insulated smokers

[hutch82]

hey guys wondered if you could help me out.  I have a big green egg witch I love but the down side of it sometimes is the size if I wanna entertain a larger group.  Great thing about the egg is the ceramic really holds the heat.  I wanna build a smoker this winter and was hoping to find a way to really insulate the smoker.  I thought I could get some metal and insulation and torch and just do some test or just ask first and save some fun testing hahah.  I really want it to hold heat and if someone touches it no big deal

-how thick of material on each side and what insulation

thanks for all the advice

HUTCH

 

[paprika pal]

Hutch I used a 1/4 inch plate for the inside of my vault style smoker and our 2 inches of rock wool insulation around the entire unit. The thick plate provides thermal mass just like the porcelain of the green egg and the insulation provides the resistance to thermal conductance like the porcelain as well. For the outside skin I used 14 gauge steel sheets. The smoker holders heat very well. I was luck enough to reclaim the 1/4 inch plate so I did not have to buy it, it is rather expensive.
I have read that other folks use sand to get a fire resistant insulator and to add thermal mass. The sand would be out between the two sheets of metal instead of the rock wool. This might make the smoker extremely heavy though. However so does the 1/4 inch plate.
Good luck with your project. Nothin better than buildin Smokers!

 

[hutch82]

thanks alot for the reply.  So basically you have a 2" wall on your smoker

-1/4" plate

-insulation

-14 guage plate

the sands a interesting idea but on a large smoker this could be crazy heavy as you said thanks alot for your suggestion.

did you insulate your fire box as well?

do you know what temp you get it up to and how hot the out side is?

thanks

 

[johgre078]

I have a smoke hollow gasser that I insulated with rock wool 1 inch thick. I can now hold extremely steady temps and wind doesn't affect it.
John


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[paprika pal]

I insulated the entire smoker including the fire box. It keeps the outer shell of the smoker cool so you don't have to worry about kids or dogs burning themselves.

 

[hamrhead1971]

1 inch insulation is plenty. I can run my custom built smoker at 275 degrees and the outside skin stays below 90.

 

[hutch82]

thanks everyone for the info this is great to hear

big help for sure cant wait to get cracking on this winter project

i know the thicker heavier i go is better but no need to go to crazy!

 

[pdm163]

1 inch insulation is plenty. I can run my custom built smoker at 275 degrees and the outside skin stays below 90.

How did you insulate it and could you post a picture?

 

[hamrhead1971]

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/183708/finally-starting-my-first-build

The link to my build.

 

[hutch82]

i was gonna start a new thread but thought maybe just post in here see what I get

I am starting to make a build list ect.  My wife mentioned could be every try a pig roast and have a big party.  I was gonna make the smoker a decent size but no where near to fit a whole pig.

How big would the cooking grate need to be to fit a whole pig?

I don't see why I cant make it big just a reverse flow smoker that could hold a pig in my back yard

biggers better right?

thanks for your advice here