Official Smoker Thread

#101
Great looking smoker @Skimafia
I have an older Miller 180 that looks near identical to your 211. I used it, and my Lincoln Powermig 256 both, on my last smoker build.



I got the bug to build a bigger smoker last year.

Having an engineering background, I did the typical engineer thing and went full-retard with the design complexity and build quality. It's a little much just to cook for me and the wife.

I'm particularly proud of my door design. The door weighs 200lbs, yet the counterweight and linking geometry allows it to be lifted with 15 lbs of force. Once the door is up, the force applied by the counterweights, via the linkage keeps the door up with no props or struts. It takes 15 lbs of force to lift the door, it balances at the mid point, and it takes 15 lbs of force to pull the door back down.

It has 2 cooking grates. The lower grate is 3ft x 8ft, the upper grate is 2ft x 8ft.

My design doesn't lend itself to a external manifold like @Skimafia used, so mine uses an internal type, that basically extends the smokestack down into the cook chamber, stopping just above the lower grate.

I fabricated the trailers myself as well. Also overkill, I used 2"x4"x3/16” steel tube. Overall, it's 16ft long and 3000lbs. I used a set of 2, 2000 lb ea leaf springs for the suspension. Since the smokers weight is 75% the leaf spring capacity, it has a fairly soft ride on the highway. Alot of trailer smokers are over-springed and ride rigid Harley.

Unlike the typical smoker made from an old propane tank, I fabricated the cook chamber from 1/4" steel plate.

Myself and @Skookum did a shitload of lifting, plasma cutting and welding on this bitch.








It Cooks great, but is a little overkill for me and the wife.
 
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#102
ken226 said:
Great looking smoker @Skimafia
I have an older Miller 180 that looks near identical to your 211. I used it, and my Lincoln Powermig 256 both, on my last smoker build.



I got the bug to build a bigger smoker last year.

Having an engineering background, I did the typical engineer thing and went full-retard with the design complexity and build quality. It's a little much just to cook for me and the wife.

I'm particularly proud of my door design. The door weighs 200lbs, yet the counterweight and linking geometry allows it to be lifted with 15 lbs of force. Once the door is up, the force applied by the counterweights, via the linkage keeps the door up with no props or struts. It takes 15 lbs of force to lift the door, it balances at the mid point, and it takes 15 lbs of force to pull the door back down.

It has 2 cooking grates. The lower grate is 3ft x 8ft, the upper grate is 2ft x 8ft.

My design doesn't lend itself to a external manifold like @Skimafia used, so mine uses an internal type, that basically extends the smokestack down into the cook chamber, stopping just above the lower grate.

I fabricated the trailers myself as well. Also overkill, I used 2"x4"x3/16” steel tube. Overall, it's 16ft long and 3000lbs. I used a set of 2, 2000 lb ea leaf springs for the suspension. Since the smokers weight is 75% the leaf spring capacity, it has a fairly soft ride on the highway. Alot of trailer smokers are over-springed and ride rigid Harley.

Unlike the typical smoker made from an old propane tank, I fabricated the cook chamber from 1/4" steel plate.








It Cooks great, but is a little overkill for me and the wife.
Click to expand...

Engineer..went full retard...well, it happens. The struggle is real. Fine rig. You pattern that trailor after a Ranger Z series??

E
 
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#103
ken226 said:
Great looking smoker @Skimafia
I have an older Miller 180 that looks near identical to your 211. I used it, and my Lincoln Powermig 256 both, on my last smoker build.



I got the bug to build a bigger smoker last year.

Having an engineering background, I did the typical engineer thing and went full-retard with the design complexity and build quality. It's a little much just to cook for me and the wife.

I'm particularly proud of my door design. The door weighs 200lbs, yet the counterweight and linking geometry allows it to be lifted with 15 lbs of force. Once the door is up, the force applied by the counterweights, via the linkage keeps the door up with no props or struts. It takes 15 lbs of force to lift the door, it balances at the mid point, and it takes 15 lbs of force to pull the door back down.

It has 2 cooking grates. The lower grate is 3ft x 8ft, the upper grate is 2ft x 8ft.

My design doesn't lend itself to a external manifold like @Skimafia used, so mine uses an internal type, that basically extends the smokestack down into the cook chamber, stopping just above the lower grate.

