Help modifying concrete building to make a cold smoker

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tdimler
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Help modifying concrete building to make a cold smoker

Post by tdimler » Thu Dec 13, 2012 04:02

I have a concrete building that I am starting to turn into a cold smoker. It is 6' X 8' with an 8' ceiling. The only opening besides the door is a drain hole along the back wall which I am planning on fitting with PVC to make a wash-out in the new concrete floor I am pouring. My original idea was to have the smoke source be inside the house, but I am now thinking of building an external firebox. I need some help with the design. There is no way to get the box underground and come through the bottom of the house like in most traditional designs. Would it be a problem to come through the wall about midway up? Say my fire box was vented at 3ft and I angled up about a foot into the house...

How far away from the house would I need to build the firebox? I am thinking cinder block construction but not sure on the design...photos anyone?

I would likely add a small fan inside to circulate the air/smoke since it would be coming in at an odd spot. Additionally, to keep from boring a hole in the concrete ceiling for a vent, would it work to construct an adjustable vent in the door?

I am open any ideas/suggestions....

Travis
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Post by ssorllih » Thu Dec 13, 2012 04:30

Is there any slope to the ground? You can dig a pit for the fire. You don't need a large fire to fill the building with smoke.
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Post by ssorllih » Thu Dec 13, 2012 04:43

A cast iron dutch oven is big enough for a small fire for making smoke. This smoke source is an 8 inch square flue liner 12 inches tallImage. I believe that you could build a small fire in a cast iron fire pot and just tend it carefully. Flames burn smoke so you must keep flames to a minimum.
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Post by Chuckwagon » Thu Dec 13, 2012 04:44

Travis, there is a "must have" book that will answer hundreds of your questions and deal with problems as they arise. It is "Meat Smoking And Smokehouse Design"... by Stan, Adam, and Robert Marianski.
Don't forget about a "damper" in your construction also. There has to be an ingress of smoke as well as an egress. The ideal rate of exchange is very slow. A computer fan may solve your problem of getting the smoke in, but it has to find a way out also.
To preview the book, log on to Bookmagic.com
Also, you may wish to click on this link: http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smokehouse-plans
When the page comes up, be sure to find "Smoke Houses" at the top-right side of the page. Hover the cursor over the words to see a cascade menu.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by ssorllih » Thu Dec 13, 2012 04:51

12 inch tal fire box feeding an 18 inch tall platform. Image The first test fire. Image
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Post by huckelberry » Thu Dec 13, 2012 07:53

Have you thought about a venturi type set up on the outside? It could be placed very close to the building and you could control the draw with a fan on a rheostat or use an actual venturi type setup with a compressor to supply the air.
As for the vent I would think you would want your it as close to the top as possible for draw and you also need to think about how the smoke will travel, you don't want it to go straigt up and out that is why you will always do better if you can control the exaust as well so a damper is always a plus. A vent is fairly inexpensive and pretty easy to install and the same goes of a damper. All can be purchased at Lowe's or Home Depot.
With an 8' tall roof you will get a good draw on this type of smoke box if you keep the inlet from the smoke box fairly close to the ground, so you will definiately want a damper on the exaust to prevent the draw from becoming to great on the generator or you will end up with more fire than smoke. :shock: Also you would be surprised at how much and how long a fairly small chip box will smoke.
Check out the section on smoke generators.
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smokehouse ... -generator
If you would like I will send you pics. of the one I made if your interested. It is about 6" square and 2' tall and will smoke forever. I've never burned a full load in it but don't have as much area to fill with smoke as you. I would think it would work well if you just upsized it a bit. Good Luck, hope this helped some.
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Post by tdimler » Thu Dec 13, 2012 20:14

Thanks everyone for the input. My power is limited at the location and will just be using an extension cord for anything I need to run while smoking....no permanent power. I am leaning towards a more traditional wood burning fire box to supply smoke due to the aesthetic value and adherence to tradition. It would be possible to dig a pit but I really want the bottom of my fire box to be on ground level to enable easy cleaning of the ashes.

Nothing is set in stone though....

The smoke coming in will be midway up the side of the building, and at a right angle to the damper which I am planning on putting in the door I build. Any issue with this?

Chuckwagon....thanks for the book recommendation.....I ordered it a couple days ago!


Needing some photos of fireboxes.....

Travis
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Post by ssorllih » Thu Dec 13, 2012 21:10

I smoke with solid wood cut into rather small pieces. Generally about four inches long and split into about 2 inch chunks. My fires would fit inside a number 10 can or a gallon paint can. If the fire gets too big then it also get too hot. Image This looks straight down into my fire box. Image Lighting the fire with a propane torch. Image The draft control door and ash clean out. I don't make much ash because the consumption of wood is only about five pounds per day.
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Post by tdimler » Fri Feb 01, 2013 02:37

Well...I'm back on the project and ready to get it up and running. I've attached some photos below...I poured a new slab and step, re-framed the door square, finished out the door with cedar, and have re-finished three of the four interior walls with concrete "parge" which sure looks better. I'm waiting to finish the fourth wall until after I get the hole cut to bring the smoke in. I've built a door out of cedar but haven't hung it yet as I am debating on whether or not to put a vent in the top of the door. My original idea was to let the smoke draft through that vent...but after looking at it, the spot where the smoke comes in won't really be much lower than where it would go out the top of the door. There's quite a bit of distance...over 5 feet, but just not much elevation gain. I'm going to have to use a rotary hammer to get through the cement so it wouldn't be that big of a deal to bore through the ceiling and put a proper stack but I'd like to avoid that if there would be enough pull coming through the door.

Thoughts?

Image

The picture is distorted...the frame is not bowed!

Image

Image

Image

In this one you can see the hole that is started...I'd like to work around that rather than start a new hole, but I could start a new one and make the smoke come in about 1ft lower if it would be beneficial.

Image
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Post by ssorllih » Fri Feb 01, 2013 02:57

Just lay a brick pad loosely on the floor and build a very small fire on that. Close the door and watch where the smoke comes out. keep it simple. A stick the size of your arm will make a lot of smoke. Don't build a fire on the concrete !! So far you are good.
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Post by Chuckwagon » Sat Feb 02, 2013 06:29

Hi Travis,
Man o' man, that is an ideal smokehouse! What a great idea. Have you given any thought about your actual hangers? The concrete floor is great. Good job on the frame too.
Travis, Ross Hill is a pro. His advice is always the best. But the ol' sourdough spells his name backwards though... (ssorllih)
Please keep us posted on what you decide to do with this project. I think it's terrific and should make a first class smoke house.

Best Wishes,
Chuckwagon
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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Post by el Ducko » Sat Feb 02, 2013 15:35

The smoke coming in will be midway up the side of the building, and at a right angle to the damper which I am planning on putting in the door I build. Any issue with this?
If you take Huckleberry's suggestion on a venturi-style smoke generator (above), you probably have enough power in the smoke flow to overcome natural convection. Run a duct down the inside wall to a central location on the floor. That way, you can get smoke throughout, rather than just the upper portion.

Maybe some flexible aluminum dryer duct...?
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Post by ssorllih » Sat Feb 02, 2013 16:33

I can't help but wonder what the original purpose was for that building> It is built like a fortress. May have been an icehouse.
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Post by ssorllih » Sat Feb 02, 2013 16:42

I think in Borden county Texas that it wasn't an ice house.
I think that a lot of thought needs to be given to some framing for supporting racks and hooks.
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Post by Chuckwagon » Mon Feb 04, 2013 09:44

Jail! :shock:
If it looks like a duck, walks like a duck, and quacks like a duck, it probably needs more time on the grill! :D
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