Homemade smoker plans!
"I was at work today and had an idea for making a homemade smoker that I believe would be pretty simple for me. I want one bad and only have two weber kettle grills. But I just spent around $400.00 on fixing our cars, so I'm pretty taped for a while. I know I had an idea a week or so ago for making one with metal from work. But I thought of a better one today and wanted to run it by you guys to see what you think. Here goes.
Seeing as the kettles are good for grilling I still want to incorporate my 18 1/2" kettle in this for the charcoal pit and for the top. I want to build a square box similiar in hieght to the WSM's out of some cheap wood. cutt two big round holes in the top and bottom to set on the bottom of my kettle grill and one to set the cover of the kettle onto. I'll line all of the inside with thin (about 20 thousands thick) stainless steel which I can get from work for about 12 cents a pound. So there will be no wood exposed in the inside. I'll cutt two square holes for the doors, one big one for putting in and taking food out. As well as a smaller size door on the bottom for lighting adding charcoal or wood chips. I also think it would be a good idea to close off the lower air intake vents on the kettle bottom and move them up more on the side so the falling ashes don't plug them up like they do now during long cooks. I could have 3 cooking grates plus a water grate in there. There should be plenty of room. I could also add temp gauges at each grate level by drilling holes. Would'nt take much
What do you think. I have pretty much all the stuff to make this with. Just need to buy the wood and get the steel from work.
I want your opinion. I know I could build it for VERY cheap. I believe the wood on the outside would act as an insulater as well helping to keep a more consistant temp."
Comments
Sounds like you want to add an upper wooden floor box to your weber. I am interested in a homemade smoker, but I am intent on not having the heat source directly inside the smoking chamber. This is what I am considering. An old high school locker. Smokestack at the top with a damper. An inlet at the bottom where the separate firebox attaches its exhaust with flexible heat tubing. I can control the temp with the damper on the locker and the air inlet on the separate firebox. Low and slow temperature in the locker. Stack the racks in the locker anyway I want. Multiple racks.
Cooking time in hours rather in minutes.
Hi,
I made my smoker using the tank from an electric Hot water service that developed a hole and was no longer any good for that purpose.20inches diameter 60 inches high once the top is cut off and rewelded on as a dome with a chimney and baffle plate to control the heat.Uses wood for heat and smoking.
Has four shelves one for the water bucket.
It is a hot smoker at present but with a litte adaptation can be a cold smoker as well.Works great.
cheers,Tom.
I have a 2 door ice box, that would be in front of a convenience store. I would like to convert it into a smoker. Does anybody have any ideas.
If you wanna use your lid and bottom from your webers you could always use a 35 gal or 55 gal FOOD GRADE barrel.. The smaller webers fit a 35 gal. barrel and the bigger ones a 55 gal. Just gotta measure your lid and base.
You can usually find good barrels at your local feed store they get soybean oil in them for mixing feed. My local one sells them to me for $5 each.
I just took 2 55 gal ones and cut the tops off them and welded them end to end and added a old 40lb propane tank on the end for a smoke box. All in All it cost me less than 75 bucks. Just scrounging for parts is the most fun.
I use to use an old beer belly fridge and it worked awesome’ cause it would hold the heat due to being insulated and a electric hot plate with a old cast iron skillet that I still use today and always will. I find that I can regulate the heat better and the cact iron once hot enough to cause soaked wood to smoke creates the right amount of heated need for any type of smoking needed to be achieved.
Sounds like your on your way to creating a smoker’ that as you use it you can always modify and improve. Everyone needs to start somewhere and I beleive if you build it your self your mind gets a different understanding of how thigs work and the effects of good and bad designs.