Steel Pipe?

[beeell]

Anyone know where I can get a steel pipe, 3' diameter, 8' long, with 1/4" wall? I'm looking to build another BBQ, this one is obviously bigger. Some place in southeast MI. I'm having a hard time finding something on the net, I haven't been able to find something that size.

[Mark]

Three feet diameter, 1/4 inch wall, is not any kind of standard size. Usually when you get to 3 feet it starts to be only concrete.
You may want to look into a fabricating shop that will roll a piece of 1/4 inch stock into a tube. There is also a possibility a propane gas tank may be close to the size you want, and you could cut a door into the tank with a sawzall. This operation doesn't sound at all safe because of residue from the propane. You would probably want to completely fill the tank with soapy water before you started any kind of cutting.

This size of BBQ sounds too cool! Will you be using wood with gas assist? You would probably need a loan at the bank to fill that baby with brisket! Wow!
My best wishes to you on this project.
Mark

P.S. What about calling a propane gas company and finding out where they buy new tanks from? Then there would be no concern about residue. A manufacturer may even sell you a tube without the ends. Mark

[beeell]

I've seen that size pipe from steel shops in places like OK, but nothing up here. I know they make it, just don't know who around here. I really could have used a Q that size this weekend. The old man and I cooked 8 slabs of ribs, 10 whole chickens, 3 pork butts, and 6 lbs of sausage, as well as a giant roster full of baked beens for our birthday party Saturday. Cooked about 91lbs total in 4 barrel Q's. Little get togethers like that aren't uncommon for us. We always use charcoal, but like you said, something that size, we'd probably move over to all wood. Right now we add wood chunks.

[Mark]

I'm thinking the oil pipe you mention is 3/8 or 1/2 inch wall. From an engineering standpoint, 1/4 inch wall, 3 feet diameter would not hold its shape. It would collapse on itself. This does not mean it would go flat, but it would get egg shaped. For 1/4 wall you would need ribs to keep the round shape, like a culvert.

Not much demand for 3 foot oil pipe in MI. What about the propane tank or a metal fabricating shop? With the auto industry there must be someone that can roll 1/4 inch stock.
Mark

[farmer]

Back in high school on the the guys used a huge propane tank to build a bar-b-que pit if my memory is correct it was somthing like 5ft in diameter and 15ft long with a partialy seperated fire box. The fire box had an extra thick top so that it could be used like a griddle. He built a trailer out of scratch mounted the pit and installed a wood rack, stainles steel counter with a sink and a water tank with a electric pump. He sold it to one of the ranches in the area for a nice profit.