Building a Propane Smoker

[Bigern26]

I just picked up a really heavy steel cabinet that is 6' high x 4' wide x 2' deep.

My build would basically be for smoking venison bacon, snack sticks, and summer sausage.
Occasionally maybe some regular bacon, other sausages, and pork butts.

My though was to cut the shelves out and build some hanging hooks and racks then get a couple
burners and throw some pans on them for wood chips. Would this work?
Or am I looking to have to build a separate chamber in the bottom to house the burners and pans?
Is there a easy way to monitor the main chamber via wifi so I keep track of temp?

 

[HalfSmoked]

Check out the numbers don't build a bomb.

Warren

 

[Jonok]

For a whole bunch of reasons, if you have access to electricity (especially 240) do that instead.
It will cost you exponentially less

You don’t have open flame to set fire to drippings

You can seperate smoke production from smoker temp

Your temperature control can be within a degree or two with less than $100 worth of electrical components

And best of all, your meat won’t reek of mercaptan.

 

[Bigern26]

For a whole bunch of reasons, if you have access to electricity (especially 240) do that instead.
It will cost you exponentially less

You don’t have open flame to set fire to drippings

You can seperate smoke production from smoker temp

Your temperature control can be within a degree or two with less than $100 worth of electrical components

And best of all, your meat won’t reek of mercaptan.

Less than $100 for that large of a smoker? Please tell me the secrets. How would I make the smoke?

Here is a build I did a few years ago that was a flop. Could not get the smoker hot or to stay hot. Smoke was terrible from the smoke generators. I scrapped this build. This is why I want to go with propane. I do have 240v out to where the smoker was going to go originally. I might still have most of the electrical but my order from auber was around $200 so I wonder how I could build a bigger smoker for half the price.

Holy Smokes - Commercial Heater Build

Here I will be showing my build. After lots of help from dward51 in another thread with wiring (thanks again) and Auber Instruments, I am ready to start a build thread. Starting with a Commercial heating cabinet. Double doors on each side and already had a smoke daddy generator from previous...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

 

[Jonok]

Less than $100 for that large of a smoker? Please tell me the secrets. How would I make the smoke?

Here is a build I did a few years ago that was a flop. Could not get the smoker hot or to stay hot. Smoke was terrible from the smoke generators. I scrapped this build. This is why I want to go with propane. I do have 240v out to where the smoker was going to go originally. I might still have most of the electrical but my order from auber was around $200 so I wonder how I could build a bigger smoker for half the price.

Holy Smokes - Commercial Heater Build

Here I will be showing my build. After lots of help from dward51 in another thread with wiring (thanks again) and Auber Instruments, I am ready to start a build thread. Starting with a Commercial heating cabinet. Double doors on each side and already had a smoke daddy generator from previous...

www.smokingmeatforums.com

Well, what I did was to buy a $25 Chinese PID off of Amazon, that came with a couple of temp probes. I spent another $50 or so for a mechanical DPDT relay (less likely to fail closed than a SSR, and it switches both legs for safety) a few bucks more for 2 30a DPDT switches so I could turn off the elements individually to allow for “broiling or baking” if desired, and two 3400w 240v sauna elements, also from Amazon.
It will heat to 350” within 10 minutes and holds temps essentially exactly.
I’ve used a number of different smoke generators, but the ones I prefer best involve a real fire, rather than a pellet feeder or an electric element and chips.

I have a “smoke daddy” type which works ok with lump charcoal and green fruitwood chunks, but my current go-to is actually built from a baby Weber with an air pump and a larger bore (2.5”) section of flexible exhaust pipe. That one supports a better coal bed and I can put larger pieces of smoke wood in it if desired. I found a couple of big stainless ball valves on EBay for less than $30, and have those as intake and outflow at the bottom and top of the smoker to control airflow.
Including the cabinet, casters, cords/outlets and various pieces/parts needed to put it all together, I’m sure I have less than $600 in the whole thing and it works great.