Building a smoker out of a fridge

[Combat Chuck]

Got a line on an IH fridge from the 50's; single-section, steel, nonfunctional.
I'd like to try and make it into a large smoker, so I'd like to run this by the folks who know smokers.


Here's my thought:
I want as much space as possible inside the unit, and I don't want to cut and reshape the door to make it all work, so I'm thinking an outboarded firebox on the RH side with inlet dampers and outlet dampers into the main chamber.

Inside, a fan from an oven at the bottom for convection and circulation, with a door-switch that kills the fan when the door is opened so it doens't blow all the heat out and into my face when I open it.

Left-hand side will be have a chimney near the top, but not on the top to prevent condensation dripping on the meat. Also to regulate the condensation, the elbow of the chimney will be a T fitting

Thermometers through the door, high, middle, and low to keep track of the relative temp in the major zones, and a woodstove thermo on the firebox.

Any input?

 

[Combat Chuck]

Read some build threads, and it seems possible, but I need to look this thing over closely before I'll know for sure.

I'm hoping it's old enjough that it won't have the spray-in foam insulation, and be plastic-free. Worst-case scenario is that I have to strip the foam out when I strip out the old tubing and wiring, and reinforce the outer and inner shells before I go in with spun glass insulation.

I can buy a Char-Griller firebox to save me some time and money on fabrication, and I think this project will probably top off at about 200 bucks in materials, at the absolute most. Considering the total likely expense verus the capacity and the fact that it will be built exactly how I want it; 200 is a very small price.

 

[tcb]

i think big indian has a pic in one of these threads of his.

 

[Combat Chuck]

thanks. I'll take a look

 

[tcb]

here's mention of it, maybe im making up the whole picture part...

https://forum.ih8mud.com/campfire-cuisine/409191-smoker-gas-electric-2.html#post6229953

 

[Combat Chuck]

I PM'ed him about it. We'll see.

 

[B-RAD]

Cool idea. A couple of thoughts. What kind of fuel do you have in mind? Natural charcoal and wood chips or something else? You might want to think about the rubber gasket on the door and how it will handle the temps you'll be smoking at. What are your thoughts on the racks inside the fridge? I would stay away from aluminum if you can.

 

[B-RAD]

In thinking about your fridge smoker, you can swap out the rubber gasket around the door with a thick felt gasket like the BGE has.

 

[copasspupil]

A guy I work with made one out of two 55 gallon steel drums. Did a whole hog on it and people liked it.

It looked a lot like this:

 

[Combat Chuck]

Cool idea. A couple of thoughts. What kind of fuel do you have in mind? Natural charcoal and wood chips or something else? You might want to think about the rubber gasket on the door and how it will handle the temps you'll be smoking at. What are your thoughts on the racks inside the fridge? I would stay away from aluminum if you can.

I was thinking hardwood char and wood chunks. I'm talking to some local orchards and wineries to collect their dead apple trees, and used oak wine barrels.

Racks, if the unit has stainless racks, then I'll stick with them, but I'll likely get industrial cooling racks from a kitchen supply store if anything.

What's wrong with aluminum? Next you're gonna say that pressure-treated lumber's bad to smoke with!

In thinking about your fridge smoker, you can swap out the rubber gasket around the door with a thick felt gasket like the BGE has.

yeah, the felt's what I had in mind too: I was planning on bonding the high-temp woodstove gasket material to the lip of the door with high-temp RTV.

A guy I work with made one out of two 55 gallon steel drums. Did a whole hog on it and people liked it.

It looked a lot like this:

I like it. Kinda reminds me of some of the 'Droids from the background of A New Hope. I gotta rewatch that movie.

