anyone know how to make a homemade charcoal smoker

mort23 · 08-13-2008, 10:16 PM

a friend of mine is getting shipped oversea's next month and last sat we had a pig roast for him. he had it at his buddies place and his buddy took a old home oil heating tank and converted it to a smoker. and know i got a itch to do it with a 55 gallon drum. anyone know a thing or two about this??

Seabeescotty · 08-14-2008, 09:38 AM

First, you gotta find a dead refridgerator...

andrew cochran · 08-14-2008, 01:01 PM

I'd help you if i knew anything.

TRUE GRIT · 08-14-2008, 01:10 PM

If your gonna use a 55 gal drum you need to find one thats food grade. You dont wanna be using some old drum that has who knows what chemical stored in it before you got it. A sheet metal shop will sell you pices that are cut and bent to your specs that you would just have to tack weld together. Popular mechanics magazine ran an article about building one , you can probally find it on line.

musicmaniac · 08-14-2008, 01:13 PM

I think it was mooseman a while back who showed us some pictures of a smokehouse he has. Very nice! I can't tell ya how to build one as I have no idea, but I am sure others here will be able to lend a helping hand. Let us know how it turns out!

Mooseman684 · 08-14-2008, 02:02 PM

I have been Smoking Fish and wild game for years. My first 55 gallon drum smoker was made by cutting the top and bottom out of a clean drum, then i punched 4 holes about 8 inches down from the top, and 4 holes 8 inches below that. You insert 2 steel rods 4ft.long by 3/8 inch (4 total) in the lower holes , and I had expanded metal racks that dropped in and set on the rods, place fish filets on rack, insert upper 2 rods, Rack, and place filets on that one. I would build a SMALL fire on the ground with hardwood like Oak or Hickory then place the whole drum over the fire, and cover with 1/2 sheet of plywood or 1/2 an old door....let it go for 45 minutes, remove from the fire,let the fire build up a bit and swap rack position...place back over fire and cover for 45 more Minutes....Done !!!

Now I use a wooden Building made from a Large shipping crate 3' X 4' X 6' tall
MVC-061S.JPG

MVC-064S.JPG

MVC-066S.JPG
Rich

musicmaniac · 08-14-2008, 02:08 PM

Theres the pictures I remember! Man, that second pic makes me so hungry Moose! How much to ship some of that to 85306? HAHA!

billy · 08-14-2008, 02:08 PM

moose knows all kinda stuff.
he knows answers to questions i havent even thought of yet!

Seabeescotty · 08-14-2008, 02:29 PM

I still like them old, dead, fridge smokers! And you get all kinds of new lawn ornaments out of 'em, when you take 'em apart, in the front yard! Fits right in, with the dead cars, and tractors!!

troy2000 · 08-14-2008, 03:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Seabeescotty

I still like them old, dead, fridge smokers! And you get all kinds of new lawn ornaments out of 'em, when you take 'em apart, in the front yard! Fits right in, with the dead cars, and tractors!!

Getting hard to find old refrigerator carcasses that are metal inside instead of plastic, so you can just use the existing racks.

As far as your front yard goes: if a used-car salesman hangs out in your front yard for an hour before he realizes he made a wrong turn and isn't at work, you may be a redneck...

Mooseman684 · 08-14-2008, 08:37 PM

Actually what makes a Nice small one already assembled is an old Propane stove Oven...Pull out the burner, Light bulb, etc...Use a steel hubcap for the charcoal in the Broiler drawer...you have at least 2 racks in most and adjustable at that up or down...Made for heat ! VOILA....Smoker!
Rich

Seabeescotty · 08-15-2008, 12:41 AM

Chit, I forgot to mention, they gotta be OLD fridgeys! Thanks for reminding me, troy! the last one I tried, really made a mess, when the innards started melting down!!! Thought I'd found one of those Chernobyl fridges!!! Talk about meltdown...

magicjeep · 08-15-2008, 01:29 PM

go to www.thesmokering.com do a search they have plans for smokers. and if you can't find a plan the folks on the site will help you out, much like this site only for food not firearms.

mort23 · 08-19-2008, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by magicjeep

go to www.thesmokering.com do a search they have plans for smokers. and if you can't find a plan the folks on the site will help you out, much like this site only for food not firearms.

thanks for the link, your right this site is mostly about firearms but also covers other things as well....tool

Death Metal · 08-19-2008, 07:33 PM

Attachment 12952

man that fish looks yummy.

08-13-2008, 10:16 PM	#1
mort23 Registered User Join Date: Jul 2008 Location: outside philadelphia Posts: 13	anyone know how to make a homemade charcoal smoker a friend of mine is getting shipped oversea's next month and last sat we had a pig roast for him. he had it at his buddies place and his buddy took a old home oil heating tank and converted it to a smoker. and know i got a itch to do it with a 55 gallon drum. anyone know a thing or two about this??

