Just got a freezer need some advise

I am in the process of a similar build and what I plan to do is find or make a large drip pan above the burner that will serve double purpose as a heat deflector as well. I am using a smoke generator with an air pump so I don't think I will need any other inlet vents, but I'm curious to hear other opinions. I know there can be issues with stagnant smoke creating creasote, and it seems that for a chimney to work properly you would need some source of air coming in, preferably near the bottom.

Good luck and keep us posted on what you decide and pics would be great.

Mine is an old freezer conversion. I used a Brinkmann heating element, cookie trays for drip pans. Made a perforated, curved heat deflector. Has an Allied Kenco thermo. My main smoke generator is a side box with a hot plate and pan. I also have a smoke daddy style generator that I built. I don't care for the quality of smoke it makes so far. The side box heat is independant of the heat need to "cook" the products and lasts about 6 hours on a fill.

What gauge steel did you use for the door?

As for the air flow, here is what my current Cookshack smoker has and it works great. On the very bottom of the unit inside, the floor v's in the middle slightly, with a dime size hole dead center. The drippings run there and down the hole into the awaiting drip pan mounted outside and underneath.

Anyways, go with me here... The heating element is inside the smoker box, which houses the chunks above the element. The box has a hinged angled roof (which I line with foil every smoke to ease cleanup)


The smoke box is also a cover for the element. What I'm getting at is that the "air intake" is the dime size hole in the bottom. Smoke exits out the quarter size hole in the top. That's it - no other air movement. Very simple, small and it works very well and keeps ALOT of moisture in the unit. I have never needed a water pan.



Maybe that will help in your design plans. I too am planning on using a smoke generator (made from a scuba tank - gotta be true to my name!)
and that will be my air intake, and a small (2" muffler) exhaust out the top/back of the unit.

I often wonder if the 3" or 4" exhaust pipes are too much, but all I know is what the cookshack does and it seems to work fine with small holes.

Buy the a-maze-n-smoker I built my own but works great Kernbigo @yahoo.com

Here is the link to the A MAZE N Smoker - it works fantastic for this purpose

http://www.amazenproducts.com/Products.html