Home-built electric smoker (UPDATE)

[DIYerDave]

I've been lurking here for awhile and finally decided to join. I get hungry every time I visit.

I'm in the planning stages of building my own upright cabinet style electric smoker and just need some guidance so i don't waste money or do something stupid.
Here's what i have planned. Let me know what you think.
-It will be built out of either 16 or 18 gauge mild or stainless steel sheet. Every thing will be bolted together. No welds.
-Interior smoking chamber size approx. 23"x23"x42".
-3" Roxul insulation.
-Auber SMD-200 PID. (running on 220 volts)
-220 volt 3100 watt heating element.
-Silicone tadpole style door seal.
It will have some sort of mailbox mod smoke chamber, but havent given that too much thought yet.
I'm mostly concerned about the PID and wattage, and of the heating element vs chamber size. Plus not sure about the metal gauge for the cabinet. I checked a household oven and they're built out of 18 gauge so I figure it's ok for a smoker.
More questions later, but for now this is the basic plan. What are your thoughts?

 

[SonnyE]

Welcome to Smoking Meats Forum! I'm fairly new as well.
Ambitious plan.
Now allow me to tear it apart so we can reconstruct it. ;)
Have you ever put together any sort of a smoker before? I have, over decades. I recently bought a MES 30, and it is the first I have ever bought ready made. Then I tore it apart and made a smoker/oven out of it.

The box can be most anything, Dave. I've used large electrical equipment boxes, old porcelain steel refrigerators, Wooden boxes, and BBQ's. I always used electricity as my heat source, and super simple plans. Often an electric range element, or even a simple single hot plate.
But I built Smokers, not smoker/ovens, not BBQ's called smokers that are pellet fired. Smokers that were a more modern version of tree hung Salmon over small smoking fires.

You've w-a-y over thought this, IMHO. Did you know that 1 inch of wood has the insulation value of 12 " of fiberglass? Well it does. That's why many smoke houses were made of wood, and the smoke was drafted into them from the outside, where the smoke and heat could be easily controlled. So picture this: A steel tool job box as your chamber, or really, any steel cabinet. Have fun with it.
Now, if you want it insulated, put your insulation on the outside of this steel cabinet. Foam board works great for this. Simply cut it to fit, then glue it on.
Outside, cover it with what you'd like. Or simply thin exterior ply of siding material. Make it look stylish to your home and patio. Or make it fit into an outdoor kitchen.
OK great, we've got a box. Now you can seal the door(s). Lets look at the guts....

-Auber SMD-200 PID. (running on 220 volts)
-220 volt 3100 watt heating element.
Are you building a smoker? Or a furnace? While I can appreciate Auber equipment, common sense tells me it is way offline for a simple Smoker/Oven.
Of course, if you want to impress folks, it would lend to bragging rights around the kegerator.
And why the 3100 watt "furnace" element ??? And 240 volts? (go measure the voltage, I'll wait). What are you building, a crematorium?

Sorry to melt the wax holding your wings together Icarus, but I thought you needed a kick with the boot of common sense. Rub your butt and let's move forward here.

Build your wish list of materials, include prices. Now, if you come to your senses, you'll find there are many, many, viable options available to trying to DIY a smoker your way.

I took my route of getting a modern box, with digital controls for heat, then modified the crap out of it to make it work properly. Here's the result: https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/my-mailbox-mod.272719/
And I'll leave you to mine down to my Salmon and Ribs, much much more to come.
But I'm a retiree. I have way more time than money to throw away.

I think you will find you could get more than enough happiness from a Smokin It smoker and probably save money doing it.
Or you could take an old duffers route and make a less costly Smoker/Oven, and perfect it.

OK, rub your butt, and put your wings back together. ;)

 

[DIYerDave]

Sonny, thanks for your thoughts. To answer your question about ever building a smoker...no I haven't. But I have built stuff like custom tools and custom car parts. I built my 24'x36' work shop from footer to roof top...including plumbing and electrical. I am a true DIYer. I've always had this motto of doing stuff the right way the first time, or don't do it at all.
I figured it best to start from scratch building a smoker rather than modifying something that had a previous life. Cheaper? maybe...maybe not. But easier "for me". My heating element is a household oven element as you suggest I use. I've poured over dozens of threads on here and everyone seems to recommend Auber PID's and roxul insulation.
I'm curious to know what others think.

 

[gmc2003]

Diyer, best of luck to you. You sound like you definitely have a plan. I'm looking forward to seeing it come to fruition. There are many different types of builds described throughout this forum. Not by me I took the easy way out and bought a WSM(couldn't be happier). I'm sure there is someone who has built something similar to what your describing. Use the search feature and see what comes up. People here are always willing to help somebody out. Again looking forward to seeing the finished product and the goodies that you produce.

Chris

 

[SonnyE]

Good!
Buying parts like a ready made steel box, cabinet, or what suits the end result is not dissuaded from Doing It Yourself. It's using what is available to reach an end.
Of course, what you want to achieve is what you need to pursue.
Do you realize there is a huge inrush current to a larger element, and likewise, it will only be on briefly. With a PID, you would likely be running 400-1000 watts tops.
So take a look at the 'store bought' smokers and their wattage's. 750 watts is 1 HP. So consider it from a different perspective, do you think you need a 4 HP smoker to do what most do easily with a 1 HP?
Anyway, it only has to please you. Nobody else will be using it from out here in La-La Land. ;)
You only have to please yourself.

If you could Please show me where I suggested an oven element be used, I'd appreciate it. The most I've suggested is a stove top element. Or a solitary hotplate.
And never anything 240 volts.

