Building a smoker out of a fridge (1 Viewer)

[Combat Chuck]

Why so much re-inforcement? Are you planning on smoking a whole pig at once or something?

Because my official policy on such matters is:
"There's no kill like overkill"

But you guys are right about this, and I'm scaling down the structural side of things. Shoot, truth is I hope to have it all back together in the next two days.

 

[bigndn]

Because my official policy on such matters is:
"There's no kill like overkill"

But you guys are right about this, and I'm scaling down the structural side of things. Shoot, truth is I hope to have it all back together in the next two days.

gotcha!

FWIW, I smoked 2-15 lb turkeys on my fixed bottom rack at the same time. They turned out great! Following the methodology used by my grandfather, I kept the heat on low for approx 14 hours and left the birds in while the smoker cooled off overnight.

 

[Combat Chuck]

plus, how much crap piles up in the fridge daily? No doubt this thing can withstand maybe 40+ pound on there, and unless I'm really good friends or enemies with the local 4H, there's no way I'm finding a butt that exceeds 20.


Thanks for the encouragement guys!

 

[beaufort-fj60]

i use hog wife fencing as a rack/holding device. I bend it to fit whatever drip pan I use depending on what size the meat is.

 

[bigndn]

plus, how much crap piles up in the fridge daily? No doubt this thing can withstand maybe 40+ pound on there, and unless I'm really good friends or enemies with the local 4H, there's no way I'm finding a butt that exceeds 20.


Thanks for the encouragement guys!

It depends what you're smoking. Making jerky, smoking pork, smoking beef = minimal goo. Now, smoking bird yields a lot more goo, probably due to the amount of liquid that pools inside the cavity. Even when I'm really getting after it, I only clean the goo out maybe once per year. I only scrape the bottom when the holes are getting plugged.

 

[Combat Chuck]

i use hog wife fencing as a rack/holding device. I bend it to fit whatever drip pan I use depending on what size the meat is.

cool, I'll look into that then.

I'm killing time, waiting for the primer to dry on the wheel-frame. Decided I wanted to prime the 2X4's where they'll meet the ply decking to hopefully control moisture damage in the joints.

Watching paint dry is like watching a pot of water come to a boil...

 

[Combat Chuck]

Got it all glued and screwed together, but the chunk of ply I chose had a rotted edge after all. Oh well, couple coats of paint and it should be under control.

Pics are:
1. Subframe
2. subframe with 1 coat o' paint
3. Subframe boxed.

Hoping the glue will be dried in about two hours, so I can coat it down in the first coat of primer today, and finish the job over tomorrow.

 

[VFRMAN]

This is a friend of mine's smoker he's looking to sell. Didn't realize the pic was so bad. Pretty damn cool, but I couldn't justify having something that could smoke this much all at once. It's about 6' wide.

 

[bigndn]

^^^^^^^^^^
That's pretty sweet looking.


My grandfather had one built. It was made of brick (approx 4'x4'x16') on a concrete slab, firebox at one end (approx 2'X4'). There were 2 levels of grating in it. It had a large metal lid (that was really fun to open when it was hot). He'd smoke 25-30 turkeys at once and give them out for Christmas. Best smoked turkey I've ever had, but he didn't fire it up much, that's why I like my small one.

 

[Combat Chuck]

One reason I wanted to do the fridge smoker is because I really love Andouilles, and I wanna make my own, the fridge has the hanging space for a few links of snausage.

 

[VFRMAN]

This thing has an external smoke source(the box on the outside at bottom, and it's all digital push button fancy crap to control it. I probably couldn't figure it out anyway. I'm sure it's simple, but my wife would flip if I came home with something like that.

He built this one and just wants to build another one. Pretty cool.

 

[splitshot]

Wow, what I could have done to that commercial freezer I sold to Doc..

 

[Combat Chuck]

Wow, what I could have done to that commercial freezer I sold to Doc..

If you're looking to build an electric smoker, get a baking proofer from a distressed restaurant that's been purchased by the bank/debtors, and is having the property auctioned off. They're build for heat, already have the element in the floor, and rack space, they just need a chimney and dampers.

That was my first plan, but I decided I want a charcoal smoker, and want to pay a little less for it.

 

[Combat Chuck]

This thing has an external smoke source(the box on the outside at bottom, and it's all digital push button fancy crap to control it. I probably couldn't figure it out anyway. ...QUOTE]

The sad thing is: I'll bet my eight-year-old cousin could figure that stuff out; It's the job of the next generation to teach the currrent one about technology.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Got alot done today.

Got two thick coats of primer on the bottom of the wheel platform, and two more thick coats on the top, and mounted up the wheels and pegs while the paint was green to they'd set into the paint.
Pulled the Oh Sh!t bar from my spare FJ40 cowl, and bolted it onto the LH side, got the ribs and struts bolted in, and the fiberglass reinstalled.
Finally got the larger holes in the inner shell plugged with bolts, washers and high-temp RTV. More than anything, I just don't want heated air getting into the insulation and carrying off flavors to the meat, so I'm trying to make sure the holes are as plugged as possible. Tomorrow before work, I'm hoping to get the two shells back together, and the door on. From there, I wait until next paycheck for the firebox, paint, and chimney materials.

For the pics:
1. The platform armored against the weather. I have some spare roofing material I'm planning on throwing down over the "drip zone" of the door to regulate damage from grease/sauce/meat juices.

2. The LH side with it's "mobility enhancer"

3. The Outer shell, reinforced, and insulated.

 

[Combat Chuck]

Pics 1&2 are the steel replacements for the particle board struts that were originally in the corners.
3 is a thin strip of fiberglass I slit in half and used to cover up the ribs in back to keep those from allowing too much heat to escape.

 

[B-RAD]

I like the progress...can't wait to see this project completed!

 

[NorCalBorn]

You're over thinking the means to attach the racks. Some nuts, bolts, lockwashers..

A decent drill bit..

and some of these will make a fine way to make it stronger and provide a means to put in shelves, just chop of the sharp points.

For that matter, find an intermetro bakers rack shelf assembly like college students throw away and substitute the plastic shims with some aluminum can or hose clamps.

 

[Combat Chuck]

I think I have some of those posts lying about, I'll see what I can do.
I like the floating rack idea alot though, I like the thought of all the weight being independently supported by the rack's weight.

Progress has been halted because I broke my last cheapo cobalt bit of the right size. Tomorrow after visiting my guidance counselor at school, I'll get some more from Harbor Freight.

 

[beaufort-fj60]

don't turn it into a space ship.... just use a hammer and nail to beat in bolt holes.