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Block pusher BBQ build

Started by DMcCoy, May 01, 2016, 09:15:17 PM

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DMcCoy

Time to replace the burners on the old propane BBQ, or maybe the entire BBQ.  I feel like throwing it off a cliff.  I get maybe 5 yrs out of a stainless steel one and then the parts are so expensive I give up and buy a new one. 

I like a slight smoke flavor so I add hickory blocks, pellets in foil, pellets in metal pans.  I also have a straight wood burning BBQ made out of 1/2 of a 55 gallon drum.  Great flavor!!!  but a pita to get going for shorter cooking times, end of day type stuff. 

I looked at Traeger's at Costco @$700.00 was ready to bite when the wife says " I was thinking about the BBQ thing and $700.00 would buy a lot of that weird stuff you build things out of. 8)

Also the idea of buying expensive pellets, not to mention what kind of binder they might use to make the pellets.  Slight mentioning this to the wife and got an enthusiastic total green light.   Steak dinner on the wood BBQ might have helped too. ;)

So here goes my next project.... 

My thoughts so far are wood blocks for fuel, propane for starting.  Fuel will be 3/4 x 2 x 4 blocks of dried red alder.  Did some research on traegers and came up with roughly 1 lb. of wood per hour.  Using advanced scientific methods - cutting a bunch of blocks and weighing them I came up with roughly 12-13 blocks per pound.  Needs to be more or less depending on out door air temperatures.

Scrounged enough "weird stuff"  ::) I think I can do this from what I have.  Pics to follow, dinner time.



DMcCoy

Some pictures so far

 




 



 



 

Joe Hillmann

Those are some large bearings to push those small blocks of wood.

DMcCoy

A few pictures.  Fire box is a 10 gal propane tank with a SS tank inserted to hold the coals.  I got schooled on drilling SS, use cobalt drills and cutting oil, :/


  

Bottom view of propane tank,  using an old SS frying pan to catch ashes.


 

DMcCoy

Top view of "fire box".


 

BBQ motor was too weak.  Found this little DC motor and controller in my pile of stuff.  Using Tregers burn rate magazine should hold enough for 2 hrs.  Pusher unit will lift lid/push in block. Electric timer will set the rate.  Rate will control temp.


 

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