Building a meat smoker - who's done it?

[cobraclone71]

Currently in the process of building a homemade smoker and was curious if any other fanatics have done something like this in the past?

For the smoker itself I am using a hollowed out stainless steel combine muffler (of all things) and I am probably going to go the electric route as far as a heat source.

Any thoughts/tips/advice?

 

[CysRage]

I've never built one but I have seen on the internet that people have built a smoker using a steel oil drum. Unless you have a love of labor and want to build it I'd recommend you just buy one. You might put as much money in building one that may or may not work right than just buying one that you know will work. Just my 2 cents.

PS Weber Smokey Mountain is an amazing charcoal smoker if you would consider charcoal

 

[Acylum]

I married a meat smoker. Divorced now though. Good luck.

 

[CoachBob]

I married a meat smoker. Divorced now though. Good luck.

Spit my coffee out on this one. Well done !

 

[fatkid1974]

I built a poor mans WSM two years ago. I have 85 bucks in it, 10 pounds of charcoal will hold 220 for 12-13 hours depending on weather. I am currently working on a trailer mounted reverse flow. It has a 2 x 1 1/2 tube steel frame and will have high temp ceramic insulation sandwiched between 16 ga steel. The goal is to be done by my 40th party next april. Good luck with your quest.

 

[ripvdub]

i haven't built one, but would love to build a brick smoker in my backyard someday. i just have an upright propane smoker right now. there are lots of different plans available online.

 

[stevefrench]

I've never built one but I have seen on the internet that people have built a smoker using a steel oil drum. Unless you have a love of labor and want to build it I'd recommend you just buy one. You might put as much money in building one that may or may not work right than just buying one that you know will work. Just my 2 cents.

PS Weber Smokey Mountain is an amazing charcoal smoker if you would consider charcoal

you're nothing but a woman. unless you're willing to spend $300 + on a store bought smoker, you're likely getting a cheap "beginner" unit that isn't that great. You can build yourself an offset or reverse flow out of just about anything for relatively cheap (<$100). I ate great BBQ last weekend out of an old refrigerator that cost $30 to build.

It doesn't matter what a smoker looks like, or how much you spent on it. It's all about the product it turns out.

 

[CysRage]

you're nothing but a woman. unless you're willing to spend $300 + on a store bought smoker, you're likely getting a cheap "beginner" unit that isn't that great. You can build yourself an offset or reverse flow out of just about anything for relatively cheap (<$100). I ate great BBQ last weekend out of an old refrigerator that cost $30 to build.

It doesn't matter what a smoker looks like, or how much you spent on it. It's all about the product it turns out.

Really a woman? That's laughable! Did you read the bottom of my post? I have the Weber Smokey Mountain which in many professionals' opinions is the best mid range smoker on the market. I have cooked for many family and friends who have told me my ribs, chicken, and loin is better than anything they can get at a restaurant. I just don't have the time to build my own smoker when I know I can buy a proven unit at the store even if it costs 3x the building price.

 

[Dr.bannedman]

have one made out of an old fuel barrel. 4 hp electric motor with a lawnmower tranny for turning. so clutch

 

[stevefrench]

Really a woman? That's laughable! Did you read the bottom of my post? I have the Weber Smokey Mountain which in many professionals' opinions is the best mid range smoker on the market. I have cooked for many family and friends who have told me my ribs, chicken, and loin is better than anything they can get at a restaurant. I just don't have the time to build my own smoker when I know I can buy a proven unit at the store even if it costs 3x the building price.

congrats on your weber. and like I said, unless you're willing to spend a few hundred, you aren't getting that good of a unit. last I checked the smokey mountain is right in that range. unfortunately the OP is asking for tips on building a smoker, not purchasing one. way to contribute...


OP there is a lot of ideas and plans on this site: Smoking meat forum

good luck with the build.

 

[CysRage]

congrats on your weber. and like I said, unless you're willing to spend a few hundred, you aren't getting that good of a unit. last I checked the smokey mountain is right in that range. unfortunately the OP is asking for tips on building a smoker, not purchasing one. way to contribute...


OP there is a lot of ideas and plans on this site: Smoking meat forum

good luck with the build.

