Smoke generator

mistertom · Oct 30, 2012

Hello all, I recently completed a smoke generator made from 4" square tube. It is a low outlet style. It seems to work very well, but the gravity feed is not working very well.
I am using maple which I have run through my chipper/ shredder. I am thinking that perhaps the chips are too stringy and light and are binding together.

Has anyone else experienced this and found a simple solution?

I really would like to continue to make my own chips.

mistertom · Oct 30, 2012

The consistency of the chips I am using.

mistertom · Oct 30, 2012

The prototype model.

mistertom · Oct 30, 2012

The bottom of the firebox slants downward to the air inlet to allow ash to fall out (hopefully)! The bottom is made from steel angle inclined at 30 degrees.

mistertom · Oct 30, 2012

Fill port:

mistertom · Oct 30, 2012

Although you cannot see it, the smoke outlet pipe protrudes very little into the box and is cut away on the bottom side. The chips in the photo are still wet, but I did oven dry some to test it. It lights with a match in seconds, smokes very well, however it only smokes for a few minutes before the fuel at the bottom is exhausted and the fire stops.
I will try a weight on top of the chips, but think that might cause them to jam up more.
Any suggestions?

deguerre · Oct 30, 2012

I'm thinking pellets would be your best bet in that device.

Dr_KY · Oct 30, 2012

I would reverse it and blow the air through the top with a venturi effect this will also help to draft the burning up the fuel load.

mistertom · Oct 30, 2012

deguerre said:
I'm thinking pellets would be your best bet in that device.

You are probably right. I have always cut my own smoking wood, so that is a hard step for me!

mistertom · Oct 30, 2012

Dr_KY said:
I would reverse it and blow the air through the top with a venturi effect this will also help to draft the burning up the fuel load.

You are suggesting putting the smoke pipe/ venturi at the top of the hopper? Essentially the smoke would travel through the chips as well as the burn being able to move towards the top as well. correct?

When looking at others I noticed both styles. I can always build another to try it out.

Dr_KY · Oct 30, 2012

Exactly.

SmokerKing · Oct 30, 2012

I built several a year or two back, pellets work the best in mine;

mistertom · Oct 31, 2012

That is nice looking! I will have to get some pellets to try.

mbshop · Oct 31, 2012

i'm a bit confused by yer design. but the chips you are using are to long thus allowing them to jam against the sidewall of the smoker. just make the chips or shredded pices not as long and it should be ok.
here is some basic designs,
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smokehouse-plans/smokehouse-smoke-generator

woodpelletsmoker · Oct 31, 2012

I am doing smoke/grill by gravity feed burner.
I know what I am saying
COLD smoker can not use gravity feed.
Only if you burn fuel in flame, you burn fuel to ash and ash drops down through grate.
But if fuel burns in flame, it is not COLD smoking.
Also your fuel will form Bridge Blocking, gravity feed does not work on your chips.
There is a very simple method to make your smoke generator workable

mistertom · Oct 31, 2012

mbshop said:
i'm a bit confused by yer design. but the chips you are using are to long thus allowing them to jam against the sidewall of the smoker. just make the chips or shredded pices not as long and it should be ok.
here is some basic designs,
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smokehouse-plans/smokehouse-smoke-generator

Which part is confusing? I think if I only use the chipper instead of the shredder the chips will be more uniform and smaller.

mistertom · Oct 31, 2012

mbshop said:
i'm a bit confused by yer design. but the chips you are using are to long thus allowing them to jam against the sidewall of the smoker. just make the chips or shredded pices not as long and it should be ok.
here is some basic designs,
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/smokehouse-plans/smokehouse-smoke-generator

I did look at that information prior to making it. That is mainly where I got the idea from. It is essentially the low nozzle smoke generator design with the addition of the slanted bottom. I had the idea that the slanted floor would allow the ash to fall out. That remains to be seen! Thanks for taking the time to help me out!

mistertom · Oct 31, 2012

woodpelletsmoker said:
There is a very simple method to make your smoke generator workable

Thank you for your input. Could you elaborate on the method please?

Q Junkie · Oct 31, 2012

I also think you may want to delete the 90 deg elbow and direct your air flow straight through the tee into the smoker causing a venturi effect.
Or perhaps I am looking at this wrong.

Q Junkie · Oct 31, 2012

I just looked at it again and I think you just need to reposition the tee so that is perpendicular to the generator and inject air straight though the tee and lose the 90

Smoke generator

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somebody shut me the fark up.

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is Blowin Smoke!

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