Traffic Signal Cabinet Build

Great idea, I think someone else did it too, and it was impressive!!!  Good luck with it.

yep a fellow smoker built one not to long ago, your off to a great start I'm along for the build

Looks like an interesting project. Have you joined our NC Smokers group yet. We are also having a gathering of NC Smokers at the end of this month. Would love for to join us.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/groups/show/4/north-carolina-members

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/...-april-27th-29th-now-with-menu/40#post_793095

 going to be fun to watch 

Here is a link to another build like yours

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/115921/well-as-promised-my-build

That should make a nice smoker for sure!

Just spitballing here, but what would be the feasibility of spining it around and using the door with the vents as the backside? Just thinking of your comfort level with smoke in your face as you tend it. Would the other door be large enough to use as a front loader?

Well it was only a matter of time...I am the guy that did the other one and I found that the vents on the underside were not enough and did not allow for proper airflow at all.

I ended up sealing them off with the hardibacker and some high temp silicone and then mounted a 4 inch exhaust pipe to the top (I think 5" would have been better). I may end up redesigning the burner to utilize the front vent, as of right now I just have the bottom vented for a more low profile burner set up to allow for more room inside.

I will try to keep up with you on this any assistance I can offer I will try.

Good luck it will be one roomy smoker for sure.

Guys no need to over think the traffic signal cabinet smoker. I have had one for several years and it is the envy of all my friends....looks just like the one at the beginning of this thread. I was the traffic signal engineer for the Kennedy Space Center in the 1990's and rebuilt all of their intersections. My cabinet sat roadside for 30 years and will still be smoking fish, beef and pork long after I am gone. Gut the wiring, electrical fans and unnecessary brackets. Install a bottom plate and stainless grate racks that can be removed for pressure washing. No need to make a chimney just use the vent system installed. You can install a flat plate baffle where the cooling fan was installed and make a simple cable if you want to adjust the baffle from the outside. The vents on the lower front were blocked by riveting sheet metal over it. Forget about using the little small door on the front for sneaking a peek at your meat. This access door is so police can use a push button switch to manually sequence the traffic lights during special events. If you open the door during use...smoke will pour out and you can't see your meat anyway plush burn your arm! Good place to put an analog or fancy temp gauge. I didn't worry about the door gaskets and they are still working many years later. By the way the bottom plates are removable and we're cut to allow small air gaps so the unit draws air from these bottom gaps. As far as the burner assembly....I use a camping style two burner propane stove and a castiron skillet on each for a simple wood chip plate. Simple and easy. Regulating the heat is pretty simple after a few valve adjustments. Probably your biggest expense is the stainless grate racks. I have three. One above the burners for disposible aluminum drip/water pans and two meat racks. I could easily have a third meat rack. Using a single 20lbs propane tank I recently did a load of smoked mullet fish for 6 hours at 150 deg, four large pork butts at 250 deg for 4 hours and a brisket at 225 deg for 8 hours.......All on the same tank fill with a little still left. Lastly, mount your smoker of four steel casters to make it mobile!

Funny, I was just driving around looking for an old fridge or oven and thought to myself 'if only i could pull off one of those electrical boxes'. Not an hour later I find this thread! Looks like a fun project! I'm jealous!

Hattrick128 said:

 Using a single 20lbs propane tank I recently did a load of smoked mullet fish for 6 hours at 150 deg, four large pork butts at 250 deg for 4 hours and a brisket at 225 deg for 8 hours.......All on the same tank fill with a little still left. Lastly, mount your smoker of four steel casters to make it mobile!

Click to expand...

Four large pork butts at 250 deg for only 4 hours?  Is that a typo?  Some of my butts have taken as long as 24 hours, usually around 15 hours at 235 or so to get to 200 degrees IT.  I can't imagine a 15 degree smoking temp difference making that much difference in time.  Unless you weren't going for pulled pork.  Have a great day. :)