Newbie here needs help??

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ironmike323

Newbie
Original poster
Oct 2, 2013
27
10
St Louis,Michigan
Hi just built new wood smoker it is 4ft tall,26 inches deep and 2ft wide with four racks.I will be ussin g hot plate and a amazin  smoker.It is built out of tounge and groove 1x8 pine.I have door on front and small door on bottom to maintain smoker and hot plate.Question is where do i vent top and bottom and how big of vents?I have been reading and some say for exhaust vent in top or bring it down closer to top rack so heat rises and comes back down to excape..I will lose a little through the roof and door maybe.Also do i offset vents say intake on one side and exhause in top at oposite corner??

So where to vent?

What size vents?

Offset top and bottom?

Do i exhause vent on top or somewhere else?

help is appreciated also what do you use if wanting to insulate?
 
not to be smart a$$  but i humbly suggest you take some time and search the board for a while.  theres a lot of good info here, i just joined, but i am not a stranger to forums.   from my experience as a top poster on another forum of an unrelated topic (fishing), one thing i know folks dislike is someone just jumping in and asking a question without saying hi first and not doing a little research, particularly if you questions does not have pictures associated with it, it is very difficult to answer anything that it visual like your quandry. 

I don't mean to be rude here since i am new to this site, but i am not sure if you will get much of a response otherwise, ( i may very well be very wrong 

hope you find the fixes you need. 
 
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not to be smart a$$  but i humbly suggest you take some time and search the board for a while.  theres a lot of good info here, i just joined, but i am not a stranger to forums.   from my experience as a top poster on another forum of an unrelated topic (fishing), one thing i know folks dislike is someone just jumping in and asking a question without saying hi first and not doing a little research, particularly if you questions does not have pictures associated with it, it is very difficult to answer anything that it visual like your quandry. 

I don't mean to be rude here since i am new to this site, but i am not sure if you will get much of a response otherwise, ( i may very well be very wrong 

hope you find the fixes you need. 
This is where we are different from most forums.. I can appreciate that most sites and perhaps members at other sites dislike folks who ask before searching, we don't mind that here.

The common practice here is to ask the question first then, if you don't get an answer within a minute or two, perhaps do some searching while you wait.

We are different and better than most forums but then.. I'm partial
biggrin.gif
 
 
Hi just built new wood smoker it is 4ft tall,26 inches deep and 2ft wide with four racks.I will be ussin g hot plate and a amazin  smoker.It is built out of tounge and groove 1x8 pine.I have door on front and small door on bottom to maintain smoker and hot plate.Question is where do i vent top and bottom and how big of vents?I have been reading and some say for exhaust vent in top or bring it down closer to top rack so heat rises and comes back down to excape..I will lose a little through the roof and door maybe.Also do i offset vents say intake on one side and exhause in top at oposite corner??

So where to vent?

What size vents?

Offset top and bottom?

Do i exhause vent on top or somewhere else?

help is appreciated also what do you use if wanting to insulate?
Mike, you are asking some questions here that require some expertise. This is not my area of great knowledge but someone should be around soon that can help you out directly with this.

Welcome to the site by the way and congratulations on the new smokehouse!
 
Well sorry for looking for some info and help.Looks like this place is a little to moody and unfriendly.The first response i get is kinda rude.The idea in joining a new site is to learn things and talk to different people.I believe i will look for a new site to join.Im sure there are some great people on here and sorry if i offended some of you.thanks
 
 
Well sorry for looking for some info and help.Looks like this place is a little to moody and unfriendly.The first response i get is kinda rude.The idea in joining a new site is to learn things and talk to different people.I believe i will look for a new site to join.Im sure there are some great people on here and sorry if i offended some of you.thanks
The reply you received is in no way a representation of the folks on this site.  Please note the join date//time of the guy who answered you.  He joined ~ half an hour after you did.  He's a new guy and is not familiar with how things are run here.

I'd hope the fact that Jeff, the owner of the site, responded quickly to correct the situation would indicate that the first responder is not a representative.

I'd hope you give the folks here an honest chance to correct the situation.  There are some folks who know smoke houses backwards and forwards who will answer your questions I am sure.

If not, I completely understand that a first impression is a one time opportunity and you do not have a good one.
 
Yeah its ok just kinda hit me funny.I will put some info about myself on soon.really busy with daughters homecoming.I will post pic of smoker tonight when i figure out how to do it.lol That way you can see what im dealing with.thanks guys.So lets start over here.lol
 
hey ironmike please accept my fullest apology.....I was wrong and am truly ashamed of my behavior

Don’t judge the site based on my idiocy.

As i said I’m new to the site and probably should have kept mouth shut.

Now to everyone else…I am also sorry I made assumptions….hope this doesn’t taint my place here, I hope we can move on from here.  

feel free to throw darts...
 
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hey ironmike please accept my fullest apology.....I was wrong and am truly ashamed of my behavior

Don’t judge the site based on my idiocy.

As i said I’m new to the site and probably should have kept mouth shut.

Now to everyone else…I am also sorry I made assumptions….hope this doesn’t taint my place here, I hope we can move on from here. 

feel free to throw darts...
Well done.  A smaller man would have bowed up.  You have proven yourself to be the bigger man by your apology.  That shows class.
 
