New Brick Smoker build starts tomorrow

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Wes - Question your last build seems to be a real wood eater. My readings and experience is limited but the consistent theme I read if air control has to be very tight. That first build seemed to use fireplace hardware that lacks snug seals. Wouldn't you get better results using hardware designed for air flow control needs of smokers rather than fireplaces? The famous and expensive Green Eggs really focus on that along with their ceramic walls, which are the same as a firebrick lined smoker has. Also that tall flue draws away a lot of the smoke and heat that needs to be kept in the smoking chamber. Even with a damper it would seem that a lot of heat is absorbed by that flue space below the damper. Just some thoughts. My cheepo meatel smoker eats wood but if she is set right, I can easily go an hour or hour and a half before adding wood/coals. Seems to me with all that firebrick you should be getting 2+ hours before adding fuel.
 
Wes - Question your last build seems to be a real wood eater. My readings and experience is limited but the consistent theme I read if air control has to be very tight. That first build seemed to use fireplace hardware that lacks snug seals. Wouldn't you get better results using hardware designed for air flow control needs of smokers rather than fireplaces? The famous and expensive Green Eggs really focus on that along with their ceramic walls, which are the same as a firebrick lined smoker has. Also that tall flue draws away a lot of the smoke and heat that needs to be kept in the smoking chamber. Even with a damper it would seem that a lot of heat is absorbed by that flue space below the damper. Just some thoughts. My cheepo meatel smoker eats wood but if she is set right, I can easily go an hour or hour and a half before adding wood/coals. Seems to me with all that firebrick you should be getting 2+ hours before adding fuel.
Good evening Scooter,

I'm not sure where you found metal  products just for brick smokers.  If you have a link, please post it.    Until then all we have are fireplace products to work with.

I also have a couple questions.  Can you put  14 butts in an ugly egg?  Does the "egg" produce 1/2 smoke ring in a 10hr smoke?

As far as a brick smoker.   I can bring my smoker up to temp in about 30min. at 10F.    Once up to temp,   I can open my door anytime and recover temp in about 1min.  

As far as smoke.  I don't want stale smoke sitting in the smoker.  I want the smoke to move.   If you are holding temps for an hour and half with wood you don't have TBS.   

I can smoke for 10hrs with an arm load of wood.   I think that pretty good, being a wood fired smoker  gives you flavor that none other can touch.

My smoker is 100% wood fired.  Only coals that are involved is getting started.  By the time I load my smoker,  I'm running 100% wood to the finish.  

I'm not sure what you mean by my "last build".   I have only built one.    It is by far not perfect.   I am here to help folks learn from what I would do differently. 

Wes
 
My thinking and everything about brick wood fueled smoking is you Do NOT want a damper you want constant fresh smoke.

Additional air should be front fed across fire to smoke chamber and out flue.

Is that your opinion?
 
Hey Scooter,

My Brick build will be very much like Wes W.

1) All of the heat will be absorbed into firebrick which will be contained (not lost), like a 110* day and the pavement at 9p.m.

2) Our brick house is as air tight as you make them (Tight dampers and doors, insulation, firebrick..no problem), You do not need a manufacturer for 3x the price when you have capabilities to manufacture it yourself for the price of personal labor.

3) I will have 5/16" fireplace heat rope all the way around my 1/4" flat plate door openings which will make it "AIR TIGHT" along with a damper above as Wes W. has. The damper will only have a 1/16"-1/32" space between the slide.

4) If you do not have access to wood, stay with the egg or your tin can, in which I still burn wood in but its inefficient as hell along with doing a super job!

We all find a smoker We like and get into a rut or routine, I decided way back this will be my lifetime Brick Smoker and making my change.

I have a couple of questions also, 

1) Are your questions to Wes W. inquiries only?

2) Are you in disbelief that these are efficient Smokers?(for the quantity of meat you can produce/hogs/deer etc.)

3) Are you stuck in the rut of a tin can and an green egg and wanting to decide to go with something similar as us? 

4) The last thing I would own for a smoker is one with a electrical cord!!   -Coal and wood is living! green mountain and others are not for hobbyists and true outdoor cooks in my opinion, it is for the lazy wanting the real deal and will never experience the true flavor!

(I will catch heat for this statement) - sorry in advance to all offended and I will not repeat it. 

Scooter I am a newbie myself, I only ask to see if this is positive criticism, you selling green eggs or going forward and adventure?

You are always welcome to contact me, Jim.

