# Test run on my home built cold smoker



## West coast island smoker (Jan 28, 2019)

have not being on site for some time due to the fact I finally got my smoker out of my garage and in place outside in yard. I'm doing a couple test runs before I try with my fish. I'm going to be putting in my first run tomorrow morning , so should know pretty soon if I have waisted a lot of time building a smoker. I will post a few pictures and a short video. Please feel free to comment, and I will update on my first run.


----------



## daveomak (Jan 28, 2019)

Beautiful job on the smoker....  The hinges are killer....  Did you make them ?????
Lets see the smoker in operation...   
	

		
			
		

		
	






	

		
			
		

		
	
     ....


----------



## DocSteve (Jan 28, 2019)

That is a great looking smoker.


----------



## gmc2003 (Jan 28, 2019)

Nice job on that build. Looks like it will put out many a good smokes.

Chris


----------



## Bigtank (Jan 28, 2019)

Holy Cow!  That's beautiful!  What kind of wood did you use?  Your wood working skills are amazing.


----------



## weedeater (Jan 28, 2019)

Wow!  That is a great looking smoker.  Can’t wait to hear about its inaugural run.  

Weedeater


----------



## ravenclan (Jan 28, 2019)

That is great !!!! One heck of a smoker and one heck of a build!!


----------



## SmokinAl (Jan 28, 2019)

That is a fine looking smoker!
Al


----------



## West coast island smoker (Jan 28, 2019)

daveomak said:


> Beautiful job on the smoker....  The hinges are killer....  Did you make them ?????
> Lets see the smoker in operation...
> 
> 
> ...


Yes made the hinges myself, tried to send a video but was having problems, smoker is running now with three spring salmon that I caught in summer. Will take a video of it and send out tonight.


----------



## Winterrider (Jan 28, 2019)

Wow, excellent work. That is a thing of beauty.


----------



## West coast island smoker (Jan 28, 2019)

daveomak said:


> Beautiful job on the smoker....  The hinges are killer....  Did you make them ?????
> Lets see the smoker in operation...
> 
> 
> ...





West coast island smoker said:


> Yes made the hinges myself, tried to send a video but was having problems, smoker is running now with three spring salmon that I caught in summer. Will take a video of it and send out tonight.


----------



## West coast island smoker (Jan 28, 2019)

Bigtank said:


> Holy Cow!  That's beautiful!  What kind of wood did you use?  Your wood working skills are amazing.


Western red cedar , timber was from my property, friend milled it for me , and the rest is what you see .


----------



## West coast island smoker (Jan 28, 2019)

ravenclan said:


> That is great !!!! One heck of a smoker and one heck of a build!!


Thank you , I hope it works as good as it looks. It's smoking my first run of spring salmon now , so we will soon know, thanks again for your comments.


----------



## dernektambura (Feb 10, 2019)

sir, that smoker is work of art of meat smoking true beleiver.. my hat off to you ..


----------



## DocSteve (Feb 10, 2019)

West coast island smoker said:


> View attachment 386657
> View attachment 386658
> View attachment 386659
> View attachment 386660
> ...


You should sell them. Im sure plenty of people would part w/ $ for one of those.


----------



## DocSteve (Feb 10, 2019)

West coast island smoker said:


> View attachment 386657
> View attachment 386658
> View attachment 386659
> View attachment 386660
> ...


 Just curious, could you give an estimate on cost invested?


----------



## dernektambura (Feb 10, 2019)

DocSteve I agree. ..he should sell them... beautiful design...


----------



## West coast island smoker (Feb 10, 2019)

Thanks for your comments, I've being on a almost non stop smoking for the last three days , being fun where having quite the weather . Between the 50 mile hour winds, the snow and consistent lower temperatures for us it's being a good test for the smoker and getting the consistent heat that you want, but all seems to be working well. For the cost of the smoker, hard to put a number to it, material wise other than the lumber which was my own from property, and no cost to mill it, I would say $1500.00 in material only. Cost of materials where I live is high compared to the U.S. Labor that's other thing, way to many hours spent, Im sure it would go quicker the second time, but not in a rush to start other one yet. Thanks again for your guys post, enjoy!!!


