Yeah yeah yeah, I know, it's butt ass ugly. Buy you have to hear the story first.
A little over year ago, I got into the whole smoking meat thing. I did allot of research and decided to go ahead and build one. However, this one was going to be built with a very limited budget. Basically, I wanted to see just how cheap I could build one, with things that I had laying around, ( I got allot of crap laying around), or things that were given to me or would cost me next to nothing.

We'll start with the tank. An old hydraulic fluid tank found at the local salvage yard. Cost. 5 bucks. 24" wide, 38" long. Wall thickness only 1/8th, but like I said, this was my first one and better to learn on something cheap.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/aaa.jpg

First step, cut the door. Did this by taking masking tape, and laying it out in a rectangular pattern. Spray painted it with orange paint, removed the tape, and that gave me a nice straight line to cut. Used a cutoff wheel to make the cuts.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/bbb.jpg

If you look inside the previous photo, you will see this big heavy steel ring in the bottom. I had to cut that out in this photo. It was a flange mount for a filter screen.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/ccc.jpg

Hole has been patched, and welds blended.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/ddd.jpg

This is the heat sink/drip tray. Made out of 1/4" diamond plate welded down the center. Has about a 2" drop from the sides to bottom. Metal came from scrap yard. Got 10 sheet of this stuff, approx 12" each by 48" long. Cost, 10 bucks for all.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/eee.jpg

Heat sink set in and welded. You can see that patch on the bottom.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/fff.jpg

This photo show a couple things. One, as you can see, the door has been mounted. However, it needed to be re-enforced somewhat so I took some flat stock and stitch welded it on end. I also drilled some holes in it in the event I smoke a turkey or sausages. Turkeys would be placed inside one of those bags made for doing them.
Also, you can see the heat sink on the bottom.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/fff-1.jpg

This is the other end of the cook chamber, opposite side of the firebox. Here you see the lip I welded in place to prevent liquids from spilling over. Smoke and heat will come up and over that gap and across the grates.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/ggg.jpg

Now onto the firebox. A buddy of mine had a few old semi split rims. Perfect size. 20" diameter, 10" deep. Cut the flange off and will have a 20" x 18" firebox. Rims are 1/4". Got some 20" x 20" 1/4 plate and cut the circles out to match the ends of the rims. Found a nice 1/4" plate of rectangular steel, about 10x13. Traced a pattern around that then cut out the hole an inch inside it. Made some hinges out fo some solid bar and seamless pipe I had.

http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/aaa-1.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/bbb-1.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/ccc-1.jpg

Firebox minus latch and draft.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/ddd-1.jpg

Draft control. A simple hinged flap with preset stops on a steel rod. Closed, 1/4 ope,. hald open 3/4 open and full. This works, but not as well as I would have liked. I will be replacing this with a 2" ball valve this Spring which will offer me more control over the air intake.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/ddd-2.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/eee-1.jpg

Here is the firebox with hinges, door latch, draft and fire grate. The latch on this works like a cam action. I beveled the bottom edge so when its closed, you turn the handle and it sucks the door shut so to speak. Sorry I don't have a close up of that.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/ccc-2.jpg

Added some door limits. I think they are heavy enough LOL
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/ggg-1-1.jpg

End shots. Notice the handle for the smoker door. I took that off our old junk BBQ grill. The stack is a 4 1/2" stainless dairy line.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/aaa-3.jpg
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/bbb-2.jpg

All done. I still have to paint it. The big wheels are off an old farm dump rake if I remember correctly. The small ones are off an old rider lawn mower. Since this photo, I have removed the large wheels as you couldn't move it around easily. Wheels dug in. Have replaced them with 2 more small lawn mower tires. I don't know what happened to the photos of the racks, but I have 2 inside. Full rack center point, half rack about that about 6 inches. Both made out of 1/2" stainless expanded metal. Also added a shelf on the outside to hold meats, tongs, beer ect. This Spring, when its warmer, I will paint it and post pics.
Yes, it is butt ass ugly, but it works. And like I said, this was more or less and experiment to see just how cheap I could go and still turn out a working unit. Oh yeah, the most expensive thing on it, not show, my thermometer. 28 bucks. And no, Im not Fred Sanford. Those old junk cars in the background are cars that I strip down and refurbish parts from.
http://i757.photobucket.com/albums/xx216/Montycaryo/xxx.jpg

Smoker looks good. You do nice work.

Cool Build!.... I really admire guys that can do that kinda stuff! Like to see some finished pics when you get it done. :thumb:

Rock On!...Nice....Zeeker can relate to that build! :thumb:

Ugly? Hmmmm....I would cook on that thing for sure...

Nice looking smoker! And the 49-50 Fords and the 58 chev? Priceless!:thumb:

Heavy duty man. I like it!

:eek:

Well Done!

This is extremely unique. Everything from your draft control, to the size/shape of the tank, to the exhaust, and the BA wheels!

I really enjoy posts like this

poi-nts

To cool. I love it:thumb:

Rock on brother....Man split rims too....Points when i got em...:thumb::drooling:

Nice, very nice. Never thought about grinding the rim off of a split wheel and welding two together to make a firebox. Never thought about wheels at all. Man, that is a great idea. That shows ya how dangerous one can be when they have desire for some smoked meat, enough raw material at hand or able to get, time and skills to build something.. You got some great deals at the scrap yard. Can't get those prices around here. Please, as has been asked by others, when ya get the painted pics post them here for us all to see. :thumb:poi-nts

Very nice build Meat Hunter. Kudos...:thumb:

Great build. Great pics. I have been thinging about building another UDS, but now you got me thinking about a reverse flow.

I like it, American ingenuity at its finest !!!

Pretty cool lookin' smoker. :thumb:

Heavy duty too.

Dave

another rocket !

Nice build.
When you can fab and weld like that - smokers can be built for cheap :-)

Me I gotta pay lol
poi-nts

nice fab, i see some pretty nice welding there!!! dang and i thought there was no use for split rims pther than fire rings or scrap metal, i hated those things in real use, the budd wheel was a great upgrade! great job and thks for sharing:thumb:

Excellent work there MH! Very creative, I'll bet she gonna put out some great Q! Nothin wrong with savein money where ya can, puts more goodies on the smoker!:thumb:

I guess I missed this one... the firebox GENIUS! poi-nts !

great build love the pics

I don't know if you said for sure what were the tanks you made this with

I missed this one too...great build and it is not ugly....I would fight to have it in my backyard and I have 7 bbqs.

Very impressive build. Great way to use what you got on hand.

I Cant believe I missed this thread................. Oh my God.......... Nice build
only one thing to say Dude....... poi-nts