# Trying to build a smoker....help!



## igor (Jun 20, 2009)

Has anyone ever built a smoker out of an oven?  I got an older oven that still works, and any tips on converting this into a smoker would be greatly appreciated.  Thanx

Todd


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## morkdach (Jun 20, 2009)

this should be a easy conversion is it gas or elec. i have not done this but what the heck give it a try.


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## bud lite (Jun 20, 2009)

Most electric ovens operate on 220 volts.
That means you will need a 220 volt source for your smoker oven.
110 volts just won't hack it.

Don't ask how I know.


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## mgnorcal (Jun 20, 2009)

I'd look at getting an external smoke generator.

Otherwise, especially at 250 or below, the power will be cutting out all the time and it would be hard to get steady smoke out of a wood-chip pan heated by the oven element.


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## morkdach (Jun 20, 2009)

how you know that.


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## igor (Jun 20, 2009)

It is an electric oven.  I don't know whether to use the existing heat element in to bottom of the oven, or to remove it, put a hot plate in the empty drawer below the oven, and cut a hole in the oven floor to let the heat move up into the oven.  I am also thinking that an external smoke source would be a gook idea.


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## davenh (Jun 21, 2009)

I'm not sure how many watts the element is in an electric oven, but if it is say 4000W (should be at least that) you might be ok. At 120V into it your looking at about 1100W. 

Here's a link to a pretty good ohms law calculator. 

http://www.the12volt.com/ohm/page2.asp

If you can measure the resistance of the element, just plug in the numbers. But I would guess your looking at about 1100W or so, maybe more so don't toss it 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





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## davenh (Jun 21, 2009)

You may still be able to use the oven control too, just might need to rewire a little. Can you post the model # of the oven? I would think most ovens still control above 170°. So it would just take longer to reach with less power to the element. Above 170° it should still control and turn the element on and off to maintain temps.

The oven already vents out the top and is probably insulated. If we can get the control to work with 120V, which it may already, put in a chip pan, drip pan you maybe good to go...lol.


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## mgnorcal (Jun 21, 2009)

The oven baking elements are around 2400 watts

Cutting to 120 v from 220 v with that same element will cut the power and give you a peak of 720 watts, which is probably enough for keeping up to 250* or so in the oven, I don't know.

However, if it all works, the element may still be kicking in and out, so you'll need to find a way to keep steady smoke.

I'm no electrician though, so I don't know if the controls, thermostat and stuff will work at all If you find a way to hook it up to 120 v.


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## countrysmoked (Jun 21, 2009)

I would cut a hole in the bottom (line the hole so the insulation is covered) and put the hot plate with the chip pan down there and use the regular oven controls to keep the temps right. A hot plate on low will give you smoke in a cast iron or SS box.  You could add a smoke pistol or some other external cold smoke device but for cheap the hot plate is the way to go.  A friend of mine used the stuff from an old oven to make an old freezer into a smoker, it was 220v but with the controls would hold 225 degrees very well with a hot plate on low with a box for smoke.  Good luck and show some pics of your build if you can.


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## davenh (Jun 21, 2009)

Ya MG's probably right about the wattage of the element, just looked on some sites and they look to range from 2000W to 3500W depending on what model oven you have. I think your still ok. I'd try the element already in there and see if it works for you. Let us know how you make out.


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## bud lite (Jun 21, 2009)

1)  It is normal for the element to be kicking in and out.  That's the way most electric smokers work....including the MES.

2)  The controls, thermostat and stuff will still function on 120 v.


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## igor (Jun 21, 2009)

If my thinking is correct, in order to try the oven at 110v, I will have to disconnect the 220v power cord and replace it with a 110v cord.  I don't believe there is any sort of adapter or converter to turn a 220v device into 110v is there?


