My DIY, very cheap, very ugly cold smoker!

[rohfan2112]

Total price was about $34. Trash can was $22 and all the ducting cost about $11. I already had the 3" flex hose for use with the pictured external smoke box. Build time: 47 minutes because we rushed it and it came out ugly! We will probably get cuts on our hands loading up meat because I didn't file anything down. It was too much trouble. And I wanted this thing to SCREAM DIY!!

We fired it up and seems to be working great. I had an older MES but I was getting too much creosote forming on my meats so I wanted to build one where I can adjust the flow of air to any degree. We cut a little hole on the bottom to act as an air intake that is adjustable from our decrepit looking swinging vent door (see pic) that will soon rust as it's not galvanized. We broke that piece of metal from a race car part. To make it uglier we wrapped the door with heater hose to make it more airtight (ha!) and secured it with black duct tape so that your eye is attracted to the horridness. On the other side we cut a 3" hole that accepts the flexible ducting.

So there's our 47 minute, $34 ugly ass cold smoker. Let me know how you like our piece of trash or can suggest ways we can make it uglier!

 

[Gonna Smoke]

Cool, me likes, but I have absolutely no experience with this style smoker. Where did you get the trash can?

 

[geek with fire]

For cheese, I use a cardboard box, tin can with wood pellets, and a soldering iron stuffed in the can. Yours is light years ahead of my setup. Looks good.

 

[indaswamp]

Nothing at all ugly about that.....nice cold smoker. I'm a practical, functional kinda guy...good job.

 

[TNJAKE]

Looks cool and functional. Nice work. What you using for racks?

 

[rohfan2112]

Cool, me likes, but I have absolutely no experience with this style smoker. Where did you get the trash can?

Lowes. 31 gallon, if I remember correctly.

 

[rohfan2112]

Looks cool and functional. Nice work. What you using for racks?

3 cheap wood dowels. I can always cut more holes and put in more dowels if I need more sausage capacity.

 

[mike243]

I don't think galvanized would be my first pick to contain food to smoke lol

 

[kruizer]

I don't think galvanized would be my first pick to contain food to smoke lol

Yeah, what he said. Danger Will Robinson!!

 

[TNJAKE]

I wouldn't be concerned using that trash can with cold smoking. Especially venting the smoke in with a duct. Which keeps it even cooler. I'd never use galvanized with higher temps though

 

[Fueling Around]

Looks good to me.

Galvanized steel doesn't out gas until past 1500°F

 

[mike243]

392 is what I find. Is Galvanized Steel Toxic | Bucket Outlet (bucket-outlet.com)

 

[TuckersBarbeque]

Looks good to me.

Galvanized steel doesn't out gas until past 1500°F

Incorrect. Zinc begins to gas at around ~375 degrees. Zinc fumes are what hurt you.

 

[TuckersBarbeque]

Total price was about $34. Trash can was $22 and all the ducting cost about $11. I already had the 3" flex hose for use with the pictured external smoke box. Build time: 47 minutes because we rushed it and it came out ugly! We will probably get cuts on our hands loading up meat because I didn't file anything down. It was too much trouble. And I wanted this thing to SCREAM DIY!!

We fired it up and seems to be working great. I had an older MES but I was getting too much creosote forming on my meats so I wanted to build one where I can adjust the flow of air to any degree. We cut a little hole on the bottom to act as an air intake that is adjustable from our decrepit looking swinging vent door (see pic) that will soon rust as it's not galvanized. We broke that piece of metal from a race car part. To make it uglier we wrapped the door with heater hose to make it more airtight (ha!) and secured it with black duct tape so that your eye is attracted to the horridness. On the other side we cut a 3" hole that accepts the flexible ducting.

So there's our 47 minute, $34 ugly ass cold smoker. Let me know how you like our piece of trash or can suggest ways we can make it uglier!

Good idea, but you may be running into a safety hazard with materials chosen. Galvanized metal is a big no no to cook with, the heat releases zinc fumes and they build up in the food. They are also pretty bad for breathing. These are very toxic.
Please look it up and do your research and then you can determine if you want to continue with your smoker.

 

[rohfan2112]

Good idea, but you may be running into a safety hazard with materials chosen. Galvanized metal is a big no no to cook with, the heat releases zinc fumes and they build up in the food. They are also pretty bad for breathing. These are very toxic.
Please look it up and do your research and then you can determine if you want to continue with your smoker.

I'm not cooking, I'm cold smoking. I smoke-cook in a pellet grill. I did research and I wouldn't use the galvanized can for cooking. Everything I've read said cold smoking in it would be fine. Thanks for the heads-up, though.

 

[Cajun Smokes]

I'm not cooking, I'm cold smoking. I smoke-cook in a pellet grill. I did research and I wouldn't use the galvanized can for cooking. Everything I've read said cold smoking in it would be fine. Thanks for the heads-up, though.

I agree with cold smoking, save the heated smoking for another smoker. Show some pics of your smoked food when complete, I'm hungry lol

 

[rohfan2112]

I agree with cold smoking, save the heated smoking for another smoker. Show some pics of your smoked food when complete, I'm hungry lol

I plan to make and smoke a batch of kielbasa with hi-temp pepper jack cheese. I'll post photos when it's all done.

 

[bill ace 350]

I plan to make and smoke a batch of kielbasa with hi-temp pepper jack cheese. I'll post photos when it's all done.

Nice cold smoker.

Mine is even simpler than yours-
Trash can with some air holes in the bottom, amazen pellet tray in the bottom, threaded rid to hang bacon/sausage. and some vent holes in the lid. Works great.

 

[rohfan2112]

Nice cold smoker.

Mine is even simpler than yours-
Trash can with some air holes in the bottom, amazen pellet tray in the bottom, threaded rid to hang bacon/sausage. and some vent holes in the lid. Works great.

I'd like to hear about your smoking process with that setup along with some pics. Do you ever have problems with creosote on the meat? We were thinking about putting a small computer fan by the top exhaust duct to gently pull in some fresh air from the bottom vent. I've read that good air flow is key to avoiding creosote formation.

 

[bill ace 350]

I'd like to hear about your smoking process with that setup along with some pics. Do you ever have problems with creosote on the meat? We were thinking about putting a small computer fan by the top exhaust duct to gently pull in some fresh air from the bottom vent. I've read that good air flow is key to avoiding creosote formation.

No problem with creosote.
Have holes in the bottom and top, no issues with air flow.