But we are akin. I'm an avid DIY myself. Just hoping to help you steer a better result.
If you want to bounce any ideas off me, feel free. You name it, I've probably done it. But I don't list it.

 

[tallbm]

I'm all in to see how this turns out. I have been curious about this kind of idea but I currently don't have a practical reason to dive into the research. In the future if I build me a little commercial kitchen and want to smoke/cook some items and a large electric smoker would be awesome!

 

[dr k]

I'm just thinking out loud. So if you run a 240Vac heating element on 120Vac are you only getting 25-33% output? So if your Auber operates on both 120Vac/240Vac would the output be about 775 watts-1025watts on 120Vac?

 

[SonnyE]

I'm just thinking out loud. So if you run a 240Vac heating element on 120Vac are you only getting 25-33% output? So if your Auber operates on both 120Vac/240Vac would the output be about 775 watts-1025watts on 120Vac?

You are thinking, Dr, K and that's good.
The 240 volt stove top elements I've used were simply wired to a cord and plugged in. I was making smoke, not heating an oven. Sat a #10 can on it (1 gallon can), and put my wood chips in it.
Woo-Hoo! Smmmokin!
I think I was 20-21 then. Smokin rainbow trout caught that day. ;)

 

[bob-whie]

Did you know that 1 inch of wood has the insulation value of 12 " of fiberglass?
OK, rub your butt, and put your wings back together. ;)

If you are going to terrorize this member at least have some basic knowledge of your facts.
One inch of wood has an R value of about R1, 12 inches of fiberglass has R36.

There was no reason for such a "I am the smartest guy in the room" tyrannical rant, there should be an apology forthcoming.

 

[SonnyE]

If you are going to terrorize this member at least have some basic knowledge of your facts.
One inch of wood has an R value of about R1, 12 inches of fiberglass has R36.

There was no reason for such a "I am the smartest guy in the room" tyrannical rant, there should be an apology forthcoming.

Well I apologize that I offended you.

But it appears you are the only one.
Anyone else want an apology?
Moderators? Staff?

 

[DIYerDave]

Thank you Bob. I thought I was the only one thinking like you.

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Make your plywood smoker. I'm sure it will work well for you.
I made one and NEVER had issues and it was not insulated.

The nay sayers/bashers more than likely dont have pics to back up their words.

SMOKE ON

 

[Proximo]

Make your plywood smoker. I'm sure it will work well for you.
I made one and NEVER had issues and it was not insulated.

View attachment 354600
The nay sayers/bashers more than likely dont have pics to back up their words.

SMOKE ON

Wow that's pretty cool. How many hours did it take you to construct that?

 

[BGKYSmoker]

Wow that's pretty cool. How many hours did it take you to construct that?

Took us a week. Started out with a gas burner, to wishy washy. So i put a traeger hopper fir pot on it. Worked great even in the north east PA snow.

 

[SonnyE]

Thank you Bob. I thought I was the only one thinking like you.

OK, I apologize to you as well. Hell, roll on.

But I know, and have the electrical experience to back it up, that 3100 watts in a 23" x 23" x 42" box is a furnace.
But by all means, please yourself.

 

[SonnyE]

Make your plywood smoker. I'm sure it will work well for you.
I made one and NEVER had issues and it was not insulated.

View attachment 354600
The nay sayers/bashers more than likely dont have pics to back up their words.

SMOKE ON

Actually I do. But what's the point?
Nice smoker house. I can see it is chipboard, not entirely plywood.
All the old smokehouses were made of wood. It is a great insulator.
Just like old refrigerators and walk in coolers were wood and sawdust insulation.
Imagine that.

 

[bob-whie]

OK, I apologize to you as well. Hell, roll on.
But I know, and have the electrical experience to back it up....
Do you realize there is a huge inrush current to a larger element......

Quite obviously your electrical experience is, to put it nicely, suspect.
There is no "huge inrush current" to a heating element.
Inrush currents are associated with an inductive load or a capacitive load.
Heating elements are virtually purely resistive loads hence there is no HUGE inrush currents.
Technically there is a minute inrush current due to the capacitance and inductance of the conductors supplying the heating elements, but it's negligible.

 

[DIYerDave]

Apology excepted Sonny. But I have to ask...are you sure those were rainbow trout you were smok'n when you were 21?

 

[indaswamp]

I built a wood smokehouse last spring. The wood is for show/structure support. The interior is hardi sheet concrete board. It's 2.5' X 2.5' X 6' tall; 36 cu.ft. and run on propane. I use a low pressure 11"WTC regulator, precision needle valve, and an 18,000 BTU burner with the outer ring of jets blocked off with 4D nails. So really, I have a 9,000 BTU burner. I put a 15" cast iron pan on top as a diffuser/wood pan. I can dial the temps. in +/- 3* and hold it steady. I smoke a lot of sausage and can hold temps ~120* for hours.
https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t...ard-outhouse-smoker-build-pics-addded.261865/

IMO, if you are just going to build one 23" X 23" X 42" then unless you have a means to acquire materials either cheap or free, cost wise you will be better off just buying one of the commercial models sold.

 

[DIYerDave]

I just want to say thank you to everyone's comments and concerns. Also for showing me your smokers to give me some ideas. They look great. So i'm starting to re-think some stuff. A lower wattage heating element and I probably will increase the heidth of the smoker. I'm leaning towards regular mild steel now instead of s/s.
I'll crunch some numbers and see what it will cost. I like building things so even if I can buy a smoker for what it costs to build one, I'll build it.