Building my own.
- Thread starter bluezman
- Start date
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Thanks for the positive feedback, people. It's very encouraging.
This is where I'm at with the base and the lid. (see pix)
I need to vent both and give 'em a spritz of high temp black. Any coments on the size vents I'll need?
Then I'll need a door...
Bluezman
P.S. Well, here I am quoteing myself:
" Does anyone know if this will work as a reostat to control the heating element (118v 12.7amp 1500w) of my smoker in progress?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=43060 "
And here I am answering myself:
I bought one to check it out. Don't bother, the control gets super hot... burnt my hand! Fire hazard for sure!
This is where I'm at with the base and the lid. (see pix)
I need to vent both and give 'em a spritz of high temp black. Any coments on the size vents I'll need?
Then I'll need a door...
Bluezman
P.S. Well, here I am quoteing myself:
" Does anyone know if this will work as a reostat to control the heating element (118v 12.7amp 1500w) of my smoker in progress?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=43060 "
And here I am answering myself:
I bought one to check it out. Don't bother, the control gets super hot... burnt my hand! Fire hazard for sure!
Things are starting to shape up. I've aqquired a thermostat, a weatherproof electrical box, made a lower rack, and put some vents in the cover. The lower rack is an open design so that I can use it on the
bottom to hold the pan of water, or on top to hang hooks from.
I'm haveing trouble figureing out how big to make the door. I ran across a post or two with owners of some smokers complaining about their door being too small. How big should the door be? How about 10" high and 14" wide? Can somebody let me know if that would be big enough? Appreciate it.
Bluezman
bottom to hold the pan of water, or on top to hang hooks from.
I'm haveing trouble figureing out how big to make the door. I ran across a post or two with owners of some smokers complaining about their door being too small. How big should the door be? How about 10" high and 14" wide? Can somebody let me know if that would be big enough? Appreciate it.
Bluezman
Worked on assembly and the controls yesterday...near complete.
So, I'm getting closer.
I'll have everything (except the door) done in a couple of hours. I'ld love to be able to use it tomorrow, but I'm still trying to decide how big to make the door.
Bluezman
So, I'm getting closer.
Bluezman
The door on my Brinkman is like 5x9, but it is the location that sometimes seems like the real problem. If anything I would reccomend a taller opening for adding wood chips and water to the water pan if you are using a water pan (I reccomend a water pan) I would also like to suggest that you make provisions to add as many racks as you can at like a 2" spacing. (funny thing about smoking that I have learned, It is either one great big chunk of meat at one time or it is a hundred little snacks at one time) I don't think that it will take you long to be happy that you added more racks to your rig. Just think of it, layer upon layer of ABTs or stuffed portabellas or brats or any of the smaller things that we tend to squeeze into a smoke session.
Looking real good!
I can't wait to see the maiden voyage!
Looking real good!
I can't wait to see the maiden voyage!
deejaydebi
Legendary Pitmaster
Sorry I haven't been around in a while. I've had jury duty, and a few other things came up. I've had to do some winterizations around the house, and my neighbours' pool needed to be put to bed for the winter. Her husband (a good friend of mine) passed away almost a year ago, so I do what I can.
I did , although, work on the smoker door some. I've started on the frame by welding two pieces of rolled 1 1/2" x 1/8" flat stock together with two pieces (not rolled) of the same dimensions to create an opening 10" x 10 1/2".
Since I don't own a slip roll, I took a piece of 16 ga. sheet stock 11 1/2" x 12" down to my old job, and asked a friend to run it through theirs.
It only took 10 min. to get it rolled, but I wound up BSing in the cafeteria for two hours!
I'm also trying to fab up some hinges and a latching handle for the door.
I'll post back with some pics soon.
Bluezman
I did , although, work on the smoker door some. I've started on the frame by welding two pieces of rolled 1 1/2" x 1/8" flat stock together with two pieces (not rolled) of the same dimensions to create an opening 10" x 10 1/2".
Since I don't own a slip roll, I took a piece of 16 ga. sheet stock 11 1/2" x 12" down to my old job, and asked a friend to run it through theirs.
It only took 10 min. to get it rolled, but I wound up BSing in the cafeteria for two hours!
I'm also trying to fab up some hinges and a latching handle for the door.
I'll post back with some pics soon.
Bluezman
Just caught this thread. Nice looking smoker. Looks like you are doing a pro job.
