Clay or Cob smoker

[gunrunner79]

Hello all. Mods, I apologize if this is the wrong forum. Has anyone made a smoker from clay/sand or clay/sand/straw (cob)?
I ordered extra clay for building my house walls, got 12 cubic yards, turns out i only need ten.
I have built a cob pizza/dutch oven, and an outside fireplace. Cob has great thermal mass, so I wondered if anyone has used it for a smoker. Turning up nil on Google.

 

[mdboatbum]

I can't see why it wouldn't work.

 

[java]

That sounds lke a cool project!

 

[dirtsailor2003]

Sure you can. Would love to see photos of your build when you get going.

 

[venture]

Go for it!

Can't wait for the pics!

Good luck and good smoking.

 

[gunrunner79]

Thanks for the replies. I've been reading up in other threads here on other guy's smoker builds. My cob oven is wood fired, which translates to constant PITA temp control.
Most likely go with the electric two burner hot plate initially, as we are going to put in a huge amount of solar and a couple VAWT Wind turbines. Might end up converting to propane later though...use propane in my mini forge with a Reil burner.
I would appreciate any thoughts on shape and vent placement, as well as heneral structural ideas.
This is the design I built the oven from. Anysuggestions on mods to make a smoker welcome and appreciated.

image.jpg

• gunrunner79
• Jul 15, 2014

 

[foamheart]

Would you not need to set the firebrick first as a base maybe the sides at least? I was going to attempt a WFO a few years back. Seems setting the filling the bottom brick was very important.

Just a suggestion I had started looking and reading back then and I started off at a place called "The Fresh Loaf", Seemed there was whole section on them, you might look there to add to what you get here. There is also numerous videos of building on Youtube.

I was quite serious about the then, then realized the amount of time needed to build temp and then cool down.

Good luck with it.

 

[dandl93]

Here is mine at the farm.It takes alot of wood and time tending to it.

mi finca 009.JPG

• dandl93
• Jul 15, 2014

mi finca 032.JPG

• dandl93
• Jul 15, 2014

mi finca 033.JPG

• dandl93
• Jul 15, 2014

It is not pretty but with the rite person you can turn out alot of meat.

 

[gunrunner79]

That looks pretty good, dandl93. Do you use larger vents for temp control?

 

[dandl93]

That looks pretty good, dandl93. Do you use larger vents for temp control?

No the front is the door.Their are 2 vents on 2 sides the size of one of the bricks it is made out of.You pull the bricks out as you need to control the air.The man that made this one is still making them all around here he is in his 80s.mine is over 25 yrs old.

 

[gunrunner79]

Thank you both, Foam and dandl. Good point foam.