newbie here please help

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lansing

Newbie
Original poster
Nov 18, 2019
4
0
hi all I have searched this website and i'm sorry if I have missed this info but I am trying to decipher the difference between pine vs cedar on my hot wood smoker build. I am not worried about the cost difference between the two just wondering if I should steer clear on one of the two woods. Pros and cons of each? There will be no plywood in this build it will be 100 percent natural wood. I am thinking of treating the outside with some king of a natural oil and the rest will be stainless steel except maybe the grates- there will be no galvanized metal in this build but can I get away with a basic steel grate- thanks in advance
 
Alright, pine will not hold up as long as cedar, cedar is naturally resistant to weather and insects.

You'll want to make sure that you never actually use the pine or cedar to create smoke. Both will taste bad, and actually have stuff in them that is not good for you.
 
Can't be much help with your wood issue but just using steel grates will be just fine. Have seen many smoker builds on here that just fabricate their own steel grates. Not sure about availability for you but I acquired several oven racks from old ovens that I use in my smoker that was a double wide commercial stainless steel fridge converted into a smoker.
We are also members of a rendezvous club for just shy of 30 years. It's a re- enactment club of the Louis and Clark time period ( think mountain men, tee pees). Dirtsailor has a pic of his elk camp on his mega mother of all cooking links index in messages for all members, that's how we live several weekends of the year. Anyway the grate we cook on is just metal, been using it for years.

Ryan
 
Thanks for the info so far guys my real question was which would be a better wood as far as seasoning faster what I mean to say is I will have a steel fire box but I just wondering will the cedar smell go away and absorb smoke quicker then the pine? Which wood for this application do you think would suit me the best? Thanks in advance.
 
I'm not sure I can answer your exact question, but if I was going to build one like you're describing, I would use cedar.
 
Frankly, I'd go with whatever is cheaper. The oldtimers built their smokehouses with whatever native wood was available. The inside is going to get seasoned pretty quickly and you already said you were going to treat the outside to protect it from the elements.
We are going to have to see pictures of your build. It's the law.
 
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I can certainly post pictures when it is completed thanks for the info what would be a good safe product to use on the outside weather I go cedar or pine scratch that cedar can take care of itself if I decide to go Pine I don't want to put a spar varnish on it I believe any suggestions?
 
... if I decide to go Pine I don't want to put a spar varnish on it I believe any suggestions?
There are many good brands of sealer on the market. Best known is Thompson's Water Seal but there are others that might be better. Just do your research and make your own call. Be aware though that none of them will last forever and will need to be re-applied every couple of years.
 
Yeah I'm not concerned about Brands I'm very very familiar with sealers and spar varnish I just didn't know if it was safe I guess the outside isn't getting that warm
 
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