Smoker Design Discussion

Interesting topic, Ray. It should generate some good info.

Howsabout you goin' over to the Cattle Call and introducing yourself!

If I were to build a cooker, it would have wheels so I could take it where ever. It would also be big enough to cook plenty of food but not to big where heat and smoke is wasted on empty space. A squared unit I think would maximize cooking space. The rounded units have that dome at the top where you can not put anything.

A UDS is probably the most bang for your buck. You don't need to weld. It's fuel efficient. It has a large capacity (4 briskets or 8 butts with two racks) and if you are creative, you can build the whole thing for around $60.

Puppyboy said:

If I were to build a cooker, it would have wheels so I could take it where ever. It would also be big enough to cook plenty of food but not to big where heat and smoke is wasted on empty space. A squared unit I think would maximize cooking space. The rounded units have that dome at the top where you can not put anything.

Click to expand...

Be careful of a flat top. In some smokers(but not all), condensation will drip that nasty creasote water onto your meat. I think that the reason so many smokers have a domed lid is to direct any condensation down the sides. It is a whole lot easier to make a flat lid than a domed lid...

I did not think of that Noah. Figured there was a reason for the dome though.

Whats a Double Barrel Smoker? I figured the part that it might have 2 barrels, anyone has pics?

A guy here in town has one of the double ones. Kinda neat but watch out not to burn your knees.

Ray,

I seriously doubt you will find an iota of difference in the quality of product from all the designs out there!
The cook learns the cooker and adapts to it's personality and the meat really does not care!

If I were to build my ideal smoker it would have:
Primarily Stainless Steel construction.
Be a "vertical design" in the smoke chamber.
Run as long as I could ever want without refueling or fussing with the fire.
Allow a variety of properly seasoned clean wood flavors without maintaining a separate "wood yard" to produce and store them.
Allow temp control to just a couple of degrees.
Be super easy to clean.

I am not talented enough to design or build something like that, so I just bought it!

There are a ton of great designs in use.
The WSM design and it's big brother, the UDS, work very well. Simple to load and stabilize and little "fuss" as the cook progresses.
The Bandera design, especially if built bigger like Phil's MOAB or Midnight's cooker (do a search for those) have a lot going for them.
The traditional horizontal log burner looks "sexy" and is a mainstay in the BBQ world. Without "reverse flow", the various temp zones can be used to your advantage. With "reverse flow" (ala Lang), you can have a larger area of even temps if that is what you want.
The "stacked" cookers with the fire in a chamber below and/or separated from the smoke chamber work very well.

They only thing I would suggest is that you plan and build a "mid-size" smoker, whatever that means. If you are thinking small, it is cheaper and easier to just buy a WSM or small sheet metal horizontal from Wally World.
On the large side--no need to build a HUGE pit you will never use either. Waste of time and money.
But, do allow expansion in space from what you are doing now--Trust me, your needs will grow, not get smaller :lol:

Figure what you need, pick a design you like, and do it!
When you pick a design and do a cost projection--stop and take a look at the market. You may find that a couple of WSM's, a Spicewine, a Lang/Klose, or whatever may not be that far off your costs and are proven designs. No engineering needed!

Have fun!

TIM

Building two smokers right now. We took a number of variables into mind when we were deciding what to build.
The two biggest are Where we live and Do we want to sleep. The other thing is that we make a lot of sausage and have the need to hang meat.
We are working on them again tonight. We might be able to bring them to the other shop to prep for paint. Its getting close to the season and temp test time. We cant wait.

Dan

When there Done? Or tonight.

Your reference to a box smoker is too generic. Are you referring to something shaped like a box, or did you mean a vertical smoker? I think that you are referring to vertical. That said, There are three of them out there that seem to gather the most attention and all three of them are different. So.....not to change your thread, I would suggest you go through the archives and do your research there.

How high is that double smoker?

It would depend on what I wanted to use if for... Right now the UDSs are what I need. I dream of a big arse offset though!!!!

WineMaster said:

When there Done? Or tonight.

Click to expand...

Both? :icon_blush: