Home Made smokers?

[Deleted]

Home made smokers, I got a couple questions on this. First of all I've never smoke any kind of meat. Second how big does it half to be, Im only looking to be able to smoke a couple chickens, a full size turkey or two. Any info on self builds would be great, any info at all would be great. Temps, recipes, anything, I need it all, venting, thermometers, pics of yours. I'm self building, its going to take awhile because I'm recycling wood from the job sites, so its a matter of how I can collect and how fast, Any tips would be great.

[soldim]

Jun 17, 2015 16:46:55 GMT -5 @trapperfromoh said:

Im only looking to be able to smoke a couple chickens,

I love smoked chicken, but don't know too much about building smokers. My favorite brewing shop also has a lot of smoking equipment and supplies, I have been looking at those with a dreamy look in my eyes. I have not brought it up with my wife so far though

Please keep us updated on the building of you smoker!!

a full size turkey or two

Hmm, considering the size of the turkeys on your side of the Atlantic, I guess you might still need a reasonably big smoker....

[Deleted]

At the Swamp Gathering I seen CJ's smoke house. He home built his also, so hoping he see this post, would like to hear about venting and heat control. Also I'm in the market for ideas on racks. Thermometer's?

[hogkiller]

Jun 18, 2015 3:19:08 GMT -5 @trapperfromoh said:

At the Swamp Gathering I seen CJ's smoke house. He home built his also, so hoping he see this post, would like to hear about venting and heat control. Also I'm in the market for ideas on racks. Thermometer's?

I'm thinking of one just like that sog. Not overly wide but tall enough to hang a quarter of something in. Heat control we just changed in cj's,,,used the regulator and hose from a fish fryer.

[shawn]

Are you looking to just smoke or temp out, cook your meat? For just smoking meat you can have a larger enclosure with a smaller heat source. A burner from a fish fryer or turkey fryer works pretty good in either. Charcoal works also but is more tedious. I don't know what CJ's is like but we have a 6x6 shed that is 8 feet tall that we use as our smoke house for hams, bacon, sausage and such but for cooking we use a much smaller one that is an old steel cabinet converted to a smoker. Anything will work as long as you can contain and control the majority of the heat and smoke. Remember when it comes to smoking slow and steady is the name of the game.

[brl]

Here is the link to CJ smoker. swamptalkforum.com/thread/28657/got-smoker-ready-today

[Deleted]

swamptalkforum.com/thread/28696/nice-saturday

[rendezvous]

CJ, those smoked chickens look awesome...  

[Deleted]

Ok the links worked great, why 2 thermometer's, also venting, where do you put your vents (For heat dispersal?) Also do add you add a vent low for the flame. I'm building this from hard wood cribbing and might sheath it with pallet wood. Can I Thompson water seal the out side, also how about pine, was worried the heat would draw out the pitch, I don't like pine sap with my turkey. Also the heat shield, is it just tin, can't or better not be stainless, toxic fumes when heated up. Also needing grill grate ideas.

[Deleted]

Ok my dimensions are 3'2 by 2' by 5' tall. I can go taller. Looking to put in three racks, high high should the meat be from my source of fire. Looking to cook fully.

[hunt4it]

I remember when I was living at home (oh so long ago), my father used the old school refrigerator that had the locking handle.  He gutted it out, removed the freon/motor/etc, made some oak racks and oak hangers and then cut a hole in the top and used of piece of sheet metal to control the heat.  We smoked everything in that thing.  Venison, Carp, Bluegills, Northerns, Salmon, squirrel, rabbits, etc.  Heat was a coffee can full of charcoal and then took wood shavings from the jointer, soaked them in H20 and added them in a separate container of coals for smoke.   Boy that brings home childhood memories. 

[Deleted]

Jun 18, 2015 17:50:15 GMT -5 @trapperfromoh said:

Ok the links worked great, why 2 thermometer's, also venting, where do you put your vents (For heat dispersal?) Also do add you add a vent low for the flame. I'm building this from hard wood cribbing and might sheath it with pallet wood. Can I Thompson water seal the out side, also how about pine, was worried the heat would draw out the pitch, I don't like pine sap with my turkey. Also the heat shield, is it just tin, can't or better not be stainless, toxic fumes when heated up. Also needing grill grate ideas.

Two thermometers to get an idea of temps high and low (they both stay close to the same). There's 3 vents top to bottom for temp control and air flow. They are just cheap floor vents I picked up at Lowe's, along with the grill grates I picked up at Lowe's. I used cheap pine for the whole build, and stained the outside. No ill effects on pine tar or pitch. The heat shield on the bottom half is very thin aluminum. I did wrap concrete drywall/fire retardant board around the bottom, before adding sheets of metal.
I really like the propane set up for heat, with the wet wood can on top of the fryer burner. It's easy to control heat, and I add more wet woods chips about every 90 minutes.
I go thru about a half bottle of propane per batch

[bk]

Jun 18, 2015 18:04:09 GMT -5 hunt4it said:

I remember when I was living at home (oh so long ago), my father used the old school refrigerator that had the locking handle.  He gutted it out, removed the freon/motor/etc, made some oak racks and oak hangers and then cut a hole in the top and used of piece of sheet metal to control the heat.  We smoked everything in that thing.  Venison, Carp, Bluegills, Northerns, Salmon, squirrel, rabbits, etc.  Heat was a coffee can full of charcoal and then took wood shavings from the jointer, soaked them in H20 and added them in a separate container of coals for smoke.   Boy that brings home childhood memories. 

That is the exact setup my Grandfather used to use.  I have such find memories of helping him - and especially with enjoying the end results - which were great. Thanks for posting this setup. I do remember Grandpa saying you couldn't (or more likely shouldn't) use one with plastic on the inside - no point in using good apple wood for the smoke then.

[bk]

Jun 18, 2015 18:34:05 GMT -5 @charder said:

Jun 18, 2015 17:50:15 GMT -5 @trapperfromoh said:

Ok the links worked great, why 2 thermometer's, also venting, where do you put your vents (For heat dispersal?) Also do add you add a vent low for the flame. I'm building this from hard wood cribbing and might sheath it with pallet wood. Can I Thompson water seal the out side, also how about pine, was worried the heat would draw out the pitch, I don't like pine sap with my turkey. Also the heat shield, is it just tin, can't or better not be stainless, toxic fumes when heated up. Also needing grill grate ideas.

Two thermometers to get an idea of temps high and low (they both stay close to the same). There's 3 vents top to bottom for temp control and air flow. They are just cheap floor vents I picked up at Lowe's, along with the grill grates I picked up at Lowe's. I used cheap pine for the whole build, and stained the outside. No ill effects on pine tar or pitch. The heat shield on the bottom half is very thin aluminum. I did wrap concrete drywall/fire retardant board around the bottom, before adding sheets of metal.
I really like the propane set up for heat, with the wet wood can on top of the fryer burner. It's easy to control heat, and I add more wet woods chips about every 90 minutes.
I go thru about a half bottle of propane per batch

Thanks, CJ.  Like the idea of the propane for heat source.  Nice setup.

Are you talking about the smoker using half a 20 pound bottle?