and see if I am within a given paints temp range. I wont know til I throw some coal in it and get it burning and put a laser on it..I have a good buddy who is a painter and we swap a lot of work, so I may hit him up. If not and I am in range, I may do an automotive paint at the cook chamber, and possibly a different color at the furnace, which I can do here?? But I am not sure where things will be externally temperature wise until I check for potential hot spots..
What have you come up with??

It will all be high temp black to start. I am thinking of automotive paint for the CC, leaning towards copperhead orange. My friend that I was hoping would help paint it with me subtly dropped the recommendation that Auto Zone has a can of high heat engine paint that is real close to the color I want. I also prefer someone who is good at painting, but may end up doing it myself. The firebox and chute will most likely stay black, as I envision the possibility of having to touch it up.


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[tinspark]

Thanks, I also like yours. Lets see if we get more people showing off the firebox and charcoal chute.

I bet those “el cheapo” Lowes fire bricks will more than do the job.

I do not have a temp gun but I am also curious about the temp at the bottom of the charcoal chute, I agree that it will probably not be to hot.

I tried to get my design buddy to do the drip pan bent like yours but to the front (harder to do, so more cost from fabricator). I like that detail also.

***Have you thought on the color for yours?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

***I haven't put too much thought into that yet. I am figuring that I will need to do a test burn to see where my temps are before I choose paint. and see if I am within a given paints temp range. I wont know til I throw some coal in it and get it burning and put a laser on it..I have a good buddy who is a painter and we swap a lot of work, so I may hit him up. If not and I am in range, I may do an automotive paint at the cook chamber, and possibly a different color at the furnace, which I can do here?? But I am not sure where things will be externally temperature wise until I check for potential hot spots..
What have you come up with??

It will all be high temp black to start. I am thinking of automotive paint for the CC, leaning towards copperhead orange. My friend that I was hoping would help paint it with me subtly dropped the recommendation that Auto Zone has a can of high heat engine paint that is real close to the color I want. I also prefer someone who is good at painting, but may end up doing it myself. The firebox and chute will most likely stay black, as I envision the possibility of having to touch it up.


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Home depot has high heat silver, copper and black in the Rus-Oleum brand. They offer these in quart cans too, which can be sprayed on with a paint gun. The spray cans may work well too, since high heat is usually flat, which is more forgiving over a matte or gloss. If I am within the correct heat range, I may stay away from high heat. At least I will have a bunch more options. Funny, I was thinking of a crazy fly green, or orange..
Those were my high school colors in Sacramento though.. Paint my hand tools those colors at work here in Fresno, and everyone stays away from them... LOL!!

[Big T]

I used the silver rustoleum high temp paint on a RF that I built about 7-8 years ago and it didn't hold up very well. It changed the tint in several different places based on the amount of heat in that particular section of the cooker. My FB was one shade of silver and the CC was 2 different shades, it end up looking like it was painted with 3 different colors of silver.

[tinspark]

I used the silver rustoleum high temp paint on a RF that I built about 7-8 years ago and it didn't hold up very well. It changed the tint in several different places based on the amount of heat in that particular section of the cooker. My FB was one shade of silver and the CC was 2 different shades, it end up looking like it was painted with 3 different colors of silver.

Good info.. Thanks Big T
Nothing like experience to draw upon
Appreciate the share

[Dargo]

***I haven't put too much thought into that yet. I am figuring that I will need to do a test burn to see where my temps are before I choose paint. and see if I am within a given paints temp range. I wont know til I throw some coal in it and get it burning and put a laser on it..I have a good buddy who is a painter and we swap a lot of work, so I may hit him up. If not and I am in range, I may do an automotive paint at the cook chamber, and possibly a different color at the furnace, which I can do here?? But I am not sure where things will be externally temperature wise until I check for potential hot spots..
What have you come up with??

It will all be high temp black to start. I am thinking of automotive paint for the CC, leaning towards copperhead orange. My friend that I was hoping would help paint it with me subtly dropped the recommendation that Auto Zone has a can of high heat engine paint that is real close to the color I want. I also prefer someone who is good at painting, but may end up doing it myself. The firebox and chute will most likely stay black, as I envision the possibility of having to touch it up.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Home depot has high heat silver, copper and black in the Rus-Oleum brand. They offer these in quart cans too, which can be sprayed on with a paint gun. The spray cans may work well too, since high heat is usually flat, which is more forgiving over a matte or gloss. If I am within the correct heat range, I may stay away from high heat. At least I will have a bunch more options. Funny, I was thinking of a crazy fly green, or orange..
Those were my high school colors in Sacramento though.. Paint my hand tools those colors at work here in Fresno, and everyone stays away from them... LOL!!

I could not find a pic of those colors. But I like different. I say go for it. You can probably get a good high heat orange for the firebox and chute. Then the fly green for CC.


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[TheDude]

Is there any chance you have more pics of the inside of your firebox. I'm in the early phases of a design and I'm trying to decide between fire brick or 1/4" steel.

The removable chute seems like it would be really handy down the road

[tinspark]

Is there any chance you have more pics of the inside of your firebox. I'm in the early phases of a design and I'm trying to decide between fire brick or 1/4" steel.

The removable chute seems like it would be really handy down the road

Here are a few more pics
I used 1/4" at the FB internal skin area, as well as the transfer tube since it is a heat sink similar to the RF design and will spread the heat better. But I dropped to 12 gauge at the removable coal chute and the ash pan area, mainly to cut down on the massive weight. Cost savings is always a factor, but sacrificing functionality over cost is counter productive at the end IMHO..
Hope your build goes well. Post some pics so that we can all learn from it when you get started

[ajfoxy]

Coming along very nicely. I do like it...

[dacolson]

Makes me want to build a GF

[tinspark]

Makes me want to build a GF

I really could use my half built GF right now!
I am smoking in my first build right now, and have some spatchcocked (Malcolm style brick chicked) going, and some Jalepino poppers, and corn on the cob in the husk. But am eagerly awaiting this build to be finished. I had to build a few racks that sit on my existing grate so that I have more space so that I can stuff all of the goodies in it..
Will have plenty of room in the GF smoker..
The air is so bad here because of the hundreds of fires in our state, that if you don't have an N-95 mask, you will get a headache that wont go away!..
Fortunately our local welding shop had a few welding masks that block the smoke. I grabbed them up!!
Will you go at it alone, freestyle or purchase some plans?

[dacolson]

I don’t really have plans to do it right now. Too busy w my current build and have a couple more in the wings. If I did, I think I’d buy plans. Looks a little complicated to wing it. At least the first time.

[tinspark]

Had to build some short racks (3 of em') to set on top of my existing smoker grate. They need a little adjustment but allow me to smoke some pepper poppers, and corn along with meat on the regular rack. Once I get my GF done, I will have many more options.
Q-view attached of tonight's dinner on the santa- maria smoker!

[dacolson]

Good thing you posted those pics! We all thought you were lie’n to us about that sweet spread! Looks so good man. So hungry ...