Cres Cor Heated Cabinet

  • Some of the links on this forum allow SMF, at no cost to you, to earn a small commission when you click through and make a purchase. Let me know if you have any questions about this.
SMF is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.

Ronyon

Newbie
Original poster
May 18, 2021
18
3
I've abandoned my other plans and bought a non-functional warming cabinet.
It's the cube style, smaller than I wanted but still plenty of room for a beginner like me.
I'm planning on a maze in a "mailbox", but it would be in a drawer under the smoker.
For heat I like the ease of 120v electric.
I realize it will probably not be very hot, but
240v power is too site specific, I want to be able to cook anywhere.

Propane would be perfect, but safety is a concern.
I see warnings about using propane in an enclosure but I also see the northern tool burner recommended.
Is there something special about the northern tool burner?
Does it have a safety like the one in a gas water heater?
 
Gas is fine as long as you add a thermocouple to shut off the gas in the event of a flame out. Tejassmokers.com can help you configure the set up.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ronyon
Those look very nice, but the cheapest was 285 dollars.
Guess I'll stick to electric, or scavenge a system.
I do have a defunct gas water heater sitting around, and they have just such a system.
Its designed for natural gas but that shouldn't matter for the valve.

So, on a different note, I was planning on routing the exhaust to a tee on the back of the cabinet.
I saw where they used 2" pipe on one UDS build.
Would that be large enough for my project?
 
They will heat up fairly well with a good electric element. Believe I had mine at 300⁰ at 30⁰ outside temp. The built in heaters are only 900 watts total. Mine also never worked when I got it but an 8 dollar switch was all it took. Ofcourse you would need a new controller to get to higher temps. Surprising how much you can get in there with 18X26 in. sheet pans. 2 in. exhaust should be good I went with 3 because it was what I had, way too big.
 
Last edited:
  • Like
Reactions: Ronyon
Most 120V electric cookers need to be double-walled to minimize power loss. Otherwise peak temps may be limited to maybe only 200F in summertime. If the cabinet you're using already has well-insulated walls, then standard wall plug power should be fine. Then you'll probably need some sort of thermostatic controller to periodically turn your heating filament on and off to keep your temps from getting too high.
 
  • Like
Reactions: Ronyon
So 120v will probably do the trick, thanks guys!
I hope to get this thing to the point that anyone can operate it, and using 120v power will help.
Olof, I hear you on the sheet pans.
Mine came with some full sized, and luckily we use half sized trays in our home, to fit our tiny Chambers gas oven.
Should we buy the 1/2 sheet pan sized cooling racks and use them with sheet pans, or just drill holes in the sheet pans?
I can access a waterjetcutter to automate the sheet pan mods.
 
So 120v will probably do the trick, thanks guys!
I hope to get this thing to the point that anyone can operate it, and using 120v power will help.
Olof, I hear you on the sheet pans.
Mine came with some full sized, and luckily we use half sized trays in our home, to fit our tiny Chambers gas oven.
Should we buy the 1/2 sheet pan sized cooling racks and use them with sheet pans, or just drill holes in the sheet pans?
I can access a waterjetcutter to automate the sheet pan mods.
I bought all 1/2 perforated sheet pans with cooling racks. The 1/2 sheet pans will kinda fit in a dishwasher. Full are too big to deal with. Your cabinet comes with three 300 watt heaters (if it's like mine) left and right side and bottom. I tried what you want with the mailbox mod but did everything wrong. People here should be able to help you out with that. I actually half azz tried three different ways on generating smoke all were failures but probably cause it was a half azz attempt. I was trying not to hack everything up cutting holes all over the place. 16240513601531372614529045206491.jpg
 
Very nice gear.
That size definitely fits in our dishwasher, I have the same pans but only one perforated one, mostly used for pizza.

I'm thinking of using a stainless steel steam table pan for the "mailbox".
I
 
SmokingMeatForums.com is reader supported and as an Amazon Associate, we may earn commissions from qualifying purchases.

Latest posts

Clicky