My first Weber Cold Smoker HELP NEEDED!

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munsterfan

Fire Starter
Original poster
Mar 4, 2016
32
13
Algarve, Portugal
 I have just built my first Cold Smoker ...(I hope) and I need help!!!!! 

THE SMOKING SYSTEM

An old Weber,with 3-meters aluminum dryer flexi-hose attached to bottom of clean 55-gal barrel (the smoker) I built it this way in anticipation of smoking in the heat. It's peaking at 18C-20C now in March but by May it will be 30C here in Portugal.

Heat source a propane blow torch on low under a steel box (with perforated holes) filled with chips set at the bottom of Weber 

The smoker is air tight

The Weber is not air tight and smoke billows out between the lid and bottom. (Should I be adjusting/managing this air somehow?)

Temperature probe on long wire lowered inside 'the smoker'. I pull it up to see the temp. 

ACTIONS

Build fire with torch in Weber using Carob and Olive chipped branches (semi green) (also have access to acres of Almond and Citrus) 

When wood starts to smoke, add fresh Rosemary, wild Thyme and Bay Laurel, turn down torch

(I am smoking garlic, chilis and salt at the moment, later I will graduate to meat n fish) 

RESULTS: 

Takes hour+ to get to correct temp., but I struggle to maintain a steady temp without standing beside the unit for hours until finished

QUES:
  1. Should I use dry or green wood chips?
  2. Should I soak the chips before I start? 
  3. How do I keep the wood smoking vs burning? 
  4. Do I need to install a fan into the Weber to push the smoke into the smoker? At the moment I put the Weber at a lower point then the Smoker so the smoke would naturally flow up. 
  5. What's the story about cold smoking with 'dust'? It took me several months to find the use of a chipper ( without spending over $800usd to BUY one). And now I'm reading about dust. How to I create 'dust'?
  6. How many kilos (lbs) of wood chips does one use to 'smoke' for an hour or so? Just a ballpark idea as I realize that different woods burn with different values.
 
Yes I did put the same questions to a couple related forums, just in case some wise persons only reads the threads to which they are subscribed. Maybe a wee bit of overkill but I'm anxious to conduct smoke testing before the heat comes and also so that I only cut and cure the wood that is the best for smoking. 
 
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