08-14-2008, 09:38 AM	#2
Seabeescotty The ol' Coot Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jay, Oklahoma, God's country. Posts: 4,567 Images: 18 Blog Entries: 1	First, you gotta find a dead refridgerator... __________________ Adapt, improvise, overcome.-Gysgt Highway, Heartbreak Ridge

08-14-2008, 01:01 PM	#3
andrew cochran Senior Member Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: Little town in ARKANSAW! Posts: 2,320	I'd help you if i knew anything. __________________ If you don't have anything good to say... Don't say it!

08-14-2008, 01:13 PM	#5
musicmaniac Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 588 Images: 7	I think it was mooseman a while back who showed us some pictures of a smokehouse he has. Very nice! I can't tell ya how to build one as I have no idea, but I am sure others here will be able to lend a helping hand. Let us know how it turns out! __________________ A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

08-14-2008, 02:02 PM	#6
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 10,524 Images: 2	I have been Smoking Fish and wild game for years. My first 55 gallon drum smoker was made by cutting the top and bottom out of a clean drum, then i punched 4 holes about 8 inches down from the top, and 4 holes 8 inches below that. You insert 2 steel rods 4ft.long by 3/8 inch (4 total) in the lower holes , and I had expanded metal racks that dropped in and set on the rods, place fish filets on rack, insert upper 2 rods, Rack, and place filets on that one. I would build a SMALL fire on the ground with hardwood like Oak or Hickory then place the whole drum over the fire, and cover with 1/2 sheet of plywood or 1/2 an old door....let it go for 45 minutes, remove from the fire,let the fire build up a bit and swap rack position...place back over fire and cover for 45 more Minutes....Done !!! Now I use a wooden Building made from a Large shipping crate 3' X 4' X 6' tall MVC-061S.JPG MVC-064S.JPG MVC-066S.JPG Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

08-14-2008, 01:10 PM	#4
TRUE GRIT Senior Member Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: North East Los Angeles Posts: 221	If your gonna use a 55 gal drum you need to find one thats food grade. You dont wanna be using some old drum that has who knows what chemical stored in it before you got it. A sheet metal shop will sell you pices that are cut and bent to your specs that you would just have to tack weld together. Popular mechanics magazine ran an article about building one , you can probally find it on line.

08-14-2008, 02:08 PM	#7
musicmaniac Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Surprise, AZ Posts: 588 Images: 7	Theres the pictures I remember! Man, that second pic makes me so hungry Moose! How much to ship some of that to 85306? HAHA! __________________ A sword never kills anybody; it is a tool in the killer's hand. - Lucius Annaeus Seneca

08-14-2008, 02:08 PM	#8
billy spiritual counselor Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: a secret lab on the shores of lake titicaca Posts: 14,254 Images: 9 Blog Entries: 154	moose knows all kinda stuff. he knows answers to questions i havent even thought of yet! __________________ "I would never die for my beliefs because what if I'm wrong?"- Bertrand Russell

08-14-2008, 02:29 PM	#9
Seabeescotty The ol' Coot Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jay, Oklahoma, God's country. Posts: 4,567 Images: 18 Blog Entries: 1	I still like them old, dead, fridge smokers! And you get all kinds of new lawn ornaments out of 'em, when you take 'em apart, in the front yard! Fits right in, with the dead cars, and tractors!! __________________ Adapt, improvise, overcome.-Gysgt Highway, Heartbreak Ridge

08-14-2008, 08:37 PM	#11
Mooseman684 Super Moderator Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Alaska Wilderness Posts: 10,524 Images: 2	Actually what makes a Nice small one already assembled is an old Propane stove Oven...Pull out the burner, Light bulb, etc...Use a steel hubcap for the charcoal in the Broiler drawer...you have at least 2 racks in most and adjustable at that up or down...Made for heat ! VOILA....Smoker! Rich __________________ You know you might be facing your doom,when all you get is a click when you're expecting a BOOM!

08-15-2008, 12:41 AM	#12
Seabeescotty The ol' Coot Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Jay, Oklahoma, God's country. Posts: 4,567 Images: 18 Blog Entries: 1	Chit, I forgot to mention, they gotta be OLD fridgeys! Thanks for reminding me, troy! the last one I tried, really made a mess, when the innards started melting down!!! Thought I'd found one of those Chernobyl fridges!!! Talk about meltdown... __________________ Adapt, improvise, overcome.-Gysgt Highway, Heartbreak Ridge

08-15-2008, 01:29 PM	#13
magicjeep Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Central NJ Posts: 107	go to www.thesmokering.com do a search they have plans for smokers. and if you can't find a plan the folks on the site will help you out, much like this site only for food not firearms.

08-19-2008, 07:33 PM	#15
Death Metal Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Fredericksburg, VA Posts: 204	Attachment 12952 man that fish looks yummy.