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Grilling on a firebox for a reverse flow smoker..... anyone doing this?

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    Grilling on a firebox for a reverse flow smoker..... anyone doing this?

    Making headway on my 72 gallon propane tank reverse flow smoker. While drawing and designing firebox decided to add a small grill and lid to cook steaks or grill veggies or fish. Looking for ideas, tips advice for anyone who has designed this feature into their smoker. Would like to here from you guys. Thanks in advance.

    #2
    I've grilled a lot my Yoder Wichita's firebox. It's nice to have that option, and that's why I ended up choosing a flip-top firebox myself. Although I regretably didn't build my own so I don't have anything by way of tips or advice.

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      #3
      I didn't design it, but my Old Country Over and Under smoker has this feature. The expanded steel rack that slides out from the top of the cooking chamber doubles as a grill grate for the fire box. You might check the academy.com site for more detail.

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        #4
        You can also add a hinged griddle over the top of the expanded metal, that way you can have a griddle and a grill built it. Third layer would be a door to shut everything off when using as a conventional firebox. Check out some of the pitmakers on line for other ideas!

        Comment


          #5
          Just curious... how big is a 72 gallon propane tank? The smallest horizontal tank you usually see is 150 gallons or more, with ones below that being upright tanks that stand vertically. A 150 gallon tank would be 24" in diameter, and about 5.5 to 6 feet long. My dad had a 500 gallon tank buried in his front yard at his last house, and that tank was pretty large (I just saw pictures before it got buried).

          Comment


          • Troutman
            Troutman commented
            Editing a comment
            Maybe my math is off but a 72 gallon tank if it were 5' long would be 24" in diameter give or take. Your 150 gallon would be longer than 6' if it were 24" in diameter. More like 11.5'. I say that because 1 cubic foot = 6.5 gallons of volume by dry measure; 2' x 11.5' x 6.5 gal/cf = 149.5 gallons. You sure it wasn't 36" diameter?

          • Lock Stock and Barrel
            Lock Stock and Barrel commented
            Editing a comment
            Diameter 17.5 by 67 inches. Looks like it came out of the back of a propane driven vehicle. My math could be off but I checked several times. Being a retired CPA only means I cant remember how to add!

          #6
          Troutman, I don't think they are allowed to fill the tanks to 100% capacity, and have some sort of reserve capacity.

          Here's a sources - apparently they only fill tanks to 80% capacity by volume. So a 150 gallon tank is filled to 120 gallons, and the typical size is 24 x 82. So a little over 6 feet.

          From a 120 gallon tank to a 1,990 gallon tank, learn more about the differences in propane tank sizes like their measurements and find out which is right for you.

          Propane tanks carried in our inventory include 250 gallon, 500 gallon, and 1000 gallon. Underground and above ground propane tanks are available in all sizes.



          Comment


          • Troutman
            Troutman commented
            Editing a comment
            Yea two comment, don't want to hijack the post. I guess gas distributors use fuzzy math in their calculation of what 150 gallons means. Secondly, they may be using a compressed gas volumetric measurement in lieu of liquid (7.5 gal/cf) or dry (6.5 gal/cf). Whatever I stand corrected, a 150 gallon tank is really not 150 gallons by physical measure.

          • jfmorris
            jfmorris commented
            Editing a comment
            Good point - didn't mean to highjack the thread. I just was wondering how big a smoker we were talking about, and could not find anyone with 72 gallon tanks online. It's gotta be pretty big, considering your normal 20# LP tank only holds a little under 4 gallons any time I've gotten one filled.

          • Troutman
            Troutman commented
            Editing a comment
            How about it Lock Stock and Barrel ? My guess is your tank is 24" dia by 3' long (based on what we just calculated for one twice it's volume in size)

          #7
          I do it all the time when making my church beans with my cast iron skillit to fry the bacon and onions. Also when doing a briskit started getting hungry in the early morning so broke out the cast griddle and started making bacon and have used it to boil water when some place and no hot water avalible.

          Comment


            #8
            Click image for larger version

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ID:	493366 Here are some pictures of my less than professional welding. Learning on the fly. Although its tough to see, Click image for larger version

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ID:	493365 it has a linear arrangement of 5 or 6 outlets and inlets on one end. Around 2 inch 1 inch and 1 and 1 - 1/2 holes with threads all lined up. I presume for filling. Sending to engine, pop off valves, have to just guess .

            Here are some pictures of it.
            Attached Files

            Comment


              #9
              I grill or sear on my firebox all the time on my horizontal stick burner. I just flip the top open and I have a grate from a old gasser I throw on top and grill/sear away. I would never design a stick burner that didn't have a door on the top of the firebox and one on the side or front. I use the top door for loading wood and stirring the coals and the front door to empty the ash pan.