I fabricated the trailers myself as well. Also overkill, I used 2"x4"x3/16” steel tube. Overall, it's 16ft long and 3000lbs. I used a set of 2, 2000 lb ea leaf springs for the suspension. Since the smokers weight is 75% the leaf spring capacity, it has a fairly soft ride on the highway. Alot of trailer smokers are over-springed and ride rigid Harley.

Unlike the typical smoker made from an old propane tank, I fabricated the cook chamber from 1/4" steel plate.

Myself and @Skookum did a shitload of lifting, plasma cutting and welding on this bitch.








It Cooks great, but is a little overkill for me and the wife.
Click to expand...


That thing is beautiful! Makes my smoker look like it was built by a neanderthal! If I ever move into the world of competition smoking, I'll need a trailer smoker
 
#104
Skimafia said:
That thing is beautiful! Makes my smoker look like it was built by a neanderthal! If I ever move into the world of competition smoking, I'll need a trailer smoker
Click to expand...


Well, I did kinda cheat. I used CAD solid modeling software to design, dimension and tolerance each individual part, then to test assemble the components, and modify where needed.


But, mine has a significant downside. It cost 6500$ in materials alone, and over a month of labor.
 
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#105
ken226 said:
Great looking smoker @Skimafia
I have an older Miller 180 that looks near identical to your 211. I used it, and my Lincoln Powermig 256 both, on my last smoker build.



I got the bug to build a bigger smoker last year.

Having an engineering background, I did the typical engineer thing and went full-retard with the design complexity and build quality. It's a little much just to cook for me and the wife.

I'm particularly proud of my door design. The door weighs 200lbs, yet the counterweight and linking geometry allows it to be lifted with 15 lbs of force. Once the door is up, the force applied by the counterweights, via the linkage keeps the door up with no props or struts. It takes 15 lbs of force to lift the door, it balances at the mid point, and it takes 15 lbs of force to pull the door back down.

It has 2 cooking grates. The lower grate is 3ft x 8ft, the upper grate is 2ft x 8ft.

My design doesn't lend itself to a external manifold like @Skimafia used, so mine uses an internal type, that basically extends the smokestack down into the cook chamber, stopping just above the lower grate.

I fabricated the trailers myself as well. Also overkill, I used 2"x4"x3/16” steel tube. Overall, it's 16ft long and 3000lbs. I used a set of 2, 2000 lb ea leaf springs for the suspension. Since the smokers weight is 75% the leaf spring capacity, it has a fairly soft ride on the highway. Alot of trailer smokers are over-springed and ride rigid Harley.

Unlike the typical smoker made from an old propane tank, I fabricated the cook chamber from 1/4" steel plate.

Myself and @Skookum did a shitload of lifting, plasma cutting and welding on this bitch.








It Cooks great, but is a little overkill for me and the wife.
Click to expand...
This truly does sound great, but there ain't no pic's in the post (for me). Did something happen, or is there a problem at my end? Just showing 3 'broken files' icons.

And I'm sitting here drooling at the though of yet another great smoker, I wanna see it!!!!!
 
#106
Sean the Nailer said:
This truly does sound great, but there ain't no pic's in the post (for me). Did something happen, or is there a problem at my end? Just showing 3 'broken files' icons.

And I'm sitting here drooling at the though of yet another great smoker, I wanna see it!!!!!
Click to expand...
20190626-121324.jpg

00n0n-a-Yy-Flt-Az9-U4-600x450.jpg

20190626-121353.jpg
 
#108
Snuby642 said:
So I guess a reverse draw set up?
Do you have a pix of the inside?

What is the benefit of that?

Nice looking rig.
Click to expand...


If you're asking about mine, yea I'll edit and add a few more pics to show more.

yes it's a reverse flow. The smoke heats a heavy steel plate before it enters the cook chamber at the opposite end of the firebox. The plate then radiates the heat up into the cook chamber.

The theory is that it's supposed to give a more even temp throughout the cook chamber.



I don't have any more on my phone. I got a shitload at home on my desktop PC. I'll post more later.

It uses slide out grates everywhere. The cooking grates, warming cabinet grates, even the fire-basket can be removed and sprayed off at the car wash.

 
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#122
@ken226 Is that the steam powered machine from the John Henry story?
Looks like it needs two iron rails to travel on.
All kidding aside, that is a LOT of cutting and seam welding with all that flat iron.
Excellent fabrication, well done and hats off to you sir!
 
