The Texas BBQ Forum

Hello. I recently saved a bunch of southern pine from the landfill and want to use it to build a smoke box that I will use electric hotplates as the heat/smoke source. The wood was recovered from some old fences at a ranch. It looks very old. I have ordered an arsenic test kit to make sure it is not pressure treated. I do not believe it is, but definitely want to play it safe. I have faced jointed one side to reveal nice pine on one side and so far have kept the old surface on the other side. Obviously when I open up the fresh surface, there is a pine smell. I am considering leaving the old surface and using that for the inside of the smoke box. Should I or should I throw the wood on a planer to give me a fresh surface on both sides? The old surface does not have any smell and as mentioned above the new does, but the smell seems to get weaker a few days after it is opened up. So what do you think, should the inside of the smoker be the old surface (which will be a little harder to work with during construction of the box) or would it be OK to have a fresh pine surface on the inside (and hope the smell would dissipate and not impact flavor)? Any advice will be greatly appreciated.

The only answer I can give is.
#1 Not knowing what the fence may or may not have been treated with in the past would be a deal breaker for me from the start.
#2 The fact that it is pine and may impart that flavor to my smoked meat would be the next deal breaker.
If I were to use this wood it would only be an outside cover but the inside would be of some material I was confident in.
Good luck with which ever way you go I look forward to following your project.