Propane SmokeHouse Build

[jimalbert]

Heres a couple more pics of the progress... I got the front done, a single coat of sealer on, the door made, hinges on, latch on, and partially insulated and cement board inside installed.  And dont mind the mess, way too much stuff going on right now and really trying to get this thing done before the next rain gets here.  

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• jimalbert
• Apr 10, 2017

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• jimalbert
• Apr 10, 2017

 

[Bearcarver]

Looks Great, Jim!! 

Workmanship---

Be Smoking Soon!!

Bear

 

[jimalbert]

Yea, I think it looks pretty darn good for a hick from the sticks....  I ran into one small problem getting full sheets of cement board in there though.... I cant keep them whole.  Im going to need to cut them to get them through the door, and I really didnt want to do that.  I also need to figure out where I am going to stick my AMNPS.  I would love to stick it inside on a shelf but Im not sure if there will be enough draft to keep her going.  I also thought about doing a "mail slot" mod on the side that led to a metal shelf inside where it can be seated and then drilling holes in the mail slot cover for air.  That might work the best.  If you have any thoughts let me know.  

Jim

 

[daveomak]

Pops was the guy that started this Mail Box mod...   5 years ago with this installation....    Thanks Pops....  

 

[Bearcarver]

That would work Great, like Pops did way back!! Maybe a little lower.

However make sure it's not near the road----Wouldn't want your mail getting put in that one, by mistake!!!  

Bear

 

[daveomak]

Bear is spot on....  Lower the MB down near the bottom of the smokehouse..  but above the burner so the flame doesn't consume the smoke...  Flame will do that....

 

[ab canuck]

Looks real good,

   I have been planning a smokehouse build as well,  toying with that idea of putting the mailbox mod as well. I live in a Northern climate (Canada). I was thinking building with cement blocks and roof but cement takes so long to pre/ heat, I think I am back to wood frame and roxul insul. so I can both cold and hot smoke. Great ideas and suggestions. a few more weeks and the frost will be gone and I will be able to put in the cement base. What type / size propane burner did you end up using? 

 

 I am looking at this for the heat. 30,000 BTU originally with the concrete build but now thinking it over again. I will be calling supplier today to ask some questions. I will be watching this to the end. 

 

[jimalbert]

Yea Dave, I do the mailbox mod on my MES but I would like to do something a little more aesthetically pleasing with this.  

 

[jimalbert]

AB:  I have decided to try one of the turkey fryer bases that I picked up last year on clearance.  It has a timer (I will diasble it) and a safety for the gas.  If the flame goes out, the gas goes out in about 20 seconds.  If im not mistaken, it is a 38,000 BTU burner.  I will be removing the rubber gas line and hard plumbing the burner to the outside of the house with a needle valve just outside.  I personally dont think that a fully insulated 41x41x82 interior smokeshouse will need anywhere near that kind of fire to get to 225. Here is the link to a great burner that has the safety features you need!

https://www.walmart.com/ip/30-qt-Turkey-Fryer-with-Spout/45413507#about-item

Jim

 

[ab canuck]

Thx. Jim I will look into this right away. 

 

[jimalbert]

Didnt get anything else done yesterday because of Baseball, but I did order my digital/wireless thermometer for the smokehouse.. I thought I would give this a try as I love my Mavericks but heard some really good things about them and I liked the fact that they had a probe for cabinet temp.  Im just hoping I can make the 40" leads work.

https://itronicsmall.com/products/thermopro-tp-08

TP-08_Thermometer_Front_View_Transmitter_and_Recei

• jimalbert
• Apr 11, 2017

Jim

 

[jimalbert]

Bear/Dave,

Im having a problem deciding where to stick the AMNPS.  I really dont want to put a mailbox on the outside as I really like the look of the smokhouse the way it is but I agree in full that it runs much better outside the smokehouse away from the heat.  To be honest, im thinking about putting a shroud on the outside of the smokehouse that will accept a 3" flex pipe that i can store the mailbox in the smokehouse when not in use.  If I do so, I will most likely put the shroud slightly higher than or directly above the air intake so that the smoke can evenly distribute throughout the house.  What do you guys think about doing it this way? 

Thanks,

Jim

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Bear/Dave,

Im having a problem deciding where to stick the AMNPS.  I really dont want to put a mailbox on the outside as I really like the look of the smokhouse the way it is but I agree in full that it runs much better outside the smokehouse away from the heat.  To be honest, im thinking about putting a shroud on the outside of the smokehouse that will accept a 3" flex pipe that i can store the mailbox in the smokehouse when not in use.  If I do so, I will most likely put the shroud slightly higher than or directly above the air intake so that the smoke can evenly distribute throughout the house.  What do you guys think about doing it this way? 

Thanks,

Jim

I would just put it inside the smokehouse, just above the air intake, so the air flow goes right by the AMNPS. That's all it needs.

IMO--The Mailbox is only needed in the few instances that there is an Air Flow Problem. If you put it up high enough to be just above the air intake, you should have no problem at all.

I would rig up some kind of a wire shelf to sit it on, so there is no solid floor under it to block the air flow from the air intake. No shroud needed.

Bear

 

[jimalbert]

Thanks Bear.  I will give that a try first.  The only thing that could possibly suck is if it doesn't burn well inside and I need to cut the holes later after the cement board is installed and have to deal with the insulation in the walls.  Its a big cabinet and honestly I have had my AMNPS in my little MES30 and my propane GOSM without the mail box mod and have never had a problem.  With that being said, it wont be that huge of a deal I guess.. I actually thought about putting two small CPU fans at the intake and exhaust that I could control via speed dial if I need to get more air flowing.  There are lots of options I just think that a mailbox will look like crap on my "outhouse" as my daughter calls it.

Jim

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Thanks Bear.  I will give that a try first.  The only thing that could possibly suck is if it doesn't burn well inside and I need to cut the holes later after the cement board is installed and have to deal with the insulation in the walls.  Its a big cabinet and honestly I have had my AMNPS in my little MES30 and my propane GOSM without the mail box mod and have never had a problem.  With that being said, it wont be that huge of a deal I guess.. I actually thought about putting two small CPU fans at the intake and exhaust that I could control via speed dial if I need to get more air flowing.  There are lots of options I just think that a mailbox will look like crap on my "outhouse" as my daughter calls it.

Jim

As long as you have air flow you should have no problem. At the worst, if the air was still stagnant, one little fan would solve that.

However you might want to go to the AMNTS (Tube) because of the size of your Smokehouse. It puts out more smoke than the AMNPS, and another benefit would be it works better in less air flow & higher altitude.

Bear

 

[gary s]

Great looking Smoker and a bunch of good advice.  What a nice Build

Can't wait to see smoke coming out of that thing  

Gary

 

[jimalbert]

Just ordered a 12-18" expanding tube smoker.  We will see how that works in conjunction with the AMNPS.

Jim

 

[Bearcarver]

 
Just ordered a 12-18" expanding tube smoker.  We will see how that works in conjunction with the AMNPS.

Jim

Judging by the size of your outhouse, I think you'll be happier with the amount of smoke you get from the Tube. 

Bear

 

[jimalbert]

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• jimalbert
• Apr 16, 2017

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• jimalbert
• Apr 16, 2017

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• jimalbert
• Apr 16, 2017

Well, she is done with the exception of hard plumbing the burner in. Staining is done, insulation and cement board in, and hanger/grate supports in. Here are a few pictures. On another note, the vents arent white anymore, theyre black. They looked like crap with that black door hardware so I pulled them off and sprayed them with a rattle can.

 

[daveomak]

Now it needs some smoke stains on the inside...