Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby GRailsback » Thu May 07, 2020 7:51 pm

I have a griddle similar to that, that I just seasoned with oil much like you would do with a blackstone griddle. And I also keep it coated with oil. Now I jsut put a little heat in it and put a little oil on it and use a pumice stone. If it rust and starts to pit then it becomes hard to cook certain things on. I also have a stainless one but it doesn't require any seasoning.

IMG_5398.jpg
Here is what mine looks like, this photo was taken in early Feb, and the griddle is 6 years old.


IMG_5399.jpg


IMG_5578 (1).jpg
This is the stainless one I had made.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby hogaboomer » Thu May 07, 2020 8:35 pm

Fabkid33 wrote:I see some people opening the doors but also see lots of people with adjustable dampers. Maybe k.a.m has so info on it I'm a newbie with this smoker and smoking meet In general

I am also a n00b at smoking meat and building smokers, even though I've been pipe welding for a living since 1978. You know as much as I do about all this.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby hogaboomer » Thu May 07, 2020 8:37 pm

k.a.m. wrote:Typically offsets are controlled by the intakes on the firebox with the exhaust wide open. Jambos are upward draft cookers that perform better while using the exhaust for temp control because it stalls the draft in the cooker but the door on the firebox is closed and intakes are set.
Most offsets I see with the door open usually have poor draft so this is needed to help keep the coal base going but some cookers perform well this way. My advice is if it works for you then do it. :D
I still have a lot to learn.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby Fabkid33 » Thu May 07, 2020 9:20 pm

Thanks grails !!!!@
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby GRailsback » Fri May 08, 2020 7:56 am

Fabkid33 wrote:Thanks grails !!!!@


Looking at the way you built yours, it seems you will be able to spread your coal base out and get pretty even heat across the griddle. May have to keep your intake closed to keep the heat from drafting up through the pit. Mine sits on top of a gas burner and gets hot in the middle, but it still works pretty well.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby k.a.m. » Fri May 08, 2020 9:10 am

hogaboomer wrote:
k.a.m. wrote:Typically offsets are controlled by the intakes on the firebox with the exhaust wide open. Jambos are upward draft cookers that perform better while using the exhaust for temp control because it stalls the draft in the cooker but the door on the firebox is closed and intakes are set.
Most offsets I see with the door open usually have poor draft so this is needed to help keep the coal base going but some cookers perform well this way. My advice is if it works for you then do it. :D
I still have a lot to learn.

There are many paths that can all lead to a successful cook. If the path you are on is difficult and you are struggling to get ahead change paths and find one that allows you to enjoy the day.
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



My Hybrid cooker.
Competition trailer #2.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby hogaboomer » Sun May 17, 2020 11:12 am

I did a cook yesterday on some wild hog, I did it with the door mostly closed, sometimes cracked just a bit. Sure did use a lot less wood. Had some odd temperature fluctuations, but the meat came out nice.

I guess trying to cook like Franklin with his 1,000 gallon tanks doesn't necessarily carry over to a hundred gallon tank.
Last edited by hogaboomer on Sun May 17, 2020 11:16 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby hogaboomer » Sun May 17, 2020 11:15 am

k.a.m. wrote:
hogaboomer wrote:
k.a.m. wrote:Typically offsets are controlled by the intakes on the firebox with the exhaust wide open. Jambos are upward draft cookers that perform better while using the exhaust for temp control because it stalls the draft in the cooker but the door on the firebox is closed and intakes are set.
Most offsets I see with the door open usually have poor draft so this is needed to help keep the coal base going but some cookers perform well this way. My advice is if it works for you then do it. :D
I still have a lot to learn.

There are many paths that can all lead to a successful cook. If the path you are on is difficult and you are struggling to get ahead change paths and find one that allows you to enjoy the day.
This is very Zen.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby k.a.m. » Mon May 18, 2020 11:28 am

hogaboomer wrote:
k.a.m. wrote:
hogaboomer wrote:
k.a.m. wrote:Typically offsets are controlled by the intakes on the firebox with the exhaust wide open. Jambos are upward draft cookers that perform better while using the exhaust for temp control because it stalls the draft in the cooker but the door on the firebox is closed and intakes are set.
Most offsets I see with the door open usually have poor draft so this is needed to help keep the coal base going but some cookers perform well this way. My advice is if it works for you then do it. :D
I still have a lot to learn.