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Yeah its ok just kinda hit me funny.I will put some info about myself on soon.really busy with daughters homecoming.I will post pic of smoker tonight when i figure out how to do it.lol That way you can see what im dealing with.thanks guys.So lets start over here.lol
Mike, this should help you with uploading pictures:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/125263/how-to-upload-a-photo-q-view-to-your-post

I recently built a house but it is about twice the size of yours with only one door. I installed 2 intake vents and 2 exhaust vents. I used adjustable register/grills and they are mounted on the sides. 2 intakes down low (of course) on opposite sides but not across from each other and 2 intakes at the very top on the front and back, again not across from each other. Being they are adjustable I have complete control over airflow and get a great crossflow inside the house. 

With yours being so much smaller I don't think you would need 4, but having the exhaust not inline with the intake will give a more even flow of air. The adjustable grills are nice because I can close them when not in use and also control the air. Not to mention they are a breeze to install!

Here is a link to my build where you can see the vents and how I installed them:

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/140513/daves-smokehouse-part-9-test-runs

I hope this helps and if you have any other questions or need any help navigating around the forum don't hesitate to ask!

Also we would like you to swing by "Roll Call" and let us give you a big SMF Welcome!!!

Thanks,

Dave
 
 
Hi just built new wood smoker it is 4ft tall,26 inches deep and 2ft wide with four racks.I will be ussin g hot plate and a amazin  smoker.It is built out of tounge and groove 1x8 pine.I have door on front and small door on bottom to maintain smoker and hot plate.Question is where do i vent top and bottom and how big of vents?I have been reading and some say for exhaust vent in top or bring it down closer to top rack so heat rises and comes back down to excape..I will lose a little through the roof and door maybe.Also do i offset vents say intake on one side and exhause in top at oposite corner??

So where to vent?

What size vents?

Offset top and bottom?

Do i exhause vent on top or somewhere else?

help is appreciated also what do you use if wanting to insulate?
Mike, afternoon.....   WOW...... what a greeting....  

Anywho.....   Vents....   I recommend furnace floor vents.... the kind you can close....  In that size smoker, they probably won't be open too wide.. find the smallest you can get...    2 on each side... at the bottom of the wall and near the top of the wall...   With your size smoker, in the vertical center of the wall would be good...  you would have about 8" on each side of the vent...    I hope that makes sense...  Sometimes my brain gets Waaaaaaay ahead of my fingers when I type....   Any further question, PM me, or post it here....  I'm positive the greeting you received is an anomaly...   Some folks think all forums are run the same..... Well, it ain't so....  we don't criticize folks for anything here...   Please accept my apology for the rude behavior.....   really....   

That being said, I hope the rest of your day is fantastic.....    

Dave
 
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Here is the smoker.It will have a ceiling in it.I just need some tips on venting and setup.I am gonna install door seals the latches i built they are spring loaded to keep pressure on door i Know they will have some warp when heated.What do you guys finish with wont be outsideonly when smoking.I have to add wheels and handel yet so it can be moved?>??Any suggestion are apreciated as i am new to this.
 
The bottom drip pan is 12 inches from the bottom and racks are 6 1/2 apart.Im understanding that i want to offset intake and exhaust?do i want intake right beside or just above amazin smoker and hot plate.And then maybe a register on roof on opposite side?It will have ceilinbg in it or do i want exhaust opposite side on side of smoker just above last rack??like i said new to this thanks for patience.
 
That is a really nice looking house!!! You got skills!!!
I would put the intake right next to the AMNPS, you should be able to move it away from the intake if it is getting too much air. I would put the exhaust as high as I could, right against the ceiling. On opposite side so you get good airflow, you don't want the air just walking up one side and not flowing through the house.
 
Now that is one awesome smoker and you are an outstanding craftsman!!!! Can't help much with the operation/build etc but I do love that smoker. 

Here's a big propane/electric that my significant other built for me and shows the type of vent DaveO was speaking of, if you are interested.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/141060/finally-got-a-propane-smoker-and-more

Great smoker...can't wait to see it in operation!!!
 
 




Here is the smoker.It will have a ceiling in it.I just need some tips on venting and setup.I am gonna install door seals the latches i built they are spring loaded to keep pressure on door i Know they will have some warp when heated.What do you guys finish with wont be outsideonly when smoking.I have to add wheels and handel yet so it can be moved?>??Any suggestion are apreciated as i am new to this.
nice dart!!  now i am truly humbled.....that!! my new unwilling friend .....is a piece of art......

i'm going to go over here for a while---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------> 
 
Mike, morning.....   Forget what I said about the vents....   I have a better prospective now, after seeing the smoker....    Start by drilling holes...  I'd drill a 1" hole in the top center of the side wall, left and right sides....     Same on the bottom.... center of the wall at the bottom of the wall, each side.....    After testing the smoker with heat on, smoke rolling etc. an eyeball view of how the smoker is breathing would decide if more holes were needed....   I would start at the top with extra holes....   Cold air entering the bottom, hot air leaving at the top...  the air expanded and would need a larger exhaust point...  

Oh, by the way.... that is one nicely engineered, and beautiful smoker...  Actually, it looks like a smoker Cabela's would have in their catalog... If it cooks as good as it looks, you have a winner......   Dave
 
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