Anyone have or built one here? That's one of my "this winter" projects on my list. Any tips or suggestions? I'm planning on a smaller one built out of a 100# propane tank for the cooking chamber, and not sure about the fire box, Might just use another tank for that. I've had the critical dimension numbers from an on line "smoker calculator" hanging on the shop wall for a few years now. It is time!
Oh, thanks for putting the pressure on! When I start, I'll take pics, but you might need a few more bags of that popcorn.
Nope, but I've got a reverse smoker in my dreams and pieces too. Pretty much all is there I just need to weld it up... I had it modeled after Lang smoker.
Snow's too deep for any of "that wood stuff" right now and spring's around the corner. finally started yesterday. A lot of general ideas right now playing with design's and waiting for a few answers from a meat smoking forum that I joined 6/12 when I first got the smoking bug! Boy time sure fly's!! I told you guy's to be patient.
Heres the Diagram of the Reverse smoker. Also Look up Lang BBQ Smokers (http://langbbqsmokers.com/). He's got some youtube videos out there too.
I have hand drawn maybe 100 different designs of smokers….. Heat flow, BTU's, side burners, top loaded fire bins, ice cold smoke, refrigerator smokers, blown forced air smokers, bla, bla, bla….. Smoke is smoke, and it's always going to go "UP"…. Use the K.I.S.S. theory, Keep it simple stupid! Cool concept!!! too much work! your food won't taste any better, But have fun! It's neat! By the way, "NICE" fab job on the tanks, I know that was fun! Oh and for the record, you can learn more about smoking here "I" think than other places… Lot's of GREAT cooks here!
Thanks WeldrDave. I weld/fab for fun, I know the food will still taste the same in reality, but in my little brain, it'll be just a "touch" better with my goofy design. I've made plenty of regular "grill's" that are simple, this is my first R/F smoker. A few pics of one of the simplest grill/firepit but my favorite!
See chvymn's pic, the idea is that the smoke & heat travels across under this "reverse flow plate" (under the food rack) then reverse's traveling back across the whole food rack for better smoke contact while the "r/f plate" absorbs some of the heat to aid in cooking. At least that's my understanding. I'm sure that it will take a while to learn the finer points of smoking, temps, time, different wood, adding trays of water or fruit juice to steam & soften things etc. mmmmmm I wasn't hungry a few minutes ago. On that forum, when I first started reading it, they were talking about smoking a big "fatty". Now I don't know about you but what that brought to my mind was WAY different than what I was thinking. Check it out, http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/176163/smoked-my-first-fatty-tonight If I ever were going to kill myself, I'd try it by eating fatties until the end! Can't wait to try one.
The Smoking meat forums are awesome to get Ideas! I've been there looking around but not a member. If I stayed on those forums too long you would have to paint me gray and stencil "GOODYEAR" on me for halloween I'd be so fat! I did hi-jack a beef brisket recipe though and added some spices to my rub.
From what I understand the water from the smoke interacts with the sugars to create the bark. Yeah, I had different thoughts about the fatty. Lmao. I briefly joined one of those forums with the well-known "experts" to get some help. Unfortunately, I have found better information on the web. Besides, I cook differently than everyone else. I like to use mass. Also, I'm a little too much of a hick for that forum. They make all this "pretty" food. It's a little too uptight of a vibe for me. Not my style. Can't wait to see your final build. Cheers!
Hey Devil, and WeldrDave, It seems that my smoker ideas are too far out for those guy's to talk to me. (I posted that same pic as above and I think that they thought that I was nut's) It seem that the round firebox, not in the same position as they are used to is the kicker for them. If I posted some drawings and various ideas would you look at them? I understand that there are some smoking "principal's" that you have to adhear to, but like wDave said, smoke go's up. I'm just trying to do it a little different than the std. "to the side firebox and down a little" design. If what I'm trying is completely wrong or stupid, I'll switch back to that tried & true design. I also am trying to avoid the PITA of getting a sheet to the fab shop and getting them to shear and bend it for a traditional firebox. I got the 2 tanks at the dump and so far I'm only out a few pounds of wire and the juice to melt it. This is my basic original plan. I have 2 other ideas.