5Oaks Smoker Build

[5oakssmoker]

Ok, got started on my build today, spent at lot of time planing down wood.
Got the front frame made, the rest will go faster until I get to the doors and racks.

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• 5oakssmoker
• May 11, 2014

 

[Rafter H BBQ]

Cool, I'll tag along & watch !

:popcorn

 

[5oakssmoker]

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• 5oakssmoker
• May 13, 2014

Had a couple hours after work, and it was raining, so I got some work done on the smoker in the barn!

It's starting to take shape nicely.

 

[joopster]

Cool, I'm in!

 

[jarjarchef]

Looks good.

I can't wait to build another one....

 

[5oakssmoker]

Hope o get some more work done on the smoker this afternoon, should be able to get the inside walls in place, and maybe some insulation.

I have a question on the vents, we live in the country, and there will be times between smokes where I want to air out the smoker, but don't want it to be a home for bugs, my idea is to install the inside wall and board insulation, then clamp the outer wall in place, drill the holes, take the outer wall back off, and put a piece of screen in between the walls and then screw it down in place. I was going to use the idea with the springs on the center bolt of the vent so that I can adjust the tension to keep a good seal when shut.

Has anyone used screen on their vents and does it restrict flow too much? Just curious if its a good idea or not. Its metal screen, so temps shouldn't be a problem.

Just hate to open the smoker and have to get rid of wasps etc...

 

[daveomak]

Screens will block air flow..... build a screen that can be installed after the smoke.... Dave

 

[jarjarchef]

I have screens on mine. I actually built my vents way to big, so air flow is not an issue. Well it is, but it is too much air flow. Works pretty well. But as Dave said the screen will block Some air flow, so just make the air intake a little bigger.

 

[5oakssmoker]

Didn't get as much done as I had hoped last night, but got half the inner walls on, added some extra bracing, and sealed a bunch of the seams.

I was thinking of putting 4 - 1" holes on each side of the top of the smoker, and 10 - 1" holes in the door to the firebox, even with screens that should be plenty of air, and I can choke it back as needed with the vent doors. And if its not, I can always cut out the screens on some of them later.

 

[5oakssmoker]

Had some help tonight cutting the big sheets, wife came out, I think she's getting anxious for some ribs hehe.

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• 5oakssmoker
• May 16, 2014

Got the rest of the inner panels in place, sealed all the seams and got the insulation cut and in place on all of the sides.

Hopefully tomorrow I'll have not only my wife but my boy to help and we can get the outer shell on before we go to the movies.

Then come all the details hehe.

 

[jarjarchef]

Looks good

 

[5oakssmoker]

We got some more done today, top on, bottom, durock, and the outer wall on, sealed all the seams.

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• 5oakssmoker
• May 17, 2014

Roof, Doors, Racks, lots of little trim and a coat of sealer and we'll be ready for some smoke!

 

[5oakssmoker]

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• 5oakssmoker
• May 28, 2014

Got my CC doors on, still have to finish sealing them, but they are on and working even with the humidity today.

Have to finish the roof and FB door and place shelving, then it's down to the trim and extras.

 

[5oakssmoker]

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• 5oakssmoker
• Jun 2, 2014

Doesn't look like a lot, but got the upper vents in, 9 3/4" holes, used a cork on twine to plug em, twine is so we don't lose em, was my wife's idea, so since she showed some interest, we are gonna try it out lol.

Also got some hardware on and a backing strip to help seal the sides of the door, got some felt tape coming to finish that off.

Lots of little things left, but getting closer!

 

[5oakssmoker]

Got the top rail in for the dowel rods for hanging meat, also got the side rails in for my racks, and got started on my FB door today, its starting to come together.

Roof, trim, racks, and FB door and I'll be ready for a test smoke.

 

[daveomak]

Almost time for smoke ........

 

[5oakssmoker]

Dave I have a quick question, before I get the roof on, and its harder to drill the holes, I currently have (9) 3/4" holes in the top, that I can adjust with the cork plugs, is that going to be enough to draw the heat/smoke up? or should I go ahead and put 2 more 1" or 1 1/4" holes in the top, with a screen that would be open all the time? I just don't want to not have enough of a draw on the smoker, I know the wood build will probably breathe a little, just trying to cross all my t's before it gets harder to make adjustments.

Also, my FB door, is going to slide up and down, instead of putting a bunch of holes in it, I was thinking of just making stops so that I can adjust the bottom gap, say at 1/4" and 1/2", the opening is 21 1/2" wide. Would that be sufficient for inflow, or should I just go ahead with some other kind of lower vent?

The door itself will be a little over 1" thick of solid wood.

 

[daveomak]

Have you thought about drilling 9 3/4" holes in the back wall..... just to match.... plug them the same way and you don't have to use them... The 3/4" holes will allow for plenty of air....

As an aside.. Folks seem to confuse an 8" exhaust on a 500 gallon smoker with what's needed on a smoke house.... Not trying to keep a huge fire going and enough BTU's to keep 1000 #'s of steel warm......

A small fire in a wooden structure that is fairly well insulated, and no heat loss to speak of, needs a consistent air draft to remove moisture from the meat, move smoke, and that's about it....

Not trying to talk down here.... Just trying to explain the "why" so everyone can learn about "old time" smokehouses....


Dave

 

[5oakssmoker]

I thought about the back, but I would have to drill through an insulated wall to do that, the front is 1 1/2" thick solid wood frame at the top plate there, I can drill through it and not worry about having to seal it somehow to keep smoke from going places I don't want it to.

I will probably just make the roof frame so that I can detach it in case I have to make changes, I could probably drill holes large enough for a piece of 1" PVC to fit through the insulation, and just seal it on the inside and outside to keep the smoke where I want it. Thanks for the input.

Not trying to re-invent the wheel, just wanting something a little different is all.

 

[5oakssmoker]

Good News, Bad News...

Good News - Got all the outside trim in place, built the roof and got it in place, built the bottom door and its slide rails. So getting close.

Bad News - When I attached the roof, I must have tweaked the cabinet, now the doors won't close all the way lol, I did have a slight gap before, I dunno if I'm gonna take the doors loose and try to get rid of the gap to make it fit, or take the roof back off, and try to re-attach it without tweaking the door. It is SUPER HUMID atm, it has rained every day for over a week, I'm afraid to take any material off the doors if I can keep from it, because I'm sure once I get a fire going they will shrink some.

Getting close, real close, need to mount the bottom door, and cut down my two oven racks to fit, and make some other racks, then I'm set for Smoke, once  get the doors lined out.

Even got my gallon of Thompson's water seal for the outside, once I'm sure its good to go, probably after the first smoke, I'll coat it.