Building My Own Smoker...

[1tofish]

I am out growing my current smoker. I have a small (35-40lb.) electric smoker. I'm looking at building around a #100 one, preferably out of wood. Any one have and "do's" or "don'ts". I would like to stick with an electric source of heat, but would consider other suggestions. I mainly smoke our vension i.e. sticks, summer sausage, though I do the occasional white fish when I catch them. Thanks for any input.

[sunkinboat]

I built mine out of an old upright freezer. Works great. Depending where you are located I know where there is a free upright freezer that would work great. I just use the original rack in it and everything. I just used an old burner out of a electric stove for my electric heat source.And it fits in there just right.

[Haug Hunter]

This is what I used for an idea for my smokehouse http://www.canr.uconn.edu/ansci/ext/build_smokehouse.pdf but I built mine out of 7/16" OSB and lined the inside with aluminum. For my heat source I bought a turkey fryer kit which really works well because you get the burner which you can control from outside the smoker. I put my wood chips in a cast iron pan on the burner. I am reall happy with how easy this setup has worked for me because building it was totally trial and error and I only have about $40 invested in it. If you want shoot me an email at [email protected] and I can send you some pictures of mine.

[BLACKJACK]

Huag, that looks like a nice plan!! I might try that!!

Years ago my Dad built a smokehouse out of an old house entry way, basically like slapping four sheets of plywood together with one of them having a door in it, and with a tin roof. Then he cut a couple of vent holes in the top, and would even pried up the corner of the tin for more ventilation. Whats nice about it is that you can walk in and hang your meat and it had lots of capacity. He still uses it.

[1tofish]

Thanks HH,

That's the kind of ideas I was looking for. I'll be shooting you an email. Thanks again...

[1luckydad]

Take out some shelves and put a pot of water on and we have a sauna.