Hunting Washington Forum

Community => Butchering, Cooking, Recipes => Topic started by: Wea300mag on October 16, 2008, 07:12:45 PM

Title: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Wea300mag on October 16, 2008, 07:12:45 PM: My winter home project is going to be the construction of a good smoker. Anyone out there build their own smoker? Do you have any proven designs or helpfull hints? If so, please post the info here, I'm sure others could use it too.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: dogtuk on October 17, 2008, 07:48:13 PM: i built my smoker out of an old style fridge i use a 1100 watt electric burner with a thermostat it works great for anything from cheese to ham sausage fish and jerky i can control temps from 80-220 no problem here are a couple of pics of some sausage and buckboard bacon i did in the smoker and right now i have 100 pounds of ham in the smoker
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: bowsandhose on October 17, 2008, 07:53:53 PM: :drool:
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Jason on October 18, 2008, 07:02:48 PM: man that looks good :drool:,lets see A pic of the smoker.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: robodad on October 18, 2008, 10:10:32 PM: Just be sure you remove ALL the freon tubes and compresser, my dad had one blow up in his face because he didn't remove the reservoir holding the freon and had sucker fish and insulation scattered all over the yard !!!
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: dogtuk on October 19, 2008, 06:37:07 AM: ok here are some pics of the smoker and some toys
coho going in
(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi44.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff45%2Fsalmonclubber%2Fth_100_0744.jpg&hash=02ce423d43e13b1d08a1f3dca048f0c20444cec1) (http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f45/salmonclubber/?action=view&current=100_0744.jpg)

some sausages

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi44.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff45%2Fsalmonclubber%2Fth_100_0687.jpg&hash=f29bd969207c470513c80df020206fcf37680470) (http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f45/salmonclubber/?action=view&current=100_0687.jpg)

my toys

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fi44.photobucket.com%2Falbums%2Ff45%2Fsalmonclubber%2Fth_sausageequip.jpg&hash=cb7a1770703895d414d601bc6f811854008c1bb6) (http://s44.photobucket.com/albums/f45/salmonclubber/?action=view&current=sausageequip.jpg)
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: billythekidrock on October 19, 2008, 11:57:58 AM: I know better then to post in a smoker thread after dogtuk, but since people are looking for DIY smokers I thought I would share mine again.

Mine is an old metal locker/closet. I screwed in some wood rails and stuck a thermometer through the door. I use a hot plate for smoking (with the door closed) and then use the propane burner to keep the temp up with the door cracked open to keep down moisture.

The rods are just oak dowels and I made the racks with chicken wire but usually use the smaller meshed ones.

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1443webPep1.jpg&hash=c7c46300c5d1097e4515725041ec37a20c664eb9)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1443webPep2.jpg&hash=ae54a7c335438da5bf5772489486a66224252e92)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1443JerkyFinished-web.jpg&hash=9686ff14b62aab0f35a35850eeff1fa88040f94f)

(https://hunting-washington.com/smf/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.hunt101.com%2Fdata%2F500%2Fmedium%2F1443JerkyFinished2-web.jpg&hash=6a8fdb15cbc74d37e6d95809830782da565be544)
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: dogtuk on October 19, 2008, 01:34:14 PM: billythekidrock

thats a nice smoker it does the job for those are some great looking sausages and jerky you got there is it hard to control temps in there with the propane i am thinking of going propane my electric works well but lately i have been having trouble getting it to smoke at low temps i need to try something else
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: billythekidrock on October 19, 2008, 03:14:51 PM: Thanks for the kind words, but I have seen some of your posts and you are the man when it comes to smoked goods.

