homemade meat smoker build along

[RGK]

After learning of a product called the “A-maze-n-smoker “ I have also scrapped the idea of an external smoke box and flexible dryer vent hose to deliver smoke for cold smoking things like cheese. After reading about the product, I made a few of my own. It’s a perforated metal box that is 6 x 6 inches with a maze if metal strips that is filled with sawdust and let to smolder in the smoke house without generating heat. It’s a freaking awesome thing.

Here are the parts I cut out before assembly. I used aluminum.

 

Then after cutting and bending.

 

Then riveted together.

 

The rivets act as legs to space it away from whatever it sits on so air can flow under it.

 

Then I filled it with sawdust and lit each end through the hole I cut. The store bought version claims it will smoke for 8 hours if lit on only one end. I lit mine on both ends just to see how it would work. It produced a lot of smoke. I lit it at 5:30 pm.

 

Here it is at 6:30

 

[RGK]

7:30

 

8:30

 

When it was burned out, I knocked it upside down and rinsed it with water.

 

I’m really impressed by this thing. He sells it for $32. I will make a few more for myself. If you’re in the market for a very cool cold smoking, smoke generator, I would highly recommend checking his product out at.

 http://www.amazenproducts.com/SearchResults.asp?Cat=12

[Bobby Urban]

That cold smoke thing is pretty slick!  I have a bunch of that same type/patterned expanded metal in a little heavier guage and think I will build one but tack it together with the mig.  Your craftsmanship is outstanding.  Really inpressed with your eye for detail and no-cut-corners attititude.  Cannot wait to see it in action.  

Bob Urban

[Al Dente]

You keep amazing me day after day with your craftmanship, ideas, and execution.  Like Dave said, let's hang some meat.  Good choice going with the propane, it is way more cost-effective than using an electric hot plate.

[RGK]

Originally posted by Dave Bulla:

I'm guessin' you must work (or at least used to) in the construction business.  You've got entirely too much talent to be some Joe Blow hack cobbling something like this together.

I am the definition of a Joe Blow hack. Master of none. I do not (and did not) work in the contruction trades. I have been a farm kid, potato farmer, bartender, mail truck driver, Grave digger, Janitor, Lawn service worker, Draftsman, Designer and have been working ins the design engineering filed for years. (medical devices) I have built a fewa additons onto homes I've lived in. I do a lot of woodworking projects though.

 

Originally posted by Dave Bulla:

Questions....

Where do you get the aluminum sheeting?  Does Home Depot or Lowe's sell it?  

Home Depot, Loews, Menards, Ace hardware all carry it. Its just roof flashing and can be bought in 10 or 50 foot long rolls in widths of 6", 10", 14", 20" and 24". I used 24" and 10"

 

Originally posted by Dave Bulla:
Does it come in sheets or a roll?

Yes, 10 and 50 foot rolls.

 

Originally posted by Dave Bulla:
What gauge?

I'm not sure, its a little thinker than an aluminum soda can but since it sits atop wood backing, its not structural and acts only as a barrier to aid in cleaning.


 

Originally posted by Dave Bulla:
What sort of total cost would be involved?

The 14 inch wide roll that is 10 feet long is $12. the 24" wide roll that is 10 feet long is $19. It's reasonable enough.


 

Originally posted by Dave Bulla:
How many hours in it so far?

65 hours so far.

 

Originally posted by Dave Bulla:
Sure do appreciate you showing this.  I'll be looking to see your heat source setup and temp control/indication.

It was going to be electric but I have changed my mind and will use propane.


 

Originally posted by Dave Bulla:
Of course, I wanna see a pic with meat hangin' in there.  Preferably before, during and after....  

Will do.

[frank bullitt]

Yes, RGK, but how much total expenses? You are a great fabricator, for sure!

But had you asked, I could have supplied the casters, the wire racks and others    

Frugal, is part of the build!

[RGK]

Im adding a side table to the smoker because when I carry racks of things to smoke, out to smoker, I need my hands free to open the door. The table will make it easier. I want the table removable without tools so I can store it inside the smoker when I’m not using it. Because I’m working on the outside of the smoker and it’s a nice day, I bought several varieties of local made cheese to cold smoke (it was 55 degrees this afternoon)  

But first I needed some sawdust. I cut down a sugar maple 2 years ago so I passed a piece of it through my table saw until I had enough sawdust to smoke the cheese.

 

Then filled the smoke pan.

 

I took a big pan of ice out to the smoker about an hour before I wanted to use it. Since this is essentially a big, insulated cooler, the ice dropped the temp inside from 55 to 44. Then I cut the cheese. I’m smoking Cheddar, Swiss, Pepper Jack, String cheese and Cheese curds.

 


Then into the smoker with the sawdust pan.

 


While working on the side table I peeked at the one hour mark. I can't believe how much smoke that little pan makes. That thing rocks!

 

[RGK]

As I said, I want to remove the table without tools so I used a Dremmel tool to key-hole-slot the tops of all 4 holes.

