Refrigerator smoker drip tray/heat baffle/still allow smoke flow

[Reliadan]

I am mid-build on converting a 40's steel refrigerator to a smoker. I am to the point of making a drip tray for the bottom that catches drips, deflects the heat a bit, and still allows the smoke to flow. There must be a basic geometry that you experts have found works well. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

 

[pops6927]

I put 3 square bars across my burner, below, and drip pans on top:

Then, I laid 3 aluminium pans on the bars, the center one on top of the other two:

And the smoke just drifted up and out the top back smokehouse vent, coming in on the bottom front vent.

Front bottom vent:

That's all it is, the smoke works itself around the drip pans to fill the smokehouse with lovely smoke!

And, I get the aluminum pans at the Dollar Tree, they're cheap and just toss them out the next day after they cool.

 

[mike243]

What kind of glue do they make plywood with? Be afraid of it my self if any of it gassed off

 

[Reliadan]

I put 3 square bars across my burner, below, and drip pans on top:

View attachment 384650

Then, I laid 3 aluminium pans on the bars, the center one on top of the other two:View attachment 384649

View attachment 384648

And the smoke just drifted up and out the top back smokehouse vent, coming in on the bottom front vent.

View attachment 384651
Front bottom vent:

View attachment 384652

That's all it is, the smoke works itself around the drip pans to fill the smokehouse with lovely smoke!

View attachment 384653

And, I get the aluminum pans at the Dollar Tree, they're cheap and just toss them out the next day after they cool.

I am mid-build on converting a 40's steel refrigerator to a smoker. I am to the point of making a drip tray for the bottom that catches drips, deflects the heat a bit, and still allows the smoke to flow. There must be a basic geometry that you experts have found works well. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

I guess I’m over thinking things. I was planning a lot more complicated system of layered deflectors and a drain tube to the outside.