Smoker build - Is this good to start with?

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ctfortner

Newbie
Original poster
May 7, 2012
8
10
Hey all, new here.  I am not new to cooking, but new to building a smoker for sure. I wanted to check with yall and see if this would be good to start out with.  It is not the traditional propane style, but I know it can be used in a different way with trays and such.

Anyway, just wanted yalls opinion on the oil tank and trailer for $300 as a place to start.  Steel oil tank is approximately 4' Wide x 2 1/2' Deep x 4' Tall.  The trailer seems pretty heavy duty and I believe was once used for hauling heavy generators around for a light company or something like that.  

I realize it is "depends on what you want" type of thing, however I have never built or owned one before, so I really have no preference at this point as long as it works good and will handle what I want to cook.  It will be used more for family events, pool parties and the occasional small BBQ events.  Dont plan on whole hogs, just ribs, chicken, butts, that kind of stuff.

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Looks like it has many possiblities!  Can you rough up some plans for it, what you want to do with it and post them?  Doesn't have to be fancy.

BTW, could you also include your location in your profile and drop into Roll Call and introduce yourself so we can properly welcome you?
 
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Nice trailer and I like the proportions. Mine is very simular, I used a overflow tank out of a 40kw generator and used it for the smoke box,( 42H x 42W x 40D ) I cut a door in the front and installed 5 pull out racks, built a firebox out of 1/4 plate and mounted the smoke box right on top of it.
 
Nice Ribwizzard, I would love to see some pics of that, do you have some?  I was afraid 2-1/2' deep may be to deep, but guess not.  I was thinking it would make a good backwoods clone if nothing else, but a firebox would be fun, I like fire 
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Just checked out the backwoods for the first time. Nice unit.  One thing I forgot to mention, as I switched over to the verticle style smokers, I started installing my exhaust vents on the sides ( instead of the top) of the cooking chamber. On my current smoker they are actually 8 inches from the top  wich is the same height as my top rack. I loose less moisture that way and elimanted the need to add a water pan.  I cut a single door in the front of my square tank and left 1.5 inches lip along the sides, 3 inches at the bottom and top. This allowed me to weld pieces of angle iron from the front to the back to hold my cooking grates, at the bottom lip ( 3 inches from bottom of tank) instead of a cooking grate, I fabricated a drip pan out of 1/8 sheet metal. This sits 3 inches off the bottom , and has a 1.5 inch gap along the sides. It serves as a heat and smoke divertor making the heat and smoke rise up along the sides of the tank and then roll downward into the cooking area. Another reason for the side vents.
 
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