My New Smoker

[morgaj1]

After collecting metal for a year, I finally got everything to make my 36" reverse-flow offset smoker. The main chamber is a 20"x36"x5/16" reclaimed natural gas pipe.





After sandblasting:



Firebox made of 1/4" plate:



All put together:







Heat Diffuser:



All that's left to do is cut out the firebox vent, final grind and paint.

[DemonSpeeder]

Sweet, now fire that bitch up !!

[Ryf]

that heavy gauge will be sweet at holding nice even temps, nicely done. if you have a garden tractor, I might recommend a removable tow bar, in case it ever needs moving off hard paved areas. I would assume that thing is heavy heavy hehe.

[lawrence0485]

Very nice. I've been thinking of building on myself.

[jrose]

Looks good! One thought before you finish is a drain going from the heat diffusion plate through the bottom of the smoker. Helps with clean out.

Fire it up!

Roll Tide!

[morgaj1]

I finished the smoker today. I got the propane starter welded in, added the air vents, burned it out and did the final grind. Here are some pictures of the first wood burn:







Next week, it will go to the shop for sandblasting and painting,

[Asolis]

Awesome pit! The only things I would of change is the hinges on the fire box,I think they are abit too small. I can see that latch by the breathers getting really hot.

[jfive]

Making a smoker myself soon. Mines gonna be a warm smoker though. Have a BBQ smoker like this and I find the stuff has to be close to the hot side to get smoked and cooked properly.

[MilitiaMetals]

AWESOME, I love smoking meat! I have a smoke house, but am going to build a smoke grill like yours soon.

[morgaj1]

Originally Posted by jfive

Making a smoker myself soon. Mines gonna be a warm smoker though. Have a BBQ smoker like this and I find the stuff has to be close to the hot side to get smoked and cooked properly.

This is a reverse flow design, so there really is not a hot side. On the first burn, I had temperature probes on either side of the cooking grate and there was on 15* difference.

[MilitiaMetals]

I still don't get why they call it a reverse flow, its still flowing away from the fire so there is nothing really reverse about it. Or feel free to educate me lol, I dunno?!?!?

What temp are you guys smoke/cooking at? When I smoke my jerkey, bacon and hams, I go by an old butchers book and don't go over 160*F but that is with cured meats, I have not smoked anything yet that is not cured. I have a propane burner in the bottom of my smokehouse. I built it large enough to do a whole deer thats been quartered. It stands 6 feet tall, smoke box is 4 feet wide, 4 feet deep, and 5 feet tall.

[TheJackal]

I do about 190 for 8 hours

[morgaj1]

It is reverse flow because the heat makes a 180* turn and reverses flow out of the diffuser and over the meat. It depends on what I am cooking as to my temp. Beef Brisket, chuck roast, pork ribs and butt, I usually cook at about 250*. Turkey and Chicken, I cook at 325*.

[Drf255]

Great builds. Can you post up some plans and more pics?

How did you make the propane burner? Was it homemade or recycled?

I want to build one, but I'm a bit clueless about the design. Can one be made that would be able to use both a side firebox and also use logs/charcoal right under the grate for direct heat?

I'd like to make one I could smoke ribs or a whole suckling in, then be able to char up steaks.

[jfive]

I do fish and summer sausage at 180-190. I don't like smoked salmon like the stores where it looks like sushi. Also I use 100% alder when smoking fish results are great. Smoke alot of whole 1/2 lb kokanee and you want them cooked, unless your going to can them. I never use smoke when making jerky. I just use mine for the low heat and racks. I have this grill and was just saying using the firebox only, I had issues, thought you might too. http://www.google.com/products/catal...=0CO8BEOUNMAQ#

[MilitiaMetals]

ah now I get the terminology

[DemonSpeeder]

Mine use's a section of heavy wall 4'' pipe to create the "reverse flow", only one valve being used on the end of the stack, easily gets up to 250 deg or so, and temps seem to be consistant from end to end.

[morgaj1]

Originally Posted by Drf255

Great builds. Can you post up some plans and more pics?

How did you make the propane burner? Was it homemade or recycled?

I want to build one, but I'm a bit clueless about the design. Can one be made that would be able to use both a side firebox and also use logs/charcoal right under the grate for direct heat?

I'd like to make one I could smoke ribs or a whole suckling in, then be able to char up steaks.

If you will PM me your email address, I will send you a Microsoft Excel file of the plans I made. The burner is an LP fireplace starter:

http://blueflamestore.com/plumbing/c...-straight.html

Here is the regulator I got for it. I got the model COM3:

http://www.tejassmokers.com/gasregulators.htm

I welded a 2"x1/2" black pipe nipple to the fire box. Then, I screwed the LP burner into the inside of the firebox and the regulator to the outside of the nipple. That way, if the burner goes out, I can replace it. Also, once the fire is going, I remove the propane tank so it doesn't get too hot and explode. Here are some more pics:





Here are some pics of the heat diverter. It is made of 1/4" plate steel. I welded a lip on the left end to catch grease so that it doesn't go into the fire:

[morgaj1]

The build is finally done! I picked it up from the sandblasting/paint shop last night:







I got them to sandblast the cooking grate because it had a good bit of rust on it:

[jfive]

Looks good. What kinda wood is that?

[morgaj1]

It's red oak. That is the most plentiful wood around here. Occasionally, I will run across some pecan or hickory, but mostly oak.

[jfive]

I had a steak that was grilled on a open oak grill, and it had some of the best flavor I have ever had.

[morgaj1]

Originally Posted by jfive

I had a steak that was grilled on a open oak grill, and it had some of the best flavor I have ever had.

I like oak, but pecan is my favorite. If I ever get some hickory, I will mix it with oak because hickory can be overpowering.

[jfive]

I made the mistake of using all hickory on a batch of fish one time, and it was so strong you couldn't eat the stuff. Alder is my favorite, but I have never had access to pecan, so don't know how to compare. I took some red oak from my local hardwood dealer, as the wood often comes in on oak pallets, and he uses the red oak for firewood LOL. Will have to try it out this summer when I get mine done. For now I am stuck still using my little chief, and actually used it today to smoke salmon I caught yesturday.

[Ryf]

looks awesome! one thing you might want to do to keep the paint from peeling, if you or anyone else wasn't aware, spray the outside down with PAM cooking oil to keep the heat from blistering the paint over time, a coat again before winter will help keep the rust at bay. great looking smoker.