Help me design?

[New Hampshire]

OK, I hope this is in the right forum.  I am hoping you folks here can help me design, or give ideas into, building my own smoker.  I don't want to spend the kind of money they are asking for smokers, and thanks to Alton Brown of FoodNetwork (who smoked salmon in a cardboard box.....yup you read that right,) I realize it should not be too difficult a project.  What are my criteria?

1) looking for a smaller size, maybe to hold around 50lbs of meat or so, but still small enough to fit on a table.

2) made of something that wont make my food taste like wood glue.

3) light enough to be moved and stored by one person

4) adjustable racks are a plus, but not a requirement.


So I was thinking of starting with a plywood box as the body of it.  Then perhaps clad the inside (the cooking area) with metal.  So that the outside plywood does not superheat I would think an insulating layer of some sort between the metal and wood should do the trick.  I would probably go with 2 doors, a top and bottom, so that I could get to the smoking pan for quick cleaning/refill of the pan without opening the whole unit up.  And of course there would have to be some kind of flap on top to help let out smoke/let in air to regulate temp.  I have a digital cooking probe thermometer, so that will be easy to locate.  Thats about what I can think of right now.  Not sure about dimensions.  Maybe 2 feet tall by 2 feet wide?  Maybe bigger?  Still milling ideas about a rack set-up.

So anyone got some good ideas?  Built your own and have advice?  Any ideas of mine worth changing?

Thanks friends.
Brian M.

[Roy Cobb]

Quickest for you would be to use a smaller barrel like a 30 Gallon and make a vertical smoker. It is tough to design anything else without pictures. A simple box with a firebox made out of wood would work
or just make a simple sheet steel box with a hinged door.
You could do your clad box idea and use regular drywall for the "Firewall"
A couple thicknesses of 1/2" would do it "but" (you knew it was coming)
that would add a bunch of weight in addition to the ply.
Making a simple box out of sheet metal would be lighter more durable and all around better but you are getting more expensive with the use of metal.
But it would be simple to do.

[New Hampshire]

Thanks Roy for some more ideas.  The reason I want to clad and insulate the main cooking area is Im hoping it will improve the ability to control temeratures and keep temp. deviations low.  But maybe Im just being nit picky.  I saw the measurements for the Luhr Jensen smoker (I think called the Big Chief?) and the dimensions were 18x12 1/2x25 inches.  That seems like a nice, respectable size that is still small enough to move around.  Guess I need to keep working out ideas.
Thanks,
Brian M.

[maddmaxx]

Around here lots of folks use old refrigerators. (Not the kind with plastic.) With an electric hotplate, you can regulate the temperature a little. Pan on hotplate holds wood chips. As far as size goes, places that sell campers are often having to replace the refrigerators, and there are several sizes.

[MDig]

Another Salvage Item that works great are old Lockers from the Gym or Employee Lounge.
An electric hot plate in the bottom and some hooks in the shelf.
I have seen temporary smokers made with a hot plate and an appliance box.

[grousehunter]

I agree with MADDMAXX, Ihave a buddy who did it, with the best results!