Upright stainless cooler with glass door

[dirtydusty]

I found an upright cooler that is stainless inside and out, but it has glass doors.  Can this be used for smoking up to 225Degrees or 250?  I am thinking of going with a single element in the bottom, maybee an element for small smokers.  How big would It need to be to get the required temp?  Anybody have any experience with these style coolers?

Thanks,

Dusty

 

[mballi3011]

First off welcome Dusty to SMF. Would you please go by Roll Call and introduce yourself and we can give you the big welcome that we like to give new members. Now to your new smoker maybe....I think that the rubber seals might not be a good canidate for a smoker. With temps at maybe 200* to 350* the seals might give way or even worst start or catch fire, Both of which aren't good for ythe food or you and yours eating the food. So I'm no expert on this subject but there will be someone around that knows more then me.

 

[dirtydusty]

I figured I would have to change out the door seals with oven seal. unless there is a better alternative.  My smoke house I use now is wooden and has an external fire box.  It takes a ton of wood to keep the temp high enough to smoke sausage.  I like to keep it around 170* until i reach my desired internal temp.  I was hoping to make a more efficent smoker out of this cooler.  If I can't go above 180 or so that will be fine too.  I just thought if it would go high enough I could do briskets and boston butts on it too.  The glass is the biggest concern,  I would hate to go through all the trouble putting it together and then crack the glass the first time.

 

[backwoodssmoker]

The glass may already be tempered (for safety) but what holds it in?  The rubber door seal can be changed out to fireplace door rope, or a big bead of high temp RTV.

 

[dirtydusty]

I went ahead and got the cooler, took off the evaporator and compressor up top and installed a 4" chiminey with a damper on it.  tried a 1000 watt hot plate and it took too long to get up to temp.  I just installed a electric conversion element, 1500 watt and it heated it up to 300 in a hurry.  Some fumes when I first got up there then they went away.  I don't intend on heating up this high for cooking, just wanted to make a test run to see have see the limits.  Now I need a temperature controller for it.  It gets too hot too quick for smoking.  Any ideas on a the cheapest route?

 

[smokingohiobutcher]

Any links to the type of element you used?

I'm very interested in this build!

SOB

 

[dirtydusty]

It was a brinkman conversion kit.  I got it from acadamey sports for $29.00  I think cabelas sells one too.