Ducting for Building a Home-Made Cold Smoker

[RichC01]

I have a New Braunfels smoker, and I have never been able to find a way to maintain a low smoking temperature (<150 degrees) without living next to it, and tending it constantly. I was thinking about making a secondary cold(er) smoker by connecting a length of flexible aluminum ducting to the smoker's chimney, then to a second chamber, where the temperature where the temperature would be cooler. That way, I could also do two batches at the same time, at different temperatures, in the two smoke chambers.

There have been other posts about what such a chamber would need to be like (galvanized or not, vents, etc.) but my question is about the flexible ducting to use from the smoker to the new chamber. Would simple, flexible aluminum dryer ducting from the hardware store work? I have been wondering if it might have some sort of coating on it, which would be harmless in its intended use, but which might not be good around smoke and food.

Is there anything else that is a potential problem with this idea that I should watch out for?

Thanks.

 

[bill ace 350]

Have you researched pellet/dust trays and tubes?

 

[thirdeye]

Galvanized coated items in the vicinity of flame or charcoal could get hot enough to emit vapors (although the temps needed to do this are very high), so that is generally frowned upon). Ductwork will never see those kinds of temps, and it will build up a layer of smoke residue anyways. I'd steer clear of galvanized anything in your smoke generator, but I think you are fine for ductwork. Here is a good example of ductwork to cool the smoke before it gets to the main chamber.