Build your own smoker

[smokerjoker]

if any one is interested I can tell you how to build a direct heat smoker that works really well and is not expensive at all ....the only tools required is a drill and the only thing you need to purchase is racks and some screws and a cabinet door handle.

• buy a steel drum of food grade quality
• drill about 12 holes 3/4 inch dia. one inch above bottom of drum
• measure 24 inches down from top of drum and drill a 3/8 dia. hole drill four of them two on each side so that a steel rod can be place in through each set of holes . this is for your rack to sit on.
• in the lid on the drum find the center and and drill two holes to recieve the screws for the handle ...buy one at your local hardware store for a kitchen cabinet. Mount handle to lid remove one bung.
• build fire in bottom of drum place rack in drum and cover with lid.

[Michael in FtW]

LOL - you can also use a 30-gallon galvanized aluminum trash can.

[keltin]

Originally Posted by Michael in FtW

LOL - you can also use a 30-gallon galvanized aluminum trash can.

Or a cardboard box! Seems to work!

[Fisher's Mom]

Originally Posted by keltin

Or a cardboard box! Seems to work!

Cool links, keltin! They showed one made out of terra cotta pots on the second link. Maybe I'll try it.

[keltin]

Originally Posted by Fisher's Mom

Cool links, keltin! They showed one made out of terra cotta pots on the second link. Maybe I'll try it.

The terra cotta pot smoker looks great. One guy calls it the Big Brown Egg (play on the Big Green Egg). I like it.

Heck, I’ve got an idea and designs on making a small table-top smoker out of the biggest stock pot I can find at a thrift store, along with a cheap wire rack and an 8 dollar electric hot plate from Wal-Mart. It should work well….now all I have to do is find that uber-huge stock pot. Something on the order of 30 quarts or more.

[Fisher's Mom]

Originally Posted by keltin

Heck, I’ve got an idea and designs on making a small table-top smoker out of the biggest stock pot I can find at a thrift store, along with a cheap wire rack an 8 dollar electric hot plate from Wal-Mart. It should work well….now all I have to do is find that uber-huge stock pot. Something on the order of 30 quarts or more.

Don't you know you have to share on the playground? If you have a design, why aren't you posting this?????

[keltin]

Originally Posted by Fisher's Mom

Don't you know you have to share on the playground? If you have a design, why aren't you posting this?????

Well, everything is hand drawn right now, and while the theory is solid, I haven't tested it. But, if you like, I can get the plans in electronic format and post it or email it to you....but again - I've not tested this yet, so there may be some tweaks.....but I'm feeling pretty confident about it.

[Fisher's Mom]

OK, I guess I (oh....I mean we) can wait til you get done testing and tweaking. BTW I volunteer to test whatever meat you smoke in it.

[Katie E]

Originally Posted by Michael in FtW

LOL - you can also use a 30-gallon galvanized aluminum trash can.

If you can find one.

[Uncle Bob]

I'm wondering if galvanized material would have Zinc in it. I know that zinc chloride fumes would not be very tasty. Maybe dangerous. I don't know at what temperature this may or may not occur, but I wouldn't want to risk it.

Smokerjoker... Neat idea, but how would one re-fuel this cooker?? Other than the obvious, remove lid, remove meat, remove rack, add fuel, etc. etc. Then reverse the process.