New member, regular visitor.....
After spending hours reading many posts about Fridge/Freezer Builds, I decided to do a Monitor Top Fridge Build due to it being about the same in size as our Stumps smoker, which had been stolen the previous year. Although I could not find a post on a monitor top build, there was enough information posted on SMF to give it a try.
It took me a couple of months to find one within my budget (Prices ranged from over a thousand down to two fifty for the one I bought). The next problem was the weight of it. The top part had the compressor on it that was about eighty plus pounds. I really wanted to keep the monitor top look but the heavy compressor had to go. I found a plastic corrugated 12" pipe coupling at Lowes that was about the same size as the original monitor top.
The next problem was that the sides of the door opening and the door were made of plastic. I found a seller on eBay with some 1/8 sheet metal for sale, who agreed to sheering it down to two inch strips, to replace the plastic parts.
I replaced the wax covered cardboard insulation with Rock-wool (As recommended for its 1200 degree rating). I used six 2' x 4' sheets.
I built a gravity fed charcoal firebox similar to the one that was on the Stumps smoker and mounted it on the back side. Made removable for transporting the smoker.
I used the Rust-Oleum High Heat Ultra paint on the insides and the Dupli-Color engine enamel (primer, top coat and clear coat) on the outsides.
I used a 4" pipe for the smokestack with a 6" vent pipe, packed with Rock-wool, around it to protect the plastic "monitor top" from melting. To also keep the original look, I mounted an electrical box in the same location. I then ran the power cord and leads for the BBQ Guru into it. The "pit" temp and "food" temp leads now drop down through the top of the smoker now instead of down through the smokestack as before.
To be able to transport the smoker (mainly just to get it out of the garage to use it), I used an old dolly and added lift points (where the firebox attachments were located) to attach it to the smoker.
Once outside, I filled the firebox up with lump charcoal and fired it up. I started at 200 degrees and up'd the temp by 50 degrees every thirty minutes to break it in and burn off any residuals. The hottest any of the outside parts reached was 150 degrees when I took it to a high of 400 degrees (internal) temperature.
I then lowered it down to 225 degrees, filled the bottom with water, added some wood chips and put in a rack of baby backs & two pork loins, previously prepared in anticipation, to smoke. (They turned out great)
Thanks to the SMF members postings in this forum (And for all the tip and information posted in the other forums that helped bring my smoking up a few notches), our cooking team has a smoker that is as good, or better, as the Stumps smoker we use to have.
P.S. Have ordered Jeff's book "Smoking Meats...." to up our smoking a few more notches.
