# The WOPR



## jmastera (Feb 15, 2007)

So instead of cutting holes in my brand new (twice used) Smoke Hollow Electric to possibly fix a vent issue, I have decided to do a little project.  I am going to convert an old Kelvinator Refrigerator into a smoker.  I am driving down the Pueblo CO this Sunday to pick it up.  A guy I found on craigslist was holding on to it for the same purpose but has since moved into an apartment on doesn't have the room for such a larger smoker.  He is giving it away which is even better.  It looks similar to the one in the pick and seems to be in pretty good shape.  I am going to build a Temp Control similar to the one Cheech uses (thanks Cheech for the idea and pics).  I am naming it WOPR from the movie WarGames - I am a huge computer nerd.  I will keep everyone updated with posts and pics

I want to repaint the entire unit, any suggestions on which types of paint to use.  I understand it needs to withstand higher temps , but can I get away with any of the Rustoleum (or similar) products in a spray can?


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## jmastera (Feb 15, 2007)

Also, if anyone in or around Denver is intersted in a barley used electric smoker let me know.  Once I am done with this project I may not have a need for my current smoker so I may be trying to get it in the hands of a fellow smoker.


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## TulsaJeff (Feb 15, 2007)

Good luck on the new project
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Hey.. feel free to post that smoker in the brand new classifieds area of the forum if you like.

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/mod...ame=Classified


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## cajun_1 (Feb 15, 2007)

Keep us posted on your project. I am also in the process of converting a fridge into a smoker, See:
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ead.php?t=2920
and
http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/for...ead.php?t=2992

Intrested on how you do yours.


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## cheech (Feb 17, 2007)

Ya know I am not sure that you need to paint it with high temp paint. The smoker/frig is insulated and the out side of the Wookie is cool to the touch.

My guess is regular appliance paint would work. The Wookie has regular house paint on the outside

Keep us in the loop


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## cajun_1 (Feb 17, 2007)

I agree with Cheech. On the "test drives" with my New Project, the outside of the unit was cool to the touch, while the inside was approx 140*.
BTW: Cheech,Got the burner, gonna do another "test drive" today.
Thanks, will keep the circle going.....


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## lovetosmoke (Feb 17, 2007)

I think a nice Denver Bronco's theme smoker would look good.  I have a friend that used regular paint on his frig smoker and it was just fine.


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## up in smoke (Feb 17, 2007)

You can always grab a can of VHT (Very High Temperature) spray paint at your friendly auto parts storeâ€¦guys use it for engine blocks and headers all the time. Being a graphics guy I think you should give it a flame job or maybe the gates of Hell entrance theme! WooHoo!
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 How about Ice blue metallic and frost the edges with bronze spray (popular mid 70â€[emoji]8482[/emoji]s custom car painting style!)


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## jmastera (Feb 17, 2007)

I looked in to some of the high temp paints and didn't see a lot of color choices.  I'll just do a couple of test runs and see how hot the outside gets before I give it sme color.  I have thought about the flame idea but i'm not so artistic and it just sounds like to o much work but it would look amazing.

I wanted to do it in a gray\blue color and put the letters WOPR on it just like from WarGames but I can't think of what each letter would relate to in smoking terms.  Any ideas?

W.... O.... P.... R.... ?????


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## cajun_1 (Feb 17, 2007)

Pick any color and paint. Presently, doing a "test drive" on my fridge smoker, the inside is 171*, the outside is a cool 46*. Same as the current outside temp.


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## deejaydebi (Feb 17, 2007)

Wood Only Prepared and Reliable

Wood Only Peppered and Ready

Wood Only Pumped and Rightous

Wood Only Primed and Ready  *** my favorite


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## jmastera (Feb 18, 2007)

So here it is.  After a trip down to Pueblo (1.5 hours each way) I finally am in possesion of the fridge.  I did a little disassembly but did not take pics of that.  Here is the only pic so far, I had to stop working on it because the sun is going down and I don't have a workshop.  I did a little test sanding to see how my orbital sander would do, it will take some time but it will do.