HAVE A SUPER EVENING ALL!
 
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Hey Scooter,

My Brick build will be very much like Wes W.

1) All of the heat will be absorbed into firebrick which will be contained (not lost), like a 110* day and the pavement at 9p.m.

2) Our brick house is as air tight as you make them (Tight dampers and doors, insulation, firebrick..no problem), You do not need a manufacturer for 3x the price when you have capabilities to manufacture it yourself for the price of personal labor.

3) I will have 5/16" fireplace heat rope all the way around my 1/4" flat plate door openings which will make it "AIR TIGHT" along with a damper above as Wes W. has. The damper will only have a 1/16"-1/32" space between the slide.

4) If you do not have access to wood, stay with the egg or your tin can, in which I still burn wood in but its inefficient as hell along with doing a super job!

We all find a smoker We like and get into a rut or routine, I decided way back this will be my lifetime Brick Smoker and making my change.

I have a couple of questions also, 

1) Are your questions to Wes W. inquiries only?

2) Are you in disbelief that these are efficient Smokers?(for the quantity of meat you can produce/hogs/deer etc.)

3) Are you stuck in the rut of a tin can and an green egg and wanting to decide to go with something similar as us? 

Scooter I am a newbie myself, I only ask to see if this is positive criticism, selling green eggs or going forward and adventure?

You are always welcome to contact me, Jim.

HAVE A SUPER EVENING ALL!
 
That is what you do with your metal double barrel smokers as I have now.

YOU can control what movement you want with the dampers. -happy evening pal
 
Jim,

My thoughts exactly, with Brick Smokers as heat efficient as we make them you supply air to combustuion and create +heat and all the other additions. You restrict air and you burn quieter.

So................................... to answer Scooter Brick Smoker flue should always be open.
 
Correct Pork.   You want free flowing smoke.   You can damper it down, but not to the point it stops.   I damper mine down just enough I don't have smoke coming out the doors.   That way I know its flowing freely.   You also want to maintain TBS (thin blue smoke)    If smoke is white, your flame isn't getting enough air.   It take time to be able to keep TBS and keep your fire down.  Its a learning curve with your personal smoker.   White smoke creates creosote.  Not a good flavor to have.    I'm not saying you will always have TBS.  When adding wood, until it gets going, it will be white for a short bit.   Keeping it blue as much as possible is key.   

To anyone building a brick smoker.  Its will take time to learn how "your" smoker wants to run.   For the first several times, you'll be chasing temps all day.   Once you figure out how to regulate air flow you will be able to get away for short bits of time.   The nice thing is though, if your hot, just open the doors to cool it.    Even at a stable temp you can open a door to have a look and recovery is less then a couple min.   
 
Yup I have Tin can... for now.   It works fair in fair weather and if I don't take on too large a task.  That's about the best I can say about it

I am in the early stage of planning a brick smoker.  Not near as large as the one Wes built.    

Seems that some of the key elements for  great smoker are:

Accurate Temp control - That requires tight seals and good airflow control (Including placement of inlet vents and the Flue) Digital Thermometer as well.

Heat conservation - Once you get things fired up and up to temp well constructed brick unit should be unbeatable.

Sizing to your needs.   I am never going to do even 4 or 5 butts or mega racks of ribs.   A modest 2 rack unit is more than enough.

The ability to monitor and top off water pans without loosing all the heat.  (Perhaps a 3rd door to access the water pan without opening the main door??)

Of course getting the height right is should be an obvious thing as well.  (At 65 I don't want to have to do a lot of kneeling to load or clean up the smoker.)

Of course not having a huge budget for the build is another factor for me as well.  Those Big Green Eggs are nice but I see a number of limitations beyond capacity with those.

Have I missed anything?  

Always open to learn new ideas.   

Good friend is a mason and has offered a few items to get things started.   Will be asking him for review of my plans and ideas before breaking ground.  I do plan on getting a foundation dug and letting a bout 4-6 inches of course lime settle through the winter before I even think about the slab pour.  Here in NW Ark. rock will make that dig  real fun so during a post freeze wet spell is a good dig time.

________________________________________

Edit on 12/22/14

Looking at various sites for parts such as fire grates and racks for cooking shelve.  SOOO many choices but if I can find parts pre-made that fit.... I figure that's one less thing to sweat details on.   Finding costs vary quite and bit  ($9.00 to $80.00 for steel grills) but by looking at various charcoal and gas factory made units at stores I am finding several that have the parts that should fit my current plans.

