A green but keen South West smoker.

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Thanks John, she's a bit of a beast isn't she !! As for the wife, well I'm fortune I'm not married yet, I told my girlfriend jewellery doesn't suit her so I've been quite fortunate so far. That excuse seem to be wearing a little thin now though, oh and the one where I told her I spent the money for her ring on the BBQ project :laugh1:
 
:ROTF   YEP!  He's buildin a hell of a rig there isn't he?  Lee works overseas so he doesn't respond so quickly.  Gonna have to sell the smoker seperately from the house.  House, 300,000- smoker included 350,000.  :icon_biggrin:
Danny

Thanks for stepping in Danny, it's much appreciated pal. As for the build itself, I have to work away just to fund the project and not forgetting I'll have to pay to fell a small forest just to keep the thing fuelled and smoking. :biggrin:
 
As it's been a while since my last post I now have a few more photos to display, none were taken by me so please excuse the quality and content, by that I mean builders rubbish obscuring a few shots.

The roof has now been laid over the top of the pizza oven.


Whilst the roof has been laid over the smoker too.

The BBQ section.

The smoker doors attached and looking pretty good.

Lastly some general photos of the build in it's entirety.





To finish then the worktops are being fitted on Friday so I should have some more for you by next week, if you've any questions feel free to ask.
 
Hello.  Glad you made it back safely Lee.  I have 3 questions; when are we gonna fire that dude up, where is my invite, and what breed of steer is going to be sacrificed for the first smoke?  
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  I thought I was crazy for having 4 smokers.  That is the real deal.  Looking great.  Keep Smokin!


Danny
 
Hi Danny, sorry to say pal I haven't quite made it just yet, the photo's were taken by my girlfriend for me. That said, not long now and i'm counting down the days until I get to set eyes on the eleventh man made wonder of the world  
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1. Pyramids of Giza

2. Great Wall of China

3. Machu Picchu

4. Petra

5. Teotihuacan

6. Angkor

7. Colosseum

8. Taj Mahal

9. Easter Island

10. Parthenon, Acropolis

11. Lee's Smoker

Ref firing the thing up, well I was putting pencil to paper with a few ideas and towards a guest list etc but have just found out the weather at present is pretty bad...nooooooo !! I may just go ahead regardless and mention to anyone that wishes to attend they're to come armed with a bottle of booze and full Gore-Tex.
 
Hello Lee.  With the help of others I finally found the man you need to talk to.  I couldn't remember his name.  I asked him to post a reply or PM you on how to cure that monster and season it.  His name is Wes.  I am sure he will help.  Keep Smokin!

Danny
 
As it's been a while since my last post I now have a few more photos to display, none were taken by me so please excuse the quality and content, by that I mean builders rubbish obscuring a few shots.

The roof has now been laid over the top of the pizza oven.


Whilst the roof has been laid over the smoker too.

The BBQ section.

The smoker doors attached and looking pretty good.

Lastly some general photos of the build in it's entirety.





To finish then the worktops are being fitted on Friday so I should have some more for you by next week, if you've any questions feel free to ask.
All I can say is WOW!   Sir, you have an amazing talent.   Do you get to the states?   I've been thinking of the idea of a pizza oven.  I want to build it myself though.

Danny contacted me with the question of firing this awesome smoker the first time.  Kudos to you my friend for not getting in a hurry to see smoke out the top.  

The rule of thumb for putting fire in a fireplace or any masonry  structure is 45 days.   If you can, leave the doors open or open the vents so air can get through it daily.   After the 45 days, you can start to think about that awesome smell of smoked meat.    At this point,  you want to start slow with fire.  Build a small paper fire.  Just big enough to get the flue warm.   Do this for 3 or 4 days.   Once that's done now you can build a small fire with wood.   Feed it slow.  Your only wanting to warm everything up, not get everything hot.    Do this for a couple days.  Not long burns just long enough to  draw and drive the remaining moisture out of the masonry.   Your ready to smoke!   For your first smoke, you want to bring the temp up slow.   When I smoked the first time in mine, I took my time bringing it up to temp the first time, 45 min to an hour.   After the first smoke, your good to go.   Love your smoker setup!

As far as seasoning, there really isn't a process.  The more you smoke, the blacker the inside will get.   I have only scrubbed mine down once.  It was because it was left unused for about 3 months and had a nice coat of white mold growing in it.  I burned it out at 500F then scrubbed it down.  Not a fun job.  Best advice, don't leave the water pan in it when you finish a smoke and leave a vent cracked so air can go through it. 