As for the propane. It works ok. I think if I had better regulator it would be great. I just don't like the moist heat that propane produces, but my hot plate doesn't get hot enough.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: The Weazle on October 20, 2008, 11:19:54 PM: I know its not homeade, but I use a masterbuilt electric smoker. I have to play with the vents on it to keep the moisture down, but it keeps a steady temp and produces some killer stuff. A special shout out to Dogtuk for all of his help with teaching me how to make my own meat products...
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: popeshawnpaul on October 20, 2008, 11:42:10 PM: Ok, that looks really good Dogtuk. I wonder if I can convert an old dorm fridge into a smoker like that? Any hints or ideas would be very helpful. Great thread and something I've thought about a lot...
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: dogtuk on October 21, 2008, 06:39:42 AM: popeshawnpaul

you need a fridge that has no plastic in it that will melt i got my old fridge from the landfill didnt cost me a dime it is a porcilen lined metal fridge i removed all the plastic in it and lined it with some old sheet metal where needed cut a whole in the bottom and got a burner from an old stove and i bought a thermostat from mcmaster carr it was around 60.00 i also cut a hole in the top for a chimney
the small dorm fridge will work if you take all the plastic out and replace with sheet metal but that is a big job i would look around for a old time metal fridge be a lot less work i think
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Wea300mag on October 23, 2008, 02:20:35 PM: Thanks for the great input dogtuk and btkr. My only real uncertainty is the heat source, electric or gas. It seems the electric would be easier to control. I did a search on the internet and all I found was a lot of people wanting to sell stuff. I guess it's time to get busy and just build one then fine tune it.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: robb92 on October 27, 2008, 02:29:53 AM: Check out the sausge maker they sell do it yourself smoker kits and the differnt pieces you would need:

This is the link for a due it yourself electric smoker
it lists all the parts and prices for the items:

http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=94

I have ordered a lot of stuff from them and the customer service is great.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: robb92 on October 27, 2008, 02:32:13 AM: Here is the link for the same site for a diagram for a gas smoker kit:

http://www.sausagemaker.com/index.asp?PageAction=Custom&ID=90
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Grizzly95 on October 28, 2008, 10:15:07 AM: Here is the one a buddy and I built. Here it is when I removed the old insulation.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: downyonderbbq on October 28, 2008, 06:07:27 PM: Dogtuk, now Im ashamed, now Im gonna have to go buy a new smoker...............How could you do this........lol...............Good looking gear man!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Wea300mag on October 28, 2008, 06:09:47 PM: Griizzly95, nice homebrew smoker. What is the heat source? Can you put up pics of the inside? Thanks
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: dogtuk on October 30, 2008, 05:27:13 PM: ok here are some links for smoker supplies

www.alliedkencosales.com

www.butcher-packer.com

www.mcmastercar.com this one has a nice digital temp control for electric smoker 110 or 220 $60.00 item number 1760k77

www.sausagemaker.com

i will be glad to help out if i can in building a smoker

huey
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: downyonderbbq on October 30, 2008, 06:23:06 PM: Huey, I sent ya 4 bottles of the spice!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! For the long waiting
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: fc2038 on October 31, 2008, 04:12:19 PM: thanks for the websites. I think I am going to have to make me a smoker. Looks like a fun project. Looks like some tasty stuff.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Grizzly95 on November 03, 2008, 09:01:07 AM: I will rec. if you use an old fridge to strip it all the way down and remove the original insulation, mine was cardboard insulated anf on the first light up the cardboard started to smolder. I found some of the assembly pics and will try to post them tonight.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Grizzly95 on November 08, 2008, 10:08:10 AM: It is propane fired, used an old cook top out of a camper. Scavenged everything to make it I think we have a little over $20 in to the whole deal.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: NRA4LIFE on March 03, 2009, 09:44:31 AM: +1 on the old fridge. I got one free from my neighbor and gutted all the refrigerant lines/reservoirs. The inside is all porcelain coated stainless steel. Have a lot of spare sawzall blades around if you plan on cutting this stuff. I also bought the electric heating element/control from thesausagemaker.com. Works great. I put it on heavy casters so I can move it from my barn to the house easily. One precaution though on old fridges. Mine was insulated with cardboard insulation. Found this out the hard way and almost burned down my garage. I replaced it with some hi temp ceramic batting. I monitor the internal temperature of the meat and inside the smoker with 2 battery operated probe type thermometers.

