Firebox for the smoker

[nate85]

Well I had to go and build another smokehouse. I had a large one but gave it to my cousin cause I didn’t use it like I did. I bought a Masterbuilt 30 a few years back and have been using it. It quite working on me and never being happy with it I built this one. Like the one before it’s electric based and ran off a PID system I put together for excellent temp control. The only thing is it never got the bark like using wood or charcoal. So this time I’m integrating a charcoal/wood stove to fire the smoker also using the PID to keep temps for long smokes. The inside chamber is only 12” deep x 18” wide x 42” tall. Any ideas for a small wood stove I can pipe into the smoker? Ideally I’ll pipe it so it will keep it 70-100 for my bacon smoked. I have access to an unlimited number of metal 5 gallon buckets but I feel even one of those might be to big. What are you guys using for your smaller smokehouses

 

[mike243]

Look up the mail box mod they have been doing, should be simple to do with a bucket and a lid, its over in the electric section

 

[daveomak]

How about a cast iron dutch oven.... Get the wood going and set the lid on it with the lid cracked to adjust the air flow... That's how the old timers did it, in their bigger smoke houses, in a 5 gallon bucket... Use a weed burner to start the smoking wood....

 

[nate85]

I’ll check out that mailbox mod, thanks for the heads up mike243

I thought about doing that with the bucket Dave but I really want some hot coals in there also. I thought about setting it up and have the pipe coming out the lid and just lifting it off to replenish charcoal or wood but I’m not sure how I’d control air flow down below the coals

 

[daveomak]

I thought about doing that with the bucket Dave but I really want some hot coals in there also. I thought about setting it up and have the pipe coming out the lid and just lifting it off to replenish charcoal or wood but I’m not sure how I’d control air flow down below the coals

Fill it with wood and coals... Start the fire.... Adjust the lid to allow more or less air into the DO..
Set the DO inside the smoker... Set it up on bricks or something so you don't burn down the smoker....
It WILL work... may take some learnin'... Lawn chair and a six pack on ice... You'll get there...
You will need upper and lower air vents in the smoker...