New here.

[monroe6311]

Hello all. Thy name is Jason. I live in the beautiful state of Wisconsinew. One day a couple years ago I got the urge to build a smoker. So I jumped on old Google and search cedar smoker. Which brought me to this site. There started my long journey. In recent months I have completed the project. I have made a few adjustment as I cannot keep the fire going. Which brings me to today. I must enlist the help of others. My design is similar to the one actnick built. I have read through his whole thread but cannot find any answer to others who have the same issue. Any help you can lend would be appreciated. I think the problem may be a lack of a draf.
Thanks,
Jason

 

[mike5051]

Fire needs fuel and air.  If the fuel won't stay lit, it needs more air.  How do you stop a cedar smoker from becoming fuel?  I'm not being difficult, just curious about wood smoke houses.

Mike

 

[uzikaduzi]

Mike is right... likely not enough intake or exhaust... it also could be wet wood and something I don't mean in any disrespect... do you know how to start a fire? Normally if it's not intake or exhaust issues, it not getting the fire actually going properly. You can burn damp wood on a properly lit fire.

Mike to answer your question, cedar smokehouse are either very large and a small fire in the middle won't have a chance to migrate to the center or they are smaller with a smoke generators or remote stove and run of pipe to cool the smoke... my grandfather had one for as long as I can remember and never had any issues. They are not generally for hot smoking... warm smoking at best, but even 250 isn't hot enough to ignite wood

 

[monroe6311]

Yes. I do know how to start a fire. I may just be impatient. It has been very windy on the days I have tried to season it. Plenty of exhaust, I just wonder if it is not creatingredients a vacuum to pull in new air. The oak I am using is from last year. Pretty sure it is dry enough.

Mike I do worry about embers traveling through the stovepipe and possibly causing the cedar wood to ignite.

 

[uzikaduzi]

Try preheating the cooking chamber slightly maybe?

If you have plenty of exhaust and intake, dry wood, and know how to start a fire, IMO you have to be right on the draft... wind could be causing the issue. if you are cold smoking and heating isn't an option, you could try forcing a draft with a fan, but if the issue persists, maybe change where your exhaust is?

My grandfather's was dug into the side of a hill with the stove down near the barn... I don't remember draft issues but the smoke house was on the east side of the house and wind was primarily westward so it was quite protected and the stove pipe had a decent incline. Pretty ideal and my only experience so I don't have much to offer on draft issues

 

[SmokinAl]

Welcome to SMF!

Glad to have you with us!

Al

 

[monroe6311]

I may have figured it out. I put a cardboard box in front of the smoke stack. The fire now burnso hot enough to get the smoker up to 230 degrees.

20160928_130700.jpg

• monroe6311
• Sep 28, 2016

 

[uzikaduzi]

great you got it figured out... being able to get up to 230, you can smoke anything in there