pipe burner build instructions

[metalmagpie]

I am thinking of making up a couple of these burners for the firebox of a trailer-mounted smoker I'm building. I was thinking about switching up the intake end, though, and using the parts from a forge burner, specifically this one: http://zoellerforge.com/zburner.jpg

Zoeller doesn't call out the component sizes because he wants to sell burners, but it looks to me like he's using a 1" iron pipe wye into a 3/4" pipe. I'd use a 1-1/4" pipe wye into a 1" pipe. The part he doesn't show is the pipe plug on the left side which is drilled to admit the schedule 80 1/8" pipe nipple. That nipple is threaded 1/4-28 on its right end, inside the wye not shown, and there is a tapered MIG tip threaded in. The 1/8" nipple is secured in the plug with a set screw, which you can see if you look carefully.

My reasoning for making the design a little more complex is that this would allow for much more air to be drawn in. It is easy to choke the air intake if too much air is drawn in. A choke would be desirable anyway as it could be closed when I'm not cooking, which would keep insects from building nests in the burner.

I'm curious what you guys think.

metalmagpie

[Roger]

My little Webber gas grill has filter screen covering air intake to keep bugs out of burner tube. Works great.

[metalmagpie]

don't know if anyone's still following this thread .. mocked up my burner today and what I found was it has too much air intake. Gotta make a choke. Choked, it burns really sweet, right down to where my low pressure gauge on the regulator was pegged on 0 but still barely flowing. Really stable, seemed really efficient! I'll make a posting after I finish tweaking it.

[AzzurroSI]

Originally Posted by boykjo

(pic#5) With a sawsall Start your first cut 4 inches away from the gas mixer or however far down the pipe you want to start as long as its no less than 4 inches and cut every 1 1/2 inches as far as u can go. Stop the cut into the pipe when a 1/4 inch of the blade is at the top and continue to your next cut. as u can see i wasnt paying attension and had to weld shut the first two cuts.

I'm need some clarification on the depth of the cuts into the pipe. Do you mean 1/4 inch into the pipe (where you can see a 1/4 of the saw blade looking into pipe).

Would drilled holes work? If so what bit size should be used?

This is a great project. I hope this works for me. I've been trying to find a suitable length propane burner commercially to no evail.

AzzurroSI
"There are no problems only situations looking for creative solutions".

[Northweldor]

Originally Posted by AzzurroSI

I'm need some clarification on the depth of the cuts into the pipe. Do you mean 1/4 inch into the pipe (where you can see a 1/4 of the saw blade looking into pipe).

Would drilled holes work? If so what bit size should be used?

This is a great project. I hope this works for me. I've been trying to find a suitable length propane burner commercially to no evail.

AzzurroSI
"There are no problems only situations looking for creative solutions".

These questions have been addressed in earlier posts, if you read from the beginning.

[metalmagpie]

Originally Posted by AzzurroSI

Do you mean 1/4 inch into the pipe (where you can see a 1/4 of the saw blade looking into pipe).

The OP specified to use a metal-cutting Sawzall blade and to cut deep enough so 1/4" was showing above the cut. I measured those blades and found them to be 3/4" wide, so I figured 1/2" deep saw cuts. Meaning, the blade's deepest penetration into the pipe is 1/2".

metalmagpie

[hank1]

I'm a newbie but a long time lurker. I needed to revive this old thread to ask a stupid question. I'm going to make a couple of these burners for a tunable plate smoker. One for the firebox and one inside the cooker. What's the right way to light the thing? Light one end or the other, both ends or each opening? I'd prefer to be able to light it outside the smoker and slide it in place through an access hole. I know the question sounds stupid but a propane grill exploded in my face a few years ago and I've been skittish since then. Thanks for any help.

Here's the smoker by the way. We made it from a discarded 100 gallon propane tank. To my great surprise it works perfect. Thanks again.

