Water holding tank smoker

[tkbiker_68]

Workin on building a smoker , building a vertical out of a water holding tank about 4' tall. Have not cut anything yet trying to get all of my facts straight before i go and ruin something! Open to any ideas u might have on what i should do and what i should not do with it.

Would like some opinions on if i should cut the top off and make a lid out of it or cut a door on the side and leave the top alone?
Is there any difference between the two ideas that will change the way the smoker operates? Make it better or worse?

Also the bottom of the tank is not flat, should i make it flat or leave it rounded or does it matter?

Please dont hold back!

Thanks in advance for any info you could pass along.
Todd

[bigwheel]

I would leave the top intact (except for an exhaust) and make a door on the front. Maybe two doors. A big one for tending the meat and another smaller door at the bottom for fire tending, ash removal, air intakes ect. Thinking maybe cutting and hinging the bottom might be a good plan. Make the swinging bottom your ash catcher. Just a thought.

bigwheel

[Cliff H.]

I have had a " work in progress " for about two years now. I had all my thoughts together and when I went to cutting.......well.....One thing or another has kept me from finishing it.

I can tell you from experience that the metal is going to flex when you cut it. If the section that I had cut out would have maintained it's shape then I would be done already.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=13912

At 48" overall length, I would recomend building it UDS style....You can't go wrong with that design. It might be a little long after you mount some feet on it. I would cut the top off and make a lid. I would cut the section directly under the lid to give you an overall height of around 40" from the bottom of the feet to the top edge of the cooking section below the lid.

What I am describing you is exactly what I plan to do to my other " work in progress" that I have only had for one year.

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=16968

[bigwheel]

The tendency to warp will depend on the thickness of the tank wall skill of the cutter..whether he got plasma arc blah blah blah. Taking a lid off a cooker is not a good idear. Its the old hot air rising law which makes the concept nonsensical. Cools the pit plumb off..sides it also heavy and there aint no place to put it etc. Just picture frame around the door with some thin stuff and pound it in place. Works like a charm. Mount the hinges after the first cut. Mount the latch after the second cut. Tack the picture frame material as you go. Easy peasy.

bigwheel

[tkbiker_68]

Well....... im TOSSING around an idea about making this tank a cold smoker..... Ive talked with alot of people and one of the things i will be smoking alot of is salmon.....? and they way i unerstand it cold smoking is the way to go with fish.?? any truth to this?

My back yard is flat until the back then i have a good short hill.

My thoughts are to make a brick grilling area and add a place i can have a fire and direct the smoke uphill (underground) to the bottom of my smoker..


Any thoughts on this?? again like i said in my very first post i want to try to cover all my bases before i cut anything....

Thanks for all of the welcomes..its good to have a place to go to get this kind of valuable knowledge base.

The pepperoni and prescutio i smoked with a buddy came out great (pics to follow)..a little more tweeking on the Pepperoni recipe will do the trick. I like mine a little hotter than the average folk..LOL
Todd