My First Build

mike49107

Fire Starter

Original poster

Jun 26, 2014

30

20

Buchanan, MI

• Jun 27, 2014

• #1

I've always wanted a smoker, but I was having a hard time getting off of the money.  Approximately $140. for something that a turkey probably wouldn't even fit in.....don't think so!!

So, after cruising YouTube and the internet for a while, I decided to jump in and build my own.  I will say that this forum has been a great inspiration.

I am hoping to have this build done within the next few days, and will try to post pictures as things progress.  So far, I have the base/foundation finished and the framing finished on the smokehouse.  I just need to finish the outside, roof, and decide what I want to do for the door.

As you can see from the attached picture, I'm kinda impatient.  After finishing with the base, I just had to check it out with a test burn!

TEST2.jpeg

• mike49107
• Jun 27, 2014

 

kc5tpy

Master of the Pit

May 12, 2013

4,352

188

Newark on Trent, United Kingdom.

• Jun 27, 2014

• #2

Hello.  Welcome.  I see this is your first post.  Please take some time and swing over to Roll Call and introduce yourself so that we may give you a proper "Hello".  GREAT lookin start.  Looks like you will get many a fine meal from that.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

mike49107

Fire Starter

Original poster

Thread starter

Jun 26, 2014

30

20

Buchanan, MI

• Jun 27, 2014

• #3

KC5TPY said:

 
Please take some time and swing over to Roll Call and introduce yourself so that we may give you a proper "Hello".

Click to expand...

Done!

 

dandl93

Smoking Fanatic

Mar 5, 2014

434

21

Pacho Colombia

• Jun 27, 2014

• #4

I will be happy to see it finished .And have fun with it

Dan

 

mike49107

Fire Starter

Original poster

Thread starter

Jun 26, 2014

30

20

Buchanan, MI

• Jun 28, 2014

• #5

Ok, so I was going to start cutting boards to get things finished up. I guess I should have checked out the saw blade before I started. That thing wouldn't cut through hot butter. So, here it sits.

frame.JPG

• mike49107
• Jun 28, 2014

And, the more I looked at it, the more my ideas for the finished product were changing. I decided to make another prototype out of a "re-purposed" crate from work. I figure this way, I can try some different things without it costing any $$$. I think I have a total of around $10 into this one!!

crate1.JPG

• mike49107
• Jun 28, 2014

crate2.JPG

• mike49107
• Jun 28, 2014

I'm getting it seasoned now. I'm just not sure what I want to throw in there first!

 

mike49107

Fire Starter

Original poster

Thread starter

Jun 26, 2014

30

20

Buchanan, MI

• Jun 29, 2014

• #6

I decided to do some chicken halves this afternoon. But, I seem to be having a problem with temperature control. I'm getting some crazy temp spikes depending on fire location, size, wind, etc.

I'm assuming that I need to somehow close off and regulate the intake?  Would I have better luck using charcoal or lump and then just tossing in an occasional piece of wood for smoke? 

 

Any suggestions would be great.

 

daveomak

SMF Hall of Fame Pitmaster

OTBS Member

★ Lifetime Premier ★

Nov 12, 2010

27,123

4,979

Omak,Washington,U.S.A.

• Jun 29, 2014

• #7

mike49107 said:

I decided to do some chicken halves this afternoon. But, I seem to be having a problem with temperature control. I'm getting some crazy temp spikes depending on fire location, size, wind, etc.

I'm assuming that I need to somehow close off and regulate the intake?  Would I have better luck using charcoal or lump and then just tossing in an occasional piece of wood for smoke? 

 

Any suggestions would be great.

Click to expand...

That should do it...... Thumbs Up

 

mike49107

Fire Starter

Original poster

Thread starter

Jun 26, 2014

30

20

Buchanan, MI

• Jun 29, 2014

• #8

That seems to be doing the trick!  It took about a half hour of "tuning", but seems to be holding pretty good.