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## deejaydebi (Feb 19, 2007)

jmastera -

That's a fine looking fridge. To bad you can't turn it into a kegerator.


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## jmastera (Feb 19, 2007)

I have a lead on another old style fridge.  Not thinking my wife would like it sitting around the house so I may have to pass.  But, it does work so it is very tempting.


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## jmastera (Feb 27, 2007)

So I was finally able to work on the smoker yesterday after work for about an hour.  I have not put any vents, top or bottom, onto the unit but I did throw the 1500 W hotplate (1000 l and 500 r).  After about 35 minutes it was up to about 214 degrees internal temp.  It looked like it was still going up but slowely.  It was getting pretty dark and a little cold so I turned it off and I will continue this weekend.  

Will adding vents to the bottom and top lower my temps or just take longer to heat up?


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## jmastera (Mar 7, 2007)

So I finally had time this past weekend and last night to work on the WOPR.  I will get pics as soon as the paint is done but so far I have done the following.

Removed all plastic (not much) from interior as well as all rubber nubs from the rack pins.

Had to remove the door seal as it was cracked and falling apart, door seems to seal fine without it for now but I will replace eventually.

Sanded (outside) and washed entire unit.  Inside of unit is in extremely good condition so other than the wash I didn't do much.

Removed interior light bulb connector and mounted blank wall plate in it's place.  Drilled hole in wall plate for temp sensor that connects to temp controller (easier explained once you see pics).

Mounted temp controller, outlet and solid state relay to the inside of bottom drawer\storage compartment.

So far that is all I have done except for the test run with the hot plate.  I ordered 5 expanded metal sheets cut to 12 X 24 which is a perfect fir for the inside of the fridge but they have yet to arrive.  I still need to cut the whole for the stack and bottom airflow as well as a hole for the hotplate power cord to feed through.  Hopefully I will get that taken care of this weekend.

Oh and back to what WOPR is an acronym for, I was thinking:
Working On the Perfect Rub
Deb - your suggestions were great but the wife thought of that one and it has to stick.  If I get to build it, she gets to name it I guess.


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## jmastera (Mar 8, 2007)

So I got the wood pan for the WOPR today in the mail.  Tossed it in with a bunch of mesquite and away I went for the first test run with the entire unit put back together.  WOW this thing gets hot, god thing I got the temp controller.  With both burners (1000 and 500) on high it was up to 270 at 35 minutes.  I can't wait to give this thing a real go once it is complete.  I may even give it a run this weekend on a Turkey even though it is not 100% complete.  I'll get pics tomorrow before the sun goes down.


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## starsfaninco (Mar 8, 2007)

Didja get the vent holes cut yet?  I would think with out some ventilation you might get a little creosote.  Once the O2 is gone outta the chamber your wood burning/smoking is gonna stop too I'd think..   Guys correct me if I'm wrong here.

Btw that thing looks awesome.  I wish have some more toys :)


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## jmastera (Mar 8, 2007)

Getting the vents cut is my next step.  I bought a 3in hole saw but once I got home I realized the attachment I have for my drill doesn't fit the blade i bought.  I need to get back to home depot to get the rights peice.  I have also rethought the peices i will use for the vent so i am going to return some things and swap them out.


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## jmastera (Mar 8, 2007)

I imagine once I get the vents in i'll have a better burn.  I did notice that within the first hour the chips were not only burnt to almost ash but they were glowing red hot.  I am sure some of this is due to the amount of heat the burner was putting outt.  Once I have the vents and temp controlled I think this thing will work awesome.


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## peculiarmike (Mar 8, 2007)

I love this thing! When you get the vents in place they will help a BUNCH with your temperature control, give you some regulation other than controling the hot plate. You need some air flow through the smoker.
That piece of Lodge cast iron wasn't cheap!
Paint this jewel with whatever, temp is not an issue. Make sure we get a set of pics when done.
Smoke on!


