instulated smoker or thicker metal smoker

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hutch82

Newbie
Original poster
Oct 22, 2014
22
10
Hey there everyone need your help.  I am thinking of building a smoker.  I am either thinking of doing two layers metal like 10 gauge

with some insullation in between or one layer just really thick.  What is the best? 

Or should metal be thicker? How thick for one layer?

Any help or advice would be great thanks...

Thinking a cabinet style with smoker box in bottom or smoker with smokerbox on the side

I know I am all over been researching lots and am about to get my materials

thanks for your time
 
I use #16 for my smokers with 2" mineral wool.   

I can touch the outside while it's running, so no reason to go much more than that. 

Have a look at some of my vertical insulated smokers for ideas.

$5 for each idea you use ;)
 
thanks for the reply.  What do you do around the fire box?

how warm would the outside be if you used like 1/4 steel?

thanks
 
I put 1" thick firebricks in the firebox area and use 1/4" steel for the firebox.  Thats where most of your heat loss can occurr. 

If you are contemplating making the thing out of 1/4" inside and out for the cooking chamber it is very , very excessive.

I serviced a smoker I built using #14 (2mm) a couple of months ago and all it needed was a good cleaning and knocking off the crud.  It has been used daily for the last 5 years.   Why do you need to go so heavy?

Double up on the insulation and paint the interior of the insulating walls and you can put the smoker in your kids inheritance.

I will try and snap some pics tomorrow of a big insulated smoker I am building at the moment.
 
IMO, I think that the best of smokers are at least 1/4" overall. Mine is 1/4" in the CC and 5/16" in the FB. The thicker metal will last much longer and hold heat much better. I don't know your location, but if you're not in a severe winter climate, insulation is not required.

Good luck with it.
 
I agree with Joe Black 1/4" on the inside then if you like use the 10 gauge on the outside to reduce your weight. PitMaker uses 1/4" inside and out on their Sniper model and while it seems excessive the cookers are designed to run hot and fast so the added metal in the firebox is a plus. I live on the gulf coast and the inside of a firebox takes a beating due to the humidity but the key to any of them is clean out the ash once she cools down or it will slowly destroy your firebox.

I wrapped mine with a Thermal rector blanket next to no weight and I can sit on it while cooking.

 
Awesome thanks everyone for their help so far.  I live in Canada and smoke and grill year round.

I have a few big green eggs witch are awesome I love them but can be a little small when entertaining.

I am just afraid the lighter gauge steel smokers wont last here.  just my opinion

Make it heavy to last a life time type of idea.

I'm sure lighter steel insulated and well taken care of could last too so please still post your pics sounds awesome
 
 
Awesome thanks everyone for their help so far.  I live in Canada and smoke and grill year round.

I have a few big green eggs witch are awesome I love them but can be a little small when entertaining.

I am just afraid the lighter gauge steel smokers wont last here.  just my opinion

Make it heavy to last a life time type of idea.

I'm sure lighter steel insulated and well taken care of could last too so please still post your pics sounds awesome
I am kinda the same way growing up in the oilfield and fabrication world heavy steel just lasts longer. lol.

Good luck on your project I look forward to following your progress. Ask all the questions you need  it is part of learning. :)
 
thanks for the post.  I love the looks of the ones that have nice paint jobs on the out side and I know they are just well insulated smokers.

I know either way they will work.  Probably pick one and go with it.  I will post as I go thanks a lot for everyones in put here huge help.

Guess theres no wrong way really
 
 
thanks for the post.  I love the looks of the ones that have nice paint jobs on the out side and I know they are just well insulated smokers.

I know either way they will work.  Probably pick one and go with it.  I will post as I go thanks a lot for everyones in put here huge help.

Guess theres no wrong way really
Just to advise you most of the insulated smokers I have built are for comercial use inside a kitchen and use a ventilation system to extract the smoke above them. (extractor hood)






They grey one below is in Bariloche Argentina and likely surrounded by snow at the moment.  These run daily and use very little wood. 
 
wow those are some awesome pics thanks so much for posting those.  I wanna build something that size looks really good
 
the one your building in the pic how does the heat go from fire box to cooking chamber? thanks so much for your time.  Do you build these full time?
 
Click on the center picture....    This is a reverse flow vertical smoker.....   The heat and smoke travel up the 2 outer channels...  Then the heat and smoke travel downward through the meat etc. to the floor of the CC....  Then the center channel allows for the smoke and heat to exit the CC...  

A very simple and effective smoker design....
 
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thanks perfect answer .....makes perfect sense and your your very simple but probably works great

giving me lots of ideas here to go on
 
Works great and has very even temps top to bottom.

I am building another one same as the blue one at the moment with a few small mods.

The chassis is 2x4" with 1/4" plate for the firebox.     Like I said these can run daily for years.    

The grey one is 1200mm wide and blue one 2000mm   .
 
what kinda paint do you use on your smokers like the blue?  Do they hold up with 16 gauge and 2 " insulation?

That's the real reason I am looking into the heat.  Well wanna keep some heat in for winter cooking in winds but would like a nice paint job as well

thanks again
 
do you ever build smokers with water pans or trays? This good idea or what are you guys thoughts.  Not that you cant put a tray of liquid in the smoker as well

Just see a lot of smokers with build in pans and vavles ect
 
I use Blue paint ;)

It is just regular paint or anti oxide.   Nothing speacial 

It may burn a little right by the firebox.     I  thin it with gasoline as thinners is expensive here.
 
ok thanks so much for all your help

lets gets some metal now. cant wait to get started 
 
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