SeanMurphy265 Project #4 Smoker!

[performance]

Some people can tear up a steel ball in a sand bed. Not all UPS employees are abusive to the packages, but apparently some just don't care.

[aaxiss]

Got a question? My pops has a very old barrel type grill ( very heavy 42" long by about 3ft in diameter. ) It has a short stack on one side and a vent down low on the right side. I saw this a few weeks back

http://www.amazon.com/Chargriller-2-...4426991&sr=1-1

Would Retrofitting that to the grill be worth doing for my first venture into smoking? I have wanted to build one for a long time but if I can just add that firebox It would be an easy mod for me and pops can still use the grill the normal way if he wants to.

any input would be appreciated. going to check ebay for one less expensive ... Thanks

[Tritium]

That should work fine Don. I see them like that at the big box stores all the time.

Thurmond

[SeanMurphy265]

Since I have moved I have not had much time to finish my smoker. Did a little work today so I thought I would post a couple pics. I used barrel hinges on the door, but I am going to cut them off and make some hinges out of flat bar. Still have to make the frames for the racks, basket for the charcoal, door handles, finish smoke stack and tons of cleaning up. All my tools are in a friends shop 45 minutes away so I have been using my power arc 140st to finish up. The door was tig welded with PA140st. The welds on the firebox are stick welded with 7014 and 7018. I have to replace the castors I bent them from flipping the smoker over to weld. I also framed under the smoker and moved the castors back. If I could get a day free I probably could finish with all the little stuff, and then a day to clean up and paint.

[Tritium]

Sean, I usually stick to beef, pork and chicken. What does angle grinder taste like and how is it seasoned / how long do you smoke it?

Thurmond

[performance]

Is this a dual purpose thing you are making? A smoker and a storage bin? A little work and it would make a great welding cart.

[SeanMurphy265]

It's been more a tool box the past two months!

[everlastsupport]

Sean,

Amazing what a little paint will do for about anything. Too bad you are so far from me. I would enjoy testing the first batch you smoke in it. To bad the food will drip so much fat, it could almost double as storage. Hope your move went well and all is good.

Honey, my chicken is gritty. Must have been the grinder wheel.

[SeanMurphy265]

I've been debating whether or not to have it sand blasted, or get a Harbor Freight media blaster and do it myself. I know I'm going to add some insulation and cover piece under the door so the door appears flush. I'm not looking forward to cleaning this up this smoker!

[everlastsupport]

Sand blasting is a mess. If you have someone local that will cut you a deal. I would go that way. I have the HF box and they work pretty good, the other portable unit I have bought there were normally not very good. And the media is not cheap either.

[EmptyNester]

I tried sandblasting my address into a boulder with a 40 lb HF pressure pot and a 4 or 5 HP craftsman compressor with a 20 gallon tank. The compressor just didn't have the flow to do the job. It did make a mess too.

[acourtjester]

Hi Smokers
Here are sites I found great info about smoking.
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/index.php
http://www.smoker-cooking.com/index.html
I bought an electric smoker that is very easy to use but did not make very much smoke as designed. I found a mod a guy come up with and made one myself and it works great (see attached). The smoke chamber is an exhaust pipe with both ends swaged out to fit a fence post top I welded a grate just above the lower swage (round sheet metal with 1/4" hole all over). And a 1/2" pipe out the side near the top into the smoker oven. It is used to burn wood chips (maple, apple, or mesquite). The smoker oven supplies the heat for cooking and is temperature and time controlled with a digital display. The smoke chamber is lit and burns on it’s own. The original design has an aquarium air pump to aid combustion but I found just leaving the bottom cover of works very well the vent at the top of the oven supplies a draft to keep it burning.
I’m sure the whole thing could be welded up in a home shop.

Have fun
tom

[SeanMurphy265]

I finally finished all the fab, just have to add my door latch, drill a hole for my thermometer, and get some flat bar for the racks. I have a ton of cleaning up to do, but I am happy with how it looks. I just have to do a little test cook before I paint, to check for leaks. I used my Imig 200 for the majority of the build. I moved when I was 3/4 way done, and the majority of my stuff is at friends shop 45 minutes away. I finished it with my Power Arc 140st, using the stick and tig functions.

[Tritium]

Hi Smokers
Here are sites I found great info about smoking.
http://www.thesmokering.com/forum/index.php
http://www.smoker-cooking.com/index.html
I bought an electric smoker that is very easy to use but did not make very much smoke as designed. I found a mod a guy come up with and made one myself and it works great (see attached). The smoke chamber is an exhaust pipe with both ends swaged out to fit a fence post top I welded a grate just above the lower swage (round sheet metal with 1/4" hole all over). And a 1/2" pipe out the side near the top into the smoker oven. It is used to burn wood chips (maple, apple, or mesquite). The smoker oven supplies the heat for cooking and is temperature and time controlled with a digital display. The smoke chamber is lit and burns on it’s own. The original design has an aquarium air pump to aid combustion but I found just leaving the bottom cover of works very well the vent at the top of the oven supplies a draft to keep it burning.
I’m sure the whole thing could be welded up in a home shop.

Have fun
tom

Too cool Tom. I have been wanting a method to introduce smoke into my smoker without having to open the door. Now that the weather is cooler and thankfully wetter I know what I will be doing in the shop. By the way I highly recommend apricot wood for smoking. It makes a sweet smoke and great flavor.

Thurmond

[ogorir]

(to mark's UPS statement)

I think I met the reason UPS packages are often broken this week. I had to go pick up a shipment of wine at the distribution center. (needs signature, no one's home at 2:30 in the afternoon... go figure).

anyway, there was 3 guys, probably mid 20s, and 4 conveyor belts, 1 coming and 3 going to trucks. they were literally throwing the boxes on to the outgoing conveyors. what I picked up from this is NEVER package anything in something other than a box. if it was just wrapped up in paper or odd shaped, it got the royal treatment. large boxes seem to fair better, too.

[DVA]

I like the vertical smoker with the side box. I was thinking of making one like that. I prefer inslulated smokers but the a side box like that I have seen people use the top to warm water. That is great option to have if you are going to use it in a compatition becasue you need hot water to keep things clean.

[SeanMurphy265]

I did a little burn off and test cook today. Decided to throw some ribs on. I have some leaks around the door that I have to fix, not a big deal just need two pieces of flat bar welded on top and bottom. Overall I am happy with how it cooks, it's very efficient as an insulated cooker should be.

[zoama]

How wuz da ribs ???

[SeanMurphy265]

The baby backs were the best I have cooked yet, funny thing is I did absolutely no prep. I removed the membrane from the back side, poured a little store bought rub and then I put them on for 3-1/2 hours. The two smaller slabs of spare ribs are experimental ribs, I always try something different on some cheaper ribs.

[DVA]

Looks good. Did you have apple juice in the pan?