Galvanized Metal Studs in Smoke House Build

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Also I would put a tapered roof on it so condensation can run down the walls instead of dropping off the ceiling
 
Also make the top vents easy to take off to clean or replace, they will stop up over a period of time
 
Lots of sound advice. Thanks for the input. Looks like I am talked out of using hardi and will go with either plywood or cedar planks with it furred out from the metal studs.

Will have to give some thought to a removable screen. Maybe create a frame with shallow rabbit (screen may be too thin to be needed) around the inside that will bolt onto the inside facing and hold the screen in place with friction. Outside was thinking to drill some 1"φ holes with a sliding plate.
 
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Id leave the top open to some degree as you will have stuff dripping pretty good, I would test during winter and summer and mark the 2 best settings, then fine tune with the bottom vent
 
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Will have to give some thought to a removable screen.
All kinds of bird blocking and soffit vent you can buy . Take a look at some of it , and get an idea . Then make your own .
The vented soffit plugs are fairly inexpensive . 2 " diameter . You could just run them at head of wall .
 
I and more than a few other members here have hardi-backer board in our smokehouses. The 1/4” thick stuff that is smooth with no fiber mesh. It’s a preference thing and your judgement call. I used it on the bottom 3’ of mine where the burner is to mitigate the heat, others did floor to ceiling.

That said you will need to deflect the heat around your heating element some way. I used brick on the floor and HB on the lower wall but you will need to deal with that with steel or some kind of masonry. You will also need some kind of deflector between the heat source and the meat. I use steel stakes running horizontally at the 3’ wall mark then place full lasagne pans (aluminum) on that as a deflector and drip catch. The top 3’x4’ is where the meat hangs.

I used soffit vents (screened) that are 6”x14” one in the center bottom of the front wall (intake) and one center top of the back wall. This gives me good airflow in my 3x3x7 smokehouse. My frame construction is 2x4 sheeted with 1/2” CDX plywood. Then I started the siding with 1x6 rough sawn Doug fir, ran out and haven’t completely finished yet, have to go to the sawmill for more. The roof is just simple slant from front to back with metal on top. Pretty straightforward and works very well. I did install a Smokin-It smoke generator which I do like but is very sensitive to wind.
 
Like this . Better buy a bunch if ripping thin metal .
Eats them up fast .
715855-3d8893205e04209902e10fbf8a04f538.jpg
Yep, I use 4 1/2x 1/16 disks for all my metal cutting needs. I have an oxy/acetylene torch, but rarely use it for cutting anymore. The cutoff wheels in the grinder just make cleaner cuts than the torch can.
 
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The cutoff wheels in the grinder just make cleaner cuts than the torch can.
I agree . On 1/4 " or thicker they're great , and last . Still work as well on 16 ga and down , but the flex of the thinner metal eats them up . We used them more for notching , and cross cutting , than actual ripping . We had 7 1/4 " circular saw blades for that . Then went to the Evolution saws . Rip or cut 1/2 inch cold rolled with those .
 
Can you link me to one of these... Very interested...
We used the enclosed version with the chip collection . I think at the time that's all they had in a handheld type . I see they have a more traditional looking one that's open . These are both metal cutting .

Do they stay pretty much on line... What happens if you start to veer off line ??
My experience is they cut pretty straight . In general if they start to pull or wonder , it's time for a new blade . They cut like butter with a new blade . Nice and clean too . No clean up or de burring with a good blade .

The gearing and RPM is different on these . I know guys that try the blades in a 7 1/4 regular saw . Not the same , and the kick back is an issue with that .
 
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Lots of guys on site especially the tin knockers use the Evolution blades now.
I recently went to get a new stock of blades for my Evolution saws (enclosed skill and chop saw) and the price point shocked me so I got a some diablo steel demon blades low RPM for 1/3 the price and they have been out performing the evolution ones in a notable way! I use the chop saw all the time for making knifes now!
 
Can you link me to one of these... Very interested... Do they stay pretty much on line... What happens if you start to veer off line ??

We used the enclosed version with the chip collection . I think at the time that's all they had in a handheld type . I see they have a more traditional looking one that's open . These are both metal cutting .


My experience is they cut pretty straight . In general if they start to pull or wonder , it's time for a new blade . They cut like butter with a new blade . Nice and clean too . No clean up or de burring with a good blade .

The gearing and RPM is different on these . I know guys that try the blades in a 7 1/4 regular saw . Not the same , and the kick back is an issue with that .
I agree with chop. The low RPM with the enclosed blade. Vibration or binding kills blades, so I use a clamped guide and make sure it’s supported….then they cut like butter with a perfect square clean edge. I have a chop saw as well and it is pure money!!!!
 
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I recently went to get a new stock of blades for my Evolution saws (enclosed skill and chop saw) and the price point shocked me
I just looked them up.They sure aren't cheap!

As a painter I don't do all that much woodworking per se but I do own a chop box and a circular saw and they both have Diablo blades on them one because they don't cost much and second I just don't use either all that much.
 
Yup . The blades aren't cheap . I have a couple new ones around here somewhere . Just checked my " work stash " and didn't see them . Might be in my old truck .
use a clamped guide
We used to make guides up on site . Just made one for my regular saw at the house .
Rip a piece of 1/4 " underlayment wider than the saw . Then sister a straight edge on to that . Glue and screw from the bottom .
20250402_092333.jpg
Then take the saw you will be using with it , put the base against the straight edge and rip the base down to size .
The edge of the base is now the inside edge of the blade .
20250402_092415.jpg
So all you have to do is clamp the edge of the base on your marks , and make your cut .
Don't need to measure the back set .
20250402_092453.jpg
I just hung some door blanks for my Brother in law , and had all this in the garage .
Every door had to be ripped and mortised . The straight edge makes the cutting easy .
 
Yup . The blades aren't cheap . I have a couple new ones around here somewhere . Just checked my " work stash " and didn't see them . Might be in my old truck .

We used to make guides up on site . Just made one for my regular saw at the house .
Rip a piece of 1/4 " underlayment wider than the saw . Then sister a straight edge on to that . Glue and screw from the bottom .
View attachment 715948
Then take the saw you will be using with it , put the base against the straight edge and rip the base down to size .
The edge of the base is now the inside edge of the blade .
View attachment 715947
So all you have to do is clamp the edge of the base on your marks , and make your cut .
Don't need to measure the back set .
View attachment 715949
I just hung some door blanks for my Brother in law , and had all this in the garage .
Every door had to be ripped and mortised . The straight edge makes the cutting easy .
That guide is pure money!!
 
I just looked them up.They sure aren't cheap!

As a painter I don't do all that much woodworking per se but I do own a chop box and a circular saw and they both have Diablo blades on them one because they don't cost much and second I just don't use either all that much.
My chop is a 7 Amp 3500 RPM one for metal, I have also a sliding miter for wood, I use diablo in all of them now including my table saw.... The diablo steel ones have lasted just as long as the evolution steel blades so I'm sold at this point.
 
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