Rustic Soul reverse flow smoker pictures

[Huskee]

Lol. Well advice is advice, here you see what heat resistant paint won't do! It won't make 3 years of heavy use with minimal coats. You can sort of see the main body is still spotless.

[rusticsoul]

jesus huskee, and i was tkaing paint advice from a man with a smoker lookng like that. WHAT THE!! ha So curling dog an ash pan, well we havent inculded it on this as the door goes right to the edge of the firebox so its super easy to dust out the ash. But in saying that we are doing a store with many varionts per product so you can have a smoker with coloured doors, counter weight ash pan, square firebox or cirlcular ash pan or not etc. We wan to keep costs down for the consumer in Australia as they are a heap more expensive here. Im hoping though that varions to a product is the way to go, it just giuves the end consumber a lot more choice based on their allocated budget.

[DWCowles]

When you do get around doing it. Try keeping it oil down with bacon greese. Treat it like you would an iron skillet.

[Huskee]

Yeah I thought about it last year. Then I though how the rust would still be there "next year". Now next year is approaching. I might do it this year. Or "next". Haha.

[DWCowles]

Huskee you need to get the grinding wheel out and getcha some high temp paint for that fire box

[Huskee]

rusticsoul here's now my Yoder firebox hinges are made. Also notice the 2 o'clock positioning of them, and the style lifts the lid off slightly when it's open, giving more of a sway. It has a heat plate built in to the firebox lid which doubles as a counterweight. It takes some pull to close it for safety. I don't necessarily mean for you to copy this design specifically, but it points you in the direction of what other makers are doing. To be more practical I wish the heat plate was larger. Even a small sauce pan heating up BBQ sauce doesn't sit securely on it. But I've opnly done that a couple times, haven't really needed to use the heat plate much.

(And yes, it's 3 years old and is showing some good rust. Firebox hi-heat paint doesn't last forever )

[CurlingDog]

Your ideas are intriguing to me and I wish to subscribe to your newsletter Have you given any thought on a ash drawer on the bottom of the firebox to allow for easier ash cleanout? I realize it creates potential air infiltration issues but it could also be an easier way to get air under the fire? just thinking out loud... I'm am in love with this unit.

[rusticsoul]

Well that is a really good point I hadnt thought of. But in regards to that, when we built it I didnt like the idea of the hinges we have used. There bloody strong (and the workshop guys thought they would be great but 1. allow a minut amount of water in and 2. it only lets you go so far back with the door. Really good point though about it slamming on you. So I will defianetly change this design on our first sellers, I would love to put counter weights on the doors but it adds a greater cost to our smoker and we are trying to keep the price down on them. But as I have just set up variable products on my website I may add it as an optional extra. Good point Huskee.

Now the paint, its been disaster after disaster, sort of. First we got delivered that zinc stuff, then they sent our other delivery to the wrong state, then my painter, "had to much on" (Fired) ha. So for my first smoker I am going to paint it with VHT cans......... how do you think it will look. very apprehensive about it but dont have a lot of choice. I just really need photos this weekend so I can get my website up and am busy for the next month so it is my only time to paint, take photos and test. How do you think vht matte black cans come out

[Huskee]

Looks great! You want to make sure your balance point for your lids is far enough back (speaking mostly about your firebox lid in this case) and/or have counterweights on them to help hold them open so a stiff breeze wont try to shut it on you, busting your fingers or your head when you least expect it.

Many people think counterweights on lids are only for assisting opening them. They actually serve a dual purpose- they help you open the heavy lids yes, but they also help keep them open so there are no injuries with it flopping back shut in the wind. Those lids could take fingers clean off. Or messy off.

My firebox hinge is further back from yours, to move the center of gravity back so it's on the downward side of gravity when it's open. Hopefully you have a stiff hinge here to avoid accidents in that regard.

I like the pull-out grates, mine doesn't have that on the main ones (it does the top one though) and it would be a nice feature for sure.

Can't wait to see it with a snazzy paint job!

[Jerod Broussard]

Nice. The guy with Gator Pits would rather install round fireboxes if they are not insulated.

[Jon Solberg]

Looking GREAT!

[rusticsoul]

And she is nearly done guys. Going to make quite a few mods on our next model. But stay tuned I will have plenty more updates coming.

[David Parrish]

Remind me I need to look up the word "bubantic". =)

[Jon Solberg]

These look sweet RS!

[rusticsoul]

I have some more photos for you guys I hope you like. not sure if i like the legs at this stage they look a little to small for me. we were going to put bit sort triangle plates for legs but the took away from the smoker. what do you think square legs or cicular, thicker or thinner.

I also put the overlap for the doors on the inside which i will now change on the next one so the lip is on the outside to stop water going inside and rusting the weld joins.