Also downloaded a nice 3d Drawing program that even has firebrick objects you can use to 'draw' your design nicely. (SketchUp)  This screen grab image is very rough compared to the one is the program.  The printed image from the program on a laser printer is very good.

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Mine will be as large as Wes W. with a charcoal grill on one side and log storage on the other. I wish I had changed my mind to 1- single door at 30" tall than 2- doors at 22" tall to cut down on height.

But...I am all in and if you don't go big then go home! LOL.

You are thinking way to much on this extra door, if built like Wes and Jims you will mot have the heat loss to fill water pan. Most times I rub with olive oil and no water pan anyway.

Ours will be "direct heat" but really "off set heat" due to the manual hot box dampers we put in. A lot of us in Nebraska use that Green egg, green mountain, traeger  grills but most of us laugh at it for the price and no workmanship(of yourself)...set it and forget it is for the kitchen!  Which I spend some time in but enjoy a project, conversation, pride of cooking old school and be different than my dentist with their green egg.

P.S. call your local building and safety office and ask what depth your frost line is, you will need cement that deep. Mine was 36" deep and put 12" slab all in one pour. I have about 5.5 ton sitting on it when complete. This will not fall over as some guys put theirs on a 4-6" slab. Not much frost? better at least do the monolithic footing.

Happy Building.
 
Don't sell the egg or any other smoker/cooking products or materials.

My comments are based on information I keep reading on this and other sites.

Air flow control is essential to temp control.  An inlet or damper that leaks limits the accuracy of that control.

As to parts, seems that with a little research I should be able to find quality parts at reasonable prices since I don't have anyone around who can do all the welding that might be needed to build all the parts.   The Angle iron door frames are about the only remaining challenge.   Actually found doors online but not sure I want to use them or build my own.  Local metal supply has most everything in raw materials but again welding parts is the challenge.   Have to keep that part simple - so I will probably buy the racks for fire and smoke chambers.  Locally firebricks run from $1.69 each to $2.69 each.   Still looking for best price on fireclay for the firebricks-seems to be the best in terms of longevity and reliability for use.  BUT still putting all the plans together nothing set or dug yet.

Merry Smoking Christmas to All!
 
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My biggest expense is the cast iron pieces on the furnace and fire bricks/clay

I built a cedar door on a frame for the smoker.

What totals are you guys in dollar wise? I think im going to end up around $700 all in.
 
Hello porknpua,

I have spent $1,200 so far probably end with $1450. Keep in mind 36" footings x 12"slab, raw steel, mason blade, therms., paint etc. a lot of nickel and dime items that add up.

Fire brick was $100 for 180 full brick.  (.56 each)  -smoking deal!

All veneer brick was free 1,200 brick (too many, all or none) and need to buy building brick (solid) for finishing the top. (maybe 125) at .15 each

The raw steel doors were $203.00 plus my labor (free) took me 14-18 hours build unpainted. This included, how should I do this latch time.....

Cast vents and ash doors were $100 I believe.

*************Answer to scooter about heat recovery: There is a show called "Man Fire Food" if I remember right, any way they put charcoal/wood fire in an open pit with firebrick base and walls for 30 minutes then move all charcoal to one side and cook fish on there for 30 minutes in banana leaves..- point being scooter

-YOU DIDNT LOSE YOUR HEAT, IT HAS ABSORBED INTO THE FIREBRICK IN AN OPEN GRILL.      -Which tells me a brick smoker is even tighter Aye?

Happy Holidays to all of our Friends and Family here, take care as we will talk soon.
 
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Good point on the Nickel and Dimes!

I admit I have not included any tools or equitment I previously had.

Bricks free approx. 1000

Fire Brick $1.55 a piece approx. $150

Cement and Mortar approx. $200 (could be more depending on how much refractory cement I end up using)

Cast iron furnace door $120

Damper $30

Cedar Smoker door $40

Concrete $75

Iron and steel $100

labor free

That's about what Im in so far

I cant believe your Firebrick price..... Best deal I have ever seen.
 
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Firebrick isn't cheap . I got some at a buck each a while back ,recycled,& banked them but I am way short still.14 years ago I paid $ 1.50 at the factory door.
The actual cement is expensive I used a brand called La Farge & was warned about Chinese cement. just saying.
 
You are correct Mr.

They are $2.20 each (new) currently today in Nebraska. I had found mine through a friends stash of unused/stored for this cheap price. He said $100 for the bunch. Just lucky is all.. 
 
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