I was just giving my 2 cents to help the OP. If he takes my advice great if not it's no big deal. I don't get posters like you who try to stir the pot for no reason. I have given you too much of my time. Carry on.

 

[cobraclone71]

I've never built one but I have seen on the internet that people have built a smoker using a steel oil drum. Unless you have a love of labor and want to build it I'd recommend you just buy one. You might put as much money in building one that may or may not work right than just buying one that you know will work. Just my 2 cents.

PS Weber Smokey Mountain is an amazing charcoal smoker if you would consider charcoal

As much as I would prefer going the charcoal route with my smoker, I am going to have to use electric heat as my apartment complex doesn't allow charcoals grills :sad:

As far as building vs. buying I have wanted to build one for a long time, and I realize that it will likely wind up being considerably more expensive. I think I personally will get more enjoyment from building my own rather than cussing at a list of assembly instructions for 3 hours. :twitcy:

Additionally, for temperature control I am planning on using an Arduino board to read in temperatures from the meat as well as internal air temperature inside the smoker and subsequently tripping the heating element on/off through a solid state relay. Has anyone ever done something similar? Maybe not with a smoker per say, but used an Arduino for controlling a project?

 

[ianoconnor]

We need a group hug in this thread.

 

[Acylum]

I think I've seen a couple of different plans at Menard's actually. I believe they're in with the fire pit, stone bench, etc plans.

 

[00clone]

We need a group hug in this thread.

Uhh...not until Angie or Cowgirl join the thread for me. You keep dancing to your own drummer, though, that's cool.

Cobra: WRT Arduino, I have a trager pellet grill/smoker, there's a forum for pellet grill users and I know I've seen people on there that have created their own temp controllers (the pellet grills come with a temp controller, but like anthing these days...there's going to be a forum for people who hack them).

Unfortunately, I couldn't find a search option, so you might be looking for a needle in a haystack, but I'll post the forum link anyway...I guess...there are people who have done similar things out there, you just have to find them....

Pelletheads - Index

 

[sunset]

I drafted plans and made it all the way to the point of an actual shopping list, then I thought about the amount of work it would be and bought a Traeger. There are forums dedicated to building smokers, lots of good info out there. I was going to build an offset smoker using steel drums (there are a lot of easy sources for recycled barrels used for food products). Good luck, post pics when you're done.

 

[Cyclonepride]

We need a group hug in this thread.

Meat smoking is serious business

 

[fatkid1974]

As much as I would prefer going the charcoal route with my smoker, I am going to have to use electric heat as my apartment complex doesn't allow charcoals grills :sad:

As far as building vs. buying I have wanted to build one for a long time, and I realize that it will likely wind up being considerably more expensive. I think I personally will get more enjoyment from building my own rather than cussing at a list of assembly instructions for 3 hours. :twitcy:

Additionally, for temperature control I am planning on using an Arduino board to read in temperatures from the meat as well as internal air temperature inside the smoker and subsequently tripping the heating element on/off through a solid state relay. Has anyone ever done something similar? Maybe not with a smoker per say, but used an Arduino for controlling a project?

Whats that specific unit cost? I was looking at a stoker that does the same thing but with a fan and damper setup for charcoal or lump. It was around 400 I believe, I even think there are models that will run through a local network that you can control from an app.

 

[cobraclone71]

Whats that specific unit cost? I was looking at a stoker that does the same thing but with a fan and damper setup for charcoal or lump. It was around 400 I believe, I even think there are models that will run through a local network that you can control from an app.

Are you talking about the arduino board? Cuz those are right around $30. But thats just the "brains" of the setup. You would then have to rig everything else up to it (fans, temp probes, relay, etc.)

 

[Cyclones_R_GR8]

I have no idea what the size of the muffler is but I am assuming you are building a drum type smoker.
Here is a link to Big Poppa's Smokers kit to build a smoker from a 55 gallon drum and their instructional video. It might give you some ideas.
https://www.bigpoppasmokers.com/store/bbq-accessories/big-poppa-s-engineered-drum-smoker-kit
Big Poppa Smokers Engineered Drum Smoker - YouTube