----------



## West coast island smoker (Feb 10, 2019)

daveomak said:


> Beautiful job on the smoker....  The hinges are killer....  Did you make them ?????
> Lets see the smoker in operation...
> 
> 
> ...


In all the pictures the smoker is running. The last picture was about 1/2 hour ago where I dug path out to it. Right now there are 15 sockeye salmon in it running a cold smoke. The other pictures of the fish was after a hot smoke. Would send video but I can't seem to download it. Hope you enjoy the pictures as I'm enjoying smoking finally. Thanks!!


----------



## daveomak (Feb 11, 2019)

Beautiful pictures....    The fish looks very much worth eating....  Wish I was there..


----------



## ravenclan (Feb 11, 2019)

Great looking smoker and smoked fish!!! I can send you my address so you can send me some of that great looking fish!

Points for sure!!!


----------



## West coast island smoker (Feb 11, 2019)

Thanks, I can see if I can ship across border send me your details. What are you interested in cold or hot smoke ? I'm about to do a yellow fin tuna that my friend just brought back from Mexico . It's in brine from yesterday and will start cold smoke shortly. Just finished 15 sockeye salmon , took up three of my six shelves, it would appear that I can get quite a load of fish in one smoke if completely filled. Will inquire about shipping, I have a lot so don't mind giving up the fish, be interested how much the shipping would be ?


----------



## ravenclan (Feb 12, 2019)

I am from Alaska and when i was a kid my grandparents would ship smoked and dried fish to my mom along with all the other "food treats" that we could not get. Things got interesting when one of the boxes was "torn" and the smell of the dried/smoked fish was out. The postman told my mom "I think some thing in the package was spoiled!". We got a good laugh out of that.


----------



## West coast island smoker (Feb 12, 2019)

ravenclan said:


> I am from Alaska and when i was a kid my grandparents would ship smoked and dried fish to my mom along with all the other "food treats" that we could not get. Things got interesting when one of the boxes was "torn" and the smell of the dried/smoked fish was out. The postman told my mom "I think some thing in the package was spoiled!". We got a good laugh out of that.


I could see that , I had no time today to check as had a bit of trouble with my boat house and all the snow we got recently. I will attach a pic of it. I'm more interested in what the issue would be shipping across boarder , guess I will find out. I know people ship there catch when they come fishing here and take it home, so there shouldn't be an issue.


----------



## daveomak (Feb 13, 2019)

Is your boat a Grady-White ????  Looks like one from here...


----------



## West coast island smoker (Feb 13, 2019)

daveomak said:


> Is your boat a Grady-White ????  Looks like one from here...


No it's a proline , 27 foot twin 200


----------



## daveomak (Feb 13, 2019)

Hope there was no or very little damage...


----------



## 2008RN (Feb 13, 2019)

Wow, what a work of art. That is beautiful, I love the shelves, hinges, light. It all comes together. Not only that, the fish looks great!  Fantastic Job!


----------



## West coast island smoker (Feb 14, 2019)

daveomak said:


> Hope there was no or very little damage...


Ya it was about 2 inches from my radar dome , antenna was bent over but did not break, got extremely lucky. Back in 1996 we had a huge snow fall and had three feet in one night, which added to the foot that was already there. At the same marina that my boat is in and where that picture is , there where 77 boats that went down due to the boat house over weighted with snow. It pulls the boat down enough to get water through suppers , drain holes etc...  I'm glad I was not the first one since back then to loose a boat due to snow. Completed a cold smoke on some yellow fin tuna, turned out great. My friend dropped off some marlin and wahoo , I have never smoked either of these fish, if anybody has any tips would be appreciated, thanks .


----------



## West coast island smoker (Feb 14, 2019)

2008RN said:


> Wow, what a work of art. That is beautiful, I love the shelves, hinges, light. It all comes together. Not only that, the fish looks great!  Fantastic Job!


Thank you for those nice words. There was some concern when building the racks on how they would perform , but I have to say they are great , have now done five runs through smoker, cold and hot , there is very little stickage , and what did stick came of with a quick brushing , there is way less sticking in these compared to the stainless ones I used in my old smoker . Thanks again for comments, enjoy!


----------