There are many paths that can all lead to a successful cook. If the path you are on is difficult and you are struggling to get ahead change paths and find one that allows you to enjoy the day.
This is very Zen.

From Yoda as a nickname to Zen heck I am on a role lol
Always remember slow and steady wins the race.



My Hybrid cooker.
Competition trailer #2.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby hogaboomer » Mon May 18, 2020 2:03 pm

Lead us on the path to enlightenment, Master. :mrgreen:
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby Fabkid33 » Tue Sep 22, 2020 11:59 pm

Been really busy and working in the shop in this brutal summer takes up all my time but finally cooled down a little and got some more progress done . Added my deflector plate from fire box to cook chamber built 3 grates for my horizontal cc and added hooks and pegs for 3 more grates in the vertical chamber but I'm going to wait until I get my CNC plasma table up and running for those . There still is alot of things I want to do to the outside but its getting very close to get seasoned and throw some meat in her too .
Attachments
20200922_131617.jpg
Vertical hanging hooks and grate pegs
20200922_131833.jpg
Horizontal grates
20200922_131925.jpg
Deflection plate
Last edited by Fabkid33 on Wed Sep 23, 2020 10:47 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby Rambo » Wed Sep 23, 2020 7:57 am

That’s nice
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby Fabkid33 » Mon Sep 28, 2020 7:03 pm

Finally spend a day and got everything I wanted to do inside the smoker done built some expanded metal racks for the horizontal side and installed the deflection plate and that thing makes a huge difference hit with a infrared heat gun on the outside and its 100 degrees cooler on top of that plate pushing that fire box heat nice and low put all the pegs in for vertical racks will built vertical racks on my cnc plasma table when its up and running also added 3 hooks for hanging in vertical side . Ran flap between vertical and horizontal wide open I think I may just pull it out and just run the 8 inch stack it ran so good and was so efficient with very little wood im not sure I need a 6 inch stack and to be able to close off the vertical and only run the horizontal.also put in two guages and a hole for my digital probes. Ran my firebox dampers about half way closed seasoned it with Arizona oak and canola oil on the inside for about 6 hours then put a 2 pound rib eye steak on the horizontal rack for about 45minuts at 250 then sheared it 1 minute per side on the griddle side Then went to bed . Next day I smoked a pork butt and through some eggs and bacon and sausage on the griddle side as pork butt smoked . Fire management is key and split size and stacking is important
Was swinging about 20 to 30 degrees of temp difference on my first cook pork butt turned out amazing pulled bone right out made my own rub for it and injected with apple juice 6 hours at 250 to 275 spritzed with 50 50 water acv every 30 then wrapped in foil for 2 hours until 202 and let rest for 1 hour. Super amazing had about 15 people taste test it and everyone said it was amazing . Still alot I want to do on the outside put now it's up and running a little payoff for all the hard work . Will season the outside once I complete the outside. Inside looks amazing from the 6 and 8 hour cook and will smell amazing when I weld on it now . .thanks for everyone's help especially K.A.M ... enjoy the pics and will post more of future cooks and smoker completion pics.
Attachments
20200927_133903.jpg
20200927_134659.jpg
Breakfast while the pork smokes
20200926_232622.jpg
Steak smoked and sheared
20200927_112638.jpg
Pork butt is on
20200927_112340.jpg
20200927_112356.jpg
20200926_134004.jpg
Taking a trailer ride home
20200922_131925.jpg
Deflection plate
20200922_131833.jpg
Horizontal racks
20200922_131604.jpg
Vertical rack pegs and hooks
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby Fabkid33 » Mon Sep 28, 2020 7:07 pm

First burn going down
Attachments
20200926_201830.jpg
20200926_184553.jpg
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Re: Welder fabricator building first smoker many questions

Postby GRailsback » Mon Sep 28, 2020 8:40 pm

Looks good

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