New Brick Smoker build starts tomorrow

[porknpuha]

Wes,

You always seem to have the good ideas, TY!

I feel less nervous, looking at the size of your build vs. what I am planning, I figure I am half the weight or less and I have a 7 1/4 inch footing, reinforced on hard packed dirt ( I went out an measured its depth)

I'm gonna stop building for Dec and Jan unless we get some crazily unseasonal weather. If everything is plumb and level early spring. ITS ON LIKE DONKEY KONG !

 

[moikel]

If it helps from way down here ,where I didn't see a frost this year let alone  snow, this is my slab method.

I had an existing slab that didn't look that great,about  4 inch or less. 

I went on top of that with a 6''slab ,2 sheets of mesh ,first at about 2'' ,next  at 4

IMG_0147.JPG

• moikel
• Nov 30, 2014

' .I put rebar x2  in each corner in an L shape ,I got a mini mix truck in.

The final structure is posted here .Bear in mind its about 36 blocks,core filled .4'' hearth slab thats 5' x 4'. 250 fire bricks, a concrete block over the entire oven ,then external brick walls ,then a tile roof ,chimney .Who knows what that all weighs

''

 

[jim williams]

Another to compare...
Look at the brick designs in front of your bank.. they will also have footings because it is considered structural. Your local contractor for masons may help you answer this also.

 

[porknpuha]

Good idea TY

 

[humdinger]

Even though I have zero experience in mason work like this, I always love watching these builds come to life!

Though one random thought I had which might combat the frost/freeze issue would be to maybe back fill extra dirt around the outer edge of the slab. Would that work?

I'd appreciate it if Wes or some of the other pros could chime and tell me if I'm way off. It was just a random thought because it seems that if the freeze line is 2-3 inches deep, adding extra soil around the sides would help keep the frost from getting down to the slab, right?. Feel free to skewer me if this won't work!

 

[porknpuha]

Sounds like it would work!

Thanks for the good idea

 

[dirtsailor2003]

 
Even though I have zero experience in mason work like this, I always love watching these builds come to life!

Though one random thought I had which might combat the frost/freeze issue would be to maybe back fill extra dirt around the outer edge of the slab. Would that work?

I'd appreciate it if Wes or some of the other pros could chime and tell me if I'm way off. It was just a random thought because it seems that if the freeze line is 2-3 inches deep, adding extra soil around the sides would help keep the frost from getting down to the slab, right?. Feel free to skewer me if this won't work!

Here in Dirtland we have a 24" frost depth. That's pretty deep and a good portion of our ground is solid lava rock .So one thing that the developers do it to scrape the top several inches of dirt weeds and shrubbery off. then they build the house on that pad. Bring in enough fill to get the 24" cover that they need to meet code. So yes you can add fill around your foundation to get more protection.

 

[wes w]

 
Even though I have zero experience in mason work like this, I always love watching these builds come to life!

Though one random thought I had which might combat the frost/freeze issue would be to maybe back fill extra dirt around the outer edge of the slab. Would that work?

I'd appreciate it if Wes or some of the other pros could chime and tell me if I'm way off. It was just a random thought because it seems that if the freeze line is 2-3 inches deep, adding extra soil around the sides would help keep the frost from getting down to the slab, right?. Feel free to skewer me if this won't work!

LMAO!  I am by far not  a pro.    I'm just a country boy who wants to see the world eat the best smoked meat money can't buy. 

Case is right.    Anything that absorbs the cold keeps it from going deeper.   Time to start your smoker Humdinger!

 

 

[bigtrain74]

Very envious! Looks great thus far!

 

[porknpuha]

Sorry guys no updates on the smoker build, temperatures have been too cold for good mortar formation.
So......... I worked on the next best thing a big load of Cherry wood set to season.

image.jpg

• porknpuha
• Dec 7, 2014

 

[wes w]

Looks good Pork.   That reminds me, I need to get some hickory down for next year.

 

[hickorybutt]

Looks great so far.  Can't wait to see the continued progress.

I've wanted to build a brick smoker and also a brick pizza oven, but will likely wait until we move to a place with a little more land and where I know we'll be for the long run.

I like your cherry wood pile!

 

[porknpuha]

Thanks for the positive comments Hickorybutt!

I live about 3 hours away from my in laws ( where I am building the smoker ) so building is erratic. I will,post more pics as soon as weather allows me.

 

[porknpuha]

Looking for some opinion on the actual smoking chamber.
Should I dbl wall the bricks for insulation or is that not necessary?

 

[jim williams]

I followed wes w idea and put cinder block 2" away from Fire brick, then put insulation between the walls.

 

[moikel]

Vermiculite my choice of insulation between hot wall & external wall. Just saying.

 

[porknpuha]

would glass fiber insulation work?

Considering that chamber external walls are very rarely over 400F

 

[wes w]

I used fiberglass but Moikel's thoughts are what is made for masonry. 

 

[moikel]

 
I used fiberglass but Moikel's thoughts are what is made for masonry. 

I only used vermiculite because thats what was used in the book I have. Advantage is its light ,cheap & you can just pour it in. Fills the void easy.Smoker way cooler than oven .

 

[jim williams]

Asbestosis free?