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## smokingd (Jun 21, 2009)

Hey igor 
your idea for the hole in the oven and hot plate is exactly what i have done works great give it a go.  And people love to see the oven burning stuff lol


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## mavrick (Jun 21, 2009)

I would try the element that is already in the oven. It should work on 110, if it does not produce enough heat then change it. Just use a large bowl as a wood holder. You will need to add a drip/splash shield so the grease will no drip on the element. Make this shield drain to the bottom drawer into a catch pan. The oven thermostat will work great and do a good job of controling the temp. There should be a hole in or near the top already for smoke to escape. 

The oven thermostat is the way to go I use them on all my electric smokers conversions.


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## igor (Jun 29, 2009)

Well... I am back to working on the oven smoker.  I decided to convert it from 220 to 110.  I then checked it for temp and it seems to hold temp well.  The lowest setting on the oven temp control knob is 200 degrees.  It is holds well at that temp.  The thermometer that I was using only goes up to 220, so I couldn't check it hotter than that.  I don't think I will be able to smoke below 200 degrees though, because when I put the oven on warm, it goes to over 200 degrees.


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## mavrick (Jun 30, 2009)

Unless you are doing some type of cold smoking you won't need to go below 200. I try to smoke around 220 to 250. You can also find thermostats that will go down to 160. You can also sometimes turn the knob back below the lowest setting on the knob and it will run a bit less. Try it and see how you like it!


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## wanbli (Jun 30, 2009)

just replace the plug on the existing cord with a good heavy duty 110v plug, it'll be cheaper than buying a new cord and will work just as well.


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## igor (Jun 30, 2009)

Ok... it is now a 110 oven.  can I put my chip pan directly on the lower element, or do I need it just above?  The reason i ask is that the lowest rack position would put the pan about 2" above the heating element.  I would like to be able to use this rack in the next position up to place the food I am smoking along with my water pan.  I only have 2 oven racks.  The other thing that I am trying to figure out is, being that the lower heating element covers the width of the bottom of the oven, what is the best way to make a drip guard so the drippings don't get on the element.  Here are some pics of the oven.


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## scubadoo97 (Jun 30, 2009)

So what are you going to use as a wood pan over that wide element?  I wonder if you could get a U shaped element that wouldn't cover the entire bottom of the oven.  

The wide element is good for more even heat distribution but you could get uneven heating due to the shielding from the wood tray if it didn't cover the element completely.  Maybe a big commercial aluminum sheet pan would work as a wood tray


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## igor (Jun 30, 2009)

I don't know.  That's a good question.  Anyone else have any ideas?


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## igor (Jun 30, 2009)

Would it make sense to use an external smoke source such as a Smoke pistol and then I wouldn't have to worry about using a chip pan?


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## igor (Jul 1, 2009)

What are some other smoke sources like the smoke pistol?  Are there any that are preferred by most?


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## mavrick (Jul 1, 2009)

You can just set your smoke pan on the element. Try to find a flat or low sided pan. You will need to put some type of grease shield between the food and the element. If you don't it acts like fireworks when the grease hits the element. How much do you plan to cook?


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## countrysmoked (Jul 1, 2009)

the smoke pistol is a good one but you could get by with a chip pan sitting on a piece of the element and braced up on something else. I like a heavy cast iron or stainless chip pan to hold the heat but that is just my preferance. I would try to find another oven rack and cover it with aluminum foil for a drip rack or like somebody else mentioned here a commercial cookie sheet for a drip pan.  Look at junk yards for old oven racks they ussually give them away if you ask for them. yours looks like a standard size oven.  Get yourself a couple good thermometers at least one digital probe for the food, mine have another sensor so i get oven temp and food temp off of one probe.


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## pops6927 (Jul 1, 2009)

I would try at an appliance repair place, they would have old ovens and racks easily.  Or try the dump, or look in the classifieds.
I'd use a couple of cookie sheets with foil on them to use as drip pans, with a cast iron pan or griddle on the element for a wood chunk pan.  You may want to put some pieces of brick or rock under it to support the weight as it could bend or mangle the element when it's hot, but still lay in on the element to get good heat transfer. Usually two cookie sheets fit side-by-side in an oven and would suffice for drip pans.  Just foil 'em so you eliminate the cleanup, and you could lay a piece of foil covering the split in the middle between the two pans also.

