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So we're building a smoker

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:44 pm
by Baasvark
Recieved a picture from the Boss's son the other day. Wants us to build him a smoker.

So we've started and I like the idea.

Post some pics of your smoker. Looking for some other ideas as well.

Still a ways to go. Used some old geysers.

Going to build mine slightly different. Instead of the top geyser being horizontal, I will rather make it vertical. That way I can hang meat rather than lay it on a rack. Should be able to smoke more at one go.

Any advice?

(pictures to follow)

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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Mon Aug 05, 2019 8:50 pm
by Baasvark
First picture is obviously our attempt.

Second picture is what we're aiming for.
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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 8:17 am
by dalkill
Just this weekend i spoke to buddy of mine who a sheet metal worker.
I asked him if he could build me a smoker as well.

Looking at you design, would the fact that the smoker drum directly above the fire drum not cause direct heat onto the meat, at least if placed right above the connecting pipe? Which is not what the meat needs when smoking.

Alot of designs i saw, heat inlet is also on the side. Thus no direct heat on the meat

Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 1:48 pm
by Baasvark
I guess it would depend on whether you're going for a hot smoke or cold smoke.

If you have decent wood then the heat would result in a hot smoke, and the inlet referred to would result in that area getting hotter... creating a hot spot.

But this is what was requested and that's what we'll make.

This is one of the reasons why I'll be building mine slightly differently. If I can hang the meat off centre, there will be a more even spread of heat along the entire length . That's if I hot smoke.

Should I use shavings and a coal, not much heat is generated and should then not be a problem.

Time will tell.

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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 2:59 pm
by Mud Dog
From my experience a little heat is not a bad thing, even if the meat gets cooked in the process as long as it doesn't dry out.

To overcome the "hot spot" just fit a diffuser plate in the smoke chamber. :winkx:

Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Tue Aug 06, 2019 7:27 pm
by Baasvark
Mud Dog wrote:From my experience a little heat is not a bad thing, even if the meat gets cooked in the process as long as it doesn't dry out.

To overcome the "hot spot" just fit a diffuser plate in the smoke chamber. :winkx:
And there we have it - a simple solution!

Thanks Andy!

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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Wed Aug 07, 2019 9:40 am
by KZTE Nut
Hi BV

You said it - it depends if you are doing hot smoke or cold smoke.
Hot smoke - think ribs, briskets, pork shoulder. Meat gets cooked in the heat and flavour from the smoke.
Cold smoke is for bacon and smoked salmon. Here you want the smoke but NO heat and NO cooking.
So you see some smokers which have a long pipe from the smoke generator to the smoker to allow the heat to dissipate.

I am going for another method this weekend and cold smoking home made bacon (cured for a week) using weber hickory wood chips and an electric soldering iron ! In the USA you can get smoker pellets but i have not seen them here in SA.

Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 8:02 am
by dalkill
I only saw now you making it out of old geyser... been eyeing the old geyser in the yard as well for this project.
But i was worried that walls of the geyser is too thin and will perish in no time? Never cut open a geyser so dunno what the innards look like.

Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 9:04 am
by Jurgen10
I'm still a novice in the smoking game... but enjoying it.

I must still add a chimney and I don't have a separate fire chamber but I am in the process of fabricating a different grid / half size grid so I can have access to the charcoal or add more wood chips.

Also used an old geyser as the base. I made a removable fire pan so you dont burn through the geyser so quickly.

This is what it looks like so far...
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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 9:31 am
by dalkill
Jurgen10 wrote: Thu Aug 08, 2019 9:04 am I I made a removable fire pan so you dont burn through the geyser so quickly.

Thanks Jurgen. :thumbup: for the removable fire pan idea.

So you just cut the outer skin and removed the insulation and was left with that internal chamber?
How did you know how deep to cut the outer shell not to damage inner chamber?

also what paint did you use? I'm guessing with food and heat being involved... it's not your average dulux / plascon :D:

Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 9:36 am
by Jurgen10
This tank was from a very old geyser I got from my dad.
Some of the newer models use composite tanks ... or so I've been told, so maybe see if you can get some info on the make / model on the interwebs.

It usually has about 50mm of insulation.



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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:05 pm
by Baasvark
This was my first attempt about 3 years ago. Initial idea was a braaier that later became a braai/smoker combo.

Works well, but not ideal. Need too much shavings and a hot smoke can tske a while...

