The next build - the MK48.2! 250-gallon on a yard cart.

[realdocBBQ]

Big Booty Betty went to the spa for a little light 'dermabrasion'.

BEFORE:



And AFTER:





I told him to just lightly blast her, just to get the paint off. Buyer wanted to leave the mill scale, so that's what we did. Much faster, easier and cheaper, took no time at all to blast the paint off. Gonna finish her up, needs therms, probe ports, D-rings for tie down, aaaaaaaannnnnddd... oh yeah, some gasket on the doors.

Then I'll fire her up and oil her down. I think it's gonna look awesome with the mill scale and the oil.

Stay tuned!

[Sid P]

Nice! So it’s sold?

[realdocBBQ]

Yes, this was a contracted build.

[DTro]

Amazing!!!

[RonB]

Hey - it's been over 16 hours since your past post. Where are the finished photos?

[realdocBBQ]

I did a bunch today, but my div a gamn and shiv a gitter are busted. I dunno why I'm so down today. Got therms and probe ports done, finished the stack damper, d-ring tie downs, spring handles on everything, got some small removable shelves done to set thermometer units on (like a Fireboard), they'll just slide into some tubing I'll tack on... Picked up the signage/nameplates. Those will go on tomorrow...

I mean it's essentially done. A little grinding on a couple spots, but it's ready to get a little rust going and fire it up.

I'm just... Bleh today. I dunno. No pics sorry. Just all in the doldrums.

[barelfly]

You need some you time man! I know you enjoy building these, but you need to do something for yourself!

[realdocBBQ]

I've done plenty of sitting on my arse lately. I read a lot. I feel a little better now, got a cold beer in me, made some fresh tea, took a shower. I should be ready to finish her up tomorrow and spray her down for some rest and fire her up this week. I might fire her up tomorrow just to see how temps do, but not oil her until the rust sets in.

[Smoker_Boy]

High temperatures will take it out of you.

[Purc]

realdocBBQ How about reconsidering having a relaxing mental health weekend in October with a bunch of great BBQ heads ?

[realdocBBQ]

If I could afford it, I'd love to. Funds are tight these days, unfortunately. And I don't wanna spend the money to drive the Tahoe down there, it's just a gas hog - and my Z isn't running these days. <sigh> Another expense to try to figure out what's wrong with it, once I have some breathing room on income <double sigh>. Prolly gonna be next year.

[realdocBBQ]

ALMOST done. Not quite. Did some things today.

I had put the thermometers in the other day, but I just didn't like the way they came out.

I
I felt they just stuck out too much. Almost 2" off the cooker surface. I drilled 1/4" holes for the stems, then tacked on 1/2" NPT threaded bungs to screw them into. But... too much space between the chamber wall and the thermometer - this also decreases the depth the 4" stems stick into the cook chamber. No like.

So I got out my step bits and drilled holes larger, to fit the treaded portion of the thermometers into the cook chamber. Then used the jam nuts to thread from the inside to secure them to the cook chamber wall. Also cut off the bungs I'd tacked on for the probe ports and welded new ones on. I was thinking of drilling those holes larger, too, and actually inserting the threaded bungs into the wall so they'd be flush, but I decided they were fine how they were and just welded new bungs back in place.

Also worked on some painting. Undercarriage/front axle.


Also did the spring handles, as you can see on the pullbar, as well as the firebox handles and the stack damper control rod.


Also needed to come up with a system for thermometer base unit storage, since there is no side shelf on this unit.

So I made some little 'platforms', about the size of a Fireboard, out of 1/4" plate and some 3/4" angle. Welded some 7/16" rod for standoffs, then a couple of small lengths of 1/2" pipe for keepers, then took the oxyacetylene torch and heated the rods until they got to a point I could bend them in a couple of places to get the little shelves in the orientation I wanted them.


So those are secure, at a comfortable height and angle, and they're easily removable if you don't want to use them. The middle one fits just between the doors, so they can be opened and closed with the thermometer base unit still in place and don't interfere with normal operation. Also did them on 2 rods each so they would be more stable and not moving around if you happen to pull the smoker around the yard, or get knocked out of alignment if you bump one, etc.

Final pics - she's pretty well done. Just needs the logo plates I also had cut by my plasma guy put on. Those I painted up today, I'll weld them on tomorrow, probably, grind a couple little spots, like the backs of the hinges, where I welded in doorstops to keep the doors from going over too far.

Then I'll build a fire, measure temps and oil her down with linseed oil on the outside and canola oil on the inside.

And she'll be ready for pickup! Probably on Wednesday or Thursday of this week.

Came out pretty well, overall. Spent some time grinding down all the sharp points and corners, like the rails and keepers for the sliding racks in the chamber, so someone doesn't catch a forearm on them and gouge themselves - I've learned this trick the hard way.




She'll look nice all cleaned up and oiled down when she's ready for delivery.

<edit> I should note I spent some time yesterday hammering on doors. Put a piece of 2x4 under the partially open door, put a heavy ratchet strap on and tightened it down, then used a big sledgehammer to 'gently finesse' them into compliance. lol Made a difference. They're not perfect, but with a little gasket material, they'll seal just fine.

[Jerod Broussard]

Where's the Drive Shaft??? Great job. I got stainless on the way to add a slight mod to my pellet smoker which means I get to stick weld with some 309 rods. Those very small diameter circles are a hoot to weld.

[Stuey1515]

Thanks for sharing the build, I love reading these sort of threads

[realdocBBQ]

She's been 'branded'.

[Jfrosty27]

Ultra cool. 😎

[realdocBBQ]

Well, she's finally finished. Burn-in yesterday with application of cooking oil inside and linseed oil outside.



A little video walkthrough I did towards the end.

Got a couple little things to button up - well, really just one, have to work on one of the thermometers, trimming out a flange/lip from where the tank head attaches that is causing difficulty tightening down the inner jam nut, which leaves the thermometer loose.

Otherwise, it runs great, draws like a beast and burns hot and clean. Temps are very even, though about 20F lower directly in front of the firebox, courtesy of my vertical throat/baffle design. The area directly in front of the throat is the coolest area. The rest of the lower grate is all 5-10F variance to the end.

Overall, a quite successful endeavor, I believe.

Fireboard session, using 2 Fireboards and 11 temp probes.

https://fireboard.io/sessions/#/sessions/7748376

Sadly, however, I also cracked my new Fireboard 2 Drive, I dropped one of the doors on it and cracked the case and the screen is scrambled. <sigh> Dammit. But it does still function fine and I can monitor through the app perfectly.

<edit> Oh yes - ZERO door leakage of smoke. They were pretty good, only minimal gaps, but I added 1/4" LavaLock gaskets all the way around and they are sealed up TIGHT. No smoke escape. Not that it matters, some people are sticklers about that, but a little smoke leakage means less than nothing in the context of actual cooking. But it's a point of pride for some people.

This thing is a beast, for sure. Now I want to keep her! lol

I give you the completed #HogmollieBBQ Mk48.2 by @realdocBBQ!

[barelfly]

Another great build!! Congrats and thanks for sharing these with us!

[lumbrjk]

Bravo!

[Jfrosty27]

Fantastic! That is one sweet rig.

[realdocBBQ]

Being delivered to the new owners this afternoon. Some final FINAL pics. Did a little more cleanup and shined the tires a little bit. Little better backdrop, too. lol

[Smoker_Boy]

Beautiful work, man.