# Smoker Build in Progress.  (Pic. Heavy)



## slavikborisov (Dec 2, 2021)

Hi everyone I figured I'd share my smoker build. I did not buy or find any plans I just drew it up on paper and looked at other builds online to come up with something that would work for me. 
Yes it is over built I like doing that. No it wasn't cheap but it will last for a life time. 
4'x4'x3' exterior dimensions
2" x 1/8" wall tubing frame with 1/8" steel sheets insulated with 2" thick insulation. (2) 4" stacks (2) 2" inlet air valves and (1) 1" drain.
Will be fueled by 2 Pellet pro patriot grills. Will be cold smoking in here as well. Still tossing around the ideas on how I want to go about the warm smoking temps. The 100-150F range as the pellet pros start at 160 and i want to be able to step my temps up for sausage (still have to experiment with just start flat at 160 and how the smoker will be with damper open / door open so on and so forth.)
Will keep updated as the build finishes up.


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## BigW. (Dec 2, 2021)

Wow, that is impressive.


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## auerjr (Dec 2, 2021)

THAT IS A SMOKER!!!! Thats awesome, nice work.  I'll be following this build.


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## Ringer (Dec 2, 2021)

Excellent work, you are quite a fabricator and I am envious!!


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## SmokinAl (Dec 2, 2021)

That looks awesome!
I can only wish I had a shop like that to work in!
Al


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## Brokenhandle (Dec 2, 2021)

Looks like a great build so far! Can't wait to see it in use.

Ryan


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## civilsmoker (Dec 2, 2021)

Very nice build, that will yield lots o BBQ!


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## pushok2018 (Dec 2, 2021)

That is one awesome smoker! Really impressive.... I would assume it's going to be electric smoker? If so, what kind of elements you will be installing in it (wattage)?


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## Coreymacc (Dec 2, 2021)

Well, you won't have to worry about anyone stealing it thats for sure. Seems like its gonna be a tad heavy
Corey


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## slavikborisov (Dec 2, 2021)

Ringer, BigW, Auerjr, Brokenhandle, civilsmoker, Thank you all I will post and try to contribute as much as I can to this great forum. 

Yes Corey its not light lol but it moves nicely on concrete with those wheels. I didn't plan on mobilizing it a lot just kind of keeping it at the same spot at the house.

Pushok2018 , It will use (2) Smoke Daddy Pelletpro patriot assembly wired together so they are not fighting each other and running off one controller. Smokedaddy has great customer service which drew me to them. As far as electric I was thinking about using some sort of PID with a heating element only for the warm smoking 100-150 F range since the lowest the burn pot will go is 160 on the smoke daddy pellet pros. Still trying to figure that all out and also not sure how much wattage I would need for the volume of the internal cabinet just to get me to 100-150 range. Probably take some playing around to see how the draft and insulation holds up.  

SmokinAl,
Thanks I'm a welding engineer for my company and we got a lot of resources that made this job very nice including lifting equipment and industrial sized welding machines and a painting and blasting booth. I enjoy reading through your posts you have lots of great looking recipes that I look forward to trying.


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## rjob (Dec 2, 2021)

Wow! You have great skills and the resources to support a fabrication of this magnitude. So will this smoker require a reinforced concrete pad at the house to carry the load?


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## bill1 (Dec 2, 2021)

Looks great so far!  So the dual SmokeDaddy PelletPros mount in the square holes in back?  So what are the lower round front openings in the door for?  

Can't wait to see it progress all the way to your patio!


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## slavikborisov (Dec 3, 2021)

rjob haha if it gets any heavier it might lol!! 


Bill1 see the photos below. Air inlet holes for if or when i need them for cold smoking or warm smoking to create a draft. With the pellet pro being a forced air unit I don't really have to worry about it but I threw those in there incase i need them even to just cool it down a little and help move air from bottom to top.


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## Coreymacc (Dec 3, 2021)

Im curious about the pelletpro's will those be strickly for smoke or are you expecting some heat from them? I am designing a large smoker and the pelletpro looks interesting. I notice you plan to use an element also. 

Curious what your plan is for this

Corey


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## slavikborisov (Dec 3, 2021)

Corey,

Pelletpro hopper assembly from smokedaddy will provide heat and smoke, the only reason i mentioned using another element is to add heat for warm smoking since the minimum temperature of the smokedaddy is 160F so that means if you are doing sausage and trying to do a drying step say 120 for an hour 140 for an hour you wouldn't be able to do that with the smokedaddy as its programmed to start at 160. 
They have a smoke setting and they have a regular like cooking setting.