Pops §§


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## igor (Jul 1, 2009)

When I lay the two cookie sheets in the oven, they should pretty much cover the entire bottom of the oven, will this allow enough room for the smoke to get up around them?


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## countrysmoked (Jul 1, 2009)

the smoke will go around the cookie sheets


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## mavrick (Jul 4, 2009)

If you use a smaller drip pan, you just need to add some splash gaurd to the side of the oven. That way it will allow more smoke and heat to the upper part of the oven. To do this simply add some metal to the sides of the oven at an angke to flow the drippings into the drip pan.


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## promisekeeper (Feb 10, 2010)

Not sure, but it may be worth a try to go to an RV dealer and check on adapters.


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## iluvribs (Mar 28, 2010)

i got the same idea, glad i did a search and found this thread. i want to get a oven and already thought about drip pans, wood box ect. i like the idea of cutting the hole in the bottom and using a hot plate, would make more room for the drip pan, also i have a chimney on the back of the house on my patio (which has a roof over it) the brick in the chimney has a area to build a fire for cooking and all the smoke goes up the chimney...so i thought if i cut a hole in the back of the oven towards the top and weld a pipe for the smoke to flow out of and go up the chimney and the heat also then this would also help the element to stay on more consistently,i didnt know i could convert the oven to run on 110, that being said can i run a burner or 2 on the stove at the same time (cause i really love dutches wicked baked beans recipe) and i can cook out back out side under roof and out of the weather....need some feedback on the exhaust pipe idea....Thanks.


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## igor (Jun 22, 2010)

Well, it's been a while since I have posted on SMF...or been on the site for that matter.  After my last post last July, I went in the hospital with serious medical problems and the smoker build came to a screeching hault.  I finally just finished the project and got through my first smoke.  I was ambitious and attempted spare ribs.  I ended up using a Smoke Daddy - Big Kahuna for an external smoke source after I converted the oven to 110 v. and vented it.  The ribs turned out great.  I used the 3-2-1 method with mustard and a commercial dry rub for pork.  On one of the racks, for the last 20 min. I used Richards Vermont Made Hot Barbque sauce.  Building a smoker and smoking things is something that I have wanted to do for years.  I want to thank all the people on this forum who helped with advice and encouragement.  Last July, when I went into the hospital, I didn't know if I would ever finish my project, I was able to and am very thankful for that.  Thanx again.

Todd ( igor )   www.strikezonefishing.com


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## sparksnsaaben (Jun 23, 2010)

Congratulations for pulling through your medical issues.  Hopefully they're over.  That's a nice build and the ribs look delicious.


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## igor (Jun 23, 2010)

Thanx.


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## jjwdiver (Jun 23, 2010)

That smile says alot!


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## meateater (Jun 24, 2010)

I'm glad you made it back happy and healthy with a shining qview.


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## bsdguyshawn (Aug 13, 2011)

igor said:


> Ok... it is now a 110 oven. can I put my chip pan directly on the lower element, or do I need it just above? The reason i ask is that the lowest rack position would put the pan about 2" above the heating element. I would like to be able to use this rack in the next position up to place the food I am smoking along with my water pan. I only have 2 oven racks. The other thing that I am trying to figure out is, being that the lower heating element covers the width of the bottom of the oven, what is the best way to make a drip guard so the drippings don't get on the element. Here are some pics of the oven.


How did you go about converting it to 110.  Did you simply wire the Red (L2) as the neutral, and Black and white to the others or did you modify other wiring on the switch for the oven, etc...  I have mine wired with L1 and L2 tier together on the wiring block, white to white, black to black.  Surface units work, clock, timer, lights, etc..  But the element in the oven does not heat up.  I am thinking about pulling our the broiler element to see if that helps.

Any tips are greatly appreciated.


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