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#127
Corprin said:
Wife bought me an Ironwood 650 because she was tired of me sitting all day with my offset. Three cooks with the traeger and I have the offset to a friend.

Here is this past week.
View attachment 7277131View attachment 7277132View attachment 7277133View attachment 7277134
Click to expand...

Haha that’s pretty much what was going on. Since getting the traeger, I’ve done a steak, chicken wings, and today hamburgers using a recipe from traeger. Way faster, way easier, with easier clean up. I’ll probably keep my offset though. Sometimes i do mass cooks during the hunting season.
 
#128
Matches Malone said:
Haha that’s pretty much what was going on. Since getting the traeger, I’ve done a steak, chicken wings, and today hamburgers using a recipe from traeger. Way faster, way easier, with easier clean up. I’ll probably keep my offset though. Sometimes i do mass cooks during the hunting season.
Click to expand...


Yep. Got my pellet machine with the fantastic WiFi and app control in November. I’m on my 5th 40lb bag of pellets right now.

Only issue is getting solid/quick ignition when temps are below 27F. I’m burning through half a hopper doing 14-16hr sessions. Toss on the meat at 9pm, set my cook sequence in the app, go to bed. About 8am I hit the stall, wrap in paper, bump the temp, and play with the kids till 205 degrees. Rest a bit and it’s time for a early dinner.

I do miss acting like an old timey steam locomotive fireman with the offset.... but I’ll happily sell my soul for the eas of it.
 
#129
I’m gonna make the best of this self-quarantine crap. Bought me a slab or two of ribs and going to fire up the smoker.

What temp do y’all recommend getting the smoker to? I usually smoke a butt around 250. And what temp do you pull the ribs and wrap em?
 
#130
I smoke ribs @ 250°

I prefer St Louis style spare ribs, so it may be a bit different if your cooking back ribs. 250° for about 5 to 6 hours.

I rarely use an internal probe in ribs, because the time I use always gets it close enough.

I don't wrap them at all, but I live in an area with plenty of humidity, and keep a water pan in the smoker as well. If you wrap them, the cook time may be shorter, and in that case, an internal probe temp of 200° is what you want, + or - about 2° is acceptable.
 
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#131
ken226 said:
I smoke ribs @ 250°

I prefer St Louis style spare ribs, so it may be a bit different if your cooking back ribs. 250° for about 5 to 6 hours.

I rarely use an internal probe in ribs, because the time I use always gets it close enough.

I don't wrap them at all, but I live in an area with plenty of humidity, and keep a water pan in the smoker as well. If you wrap them, the cook time may be shorter, and in that case, an internal probe temp of 200° is what you want, + or - about 2° is acceptable.
Click to expand...

Manucho appreciated. I’m gonna give them a generous touch of my homemade dry-rub and smoke them just like you said.
 
#141
SRW said:
Old Country Pits, it’s the All American Angus model. Got it at academy.
www.academy.com

Smokers | Price Match Guaranteed

Show off your cooking skills using a meat smoker to enhance the flavor. Shop a selection of electric & charcoal smokers at Academy Sports + Outdoors.
www.academy.com www.academy.com
Click to expand...
They make a really good unit at the right price point.
My smoker started its life as a Old Country Brazos before I did some modification.
They make a great product.
 
#145
I have one of the smokers from Academy. I rigged a propane burner from a fish cooker to sit in the fire box and use a metal cake pan sitting on top to put the wood in. The meat doesn't care what the heat source is, only about the smoke. Once set, the temp never changes so you don't have to stay up all night jacking with the fire. I do 4-5 hours with the smoke, then wrap and finish it in the oven.
 
#149
MVIMG_20200430_172618.jpg
The rub I make.
Equal parts of everything except I half the amount of cayenne pepper
Parika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder, thyme, oregano, brown sugar, pepper, cayenne pepper.

I use a masterbuilt electric. Purists may freak but it works for me. I have had wood smokers and I like the convenience of electric.
 
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#150
DarnYankeeUSMC said:
View attachment 7314781The rub I make.
Equal parts of everything except I half the amount of cayenne pepper
Parika, salt, garlic powder, onion powder, chilli powder, thyme, oregano, brown sugar, pepper, cayenne pepper.

I use a masterbuilt electric. Purists may freak but it works for me. I have had wood smokers and I like the convenience of electric.
Click to expand...

I have one of those. It gets alot my use than my stickburner and works quite well.
 
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