First run on new fridge. Need help with heat

[golfpro2301]

Thought I would add a few updated pics of the finished fridge. I did the first cook on the fridge and like an idiot I forgot to get some QViews.

I decided to line the bottom and sides with bricks to help with heat recovery. Also this allows me to lay the element on top of the bricks instead of fastening it to the smoker. Makes for easy removal and cleaning if needed. This was right before I added some food so you can see my two ledges I made for moisture pans.

IMAG0536.jpg

• golfpro2301
• Aug 30, 2012

IMAG0536.jpg

• golfpro2301
• Aug 30, 2012

This is the new vent I added. It is adjustable but the adjuster knob happened to be plastic. I coated it with high heat grill paint and held a butane torch to it to make sure the paint would hold. It did great. Even the plastic piece took about 10 seconds of direct contact with the flame to show signs of melting. Makes me wonder if I could have left it on with no problems. Maybe some one on here could let me know and I would go get another one to instal

IMAG0537.jpg

• golfpro2301
• Aug 30, 2012

Here is a picture from the back. I bought another vent that is not adjustable to cover up this hole to make it look a little nicer but due to removing the plastic piece that adjusts the vent on the inside I had to leave the back exposed because I have to use my hand to open and close the vent.

IMAG0538.jpg

• golfpro2301
• Aug 30, 2012

The only thing that is left is to find some rain caps for my smoke stacks. The ones at lowes are a little too big and wont allow my smoker to fit out of my patio door. I would like to get another heating element for more heater and a faster warm up time. I am going to have a 240 volt outlet installed outside but I am having a hard time finding a similar oven style element that is around 3000 watts and 240 volts. I need the oven style so my chip tray can sit on top of it. Let me know if you have any good ideas. Thanks in advance

 

[golfpro2301]

I think its time to update the fridge a little. I want to insulate it better and finally get it sanded and painted. Because of how snug the metal cooking chamber is on the inside of the fridge I can't use fiberglass effectively. I was interested in using Roxul Board that is 1" this because that is the gaps I have on both sides of the cooking chamber. The problem I am running into is I cant find where to buy it at. I can easily find the 2" thick board on amazon and Ebay but cant find it anywhere else. Is Roxul Board the best way to go or is there another brand of insulation board that will work and is easier to get.

 

[walleye1]

GolfPro2301

I have used Roxul batt insulation. It is firm or ridged enough you can cut the batt thickness with an electric carving knife very easily. This is the product I have always used in anything I have built.

Mike

 

[dward51]

Lowes has Roxul listed in their online catalog.  They don't carry the 1" thickness, but you can split the thicker batts if you can't find the 1"  stuff anywhere else locally.  If you store does not carry it, they will ship to the local store.

http://www.lowes.com/Search=roxul?s...&catalogId=10051&N=0&newSearch=true&Ntt=roxul

Home Depot used to list them online, but the apparently no longer carry them.  You might also check with a local insulation or accoustical material contractor locally.  They may have it too.

 

[mneeley490]

I had to buy batts and cut down the thickness on my build. The only place in my area that carried it was a lumber yard that doubles as a True Value hardware store.

 

[deanoaz]

Hey GolfPro, I can tell you how to fix all your fridge smoker problems......but you have to cut 10 strokes off my handicap.

  

 

 

 

[golfpro2301]

Dea

Thats easy, Ill tell you what every other golfer has told you. Just keep your head down. Seriously tho I can help just need a video of the swing. As far as the responses for insulation from my previous question. I was really looking to put insulation BOARDS in instead of the batts. This way when I am sliding in the steel the insulation doesnt move and bunch up in the back. This happened numerous times with the current fiberglass I have installed so I had to bolt the fiberglass thru the side of the fridge (looks like crap). For thos that have used the batts is it pretty strong? I would hate to buy it and it do the same thing as regular fiberglass. Also when I re insulate it I am going to seal up all the holes on the outside from the bolts that hold in the current insulation. Will normal puddy or fiberglass work in this case?

 

[walleye1]

GolfPro2301

I went back in this thread and had another look at your smoker when you had it apart. I can't say for sure that the cut down Roxul batts will work for sure or not but I will say it is much more rigid than fiberglass batts. Another thought I had is 3M makes a spray adhesive that you could possibly use to adhere the batts to the interior of the outer shell. Just a thought.

Mike

 

[golfpro2301]

Just finished my first competition and realised I need a more reliable smoker. The wind was blowing around 25-30 causing my temp in my piece of crap non insulated smoker to fluctuate to much. The result was horrible meat but somehow I won 2nd place in the pork, thanks to chef jimmy and his finish sauce, and 9th overall out of 24 teams. I am planning on making my fridge universal with electric and wood. It is already insulated and I have insulation boards on the way to make it better. I was planning on cutting a bigger hole out of the back where the vent is now and securing a 10" long by 7" tall hvac duct to the back that comes out to a 6" diameter pipe. I was thinking about getting the drum stove kit I listed below and using a 55 gallon drum. I used the pit builder calculator and it said that the drum would be about 1000 sq in. more than what I need but I was planning on putting firebrick in the bottom. this should reduce is to the size I need. Attach a 6" flue to the top and bend it to fit right into the Hvac duct. I am going to wrap the drum with hot water blanket then a welding blanket on top of that. Do you think this would work?

http://www.gandermountain.com/modpe...ontent_goobasecontent_filler&cID=GSHOP_433921

 

[daveomak]

GP,  morning....  The water heater blankets I've seen have a plastic wrap covering....  Not sure if that would be good.....  Doubling up welding blankets would be safe.....  Dave

 

[golfpro2301]

I found a local store that carried the Barrel Stove Kit. Having the hardest time finding the acutal barrel here in town. Im wondering if I should just spend the $115 and have one shipped from vogelzang. This way it would be new with no crap on the inside. I am still deciding on how to get the heat and smoke to the fridge. Every pipe I have found in hardware stores is Galvanized. (BTW just found out my two smoke stacks are galvanized. will be replacing those ASAP). I bought two of the vents I linked below. I plan on purchasing an additional 6" Flue for the top of the barrel and mountin one on each end. I purchased a 6"x25' flexible aluminum duct I will use to attach the vents to the flues on the barrels.The one thing I dont know is how much heat will I have to produce inside the barrel to get good temps in the fridge. I would like 225-275 range is possible. If the heat has to be really high in the barrel will the aluminum pipe and vents hold up? I plan on wrapping the barrel and pipes in insulation.

http://www.homedepot.com/h_d1/N-5yc...gId=-1&keyword=6"+aluminum+vent&storeId=10051

 

[ribwizzard]

$115.00 wow.

I could probably loop one up to St Augustine for you. How far are you from there?

 

[golfpro2301]

I happened to find one at Duval Container in downtown Jacksonville. It was food grade and had grape concentrate in it. It only cost me $12. I now have all the supplies to make the stove and hook it up to the fridge and luckily I have a day off work tomorrow to work on it. I will post pictures of the progress. Thanks wizzard for offering to help.