Reverse Flow Smoker / BBQ Pit Project - Lots of Pictures

[elvis]

Okay, I have some pipe now! How did the soaker hose work for a plasma guide? I've got some sch20 24" pipe and it is 3/8" thick. My little tiny plasma will not pierce that, but I can edge start. I think I'll drill a start hole and then plasma cut it using your soaker hose guide idea. I like that!

BTW, .375 wall is going to be awesome once it is complete, but it is very heavy and bulky!

[rl.robertson]

Okay, I have some pipe now! How did the soaker hose work for a plasma guide? I've got some sch20 24" pipe and it is 3/8" thick. My little tiny plasma will not pierce that, but I can edge start.

Awesome!! That's some hefty pipe.. You'll like it though- being that thick it'll take a bit to get up to temp, but it'll hold and regulate heat like nobody's business.

I was looking around for something flexible to clamp around when I cut my pipe, and my neighbor had a sprinkler hose he was throwing out. It's flat, rather rigid, and thick. I thought I'd try it since it was trash anyways. I put a link in below so you can see what I'm referring to.

soaker-sprinkler-hose.jpg

If you have at least one squared end to work off of, then just measure in whatever distance you're wanting the cut, and mark it in 6 or so places.. Then cut a length of that style hose or whatever else you can find just about 4 inches longer than the OD of the pipe. I stretched it as tight as i could, and clamped the ends together following my guide marks. As long as you run the torch against it with little pressure, it stayed in place fine for me as an edge guide. The heat melted parts of the trailing edge to the pipe, but a wire wheel on the angle grinder cleaned it off in a hurry. Initially I tried free hand, but went back with that hose, and took off about 1/2 inch to get it near perfect. That really made my end caps go a lot smoother. (Smaller gap to fill)

(Looking at your footer) I have the Cutmaster 42 as well, and that's what I used to make my Grillzilla. Awesome torch for the price. Make sure you got the 40 amp drag tip on there when you're cutting that thick of material. I learned quick that the smaller amp tips don't work when trying to cut that thick of material.

Keep us posted on your pit build! Building it is just as much fun as BBQing on it!

[elvis]

Awesome!! That's some hefty pipe.. You'll like it though- being that thick it'll take a bit to get up to temp, but it'll hold and regulate heat like nobody's business.

I was looking around for something flexible to clamp around when I cut my pipe, and my neighbor had a sprinkler hose he was throwing out. It's flat, rather rigid, and thick. I thought I'd try it since it was trash anyways. I put a link in below so you can see what I'm referring to.

soaker-sprinkler-hose.jpg

If you have at least one squared end to work off of, then just measure in whatever distance you're wanting the cut, and mark it in 6 or so places.. Then cut a length of that style hose or whatever else you can find just about 4 inches longer than the OD of the pipe. I stretched it as tight as i could, and clamped the ends together following my guide marks. As long as you run the torch against it with little pressure, it stayed in place fine for me as an edge guide. The heat melted parts of the trailing edge to the pipe, but a wire wheel on the angle grinder cleaned it off in a hurry. Initially I tried free hand, but went back with that hose, and took off about 1/2 inch to get it near perfect. That really made my end caps go a lot smoother. (Smaller gap to fill)

(Looking at your footer) I have the Cutmaster 42 as well, and that's what I used to make my Grillzilla. Awesome torch for the price. Make sure you got the 40 amp drag tip on there when you're cutting that thick of material. I learned quick that the smaller amp tips don't work when trying to cut that thick of material.

Keep us posted on your pit build! Building it is just as much fun as BBQing on it!

I know it could be interesting to get up to temp. I'm thinking about also building a cross style propane burner to get to work going quicker. I did a bunch of freehand cutting with my 42 of .5" plate. That was fine because I had to go so slow. .375 should go a bit faster and I like the guide you came up with!

Thanks for the suggestions!

[lanceman73]

So, I've been looking to build one too. How or what is reverse smoking? How do you achieve this?

Lance

[rl.robertson]

So, I've been looking to build one too. How or what is reverse smoking? How do you achieve this?