You are going to love your wood smoker!  It will take time to figure out how "it" wants to run.    I cold smoke bacon and smoke sausage in mine as well.  Wood give a flavor none other can touch!  

Danny and friends.  I had to join your group to be able to post.   I am in the States.  If you don't want me here, please feel free to boot me out.  I would totally understand.

I hope everyone has a great day!!

If interested, here is the link to my build   http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/126307/brick-smoker-compete-how-to
 
 
Danny and friends.  I had to join your group to be able to post.   I am in the States.  If you don't want me here, please feel free to boot me out.  I would totally understand.
Hi Wes - You are very welcome in the group and please feel free to contribute any time you want. Unfortunately the act of having to join a group in order to post seems to be putting too many people off contributing valuable and interesting posts. Great to have you here 
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Hello Wes.  Thanks for helping.  You are more than welcome in our Group!  Your knowledge will be greatly appreciated.  Well there ya go Lee.  Now we all know how to cure a brick smoker.  Good luck!

Danny
 
Hi Wes.

First and foremost thank you for taking the time to write whist secondly and as much as i'd love to take the credit for this fine build, i can't i'm afraid. The entire thing was created by my father and another chap called Tim and if they should ever read this, thank you. My only input would have been the design itself and sourcing of the materials including the cast iron doors. As you said it looks great and to the degree i couldn't be any happier, i'm also looking forward to finding out how she runs and reacts, great times ahead.

That said mate as soon as i saw your avatar i knew who you were, i'd followed your build from the start and with huge interest so i guess a lot of my setup came with added insight and inspiration from your project. Not only is it a great build but from an information point of view you kept everyone regularly updated with an in-depth insight which was second to none. If i recall you also lost a serving son, you have my deepest sympathies and respect.

On the subject of what you've written above you refer to moisture content within the brickwork, is this the same moisture found following a rain fall or simply the content found whist being made at the factory ? I only ask because i don't want to receive issues with cracking after every bad weather spell we have, because if that's the case and knowing UK weather i'm going to have my work cut out for me.

Thanks again Wes and welcome to the UK forum....
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Well the worktops have been fitted and are looking pretty special indeed, it's all finally tying in very nicely. Attached are a few more photos all of which aren't the best quality but you'll get the general idea and as always if you've any question then please ask away.




 
 
Hello Wes.  Thanks for helping.  You are more than welcome in our Group!  Your knowledge will be greatly appreciated.  Well there ya go Lee.  Now we all know how to cure a brick smoker.  Good luck!

Danny
Thumbs up Danny, you couldn't have found a better mentor, cheers pal
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Hello Lee.  All I can say is WOW!  Great looking rig!  If you have anything you need to know just PM Wes.  Brick smokers are out of my knowledge area ( NOT a clue ). Great guy and willing to help.

Danny
 
 
On the subject of what you've written above you refer to moisture content within the brickwork, is this the same moisture found following a rain fall or simply the content found whist being made at the factory ? I only ask because i don't want to receive issues with cracking after every bad weather spell we have, because if that's the case and knowing UK weather i'm going to have my work cut out for me.

Thanks again Wes and welcome to the UK forum....
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Good morning Lee.  Well, afternoon for you. :-)

The moisture I speak of is the moisture in the mortar in the construction.   Trapped moisture has to have time to get out.  That why you want to introduce heat slow to give the last remaining moisture time to escape.    Water (moisture, ) expands when heated to high temperatures.   The moisture we are getting out is internal.   Once cured the elements of weather will not have an effect .  The more you smoke the inside becomes more sealed with smoke and grease.   

Not  sure what products you have available in the UK, but here we have a product called Life Guard.http://www.lifeguardwaterproofing.com/products.html  Its a rubberized liquid that you can spray on masonry exterior surfaces to seal them from the weather.  Something you may be interested in if you live in a cold climate. 

Thank you for your kind words toward our late son.  No matter where we live in the world,  its good to know people stand behind there fighting men and women.  Thank you sir
 
hi lee fabulooso build congrats to your dad too
i must concur with wes you may need to get a masonary sealer on the expose brickwork. bricks are absorbant and not as hard as they used to be unless youve used engineering bricks.
With our weather you may find some of the fronts of the bricks shaleing off after a couple of years due to expansion and contraction. i know as its happening to my exposed walls now.
A simple pva solution would work or you can go proprietory with a ronseal or other
 
I am fully engaged in garden kitchen envy. The one in my imagination, has a pizza oven/bread oven. Wok burner/ tandoori, grill and a granite work top too. Unfortunately mine is only a mental picture for the foreseeable.
That is looking good!
 
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