I just had to build one, a SMOKECRATE that is!

[pit 4 brains]

My first photos are on a smaller chip that my pc just won't read so I ended up using my wife's camera today to get some shots.

I have been wanting to build a smokehouse for some time now but life is just a little too busy. I spied a half of a shipping crate at work and decided it was time to build. I decided to build it in the corner of my shed that I already have. It's 10x16 and houses my mower and some larger power tools so there was plenty of room. I think this will be great since it will be out of the weather and should stay fairly clean. I plan to use it mostly for cold smoking during the non-summer months here in AZ.. I did alot of looking around the site and I have to give thanxs to Pops since I'm stealing alot of his ideas!!

I need to add some more 1x2 trim to the inner corners and get it sealed up a little better. I also have some hardware / seal conflicts I need to work out but I should be up and running real soon..

The lower door will be sealed, I just ran a little short.. I'm no photographer as you can see. The ceiling has a little pitch to help the smoke flow and the floor has some 1/2" masonry board on it. I plan to skirt the sides a little when I can get another piece of board.

Final inside dimensions are 31x39x 7'

 

[DanMcG]

very nice Pete. now lets see some Q-view out of it

 

[justpassingthru]

That's cool, good work, I'm wondering if you will be able to lower the temps enough with the propane burner, I tried one about that size in my GOSM, granted you have 2-3 times the volume, and couldn't go any lower than 150° with the door cracked open, I hope it works for you and I'm looking forward to your Q-view.

Gene

 

[adiochiro3]

Wow!  Very nice build.  Is that vent register your only smoke vent for the box?  I'm curious how it all plays out for ya in the end as I will probably do something like this eventually.

 

[pit 4 brains]

That's cool, good work, I'm wondering if you will be able to lower the temps enough with the propane burner, I tried one about that size in my GOSM, granted you have 2-3 times the volume, and couldn't go any lower than 150° with the door cracked open, I hope it works for you and I'm looking forward to your Q-view.

Gene

For cold smokes I'll be going with something like the AMS if not the actual thing. I'm handy with a welder and the boys in the fab shop at work can help me cut and bend materials.. I'll be using the burner for turkys, hams and other big itms. I'm not gonna fire this thing up for ribs or wing unless I plan on doing a whole bumch.. I want to get into sausage so this will be in line for that also..

 

 

[pit 4 brains]

Wow!  Very nice build.  Is that vent register your only smoke vent for the box?  I'm curious how it all plays out for ya in the end as I will probably do something like this eventually.

For now it is. I went with a 4x10 since it fit well in my pre-existing studs, it was fairly cheap, and the fact that I can close it will keep out driving rain, bees and wasps.. I can always add another on the other side if this doesn't suffice..
 

 

[justpassingthru]

I hear ya, with all of the sausage posts with Q-view a guy just can't resist and it's amazing how inventive we can be when faced with a small design flaw.

BTW I like your quote it's as good as, "here's one for ya pilgrim, I'll have anothern fur ya when yur dun skinnin that'en."  great movie!

Gene

 

[solaryellow]

It also works great as dehydrator. Or what I suppose you would call summer. Nice job. 

 

[pit 4 brains]

It also works great as dehydrator. Or what I suppose you would call summer. Nice job. 

Hmmmm... now ya got my gears meshing.. If I added a separate fartfan ehhaust that could be opened via a damper when needed, I could dehydrate on a low dewpoint day..

 

 

[bmudd14474]

that looks great Pete. 

 

[justpassingthru]

It also works great as dehydrator. Or what I suppose you would call summer. Nice job. 

Especially if the sun is shinning on that OSB, also I don't think you would need a fan for air flow, it doesn't take much, I use convection air flow in my solar dehydrator, I would just add another vent on the bottom.

Gene
 

 

[pit 4 brains]

It also works great as dehydrator. Or what I suppose you would call summer. Nice job. 

Especially if the sun is shinning on that OSB, also I don't think you would need a fan for air flow, it doesn't take much, I use convection air flow in my solar dehydrator, I would just add another vent on the bottom.

Gene
 

That's the thing, this is insideof a bigger shed so there's no sun shining on any surface. It get's unbearably hot in there during the summer and our dew points are too high to dehydrate. I would be better off dehydrating in this season. Our current dewpoint is 18F. In the summer it's over 50 most of the time..
 

 

[justpassingthru]

Ok, I thought you just attached two sides to the corner, my bad, I don't understand dew point, but sometimes we have 10% humidity and sometimes 60%, when the humidity is high it takes longer and doesn't dry completely, we just put it in the oven at the warm setting until it is dry, couple of hours, probably wouldn't work for meats, but would be fine for veggies, sun dried tomatoes come to mind.

Gene

 

[pops6927]

Great job on the house!  I am honored and humbled to be able to provide value to your project!  As in the words of the great Richoso1, "... it's all good, my friend!"

 

[pit 4 brains]

Great job on the house!  I am honored and humbled to be able to provide value to your project!  As in the words of the great Richoso1, "... it's all good, my friend!"

Thanx Pops! I'll do ya proud... I still have to make the hangers and i'm gonna do it the same way just for diversity sakes..

Gene, humidity is relative to temperature. The dewpoint gives you a better idea of how much moisture is saturated into the air.. the dew point can stay the same for 72 hours and the humidity will go up with lower temps at night and lower with warmer temps during the day..

 

 

[tjohnson]

Mighty Fine Lookin'

Todd

 

[pit 4 brains]

Thanx everyone.. I can't wait to get this baby fired up. I'll be out there tonight burning the midnight oil doing some of the touch up stuff..

As always, I'm open to suggestion, experience, etc. so Let me know what ya think..

 

[solaryellow]

You could but you are over thinking it a bit. A cheap fan in the bottom pointed up will create airflow. It works here in NC which is much higher humidity than you guys get even during monsoon season. When it cools off outside I add as simple 1000W hot plate to my plywood smoker and at 1/4 of the way turned up it will maintain a 90* internal temp with a 50* ambient temp. 
 

Hmmmm... now ya got my gears meshing.. If I added a separate fartfan ehhaust that could be opened via a damper when needed, I could dehydrate on a low dewpoint day..

 

 

[pit 4 brains]

You could but you are over thinking it a bit. A cheap fan in the bottom pointed up will create airflow. It works here in NC which is much higher humidity than you guys get even during monsoon season. When it cools off outside I add as simple 1000W hot plate to my plywood smoker and at 1/4 of the way turned up it will maintain a 90* internal temp with a 50* ambient temp. 
 

Hmmmm... now ya got my gears meshing.. If I added a separate fartfan ehhaust that could be opened via a damper when needed, I could dehydrate on a low dewpoint day..

 

Well the fan thing will be far coming since I really don't do alot od dehyd anyway. Once I found TQ, i quit making jerky and started curing meat instead..
 

 

[solaryellow]

Works great for veggies and herbs especially peppers. Since you are looking to get into sausage, there is a lot of value in dehydrating your own spices and herbs unless you buy premixed recipes.
 

Well the fan thing will be far coming since I really don't do alot od dehyd anyway. Once I found TQ, i quit making jerky and started curing meat instead..