 

[B-RAD]

You are on the right track for sure! You are lucky to have the apple and vineyard connections in your backyard. Lucky! For some reason I have something stuck in my head about not cooking on aluminum fridge grates....could be a myth that I can't shake out of my mind for some reason...maybe there's another alloy that is used in making them...maybe google has something on it pros/cons

 

[Combat Chuck]

You are on the right track for sure! You are lucky to have the apple and vineyard connections in your backyard. Lucky! For some reason I have something stuck in my head about not cooking on aluminum fridge grates....could be a myth that I can't shake out of my mind for some reason...maybe there's another alloy that is used in making them...maybe google has something on it pros/cons

Thanks!
Yeah, I'm pretty fortunate to have friends and employers connected to the ag folks around here. What I wouldn't give for a pecan connection, though...

You are quite right about aluminum. Unsealed aluminum reacts with acids, especially under heat, and can release toxic metals into your food. Most Aluminum cookware is an alloy that is less reactive, or anodized, so it's almost neutral.

I was just giving you a hard time, like the pressure-treated lumber bit.

 

[Combat Chuck]

I've been reading this guy's thread:
Building Charcoal smoker out of freezer - SmokingMeatForums.com Community

Seems like some neat ideas. Disagree with the electrical element bit, but Troll makes a convincing argument for the real deal.

Honestly this idea makes so much sense from a fiscal standpoint, if anybody want to take the time to make their own smoker, they'd get alot of capacity for the buck.

 

[bigndn]

Here's mine. Very simple, very effective. Holds heat around 200 on low.

LP hotplate in lower compartment. Cast iron skillet holds my wood chunks. a 20 lb LP cylinder will last a long time.


meat racks in upper compartment. Fridge racks are OK for larger cuts, but I use 3/16" wire mesh for making jerky.


There's about 30 - 1/4" holes in the bottom to allow smoke in from the lower compartment. Obviously I need to scrape the seasoning off the bottom occasionally to open the holes.

 

[bigndn]

couple more.

draft control


fridge badge

 

[bigndn]

In thinking about your fridge smoker, you can swap out the rubber gasket around the door with a thick felt gasket like the BGE has.

I doesn't get hot enough to melt it the rubber gasket.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Brought the beast home today, and it's HUGE!
Tomorrow after work, I'll take the time to really dive into it, and assess what truly needs to be done, but here's my rough plan:
1. Gut out the compressors and cooling hardware, remove the door.
2. Build a frame out of 2X4 and box it with ply, get some beefy wheels so I can roll it around on the gravel
3. Take a close look at the door. Inner lining is plastic, and must go, and close autopsy will tell me if the insulation's spun glass, or sprayed foam.
4. I'd like to remove the inner steel lining to install 1x metal square tubing behind the rackmounts to buttress the stress into something structural, and not the skin of the fridge. Also frame up the mounting locations for the firebox and chimneys.
5. small things, thermometers, racks, felt (I've decided to not risk getting warm rubber gasket smell into the meat.) and maybe some beefy latches.

This thing's gonna be all manner of insane! I'm hoping to have it up and running within a month.

 

[bigndn]

Cool! Thanks for sharing.

You betcha. Glad to help!

Brought the beast home today, and it's HUGE!
Tomorrow after work, I'll take the time to really dive into it, and assess what truly needs to be done, but here's my rough plan:
1. Gut out the compressors and cooling hardware, remove the door.
2. Build a frame out of 2X4 and box it with ply, get some beefy wheels so I can roll it around on the gravel
3. Take a close look at the door. Inner lining is plastic, and must go, and close autopsy will tell me if the insulation's spun glass, or sprayed foam.
4. I'd like to remove the inner steel lining to install 1x metal square tubing behind the rackmounts to buttress the stress into something structural, and not the skin of the fridge. Also frame up the mounting locations for the firebox and chimneys.
5. small things, thermometers, racks, felt (I've decided to not risk getting warm rubber gasket smell into the meat.) and maybe some beefy latches.

This thing's gonna be all manner of insane! I'm hoping to have it up and running within a month.

Very good! Post up pics of your progress!

 

[splitshot]

You can tell the professional smoker from the rest of us by the cool crusty look of his rig..A buddy of mine in Red Lodge, Mt has one that looks just like this..
I have sampled from both and they have it down to an art....

Chuck, please post up on your build, I've been wanting to do the same thing for some time.