Where to find?

[Ruben]

Well thanks to Curtis who made the suggestion to me the other day and riverrat today that I call the local propane co-op and asked if they ever get any tanks they don't use and the man said well hardly ever but just so happens we had a house that caught fire and it caught a tank on fire and if you want it come get it free of charge so I did. It is a 100 gallon tank about 45 inches by 30 inches and looks to have 3/16 thick steel, so I can definatly work with this. It will be my winter project and will probably take me more time to plan the way I want it than it will to build it! I am looking to do something like this http://www.gatorpit.net/pauls_budget_mobile2.jpg or maybe even this http://www.gatorpit.net/Dereks_Bandit.jpg

[Barry]

Ruben -

You'll notice that when you get into cookers of this magnitude, the little spray bottle just won't cut it. I see a fire extinguisher is needed!

[tecumseh]

ruben adds:
so I can definatly work with this. It will be my winter project and will probably take me more time to plan the way I want it than it will to build it! I am looking to do something like this http://www.gatorpit.net/pauls_budget_mobile2.jpg or maybe even this http://www.gatorpit.net/Dereks_Bandit.jpg

tecumseh replies:
kind of puny by texas standards, don't you think? must be built by a yankee transplant, cause no self respecting texan would construct anything smaller than a pit that would require a one ton truck to lug about. heck if you can't cook half a calf or one pig at one sittin'... what is the point anyway?

seriously though ruben, I would HIGHLY SUGGEST that you get some professional advice or assistance before you cut into any kind of fuel holding cannister with any kind of saw or gas torch. the first thing you don't wish to barbacue is yourself.

lastly (having constructed a pit or two myself) I would suggest to you that there is much more important detail in regards to the stack (flue, exhaust) than most folks might suspect (at least this detail was not so obvious to me when I constructed my first pit).

[Ruben]

Hi Tecumseh,

The guy who owns gatorpits name is Rich, I don't know if he is a transplnt but this is his personal pit http://www.gatorpit.net/Texas_Legend_Doors_Open_2.jpg

I ordered a pit design cd from Ebay that is from a pit maker in Texas who supposed to have all those important things in the cd plus will answer any questions it does not cover by e-mail if you purchased the cd. It was $15 sort I figured it was worth the shot to get it right.

As for the propane tank, it caught fire and burned everything out the top of it. Plus I am an auto mechanic by trade so I am going to do what any crazy mechanic would do to test it. I am going to point it out away from everything and pour a small stream of gas a little ways away from the tank and then light the stream and hide! If it does not blow then I'm good to go.

[tecumseh]

howdy ruben
nice lookin' pit... the fellow obviously (from the design of the pit) likes to do a lot of smoked meat. here in texas (where size is everything) pits can get quite over the top... if you know what I mean? I have seem some (and moved one) that was 20 foot long and required a 30 foot float and a cheery picker to move.

in most cases I have found plans to be well worth their price in that they answer a lot of questions quite directly which you could have only obtained via experience (which can be quite expensive in other ways to obtain).

the old hands would likely have simply flooded the internal part of the vessel with carbon dioxide or perhaps argon (both are inert and come in botttles from your local welding supply store) and cranked up the gas wrench and start hackin' away. anyway.... quite evidently you realize that what you are planning to do is NOT without risk so be as careful as you possible can and if possible get some local 'professional' assistance if you don't feel totally confident in your approach.

bee safe and good luck...