# HOW TO BUILD MY OWN COLD SMOKER



## spartan1967 (Feb 21, 2013)

I am attempting to build my own cold smoker, I am at the design stage of my build and I plan

on building a portable unit that I can take with me, when its time for me to move, so it will

have to be big enough for me to be able to smoke a couple of hams at a time plus some bacon

and salmon, it must have a minimal 3 racks a couple of hanging poles to hang

my ham .

My wood working skills and knowledge of tools is good, I want to do this right the first time out .

So any advice would be awesome.
	

	
	
		
		



		
			






My questions

What size and dimensions of the smoker ?keep in mind it needs to be portable.

What type of wood can I use to make the smoker ?

How to control the amount of smoke that enters and leaves the smoker ? 

How long should the pipe that carries the smoke from the burner to the smoker be ?

What type of pipe can I use, that carries the smoke ? can I use galvanize or copper ?

I will post a picture of the size and dimension of the smoker I was planning on building

in the next day , let me know what ya all think .

Thanks again

Geo


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 23, 2013)

SPARTAN1967 said:


> I am attempting to build my own cold smoker, I am at the design stage of my build and I plan
> 
> on building a portable unit that I can take with me, when its time for me to move, so it will
> 
> ...


1, What do you want to smoke? Are you going to make your racks or buy store bought? Portability, how big is your car/truck/trailer?

2. You can use most any solid wood, pine, fir, cedar are good options. Some use plywood, but be careful of the types of glues used. Some even use cardboard boxes for cold smoking!

3. Have an inlet at the bottom and an open vent at the top. You can put a ball valve on the inlet to control how much smoke you let in or a damper type depending on how big the inlet is.

4. On my GOSM I have a mailbox mounted right to it, no pipe at all and I don't get any temp increase. Probably depends how you plan to generate smoke. I use an AMNTS from A-Maze-N

5. NOT Galvanized!


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## spartan1967 (Feb 23, 2013)

Dirtsailor203

Dimension are - 6 feet tall

                        - 30 inches deep

                        - 30 inches wide

It just needs to be big enuff to make a ham maybe some bacon and smoke some fish

I have a truck with an 8 ft bed, no problem to haul away, I intend on buying grates

from home depot or a restuarant supply place they shoild have them there.

I think I may opt not to do a hot box and use the pellets/dust from A-Maze-N products

this way i dont have to worry about stokin a fire or using propane or electricty .

just keep it simple , alot of people here are very happy with the A-Maze-N products

thank for your input

Geo


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## dirtsailor2003 (Feb 23, 2013)

SPARTAN1967 said:


> Dirtsailor203
> 
> Dimension are - 6 feet tall
> 
> ...


If you are going to buy grates, build your box around the ones you buy. That way they fit! 

I use the 12" and 18" tube smokers from Todd, and they work great! In fact I just did a cold smoke this morning using the 12" tube. Make provisions in your smoker to hang meats. I remove the racks in mine and use some lath that I have, works great for hanging bacon and sausage.


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## spartan1967 (Feb 23, 2013)

Dirtsailor2003

Good point about the size of grates will look at them this weekend and build smoker and adjust dimensions

if needed, yes I was planning on hanging some meat I was going to use rods (WOODEN TYPES) to hang my ham from

Thanks for the advice

Geo


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## jarjarchef (Feb 23, 2013)

Spartan

This is a build that sounds like it will be up your alley. My daughter and I are working on it. I will be posting more on it later this weekend....

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/136196/not-so-mini-smokehouse-build-w-pics


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## spartan1967 (Feb 23, 2013)

Jarjarchef

Sounds like you and your kid are goin do some bonding , that gives me an idea , i have my kid next weekend

I have some of my supplies and I think
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





 I am going do some father and daughter bondin next weeend smoker build style 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





Thanks

Geo


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## diggingdogfarm (Feb 23, 2013)

Why not an UDS?
That's cheap and portable and plenty big enough for a ham (or two).
Smoke with a A-Maze-N tube smoker.

Actually, I smoke 20lb.+ hams all the time in the $59 Lowes smoker with an A-Maze-N. It's certainly portable.
I drilled a hole on the top for a stainless steel eye-bolt.
I hang the ham in a stockenette with a stockenette hook, works great.
Bacon is hung on the bottom of the grates with bacon combs.













Master Forge 36-in 376 sq in Baked Enamel Green Ch



__ diggingdogfarm
__ Feb 23, 2013







~Martin


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## jarjarchef (Feb 23, 2013)

Geo,

It has been a great experience. It has taken a lot longer then I had planned on. Mostly due to other things getting into the mix. I will say that some of the time issues are mine. I find things I want to do along the way and it adds time. I want this to last a long time and be flexible enough to take almost anything I throw into it....

I am adding more pics from today's progress.....

Jeramy


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## spartan1967 (Feb 23, 2013)

@Jeramy I kinda expect it to take me some time to put together, but looking forward to it

@ diggindogfarm thank you for the advice,I considered a factory made smoker ,but theres something

rewarding and old skool about building your own smoker, I guess not all will agree with me since, I know

it will sit in a corner, until I think of smokin meat again ,call me crazy 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





cheers

Thank you

Geo


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## jarjarchef (Feb 23, 2013)

I would do it again.......even if it never gets used, I will get more out of it then anything else I have......she has had so much fun working on it and talking about it......


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## spartan1967 (Feb 23, 2013)

I feel the same way , thats why I want her to help me , that bonding that only a father and a daughter can have

its priceless, i will be posting pictures over the next month it will take a while since I have her every two weeks

keep u posted


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