 

Then screwed in large screws but left them sticking out a little more than the thickness of the bracket.

 

But enough about the table, its two hours later and the cheese is done. I emptied the sawdust pan to keep from choking and let the smoke clear.

 

The almost finished product.

 

I bagged it all separately and then placed all the bags in another gallon sized bag and put it in the fridge where it will sit for two weeks and we will enjoy when we have guests at Easter. Why? Everything I have read about smoking cheese says that if you try to eat the cheese right out of the smoker, it will taste like licking the bottom of an ash tray (I can only imagine what that would taste like) so the cheese has to mellow and absorb the smoke before it can be enjoyed……………………………… But being impatient, I sampled one of the cheese curds. Yup, ash tray, all the way. It was awful.  If I had not read up on the subject, I would have thrown the whole lot in the trash, thinking I had done something wrong. It pays to study.

 

[ARCHER2]

Mighty fine job!

[Mike Vines]

very impressed with your skills.  I would live to see it filled with meat.

[RGK]

Back to working on the side table. I want a  table that is easy to clean and removable without tools. I made a wooden frame that sits on the two shelf brackets and then covered it with plywood. Then I wraped it in aluminum. This is a heavier gauge than I used inside the smoker so it was a bit harder to bend.

 

The sheetmetal edge was a bit too sharp for my tastes so I put an edge of aluminum strip that is an 1/8 x 1 1/2. I held it in place with stainless steel screws since it will be exposed to salt and the elements.

 

 

 

When not in use, it fits nicely in the smoker.

 

[RGK]

I was able to find a propane burner that I think will work well for this project.  It has 3 separate burner rings with adjustable settings. I found it at Northern tool for $40. I hope to have it in a few days.

 

When I was going to use electric heat, I was content with the aluminum over wood smoke/heat chamber. Now that I will have open flame, (and the potential for flare ups) I have decided to line the lower chamber with ceramic tile. The biggest consideration is the temperature extremes. This smoker could be -10F one day and with me using it, 225F the next day. Because of this, I can’t line the chamber with ceramic using conventional methods. I have to allow for a large amount of thermal expansion. To account for this, I will loosely hold the tiles in place with a roofing product that is used for soffit and fascia.  The Home Depot carries it under the name of “J” channel. Its made of aluminum. I will screw it to the side walls of the smoker.  

 

I used 12 inch by 12 inch tiles (.57 cents each). The tiles on the floor will not be in “j” channel and will be allowed to float.

 

Completed. This might be overkill but I think its cheap insurance against burning this thing to the ground.

 

I was going to use 16 inch tile so I bought a sample (.77 cents each) but ended up using the 12 inch. I will place the large 16 inch directly under the burner.

 

Lining the door with ceramic proved to be a bigger challenge due to the air vent. I used an abrasive cut-off blade in my 7 inch circular saw to cut the openings.

 

They will also be held in place with “J” channel.

 

The ceramic lined bottom chamber.

 

Once the burner arrives and I figure out where to run the propane line, I will have to cut a hole in a tile and the side of the smoker for the line to exit the smoker.

[RGK]

While I’m waiting, I painted a sign. My Son named my first smoker “Old Smokey” and insisted I paint a crescent moon on the door. I can think of no reason to break with tradition so this smoke will be dubbed “Old Smokey II” and also bear the crescent moon. While taking pictures, a neighbor stopped over to ask how I got a permit to put an outhouse on my property? After a bit of explaining, he understood.

Here is what  “Old Smokey II” looks like so far.

 

 

 

 

Now I'm just waiting on the UPS delivery man and the burner.

[EL Mejor]

very,impressive,,,thanks for sharing

[doug g]

Thats a smoker all right, very nice.

[RGK]

Seems I am a poor cost estimator. I sat down with the receipts tonight and it came to $475. Still far less than the $4,000 commercial unit that didn’t do cold smoking and had fewer racks. It was a fun project and will produce many years worth of good eats..

[RGK]

The propane burner arrived. It’s a heavy and durable piece of equipment. The only mod I made was cutting 2 inches off of the legs to lower it. Then I went and got some iron pipe and fitting so I don’t have to have any rubber regulator line inside the heat of the smoker.

 

Then a notch in a tile and a hole drilled through the side wall.

 

I’ve got gas.

 

I lit the smallest burner ring and let it burn to see how hot I could get it at its max setting. I brought the inside temp to 270F which is way hotter that anything I will be needing but I wanted to test out the door seal gasket and see if the whole thing would take the heat. Each burner is adjustable so I will be able to tweak the heat as I like and have extra to spare for when it below zero outside.

Time to put some meat in this thing.

[RGK]

It was 39 degrees this afternoon so I took advantage and cold smoked some cheese, olives and salt.

 

[Ricky Wallace]

I like it!!  Did you have any trouble with the burner staying lit??  I had one once that seemed like it wasnt getting enough air.I had to drill a hole in the bottom for air flow.

[RGK]

Plenty of ventilation on this one.