- Mar 28, 2016
- 26
- 12
I've come across what I think was on old bread proofer cabinet. I would like to convert it to a vertical pellet smoker for smoking/cooking sausages. I'm also considering adding a cold smoker to it so I can cold smoke cured sausages.
First thing I to do is insulate the cabinet to help it retain heat in cooler weather. The sides of the cabinet are bent/formed such that the door opening is a little over 2" smaller than the inside of the cabinet (there's a 1"+ bent lip on both sides). So I was thinking I'd put 1" rigid Rockwool on all interior surfaces of the cabinet. I'd cover the rockwool with a thin bent/formed plate that fits inside the door opening and with formed plates at the top and bottom. Seams would be sealed with high temp, food safe RTV. So the whole inside of the cabinet would be metal with all seams sealed with RTV.
For smoke/heat my plan is to obtain the hopper, auger and firebox assembly from a Traeger style smoker and to mount it to the side of the cabinet as close to the bottom as I can get it. Then I'll need to fabricate some kind of heat shield to go above the firebox to help disperse the heat and smoke evenly through the cabinet (looking for ideas here).
I'd also like to have some sort of removable grease tray but I'm not sure how to place that above the firebox without blocking the smoke/heat. Again, I could use some ideas.
I'm not sure where the best spot would be for vents. I'd like this thing to heat as evenly as possible. With a pellet grill hopper/auger assembly there will be a fan pushing air into the proofer so I don't think a lower vent is required (but maybe I need one for cold smoking?)
I think I have racks/trays figured out as well. There were some side panels mounted inside that had channels for trays. I think I can attach those to my new bent/formed plate that will be slipped inside. That way the trays will be nearly the same width as the door opening (a little smaller) and will be very easy to slide in and out in that opening.
Pictures of the proofer cabinet in it's current state and a few screenshots of my 3D model to help illustrate my thinking. Ideas & tips appreciated.
First thing I to do is insulate the cabinet to help it retain heat in cooler weather. The sides of the cabinet are bent/formed such that the door opening is a little over 2" smaller than the inside of the cabinet (there's a 1"+ bent lip on both sides). So I was thinking I'd put 1" rigid Rockwool on all interior surfaces of the cabinet. I'd cover the rockwool with a thin bent/formed plate that fits inside the door opening and with formed plates at the top and bottom. Seams would be sealed with high temp, food safe RTV. So the whole inside of the cabinet would be metal with all seams sealed with RTV.
For smoke/heat my plan is to obtain the hopper, auger and firebox assembly from a Traeger style smoker and to mount it to the side of the cabinet as close to the bottom as I can get it. Then I'll need to fabricate some kind of heat shield to go above the firebox to help disperse the heat and smoke evenly through the cabinet (looking for ideas here).
I'd also like to have some sort of removable grease tray but I'm not sure how to place that above the firebox without blocking the smoke/heat. Again, I could use some ideas.
I'm not sure where the best spot would be for vents. I'd like this thing to heat as evenly as possible. With a pellet grill hopper/auger assembly there will be a fan pushing air into the proofer so I don't think a lower vent is required (but maybe I need one for cold smoking?)
I think I have racks/trays figured out as well. There were some side panels mounted inside that had channels for trays. I think I can attach those to my new bent/formed plate that will be slipped inside. That way the trays will be nearly the same width as the door opening (a little smaller) and will be very easy to slide in and out in that opening.
Pictures of the proofer cabinet in it's current state and a few screenshots of my 3D model to help illustrate my thinking. Ideas & tips appreciated.