New member here... insulated reverse flow cabinet smoker build

[dward51]

Great build!!!!

Which way did you go with the door hinges? I would say removable (lift up off the pins). That thing is going to way a ton and every pound you can take off will help when you move it or roll it up on a trailer. I helped move a large gun safe and just lifting that door off took about 250 pounds off the total weight. I'm sure gravity would be more than enough to keep the door on and latches would help hold it down if it was transported on a trailer (just the normal door closure latch).

As to the water pan and water. The purpose of the water is more to act as a heat sink and moderate temps than to impart moisture into the air column. It will add some, but mainly it's to help moderate temps and avoid spikes.

 

[Brett Juneau]

Back here for an update... The hinges are installed so that the doors are removable.

I've been playing around with different methods and I'm beginning to lean away from water. With water in my pan (2-3 gallons), I cant get the temp above 200. I suspect the cooling effect from water evaporating is causing this. If I reduce the amount of water (down to about 1" deep in a pan that's 18" x 18") then it all evaporates quickly and not really worth putting it in there. The reason I haven't fully given up on water yet is because it keeps the temperatures incredibly even throughout the cooking chamber, most of the time within 2 degrees top to bottom. With no water in the pan, the temperature difference top to bottom is sometimes as high as 50 degrees. With no water, the bottom grate gets so hot because its sits about 5 inches above the firebox and only separated by a 3/16" steel plate. I am considering alternatives to water such as sand, brick, or a combination of brick or sand with a smaller water pan sitting on top. My hope is to create some sort of insulating barrier to keep the bottom level of cooking chamber cooler while increasing the overall temperature.