- Jan 2, 2014
- 7
- 14
I was looking at getting a smoker that I could more closely control temperature. I have a propane vertical smoker, but it's just not accurate enough. Especially in the windy winter weather. Cruising Craigslist, I found this 1954 Frigidaire.
Doing research on this forum and others, I came up with a plan. Since this fridge has fiberglass insulation and an enamel coated steel box it was pretty close to perfect. I also knew I wanted a PID controller. I've been wanting to build one for a while for brewing beer, but never got around to it. I use a Ranco for that, but it doesn't deal with high temperatures, so PID it is.
I decided on a brinkman replacement element. 1500 watts should be plenty. It's a fairly small box. For smoke, I was looking at the smoke daddy so I could cold smoke, but after the glowing recommendations here, I decided on an AMNPS.
Tear down begins. The guy I got the fridge from said it had quit working. The compressor kicked on and immediately stopped. I crimped and cut the refrigerant lines, but there was nothing left. I gutted the fridge and sealed up the holes. The inside door skin was plastic, so that had to be replaced and the trim around the interior box was also plastic and was replaced. I went to the steel store and got some stainless. I got it home, cut it out and started peeling the protective plastic. Something was odd, so I did some further checking. Turns out they sold me stainless laminated steel. Basically mild steel with a plastic glue holding a stainless foil. I took it back and they exchanged it without to much trouble. Take 2. I cut and installed the new door skin and trim.
I ordered the silicone gasket from Amazon. It was 12' and just made it. I cut 1" off... The exhaust is 3" pipe. I used a rain cap on the top and bottom as baffles. You can also see the PID controller installed on the left had side. I don't have pictures of that part of the build, but I can take some if anyone is interested. It's mounted in a 6"x6" conduit box.
Doing research on this forum and others, I came up with a plan. Since this fridge has fiberglass insulation and an enamel coated steel box it was pretty close to perfect. I also knew I wanted a PID controller. I've been wanting to build one for a while for brewing beer, but never got around to it. I use a Ranco for that, but it doesn't deal with high temperatures, so PID it is.
I decided on a brinkman replacement element. 1500 watts should be plenty. It's a fairly small box. For smoke, I was looking at the smoke daddy so I could cold smoke, but after the glowing recommendations here, I decided on an AMNPS.
Tear down begins. The guy I got the fridge from said it had quit working. The compressor kicked on and immediately stopped. I crimped and cut the refrigerant lines, but there was nothing left. I gutted the fridge and sealed up the holes. The inside door skin was plastic, so that had to be replaced and the trim around the interior box was also plastic and was replaced. I went to the steel store and got some stainless. I got it home, cut it out and started peeling the protective plastic. Something was odd, so I did some further checking. Turns out they sold me stainless laminated steel. Basically mild steel with a plastic glue holding a stainless foil. I took it back and they exchanged it without to much trouble. Take 2. I cut and installed the new door skin and trim.
I ordered the silicone gasket from Amazon. It was 12' and just made it. I cut 1" off... The exhaust is 3" pipe. I used a rain cap on the top and bottom as baffles. You can also see the PID controller installed on the left had side. I don't have pictures of that part of the build, but I can take some if anyone is interested. It's mounted in a 6"x6" conduit box.