Need Help!

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Hey guys I need an opinion.  I am soon to build a smoker and am not sure on how much I should charge?  I am fairly new to welding.  I'm 17 and been welding since I was 13.  I am starting to get more and more people asking me to build custom things but am not sure how to price with metal being kinda pricy.  The smoker i have in mind will be about 2'x6' with shelves and so on.  What should i build the sides out of?  I was think 1/8 in steel but not sure  Any Advice would be great.  And what would be a good welder to buy?  I have a harbor freight 90 that i started with but also use my grandpas hobart 190.  I was looking at the everlast mig/stick?  I am not afraid to spend money but want something good for under $1,000.
Reply:First Welcome to the forum. Here is what you need to do draw up some plans of some sort. Figure out you materials you will need including welding wire or rod, gas if using mig. Cutting items to be used and their cost. Your time very important to remember to include that. Something else is overlooked the electrical bill from using the shop, welder and equipment. Now for the design of the smoker. Most use a tank of some sort to make it faster to build. Check out how others have done it. Do your planing on that. They have a proven system that is working model for you. There are lots of different way of building a nice smoker. Then before you build it for someone else check and see how big do they want it and how they seeing it being used. 2x6 ft is a large home smoke will take a lot of heat to make it work right. This is why I said to find out what their plans are for this. If they are just using it to cook for the family and maybe a few guest then a smaller be the size that would be best for them. Bigger does not mean better. Now if they are planing to use it for a larger group of people then yes build it 2x6 ft with a large fire box. Now for equipment. Do a good search on the web for a list of what you think you would like to buy with the resources you have with the extras that you will need to run it and you might find that your money might go has far has you think. Then when you have that list with models numbers come back in here to ask about this or that. Other will chime in of what they have used or think about  what you have chosen to buy. On here there are people that will tell you not to buy a Chinese equipment but that is their opinion. But they will tell about a bad ones from the ones that are good.Klutch 220si mig , stick, and dc tigHobart 140 AHP ALPHA 200X 2016Lotos LTP5000DSmith O/P
Reply:get a metal file cabinet and modifie it,  i have seen it done this way . has the roll out draws .metal , the rite dimentions , it works mint !
Reply:Welcome.Lincoln A/C 225Everlast P/A 200
Reply:Liability insurance.............the first time anyone gets hurt from your work if you dont have it, you will wish you did..........
Reply:Check out thesmokering.com for smoker ideas.http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/Dan D.Manipulator Of Metal
Reply:Originally Posted by tinker001First Welcome to the forum. Here is what you need to do draw up some plans of some sort. Figure out you materials you will need including welding wire or rod, gas if using mig. Cutting items to be used and their cost. Your time very important to remember to include that. Something else is overlooked the electrical bill from using the shop, welder and equipment. ...
Reply:Thanks for all the reply's. Will update my project soon.
Reply:Google Ugly Drum Smoker. If you're interested in starting with a good simple smoker these are great starters. They don't take much if any welding but they're great introduction to metalwork. You can amass the parts for a few of pretty cheaply and post them on Craigslist. The profit margin is slim to none but the experience is invaluable. You can at least break even and invest the little profit you might make into tools for bigger projects.as time goes on you can build bigger onesor giant onesTrailblazer 302G12VS Extreme Miller SD180Coolmate 4Miller 251Miller 175Victor OAHypertherm 380Milling MachineLatheBandsaw