freg build

[smokebutt]

hi, new here but i have to say this is by far the best site i have ever been on,,,unreal the advice and pic. on this site...like a kid in a candy store...

i just got an old 50's freg.. i was going elec. on it with a hot plate which worked great but i also wanted gas...looking at the other freg, build and seeing how they took the inside side trim off i figured that with elec i didn't need to do that...so i didn't well today i hooked up my propane gas and who would have known that plastic doesn't hold up to open flames...go figure...lol...sooo i am now replaceing it with metal strips on the sides...

as far as stack goes...instead of dropping my 3" steal pipe down a hole thru the roof i just cut the hole thru the top took out the ins. and inserted the pipe, then i went inside and drill 1/4" holes in the ceiling which is inside the 3" pipe...works great and no stack hanging on the inside it just sits on the ceiling ..

this freg, has a lower compartment for pans i guess...anyway thats where i put my 2 burners from an old gas bbq grill... i attacked the knows on the front of the drawer....instead of cutting a hole in the floor of the freg i cut thru the floor from the bottom leaving the floor from the inside of the freg in place...the burners r below that...so when i heat it its heated thru the floor from the bottom...

i guess the question i have is do i need an opening inside the freg for air seeing as the gas burner is in the lower unit where there is plenty of air? 

i also found a browler pan with a slotted pan that fits inside that works great for wood chips r water r both...i love that thing...

nice meeting all of you,,,sorry no pic...

also why couldn't i use an old elec. skillet with controls so i could just set it at 225 and leave it?

my head hurts from thinking so much but its so much fun...

 

[adiochiro3]

Welcome to the SMF!!  Please post some pix of your rig soon so we can admire and drool over it!  You'll love hanging out around here!

 

[mballi3011]

First off Welcome to SMF. I too would like to see this Freg. I have never even heard of anything like that. You'll like it here for there are alot of really good folks here that would just love to help you with just about anything to do with smoking. Now there are alot of proven recipes for some amazing things here too. So if you need sign up for the E-Course it's free and it will give you the basics of smoking and some good methods to use also. So the next big thing for you to do is go out and get you something to smoke and if you happen to have any questions just post it here and we will be happy to answer them for you.

Welcome To Your New Addiction    

 

[richoso1]

When using the word Freg, do you mean fridge, as in refridgerator?

 

[archernut]

I am doing the same thing. Last year we took an older model and bigger fridge, and converted it using a 220 electric stove burner with a aircompressor tank turned into a woodstove mounted on the back. It worked great for deer salami. The temp had to get app 300 for app 4 hours to actually cook it to desired temp. Keep in mind, there was alot of lbs of hanging salami in there.

This year I wanted my own and just found a smaller older fridge. It is now gutted and I'm waiting on my door panel to be cut to shape.

I found a smaller one burner grill for $3 at an auction. I plan on using the grills lower box where the burner sits. I am mounting this to the bottom of the fridge. The two gas tubes going to my control knobs will have to be modified with a steel flex tube to reach the knobs mounted on the back.

The box has a grate for the lava rock. This will work fine for my smoker box. I plan on using the box with wood chips directly on the grate. I won't need much more than an hours worth of smoke. The salami wll absorb the smoke flavor while it is cold and then cook.

This is a relatively smaller fridge. I think it is only 30 inches wide by 14 inches deep and maybeg 48 inches tall. It is insulated well, so I think the propane burner from the grill will be sufficient.

I am a little puzzled on the size of exhaust I should mount. I am sure leaning towards a 1.5 inch galvanized with a flapper to control the amount of smoke. Or threading the pipe and putting a cap on it when the chips are done and the salami is cooking.

I just wonder if the flame will have enough oxygen without a top vent? The bottom will be vented.

Hope this helps.

 

[smokebutt]

hi nut, i wouldn't think that would be big enough, the reason i say that is that on my cajun injector the hole is and i'm guessing maybe 3"  altho there is a vent in it to open and close it...jmo...on my fridge i used a 4" pipe i think..i do know my bottom was open also but had a vent up top but it was stopped up some and it would go out fron a lack of air...that was with gas....hope this helps

 

[archernut]

Cooker is done now. I'm firing it up for a test run. I did do a 1.5" chimney. The bottom is cut to allow for lots of air. I will post some pics and let ya'all know how it went.

Thanks for the input.