ideas for a smoker

[JimJake]

I have access to 6 pieces of 2x4x3/16 steel. Even though I want an insulated cooker I want to keep costs very low so maybe will insulate it in the future. I am not sure if I want an offset or a horizontal backwoods style. Can you burn wood in a horizontal? I am new to this so any advice on what you might do with this pilke of steel would be appreciated.

[Mark R]

I can tell you that wood will burn just fine in an upright. but as for the best use of your steel, sounds like you have about 1/2 for an insulated. But others will be along BBQ-E in particular, can help you more than I.

[Texas-Hunter]

Welcome to Smoked-Meat Jim.. With the steel you have I would look at making one like the Backwoods style.. You can make a horizontal offset if you wish but you may be short on materials building one like that... And yes you can use all wood in a offset if you wish, but it can be a PIA to learn how to use it and not have an over powering smoke flavor or creosote..

[BBQ Engineer]

Hey Jim Jake,

I built this one with a 4' X 10' sheet of 10 gauge steel. This type of cabinet is really amazing. You will never be disappointed with an insulated smoker.

http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=6649

You may check with others such as Got14U as well. He may have additional ideas and has built quite a few.

Got14U, Meat Hunter, and Aczeller can also assist with any welding questions

BBally can model it for you if you want gnats ass flow rates.

There are so many on this forum that have awesome ideas to contribute, you definitely came to the right place.

[Richtee]

Well, can't help much in the building Dep't, but I CAN welcome you to Smoked-Meat! Enjoy!

[morkdach]

Welcome Jim you will get lots of ideas here.
But remember once you have it built we like to see what comes out of them.

[aczeller]

if I had that kind of steel laying around, i would build a trailer frame before I built a smoker... 2x4x3/16" steel is pretty heavy stuff. However, there is nothing saying you can't build one heavy-duty meat cooker... lol

with that being said though, just keep it in the back of your mind when you go to buy your casters... figure the weight of the smoker, times 2 (you never know how big of a bump you are going to hit in the driveway/patio, or hauling it down the road in a truck/trailer), then add the max amount of meat you can fit in there... to me, butts are the heaviest-per-square inch of cooking space.

back to your original question: if it were me in your shoes, i would go with a design very similar to Dana's (BBQ Engineer's). you can build your inner walls/skin with just about anything heavier than 16 gauge steel, then build an external frame out fo your 2x4x3/16" tube. that would allow you to eventually come back in with insulation and skin it all with something like 16 gauge. there are lots of options for insulation materials... it all depends on how you want to go about it.

if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. we have all been in your shoes before and are willing to help.

Later,
Andy

[Doug S.]

[turksmith]

this is the place, to get information!

[JimJake]

sorry it took me so long to get back here, but thank all of you for the replys and the welcomes. I may be getting ahead of myself as I am not quite ready to build but i have been drooling over the great builds on here and trying to plan my own. I use to think I wanted a reverse offset insulated horizontal with a vertical above the firebox. ( I believe BBQ E built the iron maiden.... I hope I got that right..... I think I wrecked my keyboard drooling over that one.) Got14u has some great builds I would love to have as well. Btw the little one BBQ E posted a link to was the thread that brought me to this great site. I see i am rambling so I will wrap up with saying my experience is with cooking over a campfire so i love using wood but the thought of a touch free charcoal cabinet is very appealing. I have some more research to do to find the differance in smoker design and how they compare. thanks again for the replys

[JimJake]

back to your original question: if it were me in your shoes, i would go with a design very similar to Dana's (BBQ Engineer's). you can build your inner walls/skin with just about anything heavier than 16 gauge steel, then build an external frame out fo your 2x4x3/16" tube. that would allow you to eventually come back in with insulation and skin it all with something like 16 gauge. there are lots of options for insulation materials... it all depends on how you want to go about it.

if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. we have all been in your shoes before and are willing to help.

Later,
Andy[/QUOTE]




the metal is sheet not tube ... i should have said that
is 16ga heavy enough or do you mean heavier then 16? Does the firebox need to be heavier? What you said about setting it up for future insulation is exactly what I had in mind. I had not thought of the weight issue but if it is too heavy I will use the John Deere to move it lol, but I will now take that into consideration. Btw I have been looking at the 18 and 16 ga metal studs and drywall I work with at work thinking hmmmmmm I can build a box with this........ not sure that would work though

[aczeller]

back to your original question: if it were me in your shoes, i would go with a design very similar to Dana's (BBQ Engineer's). you can build your inner walls/skin with just about anything heavier than 16 gauge steel, then build an external frame out fo your 2x4x3/16" tube. that would allow you to eventually come back in with insulation and skin it all with something like 16 gauge. there are lots of options for insulation materials... it all depends on how you want to go about it.

if you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. we have all been in your shoes before and are willing to help.

Later,
Andy

the metal is sheet not tube ... i should have said that
is 16ga heavy enough or do you mean heavier then 16? Does the firebox need to be heavier? What you said about setting it up for future insulation is exactly what I had in mind. I had not thought of the weight issue but if it is too heavy I will use the John Deere to move it lol, but I will now take that into consideration. Btw I have been looking at the 18 and 16 ga metal studs and drywall I work with at work thinking hmmmmmm I can build a box with this........ not sure that would work though[/QUOTE]

I would use the 3/16 sheet for the internal skin then, and use the 16 gauge studs for the framing. The outter skin could be just about anything you want that could keep moisture away from the insulation. I used 16 gauge andit worked great. Thin enough to be cheap, yet heavy enough that I can still set a pot/pan/tray on it without it sagging or denting.

For the firebox, I would use at least 1/8" steel. The heat will be pretty high and since it will be insulated, the metal thickness will only be to resist the heat warping, rather than hold it.

Later,
Andy

[toddster]

On my first build which is a backwoods insulated style it was all 16 gauge other than the top.
I didn't have any warpage on in the fire box before it went down the road yesterday. I did a hot and fast cook at about 350 F just to see what would happen.
My next two builds will use a thicker fire box though and maybe thinner skin. I had a hard time on my brake with the 16 gauge.
I used 2 inches of rockwool which gave my walls about an R11.

[Tee2]

You can score the 16ga where you want to bend it with a grinder with a cutting wheel. Make it a little thinner so the brake has an easier time. That is what I am doing. Works good.

[aczeller]

You can score the 16ga where you want to bend it with a grinder with a cutting wheel. Make it a little thinner so the brake has an easier time. That is what I am doing. Works good.

X2

werks e'ery time!!!!