Hafa Adai! Fridge Build in Guam!!

[jason hefley]

I am in the process of converting an old Fridge into a smoker.  This fridge originally had the foam insulation and after many hours of frustration and beer, I finally have it all out.   

Now I am stuck; being in Guam, getting materials is a challenge.  I have searched the forums and have found many ideas of new insulation material.  

Rock Wool seems to be the recommended material for insulation but I can not get this material on island without paying ridiculous shipping fees.  We have a Home Depot on island, but it is more like a "Home Depot Lite"   We are very limited in materials.   I have read that cement board can be used, but reading the manufactures technical date, it says you should not expose the material to temperatures greater than 220F.  I have thought about using a wood insulator, covered in 1/16" sheet metal, but the obvious concern of a fire comes into my mind.   

Basically the materials that I have available are cement board (1/4" and 1/2"), standard drywall, or plywood.   The cement board is what i am leaning towards, as I have read in this forum that it can be used.   Should I be worried about the fiber mesh breaking down and causing fumes?   Should I put two layers on each wall (total 1" thick)?   Should I just throw this shell of a fridge in the Talofofo River and call it a day (hahhahaha)?   

Also, what is the standard method of attaching the cement board to the walls of the fridge?  I was going to go with glue, but if there is a better way, I am all ears.

Thanks for your help.  I have lurched as much as I could in this forum, I had to ask.  I am sure this question has been asked many times, and I appreciate all the experts help. 

This is going to be a charcoal smoker, used for everything from Pizza, fish, pork shoulders, and ribs.  

Thanks

 

[mneeley490]

Welcome, Jason!

So does that Home Depot carry any fiberglass insulation? That can be used, too.

 

[jason hefley]

They do, but how would I frame up the inside of the Fridge?   I plan on using sheet metal on the inside.  I assume you are talking about the Owen Corning (sp?) type of roll up insulation..

 

[timberjet]

It is pretty warm there. Heck airspace is a great insulator. fir out your interior an inch with some 1x wood and sheet that. That would be my idea

 

[mneeley490]

Yes, the pink stuff. But I have seen it sold at HD here in sheets. I'm not sure how you would frame up the inside of yours.

With mine, I laid it on its back, and used masking tape to hold the rockwool insulation in place until I could slide the inside box in. It was a tight fit. The inside box then attached along the doorframe with several screws, and I haven't had any problem with it, but mine is a converted commercial fridge, and probably designed differently from yours.

 

[dward51]

For a smoker, unfaced fiberglass insulation will work just fine. 

Make sure it is unfaced insulation, which is a batt or roll of just fiberglass.  No paper or other backing, no encapsulation, no nothing.  Just straight fiberglass.  If all you can find is insulation that has the kraft paper facing on one side and is bare fiberglass on the other, just pull the kraft paper off.  You can compact a fiberglass batt to fit the smoker between the inner and outer shell also.

If you are going to use charcoal or other "coal" for your heat and smoke source, I would line the bottom (or where the fire pit is) with fire brick if you can find it.  Absent that, you might use thick ceramic tile or wrap cement board with sheet metal.  Just enough to give you some extra protection in the area of the fire pit part of the smoker.  I would not use wood wrapped with sheet metal in that area under any circumstances.

Also "rock wool" can be called mineral wool, stone wool, oven insulation, ceramic insulation, etc....  See if you can find some at a appliance repair shop.  You can probably salvage it from junked stoves if they have any laying around.   Also if your local Home Depot "lite" has insulated HVAC duct boards, that is usually made of ridged mineral wool faced with foil.  That would work also (you may have to double it up to get 1" thickness though).