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Home built insulated cabinet smokers

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  • #46
    I use commercial food pans from Sams club...they are SS and very durable....as for my builds try searching western smokers on here....your measurements are right on with the 6" apart for your racks also.




    edit: here is a link http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/showthread.php?t=32508


    Originally posted by BillyG View Post
    Got14 - I looked for your biuld I could not find it. I will poke around for the gaskets. I have the skin for the smoker done. How big should the water/drip pan be? I will make it removable so I can clean it. My father-in-law is doing a fantastic job so far. He is going to put in the racks next. I figured 6 inches apart would be good enough. But needed to know how big to make the drip pan. Thanks
    Jerod
    GOT-Q-4-U bbq team
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    • #47
      Hey guys, Couple questions, we did not have the smoke go up the sides and then down. We just have it going up around the drip/ water pan like the engineer. I think we will make the water pan big enough to allow only a gap on each side. How much gap on each side of the pan should we have? I was thinking about 1 1/2 inch or so. Also, how far above the coals should the water pan be? I was thinking 2 inches or so, but then we don't want the water to boil right? I guess steam is ok. I am new to smoking but really excited to give this a try.

      Thanks, bill

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      • #48
        Currently 51,541 views . . . probably time to make it a Sticky.

        Dave
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        • #49
          Originally posted by BBQ Engineer View Post
          Bill,

          The latches are called pull down latches - just google for best price. I got mine from J.W Winco http://www.jwwinco.com/products/section15/index.html Make sure you pay attention to the specs, or you may end up with something that pulls down 1200 lbs or something??

          The channel is a step above a flat tape type of gasket, but as Jerrod said, make sure you have good adhesive. If that rutland cement is old, it is hard and dry and won't hold the gasket in place. You may look at using a tadpole type of gasket and use fasteners to hold it in place. I have ordered some from McMaster Carr and put on the firebox door of my first cabinet. works really well. McMaster has a good explanation of what to get...and then just shop around for price. http://www.mcmaster.com/#tadpole-gaskets/=rnk77p

          My thermos are tel-tru. If you are sticking with a dial indicator like the tel tru's, make sure the stem stick into the chamber a bit...If it stops right by the inside of the door and doesn't extend into the chamber, you can get false readings as it will draft on the temp of the metal door and not the true temp of the air in the chamber...speaking from experience on this one. Also, get as large a face as you can afford...4" is really nice, and 5" is awesome. Also stick with a tel-tru or ashcroft or some other name brand...I made the mistake of going the cheap china made POS on my Iron Maiden build simply because time got away from me and I needed one NOW...here is what happened the very first night...Brief rainstorm moved through, game over!


          In contrast, here is my Tel Tru...that baby is rock solid, and has lived outdoors and suffered through blizzards, rain, hail, blistering summer heat and it hasn't skipped a beat. I also really like the range on this one...enough resolution, not to mention that it is big enough for me to see from the kitchen window.


          Good luck on your build.
          Great thread. I see the original post was in 2010. Now that you have had five plus years on this box(s), what kind of mods have you made or would you make to this box to take it up a few notches? The boxes look great, I need one!
          Last edited by DDave; 09-17-2017, 11:48 AM.

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          • #50
            So, I have designed my own, then I see your post! Amazing the more you try to be different, the more you are the same...

            Anyway, is there more detail you can provide? I am a novice builder - have NEVER built anything like this before, so I really need help, specifically how your framed to secure the insulation and how you did the outer shell. Anything helps me with my build. I am going to use lighter metal for the interior - about 18 or 20 gauge, and have designed the box, but am having trouble with the framing.

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            • #51
              Originally posted by impp31 View Post
              So, I have designed my own, then I see your post! Amazing the more you try to be different, the more you are the same...

              Anyway, is there more detail you can provide? I am a novice builder - have NEVER built anything like this before, so I really need help, specifically how your framed to secure the insulation and how you did the outer shell. Anything helps me with my build. I am going to use lighter metal for the interior - about 18 or 20 gauge, and have designed the box, but am having trouble with the framing.
              First, welcome to the forum.

              If you are going to have this as a charcoal fired smoker, 18 or 20 gauge metal is way to thin for the firebox. That won't last and it is a bitch to weld thin gauge metal if you plan on welding it, which I would recommend. If you don't seal the interior from the insulation (by welding) then the insulation will take on grease from regular operation. It may at some time catch fire as well...that is just not a good idea.

              As far as framing, you can look at the framing as the skeleton of your structure. it provides the integrity for the box you are making, and provides a backer for welding the interior and exterior skins to. I used steel tube or a combination of steel tube and angle iron.

              For securing the insulation, I used hardened concrete nails welded between the skins, and then punched the insulation down on the nails. The insulation is sandwiched between the inner and outer skins and the nails secure the insulation from moving around. Here is a link to the iron maiden build that shows the nails and how the insulation punches down on them (it is about 2/3 of the way down this post).

              http://www.smoked-meat.com/forum/sho...0&postcount=14
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