DarrinG's Stumper Build

Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 12:06 pm

Well the wheels are in motion today. I just had a little pow wow session with my father inlaw or my welder if thats what you want to call him. He gave me quite a few great pointers and ideas.

He is going to start gathering materials for the fire/ash box assembly and I will start getting the frame materials at work in the next few weeks. I plan to post costs for everything.

DarrinG

Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 2:33 pm

Good show Darrin. Do you have a completion date in mind? Me, I work better when I have a deadline. It seems to give me more of an incentive. Looking forward to seeing pictures of the build as it develops.

Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 3:52 pm

Well as it stands right now I would like to have it done before May. Thats when my wife is due with our first child and I would like to have a big cook for everyone that comes over.

But as it stands right now. The charcoal chute which will be 8 inch pipe and the ash box should be done within the next few weeks. My father inlaw is getting everything done at work and will bring the whole works home later. The first full week of December is the steel sale at work so I should have everything cut for the frame and the front door by the 9th of December. As for everything else I don't know when I will get the rest done. It all depends on my FIL (father inlaw), because he's the one with the welder.

Also for the inside my FIL has a line on some stainless steel. If he can get it we are going to do the inside in stainless. How sweet would that be.

DarrinG

Posted: Sat Nov 11, 2006 8:00 pm

Yes the SS will be a sweet lining to the cooker. The one thing you do have to keep in mind though, is that the SS will expand and contract at a different rate than the mild steel. But if your FIL is a welder he will already be aware of this.

Posted: Sat Dec 02, 2006 12:35 am

Well it might be baby steps but at least its steps. My FIL showed up today with the charcoal chute and the steel for the fire box. He got be some 8 inch pipe for the charcoal chute so hopefully that will do be just fine.

So far the cost is nothing. This is a good start. LOL

DarrinG

Posted: Sun Dec 03, 2006 1:47 am

Well I've been double checking my numbers here as I prepare for the onslaught of cutting I plan on doing next week for my steel and I noticed one small problem.

With making the fire chute bigger (8 inch pipe) the OD of the pipe is going to be bigger then the 8 inch gap I currently have. The in fact only messes up one piece of steel. That is as long as the fix I am proposing will work. So the fix would be to make the one frame piece 1.5 square stock instead of 2 inch. This would then give me a gap of 8.5 inches to fit the pipe. Also is it OK to place the fire chute right up next to the cooking chamber? Or should there be a gap there?

Please let me know.

Thanks

DarrinG

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 8:25 pm

I can't see where it would cause a problem Darrin. Even a small air space would probably be beneficial.

Posted: Mon Dec 04, 2006 11:28 pm

So Jim with my 8 inch pipe I figure I will have less then an inch clearance on the front and back of the pipe. This should be ok? Or should I look into making the whole unit wider to accommodate the extra pipe?

Please let me know.

DarrinG

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:05 am

Are you saying you can get about 3/4" of insulation between the ipe and the inner and outer skins? If so I think that will work fine.

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 12:37 pm

Sorry for all of the sudden questions Jim. I just want to make it right the first time. I do have a bit of room to make the smoker another 2 inches longer to allow for the larger pipe. My only concern would be for the sheet metal.

DarrinG

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:08 pm

I think you should make hte Smoker 2 inches longer. I have 2 inches of Rock wool on my fire box and the fire box still gets really hot. With too little insulation you could end up with the shute side of you cooker being a great deal better then the other side.

Posted: Tue Dec 05, 2006 10:44 pm

Thanks QObsession,

That was my thought too. From the way my calculations are running I have about 6 inches or so left on each length of tubing so I should be able to add the 2 inches to each. I just have to account for the 1/8 for each chop saw cut.

Thanks again,

DarrinG

Posted: Tue Dec 12, 2006 6:09 pm

Well tomorrows the big day. I'm cutting all of the steel for the frame and front door! Also I've decided to make the whole unit 2 inches wider to account for the 8 inch pipe I will be using as the fire box.

So over all the unit will be 28 inches deep, 50 inches wide and 60 inches tall.

The cooking chamber will remain 26 deep, 36 wide and 48 tall.

Here to tomorrow! I've have picks (of a crap load of steel) and prices for everything.

DarrinG

BBQ Nut Joined: 05 Aug 2006 Posts: 162 : Items

Darrin......
Keep grinding welds.
Just when you think it will never come together... voila' there it is.
Don

Posted: Wed Dec 13, 2006 9:33 am

Darrin -- it looks like you will probably get your Stumper clone done before mine. I'm just coming through the designing phase and will be rounding up material as well. And like you, I'm at the mercy of someone else to do my welding so their schedule could impact the timeframe as well.

Best of luck with your build.