X3~~~First Cook~~~

[TrailerBuilder]

Have a cooker that I need to get built pretty quick for an occasion coming up in a couple weeks. Have known about this for a few months now and in typical fashion I have waited til pretty much the last minute to get started. I originally was going to build a 24"X42" cooker with a 22" diameter firebox out of the stash of pipe I recently purchased. When it came time to get started, I looked at the 24" pipe and just knew it was too big for the location this cooker is going, so I decided to go with a 20" cooker instead.



Started with an air tank that I picked up on Craigslist a few weeks back. It is 20" X 72" with the bell ends on.


Tank all cleared of brackets and fittings and ready to be welded on. Got the end caps welded on the tank as well as all the holes it had after I cut the fittings out. Rolled the tank out back to clean up later on and went ahead and started on the firebox.


You just have to love brand new steel with a nice edge to weld to





The top and bottom plates of the firebox are from a piece of 5/16" plate that I have had laying around a while. Not sure what the holes were in this for, but they were not there for long.




Zoey laying by the chamber wondering when its going to be done and food cooking on it


Firebox and chamber sanded and ready to head back into the garage.


Motor hoist sure makes this part of the process easy


Legs tack welded on.


Time to build the wheels, 12" pipe that I have quite a few drops like this of.


Two important pieces to the wheel building process.


Wheel jig I made on the X2 builds. Sit this on top of the old fryer stand and with a roll around chair, it makes for a perfect height to weld on...Kevin, you sill might have to stand instead of sit



Wheel in the jig and ready for welding.


Wheels ready for the cooker.



Zoey wondering when there is going to be food



Legs are on and welded up and the wheels are on also. Getting the opening from the firebox into the chamber figured out, a quick call to Kevin and numbers are varified. See Kevin, I do pay attention and even write down what you tell me


Opening cut into chamber.


Firebox hanging and ready to be mated up to the chamber.


Tacked in place on the top side and then used a ratchet strap to pull the bottom in place.


Got the firebox all welded out on the topside then stood the cooker up on end to weld out the underside.






This is where she sits at tonight at quitting time, have a busy week ahead but hope to get the door cut out and some work done on the inside of the chamber this week and maybe even get the stacks in if time allows.


More to come...
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X2 Finished Build
Disco Time
Fire Pit

[Awning Guy]

You are a Ninja. I had to read the date on the post a few times and then I thought, He even took pictures. Nice work Man....
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[ChuckieD]

Troy,
Way to go brother, your are knock'n this one out double time.
You are also lay'n down some fine welds bro!
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SEE YA!
Chuckie D.

Big Green Egg XL
UDS build
The Old Brick Barbecue Project!

[GF]

TrailerBuilder,looking good.
I like the wheel jig also, soooo much easier than trying to hold and tack, then get them to match.
Good luck with it, I'll be checking for updates.

[Jarhead]

Great job Troy. Sounds like Beer Thirty is gonna have to be moved to your garage.
I can't believe that Robin allows you to use "HER" garage.
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[Wreckless]

Troy TrailerBuilder, it's gonna kick, i know your work toooo well. It might have been a Santa Maria cooker if it weren't for that Lame Azz Wreckless holding up production parts, my bad Soon...
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[erniesshop]

Troy ,
Looking Good !!
How come you didn't use that Da-n Square Tube for the wheels ?

You use it for everything else ????

[killswitch505]

wow someone is doin meth lol looks good bro are you going to let it age a little i find that helps
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[TuscaloosaQ]

Trailerbuilder, you are off to a jam up cooker I am sitting back and learning. I myself have a patio model to build and i am getting some ideas. Your work is fantastic keep posting those pics

[erniesshop]

[ChuckieD]

killswitch505 said,

[TrailerBuilder]

Awning Guy, Thanks man, this is a fast build (for me anyways) and Im planning on a photo album of the build for the new owner...the more I have thought of that though, he might just get a Smoke Ring link


My Man Chuck, thank you for the kind words bro, this is a rush job for sure, wanna start a UDS and race again


GF, Thanks for taking a look, cant live without the wheel jig, turns a couple hour process into a few minutes.


John, Thanks my friend I cant even begin to tell you how high $$ the rent is on Robin's garage Beer thirty is always open here, stop by sometime.


Mike, you know that Santa Maria is on the backburner for various reasons bro...yep, your one of them Just Kidding man, Ill work on that one soon enough


Ernie, funny you should ask about the square tubing wheels, I have a bud who's looking into a tubing roller, pretty cool machine, hope he coughs up the dough for it so I can use it at free will


Denny, No crazy stuff going on in the garage on this one bro


TQ, Thank you bro, I have seen your work, and compliments coming from you rates pretty high in my books
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X2 Finished Build
Disco Time
Fire Pit

[garyeng]

Excellent progress!!!

I have to say I think you should just leave the vise grips on as the wheel retainers. It will make for a good conversation piece.

Gary
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3rd Coast Smoke

[TrailerBuilder]

garyeng wrote:

[TrailerBuilder]

Havent made much progress since the weekend but have crawled a little forward anyways.

Got the door on the firebox marked and cut out.


Marked out the chamber door and did some cutting on it as well. While I was letting it cool down before the final cuts on it, I got the firebox door hinges on and final welded.


This is the style of hinge I used on the firebox and plan on using it on the cooker door as well. They are easy to use, work well and look pretty good too



Got the chamber door finished cut out. Was about 10" into the first cut and she let out a huge "PING", not what a person wants to hear that early into a cut. k.a.m. laughs and says "good luck" and Wreckless says its time to "go to the dark side" and build a square door. By the time I got it out, it had only moved 1/4" or so, I think my logging chain and 5lb sledge can whoop that back into shape with no problems at all.



Havent got as much done this week as I would have liked but has been a busy week so far. Looks like the rain from Issac is upon us for a couple days, they are calling for 6-10 inches of rain by Saturday, seems like it will be a great weekend to sit in the garage and burn some steel


Issac is here...



More to come...
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X2 Finished Build
Disco Time
Fire Pit

[erniesshop]

Bro...............Watch out for Issac !

[k.a.m.]

Troy, as always awesome work my Friend. X3 is looking fantastic I look forward to seeing some more pics and updates.
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Always remember slow and steady wins the race.

Hybrid Cooker

[killswitch505]

looks great bro you may want to slow down a little when you rush something is when mistakes happen
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[Wreckless]

Nice pit
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[daddywoofdawg]

I'm impressed with the pictures that zoey drew and you didn't even notice!
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