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Building a new smoker-Finished
Posted on 11/14/15 at 1:43 pm
Posted on 11/14/15 at 1:43 pm
I have been smoking meat for awhile and keep wearing out smokers. My masterbuilt XL finally bit the dust last week. I cook on them at least once a week and now it's time to make sausage again. I've been looking at the custom smokers but they are $$$$$. I finally decided to build my own that would hopefully last a lifetime. It's 6.5 ft tall,3 ft wide and 30" deep. It's framed up out of 11 ga tubing and will be double walled with 1/4" plate so I can insulate it with kaowool. 
This post was edited on 11/6/17 at 2:18 pm
8
Posted on 11/14/15 at 1:45 pm to pdubya76
Why 1/4" plate. That is going to be heavy. 14ga or even 16ga should be more than sufficient
Posted on 11/14/15 at 1:49 pm to BiggerBear
Just want something that will hold heat and last a long time. It will have casters for moving it. I doubt that it will move much at all once it's complete.I may go with 11 ga(1/8th) . I'm going get the plate on Monday.
This post was edited on 11/14/15 at 1:51 pm
Posted on 11/14/15 at 1:49 pm to pdubya76
Do not insulate the cooking chamber box too much
Posted on 11/14/15 at 2:29 pm to pdubya76
I'd definitely go with 11ga instead of 1/4". And for one of the walls, prob the outside, 1/6" is plenty. It'll save you money, be lighter and last forever if you paint it.
Metal isn't going to hold in heat. It just acts as a big heat sink, taking you longer to get up to temp. It may help in moderating temp changes, but that is what the insulation is for. Just my opinion.
Looks like it will be a sweet smoker though.
Oh and another thought, it took me a long time and a number of smokers built to figure out that the internal dimensions work really well if you can slide standard steam table pans onto the rails.
Metal isn't going to hold in heat. It just acts as a big heat sink, taking you longer to get up to temp. It may help in moderating temp changes, but that is what the insulation is for. Just my opinion.
Looks like it will be a sweet smoker though.
Oh and another thought, it took me a long time and a number of smokers built to figure out that the internal dimensions work really well if you can slide standard steam table pans onto the rails.
Posted on 11/14/15 at 2:41 pm to pdubya76
Awesome, can't wait to see it finished....
Had a buddy convert one of these to a smoker, works great...
Had a buddy convert one of these to a smoker, works great...
This post was edited on 11/14/15 at 2:42 pm
Posted on 11/14/15 at 4:12 pm to Hangover Haven
there you go
OP that looks like a fine project, but a standard hotel hot box like above makes an easy smoker that lasts forever plus it's already got rails to hold standard sheet pans. most people build the fire box off to one side and just beef up the door seal and add a stack
OP that looks like a fine project, but a standard hotel hot box like above makes an easy smoker that lasts forever plus it's already got rails to hold standard sheet pans. most people build the fire box off to one side and just beef up the door seal and add a stack
Posted on 11/15/15 at 8:58 am to pdubya76
Looks like the beginnings of a fine project, be sure to update along the way.
Hell if you want to use 3" of industrial refractory grade insulation sandwiched between 1/2" plates, I stand behind your decision on your personal project.
Hell if you want to use 3" of industrial refractory grade insulation sandwiched between 1/2" plates, I stand behind your decision on your personal project.
Posted on 10/5/17 at 1:02 pm to pdubya76
This an old project that is nearing completion. I figured I'd bump and show my progress. This thing is a beast and will find its new home in my outdoor kitchen shortly. It gets painted next week and should be ready to roll. 
This post was edited on 10/5/17 at 1:46 pm
Posted on 10/5/17 at 1:10 pm to pdubya76
whats going to be your heat source? Didn't you say you smoke your link sausage at around 180 for 3 hours if I recall?
Posted on 10/5/17 at 1:10 pm to pdubya76
Have you been watching a lot of Man Fire Food episodes?
Posted on 10/5/17 at 1:14 pm to pdubya76
you built that with a hatchet?
Posted on 10/5/17 at 1:23 pm to celltech1981
Lol....the hatchet was my middle sons. He is a little woodsman and always has a saw or tiny ax to "log" with.
This post was edited on 10/5/17 at 1:36 pm
Posted on 10/5/17 at 1:36 pm to pdubya76
Where’s the smoke box?
Posted on 10/5/17 at 1:39 pm to biggsc
It's propane fueled. The burner at the bottom has a rack over it with a cast iron wood tray. I have a pilot light and needle valve on small LP burner. I ran for 3-4 hours Friday at 200 degrees with a little oak just to see if I had any leaks. It was cool to the touch on the outside.
This post was edited on 10/5/17 at 1:41 pm
Posted on 10/5/17 at 1:53 pm to jdani11
quote:
whats going to be your heat source? Didn't you say you smoke your link sausage at around 180 for 3 hours if I recall?
It has a small low pressure propane burner for heat. Yes that's how I do my smoked sausage at a low temp for 3-4 hours until I get the color I want. Also, around the holidays I do several pork shoulders, ribs , and briskets for gifts .
This post was edited on 10/5/17 at 1:55 pm
Posted on 10/5/17 at 2:18 pm to pdubya76
Should have removed that mill scale, you can still do it with a litter muratic acid or vinegar. It will turn your metal gray but that grey metal takes a up a seasoning much better.
Posted on 10/5/17 at 2:34 pm to pdubya76
quote:
It's propane fueled. The burner at the bottom has a rack over it with a cast iron wood tray. I have a pilot light and needle valve on small LP burner. I ran for 3-4 hours Friday at 200 degrees with a little oak just to see if I had any leaks. It was cool to the touch on the outside.
Nice! I like mixing fruit and nut wood together with some meats. Like Apple/Pecan, Apple/Hickory, Peach/Pecan or Peach/Hickory
Posted on 10/5/17 at 3:53 pm to CHEDBALLZ
im assigning you are talking about the scale in the smoke chamber. I am going to hit the exterior with sandpaper prior to priming. The box will be charcoal grey and the door will be general lee orange.
Posted on 10/5/17 at 4:11 pm to pdubya76
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