Having said that, I have thing for braais and I'm forever building a new one, trying new things!ImageImage Link Broken

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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 2:22 pm
by Jurgen10
Baasvark wrote:This was my first attempt about 3 years ago. Initial idea was a braaier that later became a braai/smoker combo.

Works well, but not ideal. Need too much shavings and a hot smoke can tske a while...

Having said that, I have thing for braais and I'm forever building a new one, trying new things!Image[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201908 ... 9c4e47.jpg[/IMG]

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Wow. That looks like a awesome monster.
My better half is already complaining that I'm smoking everything Image

I used normal NS4 paint on the outside. I also have another braai with heat resistant NS7 painted , it lasts a bit longer but also not for ever.

The inside of mine is not painted. Just left as it was inside the geyser. Not sure if it is powder coated. The smoking process will seal and season the inside of the drum in any event.

Search for ugly drum smokers to get some more inspiration if you have time.



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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 4:59 pm
by Baasvark
Jurgen10 wrote:
Baasvark wrote:This was my first attempt about 3 years ago. Initial idea was a braaier that later became a braai/smoker combo.

Works well, but not ideal. Need too much shavings and a hot smoke can tske a while...

Having said that, I have thing for braais and I'm forever building a new one, trying new things!Image[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201908 ... 9c4e47.jpg[/IMG]

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Wow. That looks like a awesome monster.
My better half is already complaining that I'm smoking everything Image

I used normal NS4 paint on the outside. I also have another braai with heat resistant NS7 painted , it lasts a bit longer but also not for ever.

The inside of mine is not painted. Just left as it was inside the geyser. Not sure if it is powder coated. The smoking process will seal and season the inside of the drum in any event.

Search for ugly drum smokers to get some more inspiration if you have time.



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Thanks! Will do so.

Do you use chips, shavings or actual wood?

I wish we had access to decent wood here, similar to the USA, but haven't been able to find anything here in the Free State....

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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Thu Aug 08, 2019 6:25 pm
by Jurgen10
So far been using these chips from the local (larger scale) butcher ... not sure exactly what wood it is. But probably wattle chips.


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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Fri Aug 09, 2019 8:05 am
by Baasvark
Jurgen10 wrote:So far been using these chips from the local (larger scale) butcher ... not sure exactly what wood it is. But probably wattle chips.


[IMG]//uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201908 ... 484adb.jpg[/IMG]

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Jurgen do you just light the chips with a flame, and they smoulder?

Or do you need a constant heat source (like a coal) to keep the process going?

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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 12:14 pm
by Jurgen10
I make a small pocket for the wood chips from aluminium foil. Punch some small holes into the foil and place the packet onto the hot coals. If the smoke starts to dissipate I add more wood chips.

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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Sat Aug 10, 2019 1:59 pm
by Mud Dog
The NS4 stuff doesn't etch that nicely, I would rather suggest an automotive red oxide. It will also burn but leaves a better etched layer. I once painted a cast iron exhaust manifold with the stuff and the surface went dull, almost powdery but no rust ever showed up again. Also used the same stuff on my spit braais and weber trolley ... still looks good.

However, I'm not so sure about using any coating on the inside ... will probably taint the meat for a number of usages before it settles down.

Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 8:59 am
by dalkill
I'm also very afraid of anything chemical inside the smoker.
I was thinking of old drum for smoker for long time, but apart from buying a brand new drum, i was worried about chemicals in there. And according to some US smoker forum i checked out, no matter how many times you try and burn it clean, there is no guarentee it will get all the chemicals that could possible been inside a drum
This is why i like the old geyser idea. Less chance of nasty chemicals in there, besides i guess some buildup from water.

How often does one need to maintain the coals? Or how much coals does smoker use.
Shane , that exactly the design i was going for, but worried when you say "Need too much shavings and a hot smoke can tske a while..." .... I'm worried not you end up using half a ton coals to smoke one rack of ribs.

Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:42 pm
by Baasvark
Dalkill I must confess to not being a boffin on smoking - still figuring it out!

So I don't have sn answer for you - yet....

In the mean time, here is the second one we're building. Kind of "my" design.

I have turned the top section around. My reasoning is that you can hang more meat from the top, shouls get better airflow thus smoking effect and you don't have a small hotspot on your meat if you hot smoke.Image Link Broken

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Re: So we're building a smoker

Posted: Tue Aug 13, 2019 1:44 pm
by Baasvark
I put a small grid on the bottom, that way I can put some spuds, onions and other veggies in foil and do them while I hot smoke my meat.

Kind like a smokey braai Image
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