# Anyone have any ideas on building a smokehouse???



## budalcorn45 (Feb 20, 2008)

I once saw a picture of one that a guy made using an old outhouse style building, and he would roll his charcoal/wood into the shed on a little red wagon with what looked like curtain rods strung across for hanging meat. I would think that this idea might work...I think I would wash the walls first though.


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## wvbowhunter36 (Feb 11, 2009)

just make sure its not really an old outhouse or you will have stinky smoked meat.


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## DonsHarley (Sep 10, 2003)

Ther was a guy on the mathews forum that made one useing a propane burner and I think he had all the specs on it. It was very well built try searching there


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## swebs (Mar 26, 2008)

Depending how big you want it, an old upright freezer or refrigerator works great. Thats what some people I know use.


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## bassman417 (Feb 24, 2009)

swebs said:


> Depending how big you want it, an old upright freezer or refrigerator works great. Thats what some people I know use.


Thats what we use. If thats the route you go make sure its an OLD freezer or fridge. I cant remember what year they started lining the inside with plastic but obviously you want one thats all metal. Id give you specs but my dad made them several years ago so I dont know. Ill be making one in the next few months so its gonna be all new to me too.


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## Noeardgoat (Mar 23, 2009)

Doesn't a lot of the flavor actually come from the wood that is smoked? How do you get the same effect with a propane burner? Or does it use wood too? 

Bassman Please post a thread of your smoker build-up when you do it.


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## switchbackmat (Feb 2, 2007)

from what i understand is you put the bunner under a metal plate with wood chips and water. that crates the smoke. Not sure though, never done it. i just want to get back to fishing again and the word is we are gonna have a heck of a Pink salmon run this year.


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## kzz1king (Jan 21, 2007)

The one I use is an old fridge and it has the plastic lining. We use a stovetop burner and a cast frying pan to put the chips in. Have the rheostat hooked up and thermometers top and middle that can be monitored from the outside. The plastic warped at first but has been good after that. I am not sure I would use open flame type heat with it though. Its about 5 years old and seasoned preety well now. Makes you hungry just opening the door.:teeth:


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## bcbow1971 (Oct 24, 2007)

I have seem cinderblock house designs. My buddy uses a steel homemade upright smoker. The cinderblock and or any box style smokers work great with indirect heat/smoke. If you can place the smoker off ground or up a hillside and have a seperate smoke chamber and flue, like in a stove, that allows the smoke to travel up and with the slight heat also will rise. I am still working on my plans myself but I want to use cinderblock but I can get wood alot cheaper, especially since I can get slats from the Amish for $10 a bundle.


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## amstaff (Mar 24, 2009)

I have made about 3 smokers in my life. All of them used metal 55 gal drums that have been triple-rinsed and left open to dry.( very important as you want to make sure all residue is out of them). The best design I had was (and you will need 2 drums for this) to weld down the lid on one, cut it length-wise,weld on hinges so it operates like a clam shell, bolt on legs, go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy enough pipe and fittings to go in the 2 inch bunghole to make a stack. Use re-bar or all thread to make your racks out of just lay them in side so the meat will hang . Cut a hole in the bottom of the end opposite your stack bolt the other drum to this end but do it so the drums are off-set. This lower one is your fire box. You can either cut a top door in this drum or just hinge the lid on the other end your choice. Piant with high temp grill paint and you have a smoker!! I have one here that I am in the middle of building I will get a picture posted so this is easier to see


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## amstaff (Mar 24, 2009)

I have made about 3 smokers in my life. All of them used metal 55 gal drums that have been triple-rinsed and left open to dry.( very important as you want to make sure all residue is out of them). The best design I had was (and you will need 2 drums for this) to weld down the lid on one, cut it length-wise,weld on hinges so it operates like a clam shell, bolt on legs, go to Lowes or Home Depot and buy enough pipe and fittings to go in the 2 inch bunghole to make a stack. Use re-bar or all thread to make your racks out of just lay them in side so the meat will hang . Cut a hole in the bottom of the end opposite your stack bolt the other drum to this end but do it so the drums are off-set. This lower one is your fire box. You can either cut a top door in this drum or just hinge the lid on the other end your choice. Piant with high temp grill paint and you have a smoker!! I have one here that I am in the middle of building I will get a picture posted so this is easier to see


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## bcbow1971 (Oct 24, 2007)

Very Nice.


