First post. Noob building a smoker from a blanket warmer :)

supermag

Newbie

Original poster

Jan 11, 2016

6

10

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

• Jan 11, 2016

• #1

Hello all.

I think I have come to the right place to figure out my smokerbuild and share my experiences as I go.

I scored an old blanket warmer that should make a sweet smoker. So far, all I have done is test the internal heater and made a base to add casters to it. Controls are on order and I'm going to try using a combo of the heat in it (750 W) and the heat from the smoke generator off my Bradley. That will make 1250 W total in a metal insulated cabinet.

I will poke around and ask questions until I have enough posts to post pics. :)

Looking forward to chatting with you all

Supermag

 

SmokinAl

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Jun 22, 2009

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• Jan 12, 2016

• #2

Welcome to the forum!

Can't wait to see this thing in action.

 

smokingchick

Newbie

Jan 11, 2016

6

10

Bloomer, WI

• Jan 12, 2016

• #3

I just acquired one over the weekend as well and pondering how I am going to build it.  Excited to watch your progress.

 

supermag

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Jan 11, 2016

6

10

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

• Jan 12, 2016

• #4

It really seems perfectly suited for a smoker. I nearly fell over when I asked for a price on stainless expanded mesh. $630for 8 racks 17 x 25.5! I went with regular steel. I will just have to be diligent with cleaning the racks. I'm thinking of just a pinwheel damper on the bottom on one side for intake and another on the top on the other for exhaust. Anyone do one like this?

 

JckDanls 07

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Sep 10, 2011

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Tampa area, Florida.

• Jan 12, 2016

• #5

should be interesting.. you can go ahead and post pics.. A Mod will scan them and then post.. don't have to wait...

 

supermag

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Jan 11, 2016

6

10

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

• Jan 18, 2016

• #6

Thanks guys. Once I get back at it, I will send some pics. Too cold lately. Last weekend it was -13 F. No fun in an unheated garage.

 

dvgdn

Newbie

Feb 15, 2016

4

10

• Feb 16, 2016

• #7

I've got one on a homemade offset horizontal that I built year's ago. Works great. I extended the center bolt and used a short stuff spring under the nut to hold tension on the outer disk.

 

supermag

Newbie

Original poster

Thread starter

Jan 11, 2016

6

10

Edmonton, Alberta, Canada

• Mar 19, 2016

• #8

IMAG1345.jpg

• supermag
• Mar 19, 2016

IMAG1346.jpg

• supermag
• Mar 19, 2016

IMAG1343.jpg

• supermag
• Mar 19, 2016

OK. Time for an update. Here is where I am now. I have my venting done, control and wiring is done. In the back of the smoker are 750 watts of electric heat. The puck burner on the Bradley smoke generator is another 500 watts. The cabinet is 1" with fibreglass insulation. I'm not getting enough heat from it. The best I can get is 170 and it takes a long time. I tried just putting a 2 burner hotplate in the bottom and left that on (without the strip heaters on) and I got up to 220. Still took a long time. I suspect the hotplate has an internal thermostat in the controls because I could hear contacts being made as soon as I opened the door and then the elements glowed orange as they powered up again. I'm thinking of jumping out the controls and just interrupting the hot line through my electronic controller. Has anyone done that?

Thanks

 

JckDanls 07

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Sep 10, 2011

8,044

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Tampa area, Florida.

• Mar 23, 2016

• #9

yes.. the hot plates have safety features built in.. bypass them and then control the elements with your PID ...