Waiting for the results from the first smoke.
Waiting for the results from the first smoke.
Posting a few more pics. I'm getting close. I can almost smell smoke. I've ordered a 16" x 3" aluminum cake pan that I hope comes soon. A little more to be done on the door, a bottom vent, and I need some ribbon seal and adhesive for the door and top cover.
Bluezman
Bluezman
Thanks Yellowtin. I couldn't use the Router control...it got so hot it burnt my hand.
I used a thermostat. The type you find controling an electric stove oven.
PigCicles, I also hope it won't be too long. If it doesn't get done soon, it'll get too cold outside and I'll have to build a box around it!
Bluezman
I used a thermostat. The type you find controling an electric stove oven.
PigCicles, I also hope it won't be too long. If it doesn't get done soon, it'll get too cold outside and I'll have to build a box around it!
Bluezman
Just an adjustable bottom vent and I'm done! I've ordered this: http://www.amazon.com/Remote-check-7...249702-6582514
so I'm almost ready to smoke up the neighborhood.
Bluezman
so I'm almost ready to smoke up the neighborhood.
Bluezman
I'll be smoking some meat this weekend (weather permitting).
The smoker's seasoning went well ... (somewhat) ... I had some problems ... mostly caused by the cold, misty weather and the learning curve. At first I couldn't get higher than 195* and this was without the water pan and wood box. I decided to put up a wind screen. the temp went up to 225 and stopped. I wanted to see it go higher. I then cut back on the intake air (bottom vent). It went to 255*. So far, so good.
Time to put in the wood box (cold) loaded with a dozen marshmello sized chunks of apple wood. Opening the door made the temp drop to 225*. It took 10min. for the temp to start comeing back up, but then it started to climb too fast...right up to 300* I knew something was wrong. It was a flare up. I had to take the box out.
Next time I will put the box in before I start, and I think I'll make the bottom of the box solid instead of perforated. Also, I don't think I should go to more than 220* at first. I might even soak the wood.
Anyhow, I'll be fiddling with it again tomorrow.
Thank you, everyone that supported my efforts and those that gave advice. I, literally, could not have gotten this far without you!
Bluezman
The smoker's seasoning went well ... (somewhat) ... I had some problems ... mostly caused by the cold, misty weather and the learning curve. At first I couldn't get higher than 195* and this was without the water pan and wood box. I decided to put up a wind screen. the temp went up to 225 and stopped. I wanted to see it go higher. I then cut back on the intake air (bottom vent). It went to 255*. So far, so good.
Time to put in the wood box (cold) loaded with a dozen marshmello sized chunks of apple wood. Opening the door made the temp drop to 225*. It took 10min. for the temp to start comeing back up, but then it started to climb too fast...right up to 300* I knew something was wrong. It was a flare up. I had to take the box out.
Next time I will put the box in before I start, and I think I'll make the bottom of the box solid instead of perforated. Also, I don't think I should go to more than 220* at first. I might even soak the wood.
Anyhow, I'll be fiddling with it again tomorrow.
Thank you, everyone that supported my efforts and those that gave advice. I, literally, could not have gotten this far without you!
Bluezman
Thanks Yellowtin, I've already got some ideas for a wood smokehouse with a brick firebox........................what's next for you?
Bluezman
Bluezman
Last October I finished up the smoker and was ready to smoke, but it became too cold so rather than fight the cold I decided to wait 'till spring.
Spring came and I built a wind break to take care of the heat dissipation problem with the aluminum core. See pix.
Also, I realized I haven't shown any "Proof of concept" pix (Qview). So here's what I did today. Wally calls them Boneless Country style Beef Ribs, but we all know it's just some extra big chuck chunks.
A little St. Louie Rub, some apple wood chunks, 3+ hrs. later I was doing my caveman thing : meat in one hand, beer in the other. Mmmm.
Bluezman
Spring came and I built a wind break to take care of the heat dissipation problem with the aluminum core. See pix.
Also, I realized I haven't shown any "Proof of concept" pix (Qview). So here's what I did today. Wally calls them Boneless Country style Beef Ribs, but we all know it's just some extra big chuck chunks.
A little St. Louie Rub, some apple wood chunks, 3+ hrs. later I was doing my caveman thing : meat in one hand, beer in the other. Mmmm.
Bluezman
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