I want to build a smoker, question..

[Scott Danforth]

try using applejuice and beer in the pan. I usually use Leinenkugels Honey Weiss and apple juice

 

[muskyfins]

So our production manager is a big time smoker guy. I'm less so, but we're both looking to upgrade. He will only consider side fire box. I could be swayed either way. We work for a specialty plastic fabrication company building highly engineered systems for corrosive air and liquid handling, but we do about 10% metal fab to support our plastic products. In any case fabricatin' is fabricatin'.

We have been trying to figure out how to build rather than buy. We were planning on using 18" dia x .250 wall steel tube. We can get it for about $50 per foot. assuming an 18" long fire box and a 42" long smoke chamber, we're up to $250 per guy. Plus steel for end caps and pipe for legs. Plus purchased racks, hardware, etc, we're up to $400 on the low end. Plus our fab time. For him, that's better than the $1000 smokers he's looking at. For me, it's higher than I'm looking to spend since a semi decent vertical can be had for $200.

This would be super heavy duty of course, but just a base point for cost of fabricating from scratch.

 

[JustJason]

I have a weber kettle grill along with a smokenator insert. For the money you actually spend on it I don't think one can do better. It is a full on charcoal grill that will also smoke and I think i'm into my setup for less than 250 bucks.

Make sure you also get a good thermometer like a maverick.

 

[JaCrispy]

Muskyfins, if he's dead set on a SFB he needs to read up on reverse smokers. Basically the heat from the SFB is directed to the opposite end of the cook chamber for even heat distribution, then exits the exhaust which is located on the side of the cooker near the SFB. That's why I went with vertical smokers.

 

[redneck joe]

well not a smoker but related. Found a perfectly good (and nice quality) metal picnic table at the dump. Little smokey Joe and one cut off wheel later....

 

[JaCrispy]

I have about 6 or 7 cooker I use, sometimes just stack up some loose bricks, put some coals in the middle and lay some kabobs across. I have a 14" Smokey Joe and that thing is a trooper! I use the snot out of it, even just made small fires in it while camping or hanging out outside. This year it finally got a little too far as the bottom damper fell off and both grates are paper thin. lol But the rest of the cooker is perfect, no damage on the black finish or anything. I might just get a new grate and let it keep on chuggin.

 

[clb]

Wood!
Then the lectric one.
This is about 2# of 3" chunks of fruit wood

 

[muskyfins]

Well, I couldn't wait any longer since Mother's Day is at our house and I plan on doing ribs. (always out do Father's day held at my brother's house). I opted for the dual fuel vertical model. Can use charcoal or propane which I see as a major advantage. The quality level is very good for the price. Took about 40 minutes to assemble. Seasoned it using propane heat and apple wood chips. On some of the BBQ forums many folks make some minor modifications to prevent flare ups and produce the perfect smoke. I will definitely do the same. Bought a few accessories, charcoal and a Maverick. Was $300 out the door for everything. (smoker was $179)

 

[clb]

This is useless without a pic of some product on the rack!

 

[muskyfins]

couldn't get photos to upload earlier. I will try again. (never had this problem before)

 

[clb]

Try soaking your chips?!
Try different woods?!
Try adding a pan of h2o or applejuice for moisture and heat ?!
Try an applejuice spritz to moisten the top?!
Have fun.

 

[JaCrispy]

Some kabobs, corn and potatoes over wood.

 

[muskyfins]

Test photo. Worked.

Very weird. If I transfer these photos from my phone to my computer, they will not upload to iBoats. If I email them to myself and use my PC to open and save them, they work just fine. Phone is Samsung GS4. Any Ideas?

Anyway, this is pic of unit during seasoning. I'm kind of OCD, so after I oiled entire interior of unit, I first ran temp up to 400F for 30 minutes (per instructions) and held for 30 minutes. Then after unit cooled, I ran up to 225F and added some soaked chips on one side and soaked chunks on the other of the pan. Ran good smoke for about 45 minutes. Then added dry chips on one side and dry chunks on the other as a comparison. The dry stuff lights right up. Will have to use wet chips when smoking food. This test was done using propane only. Planning a similar test this weekend using charcoal. And then food.

 

[muskyfins]

I guess I'm still having posting issues......

 

[muskyfins]

Supplies




Inside of unit after assembly. (about 40 minutes)




In use during seasoning.