[urch55]

Hank,
Welcome to the weld talk chatter box.
I would lite it from the orifice end and let the flames walk out to the end of the burner. Have a access hole and have your lighter or torch lit first then turn on the gas with the lids open. That way no gas builds up inside to cause a blow up. That's a tuff way to get a shave and hair cut.
By the way that's a nice looking smoker/grill you have there.

[hank1]

Thanks for the help and the compliment Urch. If it goes according to plan I would light it, then slide it into the grill through an access hole in the right end onto a support. This smoker is so efficient though I'm not sure I need a burner except for real long cooking times. The firebox will light up with crumpled newspaper. But then I read this thread and kinda want to make one of these burners. You know how that is.

[urch55]

Hank,
If you need a orifice that you can braze on the end of a pipe send me an email. Look at one of my earlier posts I have the picture of it there.

[boykjo]

Hank, I agree with urch55 the burner should be lit from the orifice side but if there is something stopping you from lighting it from that side the burner will light from any area between the first and last cut into the pipe. Just be aware the volume of gas will be greater at the orifice end. When the gas is turned on the burner should be lit immidiatley. I would not let the gas run for more than 10 seconds without being lit. If it doesnt lite immediatley shut it down and ventilate the area and retry. If it fails again look for possible problems. I have found dirt dobbers to be the biggest culprit.

Nice grill

[hank1]

Thanks for the help guys. Hate to be paranoid but Urch was right, I got an instant haircut when my grill exploded, a Holland grill. I expect had I not been wearing glasses I would be blind. Still, I want to make one of these burners!

[metalmagpie]

Originally Posted by hank1

Thanks for the help guys. Hate to be paranoid but Urch was right, I got an instant haircut when my grill exploded, a Holland grill. I expect had I not been wearing glasses I would be blind. Still, I want to make one of these burners!

well make one then! I have made one as an experiment. I modified the design slightly. My burner burns very well in free air. I haven't yet tried letting the flame propagate down the burner after lighting it from one end, but I think it may well work. I am contemplating using the burner in conjunction with a micropile-type gas valve from a scrapped gas hot water heater. These have a pilot light which you light using a piezoelectric button; manually holding the valve open until the pilot light sufficiently warms an electronic gadget called a micropile, mounted just above the pilot light. This in turn generates a small amount of electricity; enough to hold the pilot light valve open. If the voltage from the micropile is not there, the main gas valve won't open, so gas can't flow. It's a safety thing. But once the pilot light is lit, which you should be able to see from the outside, then you should be able to just turn on the gas and the burner should light, just like a gas log in your living room. At that point you could even hook up a PID temperature controller and wow your friends as they could watch the burner firing off and on to hold precise cooking temps.

However you make yours, I suggest you put some screen into the pipe cap to keep insects out. I'm not using the pipe-cap-with-holes air intake; rather, I'm using the front end of a modified side-arm burner with a gate valve controlling the air flow so I can choke it down for the most efficient burn, or open it up a little if the flame turns yellow.

I also recommend a gas shutoff ball valve inline with your propane, so you can lower your gas flow assuming you don't have a temperature controller as mentioned above. This would let you turn your burner way down low in case your cooker temp is a little high.

Nice smoker. Put it on wheels, wouldya?

metalmagpie

[jwhardee]

boykjo, thank you for a very helpful forum.

Here a helpful link to answer some of the questions regarding the pipe sze and ventalation requirements.

http://www.burnersinc.com/pipeburners/pipeburnerfaq.pdf

Here is my latest project: Turning a 1950's model milk cooler into a cooker/smoker. It is stainless steel and the walls are 2" filled with mineral wool insulation. I am thinking about using it as a double sided cooker. See the attached photos. Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[striker12300]

If I understand it correctly. You slot the pipe and turn it so the slots are down to eliminate clogging from grease. Has anyone still had them clog? Has anyone tried using square material for a burner? If you turn it so the corners are vertical, wouldn't it give better protection from grease? And of course cutting the slots in from the bottom corner. Of is it a case of, if it ain't broke don't fix it.