large propane tank

85swbbig · Joined: 05 Jun 2009 Posts: 7

i have what i think yo be an 500 gallon tank want to cut it up to make a smoker out of i allready have a double barrel smoker now the size of the tank is 40 inch by 8 and 1/2 feet really large is it too large i have lots of steel and several trailers to choose from and can get other tanks too not going to compete just like to cook any help would be great is this tank to big and i should get another or am i ok large but ok

daddywoofdawg · Posted: Jun 05 2009 Post subject:

Depends.If your going to cook for 200-500 I have seen smokers made out of them.if it's just you and a few friends I would go alot smaller max 250 but probally next size down I think its 120?.
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k.a.m. · Posted: Jun 05 2009 Post subject:

85swbbig, I guess the question I would ask if I had several tanks to choose from would be, do I want to build one not long after this one? Because chances are if you go a smaller tank you will come across the day that you will not have enough room and will be looking to build a bigger one, I know guys that will fire up one the size your talking about for two racks of B.B's. Very Happy

When I built mine I thought it was enough and now I am slowly gathering materials for a trailer mount. I have my eyes on a big tank in a field I know it would be my last build for me, not that I would quit building for other people. Laughing

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kickassbbq · BBQ Pro Joined: 06 Jan 2006 Posts: 664 Location: mn

I smoked on a custom built smoker made out of a 500 gallon propane tank over last weekend.
It did not have a baffle between the fire box and smoke chamber.
The guy that built it put a temp gage right in the middle at lower grate level.
When that gage ran at 220 the top grate at the hot end ran at 525 and the lower grate at the opposite end ran at 200.

What a peice of crapola of a smoker set up like that.

We were burning Butts and cold smoking all at the same time.

If you build one that big, make sure you spend the time to tweek it!!!

Wouldn't give you $2.00 for it set up like that. guyt doesen't know how to build Jack Didley.
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Big Ron · Posted: Jun 06 2009 Post subject:

I have a 150 gallon tank for a smoker. I have thought of adding tuning plates because with no baffle there is a 20 degree difference from one side to the other, but I can not imagine a 300 degree difference. Click on the picture for a slideshow. It is plenty big

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auto5man · Posted: Jun 07 2009 Post subject:

85 I have the same tank and am gathering materials for my build. I do have concerns as to how I'm going to get the temps tolerably even across the cook chamber. It is a massive chunk of steel with VERY heavy walls so it should be work to get up to temp but hold temps well. My firebox is going to be low in the back and the heat will enter in the midpoint of the tank with stacks on each end to pull to both ends. I think a baffle between firebox and cookchamber is important but havn't decided on how to go about it. The more baffle you have the harder its going to be to get this big chunk of steel up to temp. With no baffle as has been said there will be a tremendous hot spot by the firebox. I think it will be something I have to tweak by experimentation until getting it right. That will be the challenge, on the positive side (if I'm able to achieve what I want) will be lots of versatility, large cooks vs small cooks. My plan is to be able to pull off a whole hog, or just 4-5 butts on one end by air-flow control and fire, or even as a lower temp smoker if you keep the fire small. I havn't built or designed a cooker yet myself as this is my first project, so I definitely have trepidation wondering if its going to work or not.

Dave

auto5man · Posted: Jun 07 2009 Post subject:

Big Ron,

Nice job on your cooker and set-up!

Dave

Big Ron · Posted: Jun 07 2009 Post subject:

auto5man, Thanks, it is all my design and a friend of the family is a welder. Can you believe this is his first BBQ pit to make. We started with an axel and the tank. Everything is custom and all made by hand
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Big Ron
Owner and Founder
Big Ron's Rub: Just Rub It On!
www.bigronswebsite.com

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Big Ron's Custom Reverse Flow Trailer
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UQxbfOx_MOE

Squeals BBQ · Newbie Joined: 20 Mar 2009 Posts: 35

I built a cooker out of a 500 gal tank a year or so back and overall have been very satisfied with it. It is a reverse flow design with two large pull out racks. Only down side is that it is hard to heat up in rain or cool weather and it uses a good bit of fuel.

auto5man · Posted: Jun 08 2009 Post subject:

squeals thanks for the input, I think I will be fine with my build just can't help a few first time jitters. My 500 tank is not exactly what everyone is using for builds and that sort of made me wonder.

Dave

Oregon smoker · Posted: Jun 08 2009 Post subject: