gas bottle bullit type smoker

[photostore]

Hey guys, i guess this is going to be a controversial one with the gas bottle element but here goes ( i already have the two new bottles,47kg each, empty,de-valved,flushed and aired)

I have already built an offset smoker from a large bottle 47kg i think and a smaller one for the fire box and this springs project is an upright bullit type smoker, i have seen pics of the pro q type and my question is this-are they sealed between sections with some kind of gasket ?
My intention is to weld in a flat bar edging on the inside of the top of each piece to ease placement/alignment and already have 1300c food grade black silicone for any sealing, i reckon i can make a perfect seal and a good looking job by adhering the silicone to one edge and dipping the matching other section/edge in washing up liquid to stop it adhering while it sets as a perfect mould of the meeting edge.
The vents on the pro q appear to be following the contours of the round lid but i havnt seen any for sale, yes there are round vents but they are all flat so won't fit the bottle very well..anyone know if pro q sell spares and where id get a couple.
Any help would be most appreciated, Andy.

PS: Disclaimer....Gas bottles can be deadly, mine were professionally emptied and de-commissioned, Dont try de-commissioning yourself.

[All Weather Griller]

Hi Andy,

I have seen uprights made from Gas bottles before but they had a long door on the front as opposed to cooking sections like a ProQ.

http://assets.smokingmeatforums.com.s3.amazonaws.com/e/e0/e0704948_vbattach14552.jpg

They don't have any seals between the sections and the daisy wheels are contoured to the shape of the base and the lid. The seals around the doors are merely aluminium depressions in door pattern so there is no "Air" tight seal anywhere on the BBQ. This is also the same for WSM.

Just a point on the cooking sections of yours, I would suggest a review of your handle type. In my opinion I don't think the ones on the Excel would meet your needs due to the weight in your cooking stacks.

The seal idea sounds spot on. I would have the seal open at the bottom so it slides onto your base or stack unit. I found with both the excel and the WSM that they ingress water, and I would design to avoid.

Looking forward to seeing some pics on this project as you embark.

Cheers

Adie

[photostore]

cooking oil !!! Doh...i guess thats why i'm a newbie and here though.

Good ideas Guys and keep em coming, hopefully i'm starting the build at the weekend weather permitting ( talking of weather, am i the only Scot on here? )
i'll get some pics up too as i go along

Cheers guys, Andy

[All Weather Griller]

Hi Andy,

I'm half jock if that counts, but I have never lived in the land. My family are originally from Perth but now reside in the Kilmarnock area, some worked for Johnny Walker for a while.

I do believe you are the most northern occupant of our little island on the forum.

Looking forward to the pics.

Adie

[photostore]

Sorry, there are no pics yet guys but the weather up here has been terrible and i havent even got started, what with work and........(we got snow again last night)
As soon as i get going with it i'll get some pics up.

I have decided to attempt it this time around without any welding, using rivets where required ( pop rivets and copper )

On a side note i got a load of cherry wood this week, anyone care to try and put into words the colours and aromas i can expect, what it goes well with etc as i have never tried cherry before.
Andy

[photostore]

"What sort of distance are you going to have the fire from the food?"

Well, thats the big question and i'm open to opinions ?
The bottles not as wide as a wsm but is taller so im thinking three grills at diff heights, the one i really need to know is the standard clearance of the wsm and other bullit types between the heat source and first grill/shelf, after that im thinking large chicken size plus couple of inches spare, working up the can....real technical eh !

Also im using steel plate for grills (with the round six mm holes every where) rather than mesh...any thoughts?

[photostore]

Cheers Al, never thought about the grilling effect !

[Smartie]

What I did to seal doors was to run the silicon around the door, then cut grease proof paper and lie it on the opening, then shut the door, with the silicon ageist the paper and let it to cure, when dry just trim off, and what paper is left just burns off and you end up with a spot on seal. I do find that one of the fascinating things about smoking is the tinkering, you think that you have sort one thing and then you find some thing else to try and sort out. Every Q day is different

smartie

[serbio666]

Hi there,
This is my first question as a new member of BBBQ Society.

Last year I cobbled together a smoker using a Beefmaster grill using indirect heat on the meat and cake tins with perforated lids and woodchips in them for the smoke.

Pretty lame I know.

I am going to build something bigger, better and GENUINE and have got these plans http://www.compuvices.com/smoker.shtml

Does anyone know:
a) if it looks like a good model and do you know anyone that has followed them out
and if so
b) where can I get a decommissioned canister that big in the UK

Sorry if this is answer previously somewhere else - I haven't been able to find it.

Thanks loads.

F

[keith157]

In all honesty people I am truly impressed with the ingenuity of the folks on this here forum. Now my daughter is 22 I have to look for the granchildren to help build me stuff