I’m sure some on here have smokers made from an old fridge. Let’s see some ideas. I have a smoking Tex smoker but wanting something bigger, thinking of converting an old fridge, not sure if I should go pellet, or firebox, hot plate? Let’s see ideas, glad this site is back up and going.

wws

I made a smoker out of a stainless steel proofing oven,
Typically, you can get them pretty cheap when the heaters break
They have seals and tight fitting doors. I just cut a 3 inch hole in the top and added an vent pipe with a
Home made damper

I use this for smoking at cooler temperatures, if I need to smoke something at high temperatures 250 plus , I use a green egg style grill

I used to have a nice one made out of a old fridge but I was smoking a 40 pound whole pig and the belly split (pool of fat spilled)
While I was stoking the fire box under it and it all caught on fire lol saved the pig tho fortunately.

Following as i have a stainless steel commercial freezer that needs either rebuilt or a new job

I got a deal on a AA 941 TYPE canner, along with it, got two stainless steel food carts that were used in a hospital.
Old timers might remember the food carts from the 60's and 70's and before.
Used one for a smoker , worked fine, just had a hard time getting the heat above 155 degrees.
Thought about building a fire in a steel container in the bottom to get more heat.
Health reasons and some lowlifes stole my wood burner that I used to produce the smoke, ended that.

Mines made from one of those old metal/tin closets. Put on a plywood door. Rebar supports put through the sides support expanded metal grates. Old wood stove for firebox
Here's some steelhead I did

The newer fridges are all plastic inside, haven't seen an old style one in ages....might be better looking for trade in broken oven... insulated, tight door, room for a hot plate under the grates or could probably use the existing heat element if you can set it low enough, plus it has a thermostat....

I still see a few old ones that are real metal. They are becoming less common, so figure now or never. Thinking electric would be easier to use, I’m somewhat used to set and forget.

wws

This. My childhood. We put metal flashing around the bottom but otherwise it was the same. The boards smelled so good you could probably eat them.

Sorry no pics because it’s at my son place but we converted an old junked all metal Calvenator fridge into a smoker. Made compressor box into heat box and installed a repurposed Trager pellet burner w/auto feed. Have only fired it a few times so far and are still tweaking heating/venting to keep temps near 200. Also looking for more shelves as they working best for us when doing venison sausage which is our top use. Fun project.

Hard to find an all metal refrigerator anymore. They make decent smokers with sand and bricks in the bottom.

WARNING: Do NOT use the shelves from and old frig for food, the are plated with Cadmium and can leach Cyanide into the food which can KILL you! Replace them with PSP. (Perforated Steel Plate, aka: expanded steel).

Cadmium is not a problem with your food in the refrigerator.

It's not a problem in your smoker either, as long as you keep it below 875 F°

I got a stainless steel commercial upright freezer that had died from a local Dairy Queen. I converted it into a smoker quite a few years ago. I used 1/2 inch rebar rods for hanging and propane for heat.

Me too.

BigBob, good to know. We do put our ring sausage on trays on the shelves.