I got the opportunity to snag a barely started smoker/ grill project for a couple hundred bucks. Its based on a 200 gallon propane tank. Any input you guys have on the build would be appreciated. I'll get more pics posted after I pick it up Friday.
.... That being said... What kinda of smoker are you looking (conventional or reverse)? What kinda of food (whole pigs?) and how much (treys and bi-levels)? One thing you'll definitly want is a door balance for opening and closing.
I work for a propane co. You will want to fill that tank with water for a week an let it sit other wise your food will taste like mercapitan it's the oderant they put in it at the pipe line .so u can smell it if u have a leak.but it's nasty stuff.when u get your smoker built stoke it up with wood an burn the pizz out of it . To burn off all the scale and paint. I built a grill out of a 250 gal propane tank and that's what I did and the food was great no funny taste . Have fun with your build.
I'll post a pic of mine and it'll give you some Ideas! There are no rules in smoking except for one, after 225* your really cooking. That tank is "SWEET" and will serve you many years.
225 is key. Smoking food is way easier than most people think. It doesn't take much to reach smoking temps.
Like the guys said 225 - 250 covers anything you will do. I use both a Traeger and UDS and both serve me well. I prefer the UDS as it's something I built 15 years ago. The link below will give you a lot of information about how to build what you are looking for. http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/index.php
Ryan, It's a very basic design, The grate is removable /seperate and slides out. There are 4 angle iron cross pieces that it sits on welded across from front to back, and down at the bottom is the same thing, angle welded acrossed and expanded metal layed across the angle. There is a clean out door at one end so you can hose it out. Drill or burn about 2 holes on each end about 1" in diameter for air, don't go much bigger or it'll burn up your wood to fast and then your cooking. This is # 5 cooker, I use mine so much that they don't last but maybe 5 years or so. This is an old oil tank, your propane tank is thicker and you'll get many more years from it. Oh, also, "DO NOT" make your vent/exhaust to big, you'll go through way to much wood and you want to keep the smoke in! Enjoy, have fun.
Your Pig roaster is very nice! My cooker can do about a 125lb pig at best, For me thats fine for friends and family. The slide out grate is exactly what it was designed for and also to reload the charcoal. My cooker is going on 6 years old and this may be the last year for it, she has some rust in the bottom and I expect her to fall through this year. No Worries! got another ready to go!
TurboDiesel those smokers are sweet! Gonna have to do a more indepth thread on them. WeldrDave Love them pictures of your smoker, always have some fine food coming off them grates.
Thanks Chvy, shes almost done for... I'm hoping to get this summer out of her. She don't owe me anything. I keep the grate and send the barrel to the great scrap yard in the sky
Thanks WD. here is a pic with about 160 lbs of pork butts . Was helping a friend with a benefit dinner to raise money for a local school park/playground Our friend in the second pic is checking out the pork to see if its good. His cooker is in the background with another 130 pounds on it. Wayne is the guy who got us started into the bbq cooking. Sadly he left us 2 years ago in march. But the Q must go on
Thanks prell wish we could all gtg and throw a little lunch on the cooker shame we are so spread out, but thats what makes this site so awesome
Now I'm really wanting to get one going. I've said it for a long time but it's time to get it done. I found an oil tank and I have an old shop compressor with a bad motor. I'm planning on building one on a trailer with a pig roaster on one side from the oil tank and a grill on the other side from the compressor tank. Now I just need o find an old trailer to put them on and I can get started.
