Building a filing cabinet smoker!

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote gurnard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2021 at 6:32pm
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Haha it does too! Camera angle though 😂

One thing I’ve noticed is how flimsier and soft the drawers feel after this burn now. Hopefully it isn’t a cheap ****ty metal
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Big -Dave Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 16 Sep 2021 at 7:43pm
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I'm not big in to smoking, but I modified an old oven to use a cold smoke unit..I can cold smoke for a while, then turn the oven on and warm it briefly..
And the next roast I do in it has a lovely residual smokey flavour in the veggies. .
you can't fix an idiot with duct tape, but it does muffle them for a while...
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 9:10am
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That is really cool.. basically a very top end  cold smoker with temp control at the same time Thumbs Up

 theres no need for a water bowl,

Correct.

 The reason for a water TRAY below the stuff being smoked is to to collect any flammable fat in smokers with flame in the bottom.  Stops the whole thing going up in flames.

 As to the 'arguments' re adding moisture... the basic chemistry of burning , wood, lpg whatever, the burn creates enough moisture.


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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 10:20am
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I used an old oven for a while, I disconnected everything but the bottom element.  Easy temp control, was really good until it rusted out
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote lingee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 2:08pm
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gurand, do not over fire the cabinet,small fires 2nd  and 3rd.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Big -Dave Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 2:14pm
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Originally posted by smudge smudge wrote:

I used an old oven for a while, I disconnected everything but the bottom element.  Easy temp control, was really good until it rusted out

The laughable thing is everything still works in this one. 
It gets regular use as an oven.

won it on a dollar reserve trade me auction, yep , i paid a dollar..
you can't fix an idiot with duct tape, but it does muffle them for a while...
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The laughable thing is everything still works in this one. 
It gets regular use as an oven.

yep cabinets , whatever .. lpg , fire..
 Last week I had to smoke up some beef pastrami for the wife.. 4 big slabs of the stuff.
 Fixed temp +/- 5deg  105 dg C
 Even with LPG smoker with a modified burner to enable low and tight temp variation over 5 or 6 hrs was not easy.

Now $1 reserve stove, Damn that the way to go.

And now She wants to do 5 or 5 slabs of venison pastrami next week.. and talking about want to do home cured smoke venison ham...

Im think a $1 reserve stove is going to be hard to get on TM after lots ppl reading this thread... 

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Post Options Post Options   Likes (2) Likes(2)   Quote smudge Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 3:07pm
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The stove doesn't need to be flash. The one I got had weakened door springs from a small fire inside it so it was a throw away I scavenged. I just had a brick tied to the door handle on a long string. I just slung the brick over the back of the stove and it kept the door closed! Rough, just how I like it. But it did do a very nice job
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote gurnard Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 17 Sep 2021 at 6:07pm
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Cheers all. I spent most of today grinding back the unburnt paint and currently have a small fire in there, to get the bits I missed.

Tomorrow I will season it with a **** load of cooking oil and a very small fire for a few hours and Sunday I am off to the river to hopefully catch a few fat Kahawai to test it out !
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No not a **** load of cooking oil...
After a smoke , and all the racks cleaned up, I mist spray with elcheapo aerosol canola  or if run out in the shed.. the wifes expensive olive oil.
 It makes racks easy clean next time and stops  surface rust on the cabinets
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (1) Likes(1)   Quote lingee Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 20 Sep 2021 at 2:42pm
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hi mate  no oil as said, put  your fish in on racks or trays and smoke with a low fire and smoke buy using the bottom draw as the draft,open more flame ,closing it will give more smoke .when you have the fire at a ember stage place larger wood then close the bottom draw as needed, remember the bottom draw is the way to work the fire or smoke ,good smoking mate .practise is the key.lets hear how you get on.
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Post Options Post Options   Likes (0) Likes(0)   Quote Steps Quote  Post ReplyReply Direct Link To This Post Posted: 21 Sep 2021 at 9:29am
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Cabinets , 44gal drums that have a fire in the bottom then choked either by the chimney/ exhaust  or inlet are harder to control , in the sense you want to do say a 65 deg 40 min smoke , then next time a 40 deg 5 hr smoke.

Doesnt matter if a LPG burner type of a fire.

Once have the choked fire going temps are controlled by chimney diameter and chimney height (increase height more draw).. basically less flow more heat in the smoker section.

The fire.. If Pit style setup.. offset fire box... the chimney diam (adjustable) and height ( fixed) determine oven temps parameters
For the fire it is experience to adjust the chimney draw and the actual fire air inlet , balanced with coals and raw woods to determine smoke  and heat.

Cabinets with fire.. chips wood not in a separate controllable fire box and not rely on a LPG burner are harder to adjust heat and smoke at the same time.
Generally it is fixed inlet (eg vent holes in the bottom of a drum just large enough to allow the max required flow... and limit the chimney (large enough diameter height combo ) to allow min required temps... eg the wet sack over the top of the drum.

There can also be side vents in the smoker to control flow thru the oven part to also help control temps but not change the fire box part.
I strongly suggest adding such an adjustable vent....

 How and what one does to be able to adjust parameters such as heat , smoke , or straight heating over coals is determined by what one wants to be able to do with the unit... from say  35/40 deg long warm smokes thru to 95 deg  short smokes  (or 6 hr smokes for slabs pastrami)

Which have just put down to cure near full cabinet of slabs of venison ready to cook/ smoke  Sunday or Monday.
The  the venison 'ham' leg  and after that the home cured slabs bacon... with 1 slab venison to see what its like as bacon.

Then at the other end is slow (5//6 hrs) smoked  35 /40 deg  fillets fish, king / marlin chunks... home kill and home made venison sausages, chicken ribs veggies etc.

'roast' type cooking is done in the smaller charcoal cooker... or a off set fire pit type cooker... Note that these are far more suited to pit cooking which only has small amount smoke, mainly coals type heat with little bit raw wood.

Son has been making these for a few yrs now.. LPG tanks and plate steel... again a lot gone into understanding the fire , the cook , design , inlets, chimney heights diameters etc.

Even my 2 (different size/ designs) LPG cabinet ' smokers have had serious mods to chimney, inlets, chip boxes inlets exhaust,  and the size of the burner and LPG regulator its self ,
To get to be able move to low temps range the burn  and size of flames is so small they have to be  inside with no slight breeze..

So its not all quite as simple as seems... on the other hand  a basic set up once one gets the hang of it and its limitations... magic results.

 This was the setup at our last home.. once again similar in the current shed.. warm, dry all weather

This was setting up  as proof of concept .. getting parameter right.
The chimney was then moved inside and vented out the wall up around that support beem is... Also note the ply scarap at theside  (and back) of the smoker base to stop the smallest breath of wind.. the burner is down so low.




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