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## jmastera (Mar 8, 2007)

Actually I got the cast iron plate on ebay for $19 including shipping.


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## jmastera (Mar 9, 2007)

So I am thinking of 2 external additions for the WORP.

1.  Since the door opens left to right, I was thinking of moutning a shelf on the left side of the fridge to set things on.  Any ideas on a mount for this.  I was thinking of the standard shelf mount you usually see on grills.  I guess I could always fabricate a mount out of angle iron. hmmmm

2.  Mounting some sort of light to the top of the fridge just a little back from the front edge.  I would hope to find something with a goose neck or similar so i can adjust the angle of the bulb to point into the frdige for night time.  The are were the smoker is is not in a well lit area.  Any ideas?


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## starsfaninco (Mar 9, 2007)

for the lighting, I'd look at something like this...

http://www.pegasusassociates.com/pro...cueLights.html


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## deejaydebi (Mar 9, 2007)

Just make sure to give yourself some room on the shelf. They always make shelves the size of a dinner plate. That won't hold a huge brisket, a few ribs and a pork butt very well.


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## jmastera (Mar 12, 2007)

So I took a couple of pics during the first smoke in the WOPR.  I have still yet to add the vent mainly because of the lack of seal around the door.  During one of the pre burns I noticed that a fair amount, not billowing but not thin, of smoke was coming from all 4 sides of the door.  I also found that when I went to cut the hole in the top of the smoker that I didn't have the right attachment for the Rigid 3in hole saw bit so i could'nt cut the whole this weekend.  Anyway, the first true test, a 12lb Turkey went beautifully.  No creosote taste, great Cherry\Hickory taste, crispy skin, amazing flavor.  The only thing is I should have taken it out about 5 degrees earlier than I did, it was just a tad bit dry.

I'll keep posting til it's finished.


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## deejaydebi (Mar 12, 2007)

Congrats JM! 

Looks like you could smoke a ton of food in there!


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## jmastera (Mar 12, 2007)

I'm guess and say that I could probably fit 4 12lb Turkeys + 3 maybe 4 Cabbages in 6in round disposable pie pans.  Not sure how the hot plate would handle it with all that grub in there, I think it would be hard to keep up temps with it all in there.

I have also figured out that making mods to the beast is a pain in the rear.  I was thinking of putting in a slide out shelf with door on the right side of the fridge to slide the wood chip pan in and out.  While drilling holes for temp probes and such I found the interior and exterior not easy to cut through.  Since I didn't have the attachment for the hole saw I used my Dremel which cuts through it like butter but the cutoff bits am using go pretty quick.  I'll work through it though I am determined to have an amazing smoker.


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## tender loins (Dec 19, 2007)

Any updates on this thread or link to finished project? Thanks.


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## emtee (Dec 19, 2007)

I use one of the office type lamps that is essentially two long arms with springs to hold tension (Wally World- less than ten bucks). It sits in a base that I permanently mounted to the top of the unit and has a single pivot point. That way I can swing it around from the shelf table to the chamber and pull it down to rack level for food viewing. I also like it because it will pop out of the base for storage in the cooking chamber between smokes. 

And I second or third or fourth the other guys in that any good enamel paint will suffice for the outer skin. Just rough up the surface a bit with a green Scotchbrite pad and spray bomb away.

I have to say that I love a big chamber smoker- of any kind. It does make one feel like a bad *** when opening a huge "vault" door or the like and having the smoke roll out in yer face. Oh, and there's just no limit as to what you can smoke or how much of it you can do at a time. Wanna do a whole side of beef? Yeah, go ahead! How about a small pig? Do it man! Got a whole tuna? Hang that bad boy right in there! Smoke on!!!!

Jeeze, I'm gettin off just writing this!


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## richoso1 (Dec 19, 2007)

I'm with Up in Smoke on the paint job, but you haveto take some pics on that project. I think you hit a main artery on this topic, lots of members thinking the same thing.


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