Fridge smoker question.

[earache_my_eye]

Ok, I got the old fridge and I got ideas about how I want to convert it to a smoker.......My question is......do you need some kind of barrier to keep grease from dripping onto the heat source?......and what do you recommend for said barrier??

 

[travcoman45]

My bottom rack will also hold a grease pan. Over the heating element itself will also be a bent piece of tin shaped like an inverted v. Or sometin like this viewed from the end ^. Hope that helps, or ask more questions!

 

[morkdach]

my water pan catchs drippings over element.

 

[mossymo]

I do what morkdach does..... with my first fridge conversion I went to to far with a very large pan to catch everything, wasn't needed for me.

 

[mulepackin]

On My bottom rack I have two old cookie trays, about a half inch deep. They cover the area above my heating element pretty well. At the space between them I also made a piece of angle out of galv. flashing tin, which is then propped up on two small oak blocks to channel grease into either pan, but allow heat to flow up the middle as well. I've gotten only small amounts of grease on the "floor" of my smoker so far. There used to be a sheet metal worker around here who built a very nice smoker out of stainless. The bottom, above the heating element was essentially a grid work of these type of V angles, inverted and everted, so that heat flowed all through them, but all of the grease was eventually channeled into a single collection point. I can't remember if it was a can or what exactly. I'm trying to design something like this in my mind at least:

^ ^ ^ ^ ^
V V V V V V (end on view of angles)
__________ . (side view of collection trough, then grease droplets)
.
.
U (collection vessel of some type)

Probably not the best schematic, but hopefully you get the idea.

 

[earache_my_eye]

Thanks for the idea mulepackin!.....I get the gist of it, but how to build it so it doesn't weigh a TON is another question altogether. Thin sheet steel bent on a sheet metal brake maybe? Nothing galvanized, of course. (maybe stainless?) Could make your angles as wide as you wanted to that way....maybe 6 tops and 7 bottoms to distribute the heat, or something along those lines. Maybe even use one of the fridge racks as a base so it'll fit right in like it belongs there....

Just kickin' different ideas around in my head....not in a big rush to have a cobbled together P.O.S., so I'll take all the suggestions I can get and try to fit them into my project if they're applicable.

L8r,
Eric

 

[walking dude]

GAL. in a smoker?

thought that was a NO NO?

 

[earache_my_eye]

ROFL........Love the link Walking Dude.....Jeff Dunham is a genius!!

"Young lady....UR purtier than mayanayze ooozin' out of a SPAM samwich!"

LMAO ......

 

[mulepackin]

I personally don't feel the temps in an average smoker are nearly high enough to liberate the zinc, which is the concern with galvanized. I believe you would need very high heat such as brazing or other welding techniques would generate to be a problem. I believe many propane grills use galvanized metal on the heat diffuser above the burners and it isn't a problem. However, galvanized should not be used where the food comes into direct, prolonged contact with the metal. The USDA food code sec.4-101.15 only states: Galvanized metal may not be used for utensils or food contact surfaces of equipment that are used in contact with acidic food. I guess this is a judgment call, but certainly if one is concerned, stainless or aluminum could just as easily (if not as cheaply) be used.

 

[walking dude]

kewl mule............that eases my mind on some of the rails i want to put into my horz. for tuning plates to sit on

 

[fireguy]

I feel the same, Galv is only Dangerous if heated to its melting point which is way hotter than your smoker should run( if I rem right 900 + Deg), or if food is in direst contact with the metal. But, when dealing with safety, take it from me... error on the side of caution... If you dont feel comfortable, well you cant be too safe...