Finished With Cooker

Bob M · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject: Finished With Cooker

Hi all,
After many hours work and sweat I am finally finished. Thanks to Zilla and Mark H for the reply to my stack guestion several days ago. Fired it up yesterday and put a few butts on it. Temp is very easy to control. Cooked meat 10 hrs at 225. Used 20 lb of lump charcoal, and some hickory for good measure. Guess 2 lb/hr is not too bad. Meat came off at 185-190. Was very easy to pull. I can see how this can become addicting.
Have always wanted one of these things. Finally got up the materials and
started. Looked at a few pictures, and this is how it came out. Thas is only my second post, so I hope everything is right. Again thanks for the help.
Bob
http://www.photobucket.com/albums/j259/BobM_photo/

hvac81 · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

Nice job on the smoker and congrats to the new BBQ Chef Cool

OkieJay · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

Nice looking pit, sounds like you already have it under control.

Enjoy,
Jay
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OkieJay
Founder of the seldom seen Touch Of Smoke BBQ team.

BBQMAN · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

great job! Very Happy

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"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
Providing "IMHO" Since 2005.

Alien BBQ · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

Congrats and welcome to the club.
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Mark H · BBQ Fan Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 200

What a nice looking pit!

I hope it entertains you for many years. Use it in good health!
Mark H

Bob M · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

Hi,
Thanks for all the great words. I'm lovin it so far. Makes you want to fire it up every day, but it just aint enough hours left. Thanks, Bob

JamesB · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

Very nice pit! Sure wish I had building skills... What is the diameter of the pit? Do you have room to add a second shelf in there for ribs and things???

James.

Jeff T · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

Nice job Bob
Good to see someone knows how to use a grinder after they weld. Wink

Me.... i`m just too lazy. Mr. Green

Great job Bob. Wink

Ya know fellas i`m just wondering how many "ring" members build there own pits compared to fellas that bought them prolly more builders here.
Just too let ya all know i save your pit build pictures, at least the ones that post more than 1-2 pictures of the build.
Getting quite a few folders. A lot of fine pit builders across the country.

SPOKANE SMOKER · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject: Nice Job

BOB, Nice job on the pit. Looks great! Those of us that don't weld are really jelous right now. I have entertained the thought of learning to weld. I might contact my local community college to see how much it would be for some classes. Again, Nice job and thanks for sharing it with us.
Kevin
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cops25 · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

Nice Job! Looks like we have many of the same interests (cars, hunting, etc)
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Bob M · Posted: Jun 19 2006 Post subject:

Guys, welding aint that hard. I bought that little 135 Lincoln mig welder when I started fooling around with old cars. I am restoring 2 68 camaros at present. Got it for floor pans and other sheet metal. Runs on 110 volt, so you can use it most anywhere. Cost about 400 bucks. This cooker is built mostly out of quarter inch plate. The pipe is also quarter inch x 18 inch. Book on the welder says max metal thickness is 5/16, but I think 1/4 is pushing the limit. Have to go kinda slow, and cant weld very long at a time. I never went to school, or anything. These things are very easy to learn to use. Get you some scrap metal and get after it. The guys at the local welding shop where you buy it will give you any help you need to get started. Put plenty of weld to the joint then grind it down smooth. As for the cooker, I never built anything like this before. Have been reading this site for a while and looking at various pics. Thought I'd at least try. The pipe was the hardest thing to find. A friend found it for me. Wanted a 24 or 20 inch, But the guy said get it out of my way and you can have it so thats why its only 18 inches. Had enough length to make the cooker 48 inches and still have a 22 inch fire box. I think its going to be ok though. Dont think there is room for another shelf. Read Zilla's article about the tuning plates, and decided to try that too. He is right on the money. You can move them around and almost make the temp anything you want at either end. Went to the local steel fab shop. The man let me look through the drop pile and trash bins. Got everything I thought I'd need, except for the 9 guage expanded metal for the grates and shelf. Total cost- $53. Another friend gave me three casters, so had to buy only one . Cost $18. Spool of mig wire, and oxygen and gas for the torch. Think I have total money, about $125 plus probably 40 or more hours labor. I'm not an expert,jost self taught, but I'll be glad to help anyone with anything, any way I can. Sorry to be so long winded. I'll go for now. Thanks guys, Bob

DawgPhan · BBQ Super Pro Joined: 12 May 2005 Posts: 3444

that makes me think that I might be able to tackle something like this....

Bob M · Posted: Jun 20 2006 Post subject:

DawgPhan,
If I can do it, anybody can. Just have to decide what you want and what you want it to do. I looked all over the net at all the pics I could find, and went from there. I'll help any way I can if you want to try. Bob

yukondude1 · Posted: Jun 20 2006 Post subject:

Bob,

Very nice job on your smoker! Thanks for commenting about welding. I've been thinking about trying it---just assumed it must be very expensive and require a lot of skill (which I'm sure it does to do a good job).

Anyway, you sure built a very nice smoker---

Yukondude

gordo · Posted: Jun 20 2006 Post subject:

Good looking pit Bob! many years of good cooking ahead with that pit!....
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specialC · Posted: Jun 20 2006 Post subject:

Cool Bob. Very, very cool.

There is nothing quite like the feeling of firing up a pit that you built with your own hands for the first time. Wink

Cheers to ya, Bud...

~C
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Bob M · Posted: Jun 20 2006 Post subject:

Hey guys,
I'm tellin ya, it aint that hard. If you will get the materials together, and take your time , yours will probably look better than mine. I've never done this before either. Ya just gotta do it . We aint building a rocket ship.
Its just a cooker. Thanks for all the replies. Bob