Smoker Recommendations

[ArlyA]

Three simple questions. Where do you live? What's in the smoker now? And when will it be done??

 

[bunyip]

Here is pic of my smokerView attachment 727572

Do you need a licence to drive it?

 

[Larry Caldwell]

I have used many home made smokers over the years, the next one I plan to build will be a cold smoker, with the smoke running through buried drain tiles from the smoke pit to the smoker. I am a big fan of cold smoking, the big box smokers are hot smokers. I have a number of friends that use the "little chief" smokers. I like to cut my own alder, de-bark it, and use it for most of my smoking.

A cold smoker is definitely the way to go for fish, but ham, bacon or jerky requires some heat. If you are building your own, I think a hot box beside (not under) the smoke box would be a good addition. That way you could run it as a hot smoker or cold smoker.

 

[coobie]

Attachments

• 
  tempImageiFs6XO.jpg

  1.5 MB · Views: 661

Attachments

• 
  tempImagem0bnIZ.jpg

  2.5 MB · Views: 299

My Yoder ys480 pellet.

 

[3Ts]

This is a really nice smoker!

What is the purpose of the plastic bucket?
Is that a reverse flow smoker, or do you have a damper to direct the smoke?

One thing I've learned is that a big firebox is better so the temperature can be controlled better. I'm never done a cold smoke or fish so I can't help with that.

 

[m7040]

The bucket is just to keep the rain from going into the smoke stack. Yes it is reverse flow. You control the draft via the damper on the firebox and also in the stack there is damper as well to trim it with. And the box above the firebox has its own damper to regulate how much smoke goes up there. That box is good for hanging up fish on hooks and slow smoke it

 

[Fxfymn413]

I have a Camp Chef pellet smoker which I love, but if you need to smoke that quantity I think any pellet type smoker would be too small.

The best large smoker I ever saw was a used refrigerator truck box. It was about 12 feet long and the refeer unit kept the product cold no matter the outside temp.

 

[jaxs]

Last time OP was on TBN was 2018 so it should be ok to hi-jack. I need to replace my off-set wood burner smoker. I've heard the term "reverse flow" but don't know how that works. Can someone bring me up to speed on how reverse flow is designed/work's?

 

[m7040]

Reverse flow is where the smoke is passing through a channel to the front of the smoker and then it turns into the smoke chamber and returns to the front end and up the smoke stack

 

[jaxs]

Aahh yes I think I know what you are talking about. Tell me if this is correct. On one that look's similar to yours,smoke and heat leave top of firebox to enter bottom of meat compartment and can't turn upwards because a metal plate force's smoke and heat to go all the way to oppisite end where it turn's up to flow around meat back towards firebox then turn's upwards to flow up smoke stack. Does the restrictor plate have additional insulating features byond that of a steel plate? Does restrictor plate have any holes in it other than where smoke turn's up into meat compartment? Other than a damper for inlet/combustion air and damper in smoke stack,is there normally other dampers? I assume some of the handles on yours raises/lowers grates and other functions which is a personal preferance for each cook. BTW that is a fine looking rig and I'm sure you injoy it.