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taintedplay BBQ Fan
Joined: 14 Dec 2010 Posts: 172
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: door below the half way mark |
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i have a 30in propane tank and want to have three racks if i can. Is there a disadvantage to having the doors going below halfway? so the doors would be 120 degrees out of 360 or something like that. |
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Jon D. Q. BBQ Super Fan
Joined: 12 Nov 2008 Posts: 404 Location: Middle Tennessee
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: |
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Go for it. Almost all of my designs have the door cuts at about 1:00 o'clock and 4:00 o'clock. |
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Wreckless BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 15 May 2009 Posts: 2292 Location: New Braunfels, TX
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: |
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I cut down 1" past the 3:00 position which puts the top of my lowest rack at centerline. You may want to put a grate lower than that, depending on what you want to achieve but I wouldn't want to go much lower than 1" past center with my door. The resulting gravity would tend to try and open the door past that point I believe. _________________ Backyarder
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SoEzzy BBQ Super All Star

Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 13183 Location: SLC, UT
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: |
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Wreckless wrote: | The resulting gravity would tend to try and open the door past that point I believe. |
Luckily gravity doesn't change, due to the cut of the door!
And as long as the bottom of your door is not cut inside a perpendicular, (plumb line), from the hinge point the door will close, once you get inside the arc the door will hang open, as long as you stay outside that plumb line all is good!  _________________ Here's a change Robert.
I still work here! |
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Wreckless BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 15 May 2009 Posts: 2292 Location: New Braunfels, TX
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: |
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SoEzzy wrote: | Wreckless wrote: | The resulting gravity would tend to try and open the door past that point I believe. |
Luckily gravity doesn't change, due to the cut of the door!
And as long as the bottom of your door is not cut inside a perpendicular, (plumb line), from the hinge point the door will close, once you get inside the arc the door will hang open, as long as you stay outside that plumb line all is good!  |
No disbelief from me SoEzzy, just not understanding the explanation as worded. _________________ Backyarder
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SoEzzy BBQ Super All Star

Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 13183 Location: SLC, UT
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: |
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If you draw a line from 1 to 5, that is the plumb line, (vertical), if you cut the door from 1 round to 5, (or anywhere before 5), the door will shut under it's own weight, if you cut from 1 to anywhere after 5, the door will hang open! _________________ Here's a change Robert.
I still work here! |
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Wreckless BBQ Super Pro

Joined: 15 May 2009 Posts: 2292 Location: New Braunfels, TX
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: |
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SoEzzy wrote: |
If you draw a line from 1 to 5, that is the plumb line, (vertical), if you cut the door from 1 round to 5, (or anywhere before 5), the door will shut under it's own weight, if you cut from 1 to anywhere after 5, the door will hang open! |
Comprende _________________ Backyarder
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k.a.m. BBQ Mega Star

Joined: 12 Dec 2007 Posts: 26020 Location: Southeast Texas.
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: |
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taintedplay, on slide out racks I make my cut 1" below 3:00 as Mike said this does allow for the grate top to be at 3:00 if your using 1" stock for your grate frame. If I am doing drop in grates I keep my cut at 3:00 and frame in the cooker rails below that. Keep in mind the lower you go effects how the opening into the cooking chamber is configured. Many a door have been cut so low that it put the bottom rack at to low a position. Also consider your top cut. On a 30" tank if you make your top cut at 12:00 and your lower cut at say 4:00 you will need a step ladder to open the door because of the travel height to break center. These are just my thoughts.
Edited: because SoEzzy is much more awake than myself.
Thank You Sir. _________________ Always remember slow and steady wins the race.
Hybrid Cooker
Last edited by k.a.m. on May 15 2011; edited 1 time in total |
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SoEzzy BBQ Super All Star

Joined: 13 Oct 2006 Posts: 13183 Location: SLC, UT
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Posted: May 15 2011 Post subject: |
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k.a.m. wrote: | On a 30" tank if you make your top cut at 12:00 and your lower cut at say 1:00 you will need a step ladder to open the door because of the travel height to break center. These are just my thoughts.  |
On a 30" tank if your top cut is at 12:00 and your bottom cut is at 1:00, you'll need a step ladder and long arms, to put the meat in and take it out again.
I'd always put the bottom cut at or just below the 3:00 O'Clock mark, a door 1/4 the size of the tank, is easier to get things in and out of than a 1/12th door...3 times as easy in fact! _________________ Here's a change Robert.
I still work here! |
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QObsession BBQ Fan

Joined: 23 Jul 2007 Posts: 243
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Posted: May 16 2011 Post subject: |
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My cooker door is below the half way point and I am very sorry I did not put the door lower. I to could have put in 3 racks if I had done so.
On Tip put a drip rail on the bottom inside of the door so Condensation/moister drips on the inside of the cooker and does not drip out the bottom of your door all over the outside of the cooker. _________________ May the smoke always caress your meat in a manner that brings a smile to your face. |
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