Didn't realize I was as much of an "amateur" at smoking, but after getting hooked on you guys, enjoying every day looking forward to what everyone was doing, I now know I am an amateur. My name is Ben Elliott, live in a tiny burg in Southern Illinois, Grayville, that is. For most of my life I have been in the food business, started in the grocery store, added a convenience store and a few restaurants and bars along the way. A little over a year ago I became sidelined, which left me very limited to what I can do. After a year of feeling sorry for myself, I decided every day I am here, I am going to do something, no matter how big or how small. We used to have a smoker on a trailer that we would take around for catering, and I have had the small brinker smoker and a electric smoker. After finding you guys, I want a real smoker that I can smoke my own bacon, hams and hundreds of the recipes I have been following with you guys. My crazy idea can't get too elegant, but this is what I have been thinking about and would like to have some of your ideas and suggestions before I start on it and screw it up. I have a wood burning fireplace, free standing, that I would use for a base and set a confection oven on top, with the stub of the fireplace coming into the bottom of the oven. Take the fan off the back of the oven and use that hole for the smokestack to come out of the oven. I have a carport in the yard that I run the tractor under, or park the mower in between mowing's. There is plenty of room, and I thought that I would put it under the roof, so no matter what the weather is, I could smoke. What ever I do, I will take pics and post them as I go along. You have given me so much to look forward to, thanks. Ben