To Spray Foam Or Not to Spray Foam

[tkasz73]

I need some recommendations on my first fridge smoker. I have used small propane smokers a ton to do both cured items like ham and bacon as well as a good amount of venison sticks and BBQ. Building the fridge smoker to save a Little time and have better heat control. I will post some photos of the current fridge I have a True T-35. It is in very nice condition I have all the guts pulled as well as wires and pump and such just stuck on one thing.

Please provide some input or links to old threads that would be great. I don't ever plan to go over 225 for BBQ on this smoker most of what i will use it for will be under 200 maybe 180 max. I am planning to have dual heat source. The Northern tool dual ring valve and three needle valves for control. I was going to use this for the drying cycle when smoking hams and bacon. Basically leave the doors open and provide a little heat to dry the meat before adding smoke. 

Second source the smoke daddy pellet smoker add on. This should give me perfect control for the duration of the smoke. 

 I have been reading lots of thread but most seem to be old thinking things have change maybe over few years. I am trying to decide if I should take out the spray foam insulation. This fridge is built like a tank I cant even find any way that the inner and outer pierces are connected besides a press fit between them provided by the foam. I'm concerned removing the foam and replacing with Roxul will make it not sturdy and possibly not stay together as there are no rivits or screws that i can see. 

The interesting thing is that I recently came to find is all the electric Bradley and master built small 30 and 40 inch smokers are all insulated with spray foam. 

This is where I am stuck can it really be that bad if they are using it for commercial smokers????

Please help I know this will probably get a lot of discussion at least I hope.

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  Here are the problems:  You do not "PLAN" to use it at higher temps; what if you would like to at some point?  2:  The spray foam used then versus the spray foam now on the new smokers.

When I build something like a smoker I build in EVERYTHING I can think of.  I may never use some things but if you purpose build a smoker then THAT is all it will do.  A one trick pony.  In that fridge build you should be able to cold smoke, low and slow AND hot smoke ( 350f ).  Why wouldn't you?  Do it right the first time and then no rebuild or another smoker is needed.  Just my opinion.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[daveomak]

Install over temp "snap-switches" and you'll be fine....

I'm of the opinion, a one size fits all, when it comes to smokers, none of them work well... Stick with your plan....

 

[HalfSmoked]

You may be more concern about what the interior liner  is made of.

 

[kc5tpy]

Hello.  Well there is another way to go from Dave.  If you can afford to have 3 different smokers then I would agree that may be the way to go.  If you do not have the design skills then I would agree with Dave and recommend you make different smokers.  EVERY smoker can be made to do double duty with modifications.  But poorly designed  smokers will deliver poor results.  Keep Smokin!

Danny

 

[tkasz73]

Well I did some checking and the inner liner is  clear coated aluminum liner it basically looks like it is sprayed with the same stuff cars are painted with.

As for the cold and hot smoke I think we may have different definitions. When I think cold smoke I am going or would be staying under 90-100 degrees and when I'm thinking hot smoking I am thinking under 165-175 degrees for temperature. These low temperatures are required for doing things like ham and bacon maybe even venison sticks and summer sausage. The last hams I did were in my smoker for over 2 days which is why I was thinking the pellet feeder and burner.

 IMO the market has pushed most commercial smokers out there for doing BBQ like a brisket or pork butt. From what I have seen most commercial smokers on the lowest setting will do 225 and hold it there all day which is where my max temp would come from maybe 225-235 for doing brisket, ribs, pork butt....more of a BBQ style.

I am not planning to use this as a oven in the 350 range I'm not sure that would even be considered smoking IMO. I feel at that temperature you are adding a little smoke to something you are baking.

That's where my range came from. was thinking that I would add a cold smoke pot at some point but I am not convinced that they are producing the right light blue smoke for the job most of the videos I have seen produce a thick white smoke should could be worse than the spray foam in the end. If I used that smoke pot that would be the only source if heat in the smoker to keep things cold.

 

[tkasz73]

Well I have been doing some work on the fridge smoker and wanted to post the progress. I was able to clean out the fridge of all the parts and bad stuff in the smoker and then screwed in steel strips and angle to connect the shelf brackets too. I also removed the center column to make more space and attach the center bracket easier and then added it back in. I also have added 4 vent holes on the top of the smoker and 2 air intakes on the bottom. I plan to add some spring tensioned covers so they can each be adjusted to help with temp control. 

Planning to have two sources of heat a propane Burner on a needle valve so I can help with the drying cycle for hams and bacon and then to add a smoke daddy pellet hopper so I can set it to 160 and leave it for days if needed. 

I added some photos below. Please make comments and suggestions so can work them in before its too late.