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## Coreymacc (Dec 3, 2021)

Makes sense, thanks for the clarification.
Corey


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## LanceR (Dec 5, 2021)

That's some really nice looking work on a good looking smoker.  I'm a little concerned though that you might need a few more rolls of wire.  Looking at those stacks of wire in the picture of the in-progress grate make me think you are going to run out before the project is through

Oh, and you need a bigger welder.  Send me that little thing and get a real welder..... 

I'm looking forward to seeing it done and smoking.


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## civilsmoker (Dec 5, 2021)

You probably have seen this but 

 fullborebbq
 did a large pellet build...

https://www.smokingmeatforums.com/threads/my-pellet-smoker-build.286067/

PS I wouldn’t call it over built....it reminds me of the X-Fire build my son and me did....well are still doing....it is similar size as yours with 3/16 plate but it is lined with fire brick all around.... I haven’t put it on the scale but calc’d at about 2200 lbs.....but it do a ton of BBQ...lol.










Looking forward to seeing the smoke daddy’s installed. Those do have a very good PID!


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## OldSmoke (Dec 5, 2021)

You know, the first thing you should do before starting a project of this magnitude, is to buy proper tools and learn how to use em!

Just kidding. That is a spectacular build! And, I am quite envious of your shop!


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## slavikborisov (Dec 6, 2021)

civilsmoker said:


> You probably have seen this but
> 
> fullborebbq
> did a large pellet build...
> ...



Love the smoker!!!


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## slavikborisov (Dec 6, 2021)

OldSmoke said:


> You know, the first thing you should do before starting a project of this magnitude, is to buy proper tools and learn how to use em!
> 
> Just kidding. That is a spectacular build! And, I am quite envious of your shop!


Haha thank you!!


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## slavikborisov (Dec 6, 2021)

LanceR said:


> That's some really nice looking work on a good looking smoker.  I'm a little concerned though that you might need a few more rolls of wire.  Looking at those stacks of wire in the picture of the in-progress grate make me think you are going to run out before the project is through
> 
> Oh, and you need a bigger welder.  Send me that little thing and get a real welder.....
> 
> I'm looking forward to seeing it done and smoking.



haha!! thank you and surprisingly I've still had the same original 33lb spool from the start.


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## civilsmoker (Dec 6, 2021)

slavikborisov said:


> Love the smoker!!!



Thanks, we are missing it right now because we are waiting to build the outside covered patio for it at our new house....This summer it will be back on "fire".


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## slavikborisov (Jan 13, 2022)

Had a delay in progress but i'm about ready to fire it up just have to put a gasket around the door and bolt the two pellet hopper on the back and season it up. Got all the sandblasted internals sprayed down with Pam to help season it and she'll be ready to start cooking.


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## bauchjw (Jan 13, 2022)

Awesome work, definitely a craftsman's work! That is a beast, you could use it as a safe room too! Cant wait to see the meats you'll be cranking out!


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## slavikborisov (Jan 18, 2022)

I took video and didn’t get any pictures but I did a first fire of the smoker. Ran excellent.

Few things little things to note for people building smokers.( I had these in the back of my head but wasn’t really sure to what extent as this is my first smoker build)
Im glad I left a gap in between the doors around 3/16”-1/4” as heat expanded the doors and tightened it up. I’m also glad I left adjustment in the handles as same thing happened I was able t o loosen them up as it expanded. 

The lavalock self adhesive gasket worked excellent absolutely zero leaks. When fabricating its difficult to eliminate all warpage and keep everything absolutely flat so I obviously  had gaps here and there but the gaskets took care of all of that.

The smoker would work with or without inlet air valves on the doors as I tried it both with them open or closed since the pellet burners are a forced air unit that draws air from the outside. I will have to Experiment with the lower temps and the heavy D heat diffusers with the wood chunks. 

Tried a cheap simple rub on some drumsticks last night on my second fire of the smoker and wife loved them. The smoker was cold to the touch running at 325F internally. The ability for this thing to get up to temp and hold steady is amazing I'm glad i went insulated and 1/8" walls as PA can get a bit cold sometimes. I two different size diffuser plates and will have to see which ones works better with certain applications. 

I can say I'm happy with the results of my time and money invested in this build. This weekend I am going to try venison ring bologna.


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## jimmyinsd (Jan 31, 2022)

very nice!   really impressive craftsmanship.


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