Lance

A standard offset smoker had the firebox on one end (the right), and the smoke stack on the other end (left side of cook chamber). This is the most common smoker design. The down side to these are that the temperature on the cooking grate can vary up to 100 degrees from one end of the cooking chamber to the other. That means you can only utilize part of the cooking area, because the side by the fire would scorch food. The plus to these though are that they are cheaper to buy or build, and use less wood.

A reverse flow has the firebox and the stack on the same side (right). There is a thick plate that directs the smoke/ heat all the way to the left side, a few inches below the cooking rack. It stops before the left end, to allow the heat and smoke to move though the cook chamber. The stack and firebox will be in the same side. This design allows the plate to heat up evenly, and direct the heat up evenly. After I get mine up to temp, I vary 5 - 10 degrees, allowing me to use my entire cook area, and not have to worry about flipping or burning meat. A reverse flow will eat a little more wood, but to me it's worth the trade off.

I say do it.. Its a fun project that we have really enjoyed. Post some pictures if you build one.

[Bistineau]

A standard offset smoker had the firebox on one end (the right), and the smoke stack on the other end (left side of cook chamber). This is the most common smoker design. The down side to these are that the temperature on the cooking grate can vary up to 100 degrees from one end of the cooking chamber to the other. That means you can only utilize part of the cooking area, because the side by the fire would scorch food. The plus to these though are that they are cheaper to buy or build, and use less wood.

A reverse flow has the firebox and the stack on the same side (right). There is a thick plate that directs the smoke/ heat all the way to the left side, a few inches below the cooking rack. It stops before the left end, to allow the heat and smoke to move though the cook chamber. The stack and firebox will be in the same side. This design allows the plate to heat up evenly, and direct the heat up evenly. After I get mine up to temp, I vary 5 - 10 degrees, allowing me to use my entire cook area, and not have to worry about flipping or burning meat. A reverse flow will eat a little more wood, but to me it's worth the trade off.

I say do it.. Its a fun project that we have really enjoyed. Post some pictures if you build one.

I built mine a little differently. It's not a reverse smoker and it's not a standard design. It looks like a standard until you open the lid. Where as most of the standard ones have an opening from the fire box to the cooking chamber resulting in uneven heat distribution. I welded a 4"x4" peice of square tubing to the firebox and extended it all the way across the cooking chamber and capped the end. I then cut holes in the front and back of it for the smoke and heat to come out. The holes to the opposite end are slightly larger than the ones next to the firebox. This helps even out the smoke and heat distribution across the cooking surface. Next I got 2 big lasagna pans and welded some 1/2"x1/2" angle iron to the square tubing to hold the pans. The pans serve as water pans to add steam and keep the meats moist during cooking, each holds 1 gallon of water. I smoked 2 turkeys on this set up at the same time, one over each pan, took about 7 hours. I did not have to move the birds the whole time, just keep the fire fed, and they both turned out perfect, neither one cooked more or less than the other and both were very moist and juicy. This configuration may be an idea for someone that already has a standard type design but would like to make change it to better control the heat. Just close off the opening from the firebox and install the large tubing as I did. This would be an easier conversion on this type on smoker without having to move the stack and all that. And you can do the water pan thing too.

[k.a.m.]

rl.robertson, very nice work on your cooker I like it.

lanceman73, tuning plates afford you the same even heat as a reverse flow does but you can manipulate the plates for hotter cooking if need be. Then there is the Hybrid style that affords you the option to cook in either reverse flow or tuning plate.
Here is a link to my competition trailer cooker I hope this helps.
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=60519

[SNUNEZ]

Where did you find the pipe?
?
I am in Fort Worth , also will you be so kind and send me plans?

e mail sirnunez53@aol.com

looks good Thanks

[Doughboyracer]

rl.robertson, very nice work on your cooker I like it.

lanceman73, tuning plates afford you the same even heat as a reverse flow does but you can manipulate the plates for hotter cooking if need be. Then there is the Hybrid style that affords you the option to cook in either reverse flow or tuning plate.
Here is a link to my competition trailer cooker I hope this helps.
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=60519

Questions for you:
1. Instead of using a torch to start the fire(s) why not install a burner?
(Just to get it going of course.) (Is that a no no in competition?)
2. Why wood skirting on the sink?
3. Did you ever think of putting the water tank up and skipping the pump?
(It could have gone above the back splash...?)
Love the build!