              Here is a pic of searing a tri tip over my fire box.

              Click image for larger version

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                #10
                Welllll!!!! Did the old adage ...stupid is as stupid does. Was not wearing my safety gear 2 months ago and dropped a 4-1/2 cutting wheel grinder down the inseam of my leg. Result 5 inch cut 2 inches deep, 4 internal stitch's and 14 external and twice a week wound care with vacuum pump, compression bandages and a holes that's taken 8 weeks so far to start healing over and not done yet. Moral of that story is when welding, cutting and making up parts for your BBQ smoker build.... wear your safety gear guys! This has put me substantially behind on finishing my reverse smoke but have begun work again while limping and bandaged up. Worst cut even the doctor has seen. Here is an update after much delay over stupidity. Click image for larger version

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                Bruno is my helper making sure no grinding sparks get away. Crazy dog bites at every spark shower!
                Turns out my goal to balance the smoker turned out really well. Can lift the end with handles over obstacles and rides nicely over large bumps and curbs due to 16 inch tires. Making grates this week and should be able to fire up! Can not wait to cure with oil spray and put on some ribs! Where's my beer?

                Comment


                • Henrik
                  Henrik commented
                  Editing a comment
                  Awesome build!

                #11
                That is one fine looking rig you got there! I really want to do something like this one of these days. And glad you are going to be ok from that accident.

                Comment


                  #12
                  Nice looking cooker! I am sorry for your injury, and hope you completely recover!
                  That will not need a very big fire to run at smoking temps. I have one that is 250 gal tank size and one at 125 gal tank size. The smaller one is easy to get too hot if fire is not kept very small. The bigger one is easier to control fire.

                  Comment


                    #13
                    Well, after 3 months of healing up from my sliced up leg due to stupidity of not wearing my safety gear here is the final 72 gallon reverse smoker I have built! This was built with all 1/4 inch plate with me at the helm of a Lincoln 140 flux wire welder. Not very pretty when it comes to welds but after enough passes it appears to be pretty strong. Features that I put into this were pet peaves I have had with store bought offset smokers. 1.) Firebox's are always too small to put regular cut 24 inch fire wood so I had to always cut wood up. Made this 24 x 22 x 22 inches. 2.) Handles always rust out and pivot bolts for air intakes so I used stainless steel wire coil handles, stainless steel bolts for center pivot for air intake, stainless steel handle on chimney cover / damper. Welded stainless steel nuts and washers on each part .....we will see just how these react to dissimilar metals touching.
                    3.) Very tight firebox door with less than 1/16 inch clearance on all side to stay airtight., 4.) Large Expanded wire tables at 2 locations to put food, plates, BBQ forks etc.... 5.) Hole with plate on back of smoker to run temperature probes, removable and adjustable. 6.) Large 1/4 inch BBQ smoke stack 6" diameter mounted on 1/4 plated mount base to take years to rust out. A plus for rinsing out creosote and black char since you can put your hands in it. 7.) As you can see from the picture I choose to put my drain in the middle of the reverse flow plate to allow drippings to go to center. This was so I can run a wire down drain for big chunks that sometimes clog up. 8.) My biggest complaint with store bought offsets............cruddy nonfunctional wheels to move pit around. I installed 16 inch soft rubber riding mower wheels on a 3/4 inch axles inserted into a 3/4 inch galvanized pipe and put stainless steel washers on the inside and outside of tires. This 600 pound beast allows me to roll this around in the grass and on the concrete with ease...notice the very long handles at the end of the pit for leverage! How dis I test it? Moved it around the grass to do some welding and up a large raised patio that did take some doing to paint underneath. 9.) Used 1200 degree paint in 2 tones to paint unit so I will not have to maintain very often! 10.) Smoker lid is gasket sealed and balanced perfectly to open with one hand.

                    Cost: Propane tank - Free, 2 4x8 sheets 1/4 steel, 1/4 x 6 inch stack, angle iron, 1.5 inch 1/4 inch tubing. and 2 20 foot pieces of 1/4 and 3/16 inch flat bar $680.00 , welding supplies and bullet hinges $325.00, paint $80.00 stainless wire handles $54.00 total cost before hospital bills....$1,139.00.....and around the final price ISSS........wait for it.............. $11,000.00 !

                    Final verdict after 2 -13 hour Meathead briskets and 2 pork ribs... Pit does excellent job of maintaining 225 degree F. Requires very little charcoal, I use the non briquette stuff... and creates a beautiful blue smoke for hours on end with very little fiddling with the fire except on re-stoking pecan and charcoal. Drawback.... do not ask my 4-11" wife to move the pit onto the patio. This is known to us in the tool trade as semi-portable. Very semi or more like a Semi.

                    Comment


                      #14
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                        #15
                        Nice rig!!!

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