I'm definitely going to try Dogtuk's buckboard bacon recipe. That looks awesome. Dogtuk, thanks for all the info.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: whacker1 on March 03, 2009, 10:09:12 AM: I will post some pictures of my Dad's which is the one I use, but will take me a few days. Built out of Wood (Cedar primarily) (looks like an out house). Base is covered in Fire Bricks, just like the bottom of Wood Stove. These look nice, but you will invest some time and money in the lumber.

If you want cold smoke, you burry a 12" - 18" Pipe in the ground and vent it up in the middle of your smoke house. In the middle of your smoke house, you then put 4 bricks around your pipe opening and put the lid of a 55 gallon drum to use as a smoke/heat difuser (bricks hold the lid up 3 inches off the floor to let smoke escape. The other end of your Pipe should be exposed outside, because this is your fire box. This is the style of smoke house I like the best, because it is easier to keep the temperature down to 140 - 160 or cooler if need be. I think these also smoke a little more evenly than hot smoke houses.

If you are smart, you will make the above with the Pipe in the ground, and a removeable fire box, so you can have cold smoke or hot smoke depending on what you are trying to accomplish for the day. My dad and I were discussing how to go about modifying his, as he bought it in an auction. My grandfather has the cold smoke house, and I prefer to use it, but my dad's is more convenient.

The fire in the bottom can be difficult to keep the temperature down, without venting or propping the door open. Also difficult to do too much with pork, because of fire danger with the dripping fat.

If you want the dimensions of this one, I will have my dad measure it, because I can't remember them off hand. Let me know.
pics to follow shortly....

There is almost 100 lbs of sausage in the smokehouse.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: woodswalker on March 03, 2009, 10:52:14 AM: I have a former bakery rack that is totally enclosed with a door, its the size of a fridge....it has a TON of possibilities for shelves or rods...I just need a smoke/heat source...and I think I have them around the place from various things. Just need to figure how to set up the temp adjust on the cheap...might use temp controlled dampers/ventilators and a constant heat/smoke source.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: whacker1 on March 05, 2009, 10:36:27 AM: I would like to see what the bakery rack set up looks like - the shelving and rods would be worth using with or without the enclosure.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: woodswalker on March 05, 2009, 10:44:45 AM: it had POSSIBILITIES....not HAS shelving and rods...I'll have to make those
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: whacker1 on March 05, 2009, 05:15:31 PM: I see, I thought you had both the shelving, racks and the unit itself. I need to do more smoking, but i typically only make sausage once a year with my Dad. Not enough time to get it all done.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Alchase on March 06, 2009, 12:29:27 PM: I have had many home made smokers from refrigerators to a framed in smoke house. It can be tedious sometimes getting them dialed in and use to how each one smokes but it sure was fun.
Now I am older and lazy so I bought a Bradley Smoker

http://bradleysmoker.eseecommerce.com/detail.php?pid=40&pageno=&maxPage=&maxRow=&category_id=2&parent_id=

Now life is easy, lol :rolleyes:
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: robb92 on March 09, 2009, 10:40:47 PM: Quote from: Alchase on March 06, 2009, 12:29:27 PM
I have had many home made smokers from refrigerators to a framed in smoke house. It can be tedious sometimes getting them dialed in and use to how each one smokes but it sure was fun.
Now I am older and lazy so I bought a Bradley Smoker

http://bradleysmoker.eseecommerce.com/detail.php?pid=40&pageno=&maxPage=&maxRow=&category_id=2&parent_id=

Now life is easy, lol :rolleyes:

My wife got me one for Christmas, they are awesome!
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: NRA4LIFE on April 24, 2009, 03:14:22 PM: Here's mine. You can see a square hole at the bottom of the inside. I have this fashioned so when I'm smoking, it is my air supply/control. If I want to dehydrate, I got a square computer fan that pumps air into it. I also have a damper up top on the exhaust stack. This is one fine unit.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: Wea300mag on April 26, 2009, 04:24:19 PM: That's a great looking homemade smoker NRA, I still haven't built mine yet, but hope to get it done before hunting season this year.
Title: Re: Home Made Smokers
Post by: robb92 on April 26, 2009, 04:51:06 PM: Nice homemade smoker.