Need help with a home build cold smoker I'm working on

[celrodtx]

Experts and people far smarter that me...Please help. I am working on a cold smoker built from a Cres-Cor proofing cabinet. Everything has worked exactly as I had hoped, except for one really important thing...I cannot get it to consistently draw air from the bottom and flow out of the stack on top. Here is a very basic rundown of my design:

1. Two 18 inch smoke tubes at the bottom
2. Two ball valves at the bottom as adjustable air intakes
3. One four inch stack with adjustable damper in the upper right corner.

The thing smokes beautifully and puts out a great product; it just is never consistent in the direction it draws air. Sometimes if draws from the stack and vents smoke from the ball valves, other times it does exactly the opposite. I cannot figure this out!!

 

[Big George's BBQ]

Cowgirls blog has a cold smoker she built May help

 

[MisterChrister]

If it's not drafting upwards, it's because there's not enough heat rising to create a draft. Even though the tubes put out a little heat, if it's cold enough outside (and the coldness of what's inside the cabinet as well), the heat and smoke will just collapse and drop, instead of drafting. Adding an incandescent or heat lamp bulb (or some other means of generating a small amount of heat) inside can add enough additional heat to help it draft.

Great cold smoking cabinet, by the way! I'd love to get my hands on one of those!

 

[celrodtx]

If it's not drafting upwards, it's because there's not enough heat rising to create a draft. Even though the tubes put out a little heat, if it's cold enough outside (and the coldness of what's inside the cabinet as well), the heat and smoke will just collapse and drop, instead of drafting. Adding an incandescent or heat lamp bulb (or some other means of generating a small amount of heat) inside can add enough additional heat to help it draft.

Great cold smoking cabinet, by the way! I'd love to get my hands on one of those!

Thanks...I just plugged the cabinet to generate some heat. It should be able to hold at 110'ish.

By the way, I see you are in Wisconsin. Check out Grafe Auctions. They are a national company, but are based in Spring Valley, MN and handle tons of auctions when restaurants and grocery stores close or are looking to reduce inventory. I just picked up two more from an auction...they have lots of proofers and transport cabinets move through. I paid a total of $180 for the two I bought.

 

[Kmm]

A simple 60watt incandescent light bulb mounted inside at the top a few inches below the exhaust will create enough heat to pull a draft without heating the interior of your cabinet. Remember to occasionally clean the bulb as smoke moisture will tend to discolor the glass.