build your own smokenator for 15 bucks

[bryanw21157]

so. here's what I did.



Materials needed:  1) One 12x24 sheet of 22ga plain sheet steel. 

                               2) One 18x24 sheet of 22ga plain sheet steel

                               3) One small loaf pan from Walmart.  Make sure it's made of steel.

                               4) Weber kettle grill.  Diameter is up to you.



ABSOLUTELY DO NOT BUY GALVANIZED STEEL SHEETS!  HEATING GALVANIZED STEEL WILL KILL YOU!!!!!! (is that enough exclamation points?  If not, here are a few more:  !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!)




I used a piece of cardboard and kind of made a scribe out of a pencil to mark the curvature of the inside of the grill.   I put the cardboard on the charcoal grate and held the pencil horizontally.  I started from the bottom of the bowl and moved the pencil up to the rim.  This will give a decent representation of the curvature of the bowl.   


I made a template out of the cardboard (because it's cheaper than the steel) and cut along the mark the pencil made on the cardboard.  It was close enough for me. 


I measured from the lower crossmember on the charcoal grate up to the cooking grate holder. 

This will be the height of the vertical shield


using the 12x24 piece of steel, I traced the curvature of the bowl onto the steel.  I used a pair of aviation snips to cut the steel.  I checked the curvature and it looked good.  I measured across the bowl to find out how wide to cut the steel.  Apparently, I was off a little bit, since once it was assembled, there is a gap.  it's ok...let's me see the briquettes stacked up.


I cut the curvature on the other end and dry fit.  Looking good.


I put the bottom of the shield on the lower suport of the charcoal grate (makes it parallel to to the top) and marked the tops of the cooking grate supports.  Double checked the measurement I got earlier and they matched. 


took a straighedge and marked the height line across the top of the sheet.  Cut line with snips.  Dry fit again and the vertical shield checked out.  Now, let's make the top shield



I put the 18x24 sheet of steel on top of the kettle.  Laid it across the bowl.  Used the metal part of the grills handles on the bowl as a reference point and aligned the sheet on the handles (note:  I used a bowl with two handles to make this...older grill....if you don't have one of those, I guess line it up on the handle and eye ball it so it is in the same spot on the other side of the bowl)


I marked the curvature of the bowl onto the sheet with a pencil.  Just traced around the outside.


Going in about 1/2", I cut the sheet along this line.  I screwed up somewhere with sloppy cutting, because as you can see in the pictures, it wasn't perfect.   This is now the top shield


I put the vertical shield back in the grill and sat the top shield on it, using the cooking grid supports to rest the top shield on and the vertical shield to support the front.  Kind of like building a house of cards.   I sat the metal pan on the top shield and marked the cutout for the pan on the sheet metal.  I used an instant coffee container lid to mark the circles on the top shield.  The circles are necessary to a) let smoke and heat out into the grill and b) add more charcoal/stir the coals.


I drilled a 3/4" hole in the middle of the marked holes and cut the holes out with the aviation snips. 


I then marked over about 2-1/2 inches on the flat edge of the upper shield, made a 1/2" cut and bent the edge down....this is what we will use to attach the top shield to the vertical shield


I eyeballed the location of the holes to drill through the top attachment location and drilled two holes (cant remember diameter of holes...but they matched the rivets that I was using)


I clamped the vertical shield to the top attachment location so I could mark the holes on the vertical shield. 


I drilled the holes in the vertical shield and attached the vertical shield to the top shield using alumninum pop rivets.  Not steel, as I was concerned the steel ones are galvanized.



that's about it.  put the assembly in place, started a chimney full of coals and dumped them through the hole for the water pan after they were lit.  I used an old wooden handled screwdriver to spread the coals around evenly.   After I saw that the coals were in good shape, I put the water pan in and filled it up.  Put the lid on and watched the temps at the grate and the lid.




disclaimer:  I am not responsible for any injuries you get while doing this.  Sheet metal is sharp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[bryanw21157]

I will add pictures soon.  No time right now...


look at my other thread for pictures to guide you

http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/weber-kettles-accessories/hopefully-it-cooks-better-than-it-looks!/msg28184/

[1buckie]

"disclaimer:  I am not responsible for any injuries you get while doing this.  Sheet metal is sharp!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

[Golly]

gotta get me some of those bacon bandaids

[Heyjude]

gotta get me some of those bacon bandaids

Careful Golly as to wher you place the band aid. Wouldn't want you to wake up form a drunken stupor and start gnawing away on your...(insert most likely injured body part name here)

[LightningBoldtz]

for $60, I just bought one, less chance of cuts.   

[tb80]

I'm impressed you were able to make that.  Thanks for the tutorial.  Any chance you have pics of the build?

[bryanw21157]

Pics on this thread
http://weberkettleclub.com/forums/index.php?topic=2957.0