Brick Barbecue

Build your own brick barbecue! With few skills and tools this is something anyone can do!
This is the fourth brick barbeque I have built. They are fun to build and cook on.
This time I wanted a large firepit with a smoker on the right side.
I went in thinking this was the last one lol
The grilling side is about 45 inches long by 30 inches deep. The smoker is 30' deep, 28 wide 30 tall.

Seeing how we wanted to pour some concrete for a new patio/walk, why not build a new BBQ from brick. Soooo we got to work and included some rebar where the BBQ would go.

Even though I measured the location of the rebar time and time again, I still got a little nervous lol
Too late now!

Showing again the locations of the rebar. I wanted to make sure I had reenforcement in certain areas.

Using 4" partition block, I set the first course trying to keep things straight, plumb and level as I could.

With the 2nd course almost finished and my son wanting to contribute to the project, we made up a form for the lentil. I constructed the lentil with two pieces of 1 1/2" angle that suported and cradled firebrick. We then made the plywood form and hung 1/2" rebar length wise and tied that into the vertical rebar. We then poured it using hydraulic cement until the cavities of the first and second course were filled and the form as well, making sure all the air bubbles were out.

The lentel looked like it turned out fine, we ended up with a rock solid structure that included the first and second course of block.
Note: All rebar locations were filled with hydraulic cement every second course.

4th course set for the most part, still trying to keep things straight level and plumb.

The next 2 course have been set, completing the side for the smoker. Again, every 2 course of block laid, the cavities were poured using hydraulic cement at all the rebar locations. I will wait to install the second lentel until after I have set all the firebrick inside.

I went to my local building supplier and purchased standerd size firebrick and used those for the floor of the firepit. Then I purchased 1 1/4" thick firebrick for the walls of the firepit. Here's a view showing the opening to the smoker. you can also see that I installed a solid 1/2" rod through the block as well. I then welded a solid steel plate to the rod to act as a damper for the opening to the smoker.
Note: I used 3 lbs of FireClay to an 80 lbs bag of premix mortar to set the firebrick. I dry mixed the fireclay and premixed in a mixing tub and then dumped it all in a clean plastic garbage can that had a good fitting lid.

Same as the other lentel, using to pieces of 1 1/4" angle, firebrick sandwiched between them at the bottom with wire mesh and rebar hung in the form.

Feeling really good this day I managed to lay up a good deal of the red brick I had purchased at my local building supplier.
The days have been rather hot and the old dude is showing his age lol
Not bad for an old fart at this stage of the game lol

With some more brick, more angle to support the firepit opening and another rather hot day I manage to set a few more brick.

I made a concrete lid 2" thick with an opening for the chimney. I used wire mesh and 1/2" rebar for the renforcement, then with the helps of my son and a friend of his, we installed the lid, mortaring it in place with a slight drain to the back.
Note: I made a wooden box 2 inches deep, tied the wire mesh and rebar together making sure it stayed supported in the center of the form. I then mixed up three 50 lbs bags of hydraulic cement and pour the form. After screeding the form I then covered it with plastic and let cure for 3 days before removing anything.

Laying more brick getting the top finished

Visiting my local metal supply paid off. They had everything I wanted and more lol
The grill and smoker door I cut to size after making the frames. The top pieces for the grill and the chimney hood were cut to size from the kind folks at my local metal supply. I found someone to bend the chimney hood through my metal suppy as well.

My friend next door had some nice 8" tile just the right color, why not use those to finish the top of the smoker with hmm? Makes a real nice surface to put a plate on :)
I bought my stainless steel spring handles and my weld-on hinges on-line.
Everything else came from the hardware store.

They are cheap lol pleantiful and I get to do a little recycling lol
Two car scissor jacks and one clean used 55 gal drum.
Some flat thin metal welded to the top and bottom of the jacks for more stabilty. The drum cut to size with a sawsall for fire baskets.
I raise and lower my fire baskets as needed. Has been real usefull.

3/4" square tubing and some expaned metal. 1/8" steel rod for small handles.
I made the top frame to include the hangers for my racks.
I wanted two levels and I wanted them to slide back and fourth as well.
I can have to differant fires going and also have the option at which level.
Knowing that I would want to cook most anything (even hotdogs without having to start a fire) I found a guy online that described how to construct a pipe burner in full detail.
Back to the metal supply I went for some 1 1/4" black pipe lol

Here's a link showing how to make a pipe burner.
http://www.hobartwelders.com/weldtalk/showthread.php?t=28224

With a visit to a local use appliance joint, I picked up two racks for free! Little farther down the road to another used joint and got two more racks for 5 bucks lol
I welded them together to make one large rack each. I also had to weld up some small flat metal to make them fit my needs for width.
The springs for the handles on the back of smoker and grill doors are from the seat of a riding lawnmower (the riding lawn mower is now a racing mower of sorts lol no use for these springs any longer lol) I used these to keep the tension on the handle to make them operate properly. Some flat steel bent to act as a latch on the inside of the door frame keeps the doors closed rather nice.
Finished off with a nice large easy to read temp gauge.

A photo and some crude drawings to help illustrate how I setup the intake damper.

The exhaust damper is nothing more the a flat piece of steel slid over the chimney to regulate heat flow.

Among other names lol
I have kept my fires small so far. Only some light grilling and short test runs with the smoker.
Making sure it dries out slowly.

One cheap Gas Grill on its way out the door lol needs a gas bottle, first come takes it lol

What a great summer of outdoor grilling it has been!
The smoker keeps a nice even temp once warmed up which does not take long!
I have smoked several pork shoulders and ribs, including beef ribs and a brisket and more yard bird then I can remember lol
The fire pit has been awesome as well!
Appetizers like bacon wrapped shrimp to grilled stuffed jalopenos, grilled fruit, veggies, corn, taters, you name it! All turns out great!
I have two nice turkeys to put in the smoker for Thanksgiving. The large one is 17 pounds and the other one is 12 pounds.
Looks like I will be up early!
Mmmmmmhmmmmm I can almost taste it now!
Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

PS  here's some  more photos!