Your thoughts on my Smoker build plan

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seddie

Newbie
Original poster
May 31, 2017
2
10
First time using a forum to get some help so please be kind lol. 

I am planning on building a smoker in my back yard. I figured instead of spending the money on a few nice metal smokers over my lifetime, I could build one "Brick and mortar" smoker and last me a lifetime.

I've tried to do my research ahead of time and came up with the attached photos. I used Feldons smoker calculator along with videos and some threads here to come up with it.

Could I get your opinions on my plan. Any constructive criticism, or ideas would be greatly appreciated. If i am making any mistakes or could go about it a different way please let me know.

My Plan:

- 4" thick slab with re bar for the base.

- Standard concrete blocks stacked on top mortared together with standard mortar. First course would be tied into the slab with re bar and concrete to fill the voids. The rest of the courses filled and compacted with sand.

- Thin veneer stone, or cast thin veneer would be attached to the outside for the finish.

- Standard Fire Brick would be motored in place using refractory cement inside the firebox only.

- A diffuser plate (not sure if that is the right terminology) with separate the Fire box and Cooking chamber. It will also double as a place to hold a water pan.

- 6 possible grate positions (will probably only use 2 or 3 normally)

- I have an Automatic Temperature Controller fan set up I plan to use.

- Under the counter top will be storage for my smoking wood.

- 1/4" thick angle and plate will be used on the door/door frame. I plan on getting it coated with high temp ceramic coating for a long life.

Questions:

- I am not sure I have the Smoke Stack Height correct. The notes before the calculations on the calculator had me a little confused, and concerned especially about being too long and dropping nasties onto the food. From the pictures do my dimensions look right?

- Is there anyway I can determine the amount of CFM I would need using the ATC fan to control my airflow?

- Will the High temp ceramic coating off gas any bad chemicals into the smoker? 

Let me know what you think or if my plan is flawed. Id hate to spend all the time and money to have it not work correctly. I've attached pictures of both the 3-D drawing and screen shots of the calculator with all the pertinent information.

Thanks for your help

Seddie


 
Not sure on the math side but it looks like a nice build. I would pour a small footing on the slab just to make sure you don't loose your hard work. That's a lot of weight. Depending on your soil type this may not be necessary.
 
My Plan:

- 4" thick slab with re bar for the base.

- Standard concrete blocks stacked on top mortared together with standard mortar. First course would be tied into the slab with re bar and concrete to fill the voids. The rest of the courses filled and compacted with sand.

- Thin veneer stone, or cast thin veneer would be attached to the outside for the finish.

- Standard Fire Brick would be motored in place using refractory cement inside the firebox only.

- A diffuser plate (not sure if that is the right terminology) with separate the Fire box and Cooking chamber. It will also double as a place to hold a water pan.

- 6 possible grate positions (will probably only use 2 or 3 normally)

- I have an Automatic Temperature Controller fan set up I plan to use.

- Under the counter top will be storage for my smoking wood.

- 1/4" thick angle and plate will be used on the door/door frame. I plan on getting it coated with high temp ceramic coating for a long life.

I would do no less then 10" of concrete

I would not fill the holes with sand, they will retain moisture

Use MVIS hi bond for the thin stone

The firebrick is good, use a non-water soluable refractory mortar, aka heatstop50. A lot of refractory mortars will wash out with moisture.

I would parge coat any masonry that will take on smoke that isnt in the firebox area. You dont want crap stuck to the bare blocks. Page with heatstop50, its acid resistant, heat resistant, and non water soluable.
 
Hi Seddie

looks great. Im about to build something similar ( vertical cinder block).

where did you get those plans? Id love something like that to guide me.

cheers G
 
@jeffbm, or anyone who might know,

Jeff, since you are a professional mason, I have a question that I am hoping you can answer.

I'm building a masonry smoker (see my recent post), and I am about to lay in all of my firebrick, and I have seen a lot of people recommend leaving a bit of room behind the firebrick (in my case between the firebrick and the CMU blocks). I assume that this is to allow for firebrick expansion, and also for moisture management.

Do you have any recommendations for how to go about doing this and keeping even spacing behind the firebrick - which will also help to keep the firebrick plumb - particularly on the vertical surfaces. It seems like if there's nothing behind it to hold it, I'll end up with basically freestanding firebrick rows / stacks, which can't be very stable.

I have been thinking about putting some metal lathe behind the firebrick / between the firebrick and the CMU blocks to make up the spacing -- but I am very open to suggestions. Any thoughts?

Jon Mc
Huntsville, AL
 
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