Pellet Smoker Fridge Conversion

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I have the same fridge for a smoker lol looks good! im am putting in a pid controller now to regulate the heat
 
...I'm patiently waiting...I hope you got that thing sealed well? I would hate to see that awesome paint job with brown streaks on it...It looks to be one of the coolest smokers I've seen...It's inspired me to think about a flame job on my little SS electric smoker that I'm building!

~Brett
 
OK, here we go.  I am going to reveal the paint job on this thing.  The picture is not the greatest, it is from the potato cam. 

Anyways, here it is.  I present to you........."Reefer Madness":


The name, to me, seems appropriate.  It's a play on words, based on the movie from 1936.  After all, it is a refrigerator (reefer), and I'm smoking with it.............well, meat anyways.  I should also put the line "Women cry for it, Men die for it!" somewhere on the smoker, as well.

Obviously, I need to finish it.  I will be getting some rock wool to insulate it this weekend.  I should be able to get all the guts back inside.  I need to get the tadpole gasket from McMaster-Carr this week for the door.  It's nearing completion!
 
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UPDATE:

Rockwool has arrived.  Door gasket is being delivered today or tomorrow providing we don't get a GD snowstorm!  I am SOOOOOOOOOOO sick of winter!  We only get 3 months of Summer the way it is.

Final re-assembly will be this weekend!  I'm stoked!
 
What a coincidence!  Post some pics if you could.  I'd love to see it!
i would but I don't want to wreck your thread with my ugly pic of my smoker lol. U must do a little painting on the side by the looks of your pin striping. I might have to bust the paint gun out now!
 
UPDATE:

Door gasket is installed.  Turned out really nice.  Take note, guys, this worked excellent and was easy.  It's just flanged fiberglass rope (tadpole gasket), a metal strip and zip screws.  I ended up pre-drilling the holes in the face of the fridge flashing to make inserting the zip screws easier.  Stainless is a little tough to drill through, though, but it was worth the effort.  Prior to driving the screw home through the gasket, I spun the screw backwards to sort of cut through the gasket flange and prevent it balling up on the zip screw.  With this type of installation, there is no glue to worry about and it is easily replaceable if necessary.  AND it was cheap!  35 bucks with shipping from McMaster-Carr.  I am tickled!  Here are some detailed pictures:
 




Stack installed:


All that is left is to hook up the temperature probe and I should be able to test fire tonight.  One thing I do worry about, though, is the temperature control.  I am worried that I will not be able to keep the temperatures low enough because it is so well insulated..........we'll see I guess.  If that is a problem, I will have to work on a solution to keep temps down, either reducing air flow, restricting pellet insertion or increasing stack diameter.  That might be a new thread to discuss, we'll see.

There were a few holes in the tub that need patching as well.  These holes were left over from where the original shelves attached to the inner tub.  I sealed them with a little hi-temp rtv and some pennies.  I figure that should work..........and it only cost me 14 cents!
 
Last edited:
UPDATE:

Door gasket is installed.  Turned out really nice.  Take note, guys, this worked excellent and was easy.  It's just flanged fiberglass rope (tadpole gasket), a metal strip and zip screws.  I ended up pre-drilling the holes in the face of the fridge flashing to make inserting the zip screws easier.  Stainless is a little tough to drill through, though, but it was worth the effort.  Prior to driving the screw home through the gasket, I spun the screw backwards to sort of cut through the gasket flange and prevent it balling up on the zip screw.  With this type of installation, there is no glue to worry about and it is easily replaceable if necessary.  AND it was cheap!  35 bucks with shipping from McMaster-Carr.  I am tickled!  Here are some detailed pictures:
 




Stack installed:


All that is left is to hook up the temperature probe and I should be able to test fire tonight.  One thing I do worry about, though, is the temperature control.  I am worried that I will not be able to keep the temperatures low enough because it is so well insulated..........we'll see I guess.  If that is a problem, I will have to work on a solution to keep temps down, either reducing air flow, restricting pellet insertion or increasing stack diameter.  That might be a new thread to discuss, we'll see.

There were a few holes in the tub that need patching as well.  These holes were left over from where the original shelves attached to the inner tub.  I sealed them with a little hi-temp rtv and some pennies.  I figure that should work..........and it only cost me 14 cents!
which diameter and width did you use on the seal?
 
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