Project Pig Smoker

dackers

dackers

Well-Known Member
Joined
Aug 30, 2013
Location
Mill Spring, NC
So I haven't had a smoker since I moved up to Asheville from Atlanta 4 years ago. I've done some horse trading and ended up with all of my main pieces.

1. 275 gallon round steel tank:
Smoker Tank.PNG


2. Old Buck Stove fireplace insert:
Smoker Stove.PNG


3. Small homemade trailer (used to carry my welder):
Smoker Trailer.PNG


4. 1973 Miller AEAD 200 welder, guess I'll load it on the truck when it needs to go with me... not often at all.
Miller Welder.PNG


Sorry for the crappy pics, I'll try to get better ones for the rest of the build.
 
Jody Treadway said:
Your steel arrived Thursday. Gimme a call when you wanna pick it up.
Looking forward to your build!
Click to expand...

Thanks Jody, I tried to stop by Thursday and find out about the other deal too but you weren't there. We got displaced from our townhouse Friday, they had to rip out the flooring on the main level after a leak repair. Things are kind of hectic living out of the Days Inn in Hendersonville but I should be able to stop by after work Monday if you will be around!
 
Arghh, I bought a metal cutting circular saw from Harbor Freight, got halfway through my cuts and broke the shaft. HF doesn't have one to exchange and I was really hoping to get this thing done today. Anyone close to Arden have a solution?
 
Wish you were close enough to borrow mine. I've had great luck with it! It's loud, and you better damn sure wear goggles, but it cuts great!

Sent from my XT907 using Tapatalk
 
This is what I got done yesterday after I found the saw and got back to the house at 4pm. I had to shut it down at 6pm to go pick up the girlfriend.

Cut out for fireplace insert(smoke box). The overlap that the factory welded in this tank was 10 inches(at top right in this pic). I cut out 8 inches of this to use for lid trim pieces.
HPIM0886.JPG


Cut horizontal lines for lid. Make sure you leave vertical lines until you have the hinges and horizontal trim welded in place, this way you don't fight trying to keep the lid in place while welding! Also make sure you cut a few inches of each vertical line in the corner so you don't have trim in the way when you go to cut verticals.
HPIM0890.JPG
HPIM0891.JPG


When you tack your hinges in place, use a straight edge to line them up. Nothing would suck more than welding on hinges crooked and not being able to open the lid! When welding long lines, put plenty of tacks in place then weld 4 to 6 inches at a time to keep from warping the metal.
HPIM0896.JPG


After welding hinges and horizontal trim, cut your vertical lines and check the lid!
HPIM0893.JPG


Trim first so the lid seals then tack and weld hinges!
HPIM0897.JPG


This is where I left off Saturday, total time at this point is 2.5 hours!
 
Getting there. I'm interested is seeing what you choose to do at the point where the heat / smoke enters the chamber for equal distribution. I assume you plan to close off the gaps in the lid?
 
something tells me you've built one or two of these! like the tips and tricks input. I believe if had enough work you'd be hired. Nothing like some common sense problem solving to make fab and life easier... tuned in.
 
Jus Jim said:
Getting there. I'm interested is seeing what you choose to do at the point where the heat / smoke enters the chamber for equal distribution. I assume you plan to close off the gaps in the lid?
Click to expand...

I have all of the gaps closed today. Also I didn't have an even distribution on my last smoker and you see very few that do. Usually the cook will rotate meat around the grill top requiring them to babysit the smoker more than if the smoke was evenly distributed. That being said, you made me start thinking... see the pics below! This is the first time doing this mod and it is my own design. I'll update after a few cooks and let you know how it goes!

Two 5 foot sections of 2 inch pipe with 3/8 inch holes drilled every 3 inches.
HPIM0903.JPG

HPIM0902.JPG


Attaching these to the flu on the fireplace will require some notching and custom fabrication.
HPIM0901.JPG


Problem solved, just have to cap both ends and hopefully the smoke and heat push all the way to the end. Also, this will bolt in place allowing for easy repair or design change.
HPIM0904.JPG


Will bolt in place once the tank is fitted to the fireplace.
HPIM0906.JPG


Last piece of the day, welded the big gaping hole in the back of the fireplace where the stock fan was bolted in place for forced airflow.
HPIM0907.JPG


Total time (including figuring out smoke distribution system) so far is approximately 5.5 hours! Hopefully tomorrow after work I can fit the tank to the fireplace and tack it in place.
 
I think you're going to be chowing down on some tasty pulled pork before too long. 1/2 the enjoyment comes from the cooking task the other 1/2 comes from seeing the look on folks faces as they enjoy the fruits of your labor.
 
With being sick the first part of the week and living away from home because my floors were being redone, I haven't had time to work on the smoker this week. Glad to be back home, hopefully I can get this thing done this weekend!
 
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