Smokestack material

[each]

I’m just starting a 120g propane tank build and am trying to source my smokestack material. I’d like to have a round smokestack in the 5-6” range. Since the walls of my smoker are like 5/32”, using schedule 40 (1/4” wall) for my smokestack seems like overkill. It doesn’t look like schedule 20 comes in 5-6” diameters and I’m not finding schedule 10 or 5 anywhere (and when I see references to it, it’s mostly stainless). I know pipe and tube are different things but I haven’t stumbled on any 6” tube yet. What are you guys using?

[Barrion2018]

There are others that know way more than I do, but on the 3-builds I have done (which are much smaller than yours), I used schedule 40 4" ID and 6" ID on one of them, works great. Not sure the pluses or minuses using thinner pipe???

[each]

Only minus I was thinking is just more steel (and therefore weight and cost) than really needed. Other than some corrosion protection, not sure there's a benefit to thick smokestack walls.

[Barrion2018]

Only minus I was thinking is just more steel (and therefore weight and cost) than really needed. Other than some corrosion protection, not sure there's a benefit to thick smokestack walls.

I agree, I don't know if there is a benefit ether???? I too would like to know if thinner pipe for the stack makes a differance, or not.

As for the weight, for me, the weight of the schedule 40 pipe for the stack was minimal compared to the overall weight of the 3/8” thick cc and fb I used to build the smokers I built, plus the 2” OD schedule 40 pipe I used for the legs/stand.

Good topic, hopefully someone with more experience will chime in.

Good luck on your build.

[each]

I appreciate the feedback. I'll probably end up going schedule 40. It looks like there are some tubing (rather than pipe) options with thinner walls but my local steel suppliers don't seem to carry it in 5" or 6" diameters.

[Dirtytires]

Round tubing comes in both 5" and 6" (outside) diameters and both have a wall thickness of 0.625" but I'm sure they will be difficult to source and probably only sold in 20' lengths at most yards. And tho I agree with the weight and cost per pound savings in using tubing, it just may not be available in your area. Same goes for the sch5 and sch10 pipe---great if you can find them. Nothing wrong with using the sch 40 pipe as most of us do and most yards will sell it by the inch.

The weight difference between 5" od tubing and 5" id sch 40 pipe is just a bit over 10 pounds per foot. That means a typical 24 inch stack is only a 20# difference. The question to you is does that matter on a 1200# pit?