Help me with my smoker and my event PLEASE!!!!

[stevie-d]

Alright, thanks for coming by and trying to help me. I build a smoker this week. I buried a trash can to the lid and placed a breather pipe coming out on one side of the can and then up for air to feed the fire and a stove pipe out of the other side of the can and then a 90 and then more stove pipe up into the bottom of a metal box I built with a door on hinges and a grate for the meat to sit on and a vent with a butterfly on the top. Now I have a week before my event so I lit it today to see what temp I could get it to and I couldn't get it over 175. I even took a battery operated air pump and blew it down the breather pipe for 30 min and still only could get the box to 150-175 or so. Any time I have ever smoked on my other smoker I always cook at 225. I am going to cut up a wild pig approx 50 lbs and smoke it for a party next weekend. What do I do to get the heat up or do I even need to? I was using some oak I had laying around for the fire.I also need to know what temp is best and for how long. I have never smoked that much meat or that many varieties at once. Also is there anything I can do to make sure it isn't over smoked? I have a buddy once that smoked a pig for a long time and it tasted like shit because it was just wayyyy to smokey. Thanks for any help you can give me and I will take as much info as I can get. Thanks again.

 

[beer-b-q]

What kind of Trash Can are you talking about, I hope you didn't use a Galvanized one...

Read These about using Galvanized Metal: http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/wiki/galvanized

If you could post some pics of your setup someone will be able to help you...

also,

 

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[meateater]

You dont need a trash can, you can use cinder block and make a pit, someone more experienced will come along and help you out. 

 

[michael ark]

Look at cowgirls block pit for hoggs.

 

[stevie-d]

Its was galvinized but I am digging it up and going to put a 55 gallon drum in instead. Thaks for the help, what about the heat any idea why I am losing heat?