[t_ray_g]

So I have looked at using a hot water tank as smokers and can't decide if it is a good idea. I have access to multiple tanks and was wondering if anyone here has ever built one or seen one. Let me know.

[Spicy Mike]

I started building one with a buddy a couple of years ago who had a utility trailer at his buddies shop but I could never get them together to finish it so I built a UDS myself. Then another lol. You should make sure your tank wasn't galvanized before starting as it is very dangerous to cook with galvanized steel as it releases bad stuff (zinc?) when heated. Other than that, I think the water tank would work better that the UDS as the steel is a thicker gauge and will retain the heat better with less bleed thru. My idea was to have the larger tank as the cooker and we had a smaller one which I wanted to lay horizontally below and to the rear plumbed to the cooker via 2 or 3 heat exchangers with dampers. Have fun and don't foget to post pics of the build as we all love pics on this site!

[t_ray_g]

Going to cut into a few and see hwat they are like before fully commiting to the tank.

[azkitch]

I've heard that water heater tanks are glass lined. That wouldn't be fun to work with...

[Spicy Mike]

I guess some may be glass lined. I thought some were galvanized too but I'm not a hotwater tank expert by any means. The 2 we cut into were just steel. Just giv'r hell and cut into them to see. It's not like propane tanks were you got to be carefull of blowing parts off your body if you do it wrong. 

[PAT YOUNG]

MIKE, water heater tanks work great!

[Spicy Mike]

There you have it T RAY G. Git R Dun

[t_ray_g]

Waiting on my delivery form my brother in law for the first run of tanks. i will let you all know what I find out.

[IRONHORSE BBQ]

Galvanized gives off poisonous fumes when welding so you might want to rethink if the tank is galvanized.  

[RudedoggAZ]

Pro q's are cheap, wsm's aren't bad either... Not worth risking it if u are going to be feeding friends, family and judges.