Insulated cabinet smoker

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kylem.cmp USER_AVATAR
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Insulated cabinet smoker

Postby Kylem.cmp » Tue Jan 01, 2019 5:10 pm

I've been looking at designs other people have posted and got a few ideas on what I'd like to make. I still have alot of questions. Interested in reverse flow one.

1 does a Insulated vertical cabinet smoker follow the feldons calculator?

2 I've never seen dimensions on the race way or smoke stack. How do I calculate that?

3 is a brass ballvalve for fire box air inlet safe for cooking?

4 most people had baskets in the firebox, is that for more of charcoal ? I cook with logs 99% of the time.

5 between the cooking chamber and fire box do I insulate, leave basic .25" metal or up grade to .5"?

6 is a Waterpan/ drip pan needed for regulating temps?

Picture below is a drawing I saw on another build but its similar to what I want.
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CabinetSmokerImageTranslucent02_zps27075b63.JPG
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Re: Insulated cabinet smoker

Postby Rambo » Tue Jan 01, 2019 5:13 pm

Way over my head but maybe KAM or others can help you
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Re: Insulated cabinet smoker

Postby txsmkmstr » Tue Jan 01, 2019 8:41 pm

I'll take a stab at a few based on my experience with a cabinet smoker very similar to your attached picture. YMMV

1 does a Insulated vertical cabinet smoker follow the feldons calculator?

Not sure but I suspect not - see below.

2 I've never seen dimensions on the race way or smoke stack. How do I calculate that?

Mine was what I considered to be small but the thing worked... about like a 2x4 board - about 1.5" x 3.5"

3 is a brass ballvalve for fire box air inlet safe for cooking?

Yes, make cabinet smoker builders use them - Pitmaker comes to mind

4 most people had baskets in the firebox, is that for more of charcoal ? I cook with logs 99% of the time.

Cabinet smokers typically use charcoal - either lump or briquet - along with wood chunks for smoke flavor. Trying to burn an all-wood fire cleanly will be way too hot.

5 between the cooking chamber and fire box do I insulate, leave basic .25" metal or up grade to .5"?

Mine was not insulated but there was a deflector plate to protect the internal water pan.

6 is a Waterpan/ drip pan needed for regulating temps?

No, you regulate temps with the intake valve/damper. I gave up on using water in the pan due to the mess it makes. I did line the pan with foil to make clean-up easier.

Hope this helps and yes, others should chime in after the holiday. Good Luck.
Custom LSG 24x40 - 36" Blackstone - (others - R & O FatGirl, ETSC RK-250, Tejas 1628 - all sold)
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Re: Insulated cabinet smoker

Postby Rambo » Tue Jan 01, 2019 8:47 pm

Good stuff txsmkmstr
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Re: Insulated cabinet smoker

Postby Kylem.cmp » Tue Jan 01, 2019 9:47 pm

txsmkmstr wrote:I'll take a stab at a few based on my experience with a cabinet smoker very similar to your attached picture. YMMV



2 I've never seen dimensions on the race way or smoke stack. How do I calculate that?

Mine was what I considered to be small but the thing worked... about like a 2x4 board - about 1.5" x 3.5"

3 is a brass ballvalve for fire box air inlet safe for cooking?

Yes, make cabinet smoker builders use them - Pitmaker comes to mind



Hope this helps and yes, others should chime in after the holiday. Good Luck.


Thanks for the info. What is the size of your cook chamber and firebox?
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Re: Insulated cabinet smoker

Postby txsmkmstr » Wed Jan 02, 2019 9:37 am

Well, I'm only guessing since I've sold that pit but I'll estimate the cook chamber was 20x20x24 interior. Adding 2" of insulation around each side would be about right IIRC. The firebox was again, 20x20 but maybe only 10" tall.

The thing to remember is none of this is critical to performance. In principle, there's not a ton of difference between a UDS and an insulated cabinet smoker. The charcoal provides the heat and the amount of heat is controlled by the intakes. Again, I'm no pit builder but since you're not trying to maintain a clean burning wood fire the critical dimensions you seek are more or less irrelevant.
Custom LSG 24x40 - 36" Blackstone - (others - R & O FatGirl, ETSC RK-250, Tejas 1628 - all sold)
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Re: Insulated cabinet smoker

Postby Chasdev » Sun Jan 20, 2019 7:38 am

Only way to run on wood alone and keep the smoke clean would be to break down the sticks in to mini-sticks and hand feed them one or two at a time about every 15/30 minutes.
Cutting down on intake air will drive the smoke sour and dirty and adding too much wood will drive the temps too high, welcome to the dilemma most guys face.
That is, guys with inexpensive cookers.

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