Horizontal Drum Smoker Build

[Stevel Knievel]

So, I'm trying to build a smaller smoker trailer on a tight budget, so I decided to go with 55 gallon drums and a cast iron stove since this materials are fairly common and easy to work with for a first time fabricator.

This is going to be an interesting one since I'm kind of winging it......

I started by welding the two open ends of the drums together.

[Stevel Knievel]

The length of the two barrels was a bit much for my trailer so I removed a section of one barrel and shortened one side.



I recapped the shortened barrel and welded it up.



Then it was time to cut out the doors.

[Stevel Knievel]

Then we cleaned up the sharp edges with some 60 grit to make sure no one got cut during the build.




Next we leveled the barrels and marked a horrizon line on the end to help keep eveything as level as we could.

[Stevel Knievel]

Next up we used for 1" square tubing to construct a sill for the grill grates to lay on, and also firm up the barrel structure.

P.S. - Don't laugh at my welds. It was my first day on the job.

[Stevel Knievel]

Here is where we left off right around beer-o-clock. I still have a lot of work to do, but with a better plan of action I think I can get this moving over the next month.

I plan to pipe in the stove centered (the other way) into the drums to form a "T" shape, for trailer balance sake.




Any advise on this build would be greatly appreciated. Please comment and let me know what you think.

Thanks, Steve

[Teleking]

[Stevel Knievel]

How thick do the tuning plates need to be?

I have some thinner stainless that I could use, if a thin sheet can work for these. I have 2, 32"x32" stainless sheets. They're pretty ridged and have decent weight to them.

I'm just trying to work with what I have to keep within my budget.

[Teleking]

[Teleking]

YMMV good luck
_________________
“Franken Smoker”

“The Bride of Franken Smoker”

[k.a.m.]

Stevel Knievel, awesome job so far I am liking what you have. I look forward to seeing some more updates
_________________
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.

Hybrid Cooker

[The_ogre25]

I like these cookers with the wood stove for a fire box. Keep up the good work.

[Stevel Knievel]

[/quote]

Trust me I am all about thrifty.... Have you seen my cookers!

my plates in the bride are 3/16" . If you use thin sheets you could put cheap alum. pans full of sand to hold the heat across the cooker. that = cheap IMO. [/quote]


I like this idea, can I do a series of pans but use hot water similar to vertical H2O smokers as tuning plates? I was originally planning to do this to help maintain more even heat with the water when I was going to use LP as the heat sourse.

[Teleking]

[Stevel Knievel]

Also, on a horizontal offset smoker does the inlet that connests the stove to the drums have to come in through the flat end of the drum, or can I connect the stove pipe directy up through the bottom of one end of the horizontal drum similer to how it direct connects to Teleking's Frankensmoker?

Piping the smoke stack in directly through the cylinder would make my life quite a bit easier.

[Stevel Knievel]

So pretty much anything with mass that hold heat will work? Maybe I'll go with the pan idea that you suggested and mess around with filling them with different materials to tweak the heat.


Thanks for the insight!

[Teleking]

[Stevel Knievel]

Now, I know you had warned against me piping in the smoke and heat from the center of the drums. With a smoke stack on each side and tuning plates would it work, or is this a design that you would stay away from and go with a single side off set similar to the above pix that you've posted?


I was basing my center mount idea around this.


http://media.photobucket.com/image/55%20GALLON%20DRUM%20SMOKER/Mary1218_photos/Smoker_1.jpg

[Teleking]

Either way will work. Having 2 stacks will allow you to run one side at a different temp using a damper on the stack.

However, you did say thrifty and the second stack will cost more.
_________________
“Franken Smoker”

“The Bride of Franken Smoker”

[Jon-wx5nco]

I may be building one of these soon...


or a


I'd love to make one of these

But I dont have the required tools.....yet
Maybe one of these days though!
_________________
Jon

LIAR #77
KINGSFORD charcoal grill
Brinkman electric smoker.

[Stevel Knievel]

OK, thanks to your help, and I think I have the basics of the general structure sorted out. Now for some of the not so basics.....

I've seen the pit ratio calulator and messed with it for a few, but I just wanted to double check with the pros to see if you guy can help me with this so I can make sure that this beat smokes properly.

Questions about what size I need help with....

1. Wood Stove air inlet size (may not be as important since I can adjust the wood stove a bit)

2. The smoke box to drum inlet size (the out pipe is currently 6" diameter)

3. Exhaust pipes diameters and lengths (I plan to do two pipes, one on each side of the drums).


The drums are about 22" in diameter and 61" long.


Here are the specs for the cast iron stove.

BTU rating: 96,000
The Boxwood stove heats up to 800 square feet

SPECIFICATIONS:

Length (with Hearth) .......... 32"
Height (Overall) ................... 26"
Width (Overall) .................... 21"
Firebox Width ..................... 12"
Firebox Depth ..................... 24"
Flue Size (Round) .............. 6"
Door Opening ..................... 12" x 7.5"
Material ............................... 100% Cast Iron
Fuel ..................................... Wood
BTU Rating ......................... 96,000
Weight ................................ 123 lbs

I would estimate the hight of the fire box around 15-18 inches.

Thanks again folks!