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## Bucket (Jan 6, 2006)

I've made a couple, one out of a 1950 fridge (gas) and one out of 55 gal drums (wood). Like was said, if your using the fridge, make sure the inside is all metal.


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## amstaff (Mar 24, 2009)

Love the wood smoker. Also kinda looks likeyour scared your pig to death:mg::smile:


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## bcbow1971 (Oct 24, 2007)

Bucket very nice setup and ideas with the flue and the dampeners!!!

Two questions though........with it being so tall......how many people to get the pig up and down....LOL.....

And what the heck is that hanging behind the head of the pig.....LOL


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## waiting4fall (Sep 20, 2007)

This guy is awesome. Hope this helps with your ideas.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w4hrcRNx_i4&feature=channel_page


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## promod1385 (Oct 3, 2007)

My dad has a fridge type smoker lined with Oak and has some hooks and racks built into it.


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## SEAL Archer (May 14, 2008)

A steel drum sitting upright also makes a nice smoker. First it needs to be cleaned of any residue (it might have been used for oil or something), burning it out is simple. Then cut a small door (cutting torch or grinder) in the side near the bottom and install hinges. Drill holes in the sides to install steel rods across the drum. pick up some old round BBQ grills that fit the size drum you have and insert them to rest on the steel rods. With this method, you may have many levels of grills on which to put your smokable flesh or just use the rods to hang meat or sausages. We had started out with a pan of briquets on the bottom with a pie tin of chips on it, but quickly migrated to an electric hot plate with an old cast iron skillet full of chips. We had a piece of plywood on the top with a small hole cut int the top to allow smoke to escape.

When camping we would just use a couple of cardboard boxes and a cookie cooling rack...as in my attached newpaper article.


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## Noeardgoat (Mar 23, 2009)

I think the best smoker I have seen is in my hometown of Glen Ellen, CA. I used to have pics, but can't find them. It was built by a famous author, by the name of Jack London. He had one of the most beautiful plots of land setup with all the ammenities a man could ask for. The smoker was built out of rock blocks and concrete, and was huge. He also had his own pig farm hence the need for the smoker. 
Generic google found pic:


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## moosehaven (Nov 28, 2006)

I've built 3 out of old stainless steel double door refridges. Any older fridg will work. Simplest method is to use a 110 hot plate hooked to a thermesat to control temp. You will need a draft and a dampner, also a pan to put wood chip in. This is basic, if your interested in the more complex design that I have been using PM me.:darkbeer:


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## bn2hunt (Dec 31, 2007)

Here's the one that I made

http://bn2hunt.googlepages.com/homemadefreezersmoker

Just an old chest freezer that I found and cleaned up.


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## hoagie55 (Dec 1, 2007)

My brother just built one using a metal garbage can, a hot place, a rack, and then a baking pan to hold the wood chips. I have not seen it yet, but he has cooked dinner in it 5 nights each week for the past two weeks and is loving it.


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## Bucket (Jan 6, 2006)

bcbow1971 said:


> Bucket very nice setup and ideas with the flue and the dampeners!!!
> 
> Two questions though........with it being so tall......how many people to get the pig up and down....LOL.....
> 
> And what the heck is that hanging behind the head of the pig.....LOL


I used the double drum wood stove kit from Vogelzang.... http://www.vogelzang.com/barrel_stoves.htm

A little time consuming, but all in all a pretty easy project.

That pig was a shade under 100 pound, two guys could put it in without much trouble...taking it out hot was a different story. A better handle system will have to be developed before we do another. 

As for the "thing" hanging from the head....it's the tongue.


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## WSmitty01 (Feb 1, 2006)

> I've made a couple, one out of a 1950 fridge (gas) and one out of 55 gal drums (wood). Like was said, if your using the fridge, make sure the inside is all metal.


So where does all that pig fat go???
How do you clean the ashes out of the bottom,,,(hinged access)


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## Bucket (Jan 6, 2006)

If you look close at the pic with the pig, you can see a tube running from the bottom of the top barrel. The dog gets his lips burnt trying to lick it.

The ashes aren't much of a problem. A good hot, small fire is all you need and the ash from it is minimal, but, the lid comes off the bottom barrel for cleaning.


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