Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Bass1]
#7666273
09/06/22 09:09 PM
09/06/22 09:09 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,125 Coldspring Texas
Savell
"Wilbur"
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"Wilbur"
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 9,125
Coldspring Texas
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... cut where your hinges will be... weld them in place then cut out the rest of your lid... flat bar for internal stops... the offset fire box is self explanatory
Insert profound nonsense here
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Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Bass1]
#7666317
09/06/22 10:31 PM
09/06/22 10:31 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,569 La Crosse, WI
Macthediver
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,569
La Crosse, WI
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How fancy are you looking to be with your build and how big are you looking to go? Is lots of way to build a smoker. My first DIY smoker I built when I was in highschool. Was simple dry stacked cement blocks with sheet steel roofing for top and 3/4 plywood for door. The rack set on rods put between the blocks. Built charcoal fire in bottom put wet chips and block wood on make smoke. Next came the gutted out refrigerator and again I built fire in bottom..it eventually got rust nasty. I smoked few small things for awhile using my Weber kettle grill. Had one that actually worked pretty well made from electric cook stove. Nice part was I only had to find couple of over racks same style and I had 4 shelves. I got the racks free for the asking at recycling center just had to sort threw pile stoves. That one rusted in bottom too. Could done the fire box different. The one I use now is a older style stainless steel catering box. I have lp burner kind that sits off side some gas grills. I have that mounted underneath so my smoke goes up into box. I put the chips in a cast iron dutch oven that got cracked. Set that over the burner I'm good to go. It's not pretty but works for me. Being a catering box I found racks on line that fit perfectly. This is pretty good view of inside. Here is last thing I smoked couple weeks ago salmon I caught Here I was actually smoking cheese on top of smoker box. Put a rack on top the box over vet holes. Put chaffing pan over it to catch smoke. Doing it like this I kept the temperature under 100 for most part. Just had to think outside the box as they say.lol So anyways like said lot of ways to build smoker. I like the LP burner if I would ever want to go somewhere with my box. But an electric hot plate will work too or you can do the wood fire. I like my set up because I smoke most things cold. If something needs to be heated to certain temperature to finish. Need to control closer, I bring it in house put it in oven. Mac
"Never Forget Which Way Is Up"
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Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Bass1]
#7666347
09/06/22 11:53 PM
09/06/22 11:53 PM
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Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,750 Southern Virginia, 50 yr old
VaBeagler
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2008
Posts: 1,750
Southern Virginia, 50 yr old
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I want to build one, any suggestions, advise? Not enough information. Smoking whole hogs, chicken wings, what's the purpose for this smoker? I spent 1200 dollars building a smoker from an oil drum and mounting it on a trailer. My brother in law smokes boston butts in a big terre cotto flower pot and his is better than mine. Really pisses me off.
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Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Bass1]
#7666434
09/07/22 07:48 AM
09/07/22 07:48 AM
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Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 4,327 East Texas
BTLowry
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 4,327
East Texas
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How mechanically inclined are you? Can you weld? Do you have grinders, cutting equipment? Can you read a tape? Know what "square" means? Ugly drum is a very simple smoker to make and they work quite well. Drill and a small hole saw bit (think I used 1 1/8") is about all you need. If you can weld there is no limit to what you can build
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Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Bass1]
#7666443
09/07/22 08:02 AM
09/07/22 08:02 AM
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Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 986 Louisiana
MattLA
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2021
Posts: 986
Louisiana
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Why limit yourself? Just build a smokehouse like everybody used to do back in the day. Something good to take a look at is how plantations used to be set up, they were just about as self sufficient as you can get. All had a smoke house, multiple chicken coops, hunting land, blacksmithing shop, carpenter shop, very small sewing shop and a pigeonnaire.
Last edited by Tofan; 09/07/22 08:04 AM. Reason: words
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Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Bass1]
#7666450
09/07/22 08:16 AM
09/07/22 08:16 AM
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Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 51 NE Alabama
kiyote
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Jan 2012
Posts: 51
NE Alabama
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Start here http://www.feldoncentral.com/bbqcalculator.html . This will help keep you from making a mistake. I had a friend that bought a homemade smoker and the air inlet and outlet was not big enough and could never get the temp up on it to cook. Its all about controlling the air.
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Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Bass1]
#7666592
09/07/22 11:50 AM
09/07/22 11:50 AM
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Joined: May 2010
Posts: 670 ND
DakotaBoy
trapper
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trapper
Joined: May 2010
Posts: 670
ND
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I made an ugly drum smoker a few years back. It works great! From brisket and pork butts to salmon and walleye. Just make sure you can control the inlet & outlet well enough, and make sure you have enough air flow not to completely choke out the firebox. I've got four 1" holes drilled around the bottom edge of my UDS and use thin fridge magnets to block them off if they're not needed. Need more airflow, just open one of the holes slightly by moving a magnet over. One of the holes has a ball valve for finer adjustments.
"Pretty cocky for a starving pilgrim!" "An elk don't know how many legs a horse has!"
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Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Bass1]
#7666594
09/07/22 11:53 AM
09/07/22 11:53 AM
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Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 815 S E Idaho
Jmack
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2012
Posts: 815
S E Idaho
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I built a 6ft tall by 4ft by 4th out of cinder blocks and tin roof. Welded up hanging racks and shelves inside and use an old turkey cooker for heat and old Dutch oven to put my chips in for smoke. Easy to build and easy to adjust heat and smoke. Sorry don't have any better pictures of it right now.
The first requisite of a good citizen in this republic of ours is that he shall be able and willing to pull his own weight. Theodore Roosevelt
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Re: DIY smoker
[Re: Jmack]
#7666628
09/07/22 01:25 PM
09/07/22 01:25 PM
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Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,569 La Crosse, WI
Macthediver
trapper
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trapper
Joined: Dec 2006
Posts: 5,569
La Crosse, WI
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I built a 6ft tall by 4ft by 4th out of cinder blocks and tin roof. Welded up hanging racks and shelves inside and use an old turkey cooker for heat and old Dutch oven to put my chips in for smoke. Easy to build and easy to adjust heat and smoke. Sorry don't have any better pictures of it right now. Dang Jmack That's fancier than the one I had 50 years ago. Roof looks the same but the door is way nicer that my plywood propped shut with old 2x4.. The pan I had my fire in was actually a old wheel cover off car. Probably have antique value now days all plastic crap. Mac
"Never Forget Which Way Is Up"
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