$600 smoker? (anyone use a cinder block smoker?)

pinkelephant · Nov 18, 2011

I keep an eye out for smokers on CL and I see this industrial sized smoker for $600 and click on it, only to find an over priced cinder block pig roaster.
http://stlouis.craigslist.org/hsh/2703166966.html

I assume I can duplicate it for well under $200 (without the seperate fire box).
It got me thinking. I want to make something along these lines to play with out in the yard.
maybe start out small to get the feel for it.
I saw that video recently of how this system is used down south and it should be fun to play with.

I don't get enough home-time (trucker).
I can't see myself doing an all-nighter, making coals for a whole hog, but I could play with a smaller version.

has anyone played with cinder block smokers?
Is it worth playing with?
can you share any do's and dont's that arent obvious at the start?

This is a summer toy, I may not get serious about it til March

MilitantSquatter · Nov 18, 2011

DirtyDirty00 has one... he's posted pics a few times.

pinkelephant · Nov 19, 2011

I just looked at that. I don't think a cinder block offset would be efficient. I was thinking of the southern style hog cookers with the coals under the food. a scaled down hog cooker about dirtydirty's size

Cook · Nov 20, 2011

pinkelephant said:
I can't see myself doing an all-nighter, making coals for a whole hog

Well, then don't. Do a semi-nighter, use more coals, and finish your piggy up in half the time. That's how we do it. Temps are usually in the 300-350 range.

captndan · Nov 20, 2011

My big smoke house is concrete block with a concrete roof and a wooden door. The vent is in the door and a 4" pipe out the top. The floor is about 4x5'. Charcoal would not be practical in something this big. I use a propane burner with a big cast iron skillet on top for the wood. Throw in a couple pieces every 2 hours. This works well for big batches of hanging sausage but it takes several hours to get the block hot enough.

jestridge · Nov 20, 2011

It will work and make some good Q , also there will be a lot of work too it. But making good Q take time and hard work it not for the fain heart.

Rys06TBSS · Nov 20, 2011

600 dollars?!? Youve gotta be kidding me.

aquablue22 · Nov 20, 2011

Check out Cowgirls blog (jeanie) and she explains in detail how to build one, I built one to her specs and did a pig and then stacked the blocks behind a hedge for later use (deed restricted community) makes it dang near portable. We bummed the blocks off some construction dudes for beer. 600 bucks is a lot of money.

http://cowgirlscountry.blogspot.com/

cowgirl · Nov 20, 2011

I use a cinderblock pit too. It works great for anything.. whole hogs or anything else. $600. seems a bit high to me.

titos · Nov 20, 2011

600 is hi! Im 160.00 into my build that I found on some webite and have about another 200.00 to spend on metal which is getting worked on in my spare time. From the pic I see in the ad its not even mortared between the brick or filled with concrete. check out what 160 can get you so far

iampaulb · Nov 20, 2011

I too am looking for deals on CL or building one from scratch... I ran into a YouTube video of someone building something similar to the $600 GEM from CL for $250... In the video they mention "sweat equity", but dang not $350!!

Below is the link.

Hot to Build a Pit BBQ for $250 - YouTube

Hope it gives you some ideas.
iap

iampaulb · Nov 20, 2011

titos said:
600 is hi! Im 160.00 into my build that I found on some webite and have about another 200.00 to spend on metal which is getting worked on in my spare time. From the pic I see in the ad its not even mortared between the brick or filled with concrete. check out what 160 can get you so far

Looks like a SWEET setup!

mac9933 · Nov 20, 2011

I like it!

titos · Nov 20, 2011

something like that shouldnt take any time and can probably be built for under 200 bucks.

Philly-QueMaster · Nov 20, 2011

titos said:
600 is hi! Im 160.00 into my build that I found on some webite and have about another 200.00 to spend on metal which is getting worked on in my spare time. From the pic I see in the ad its not even mortared between the brick or filled with concrete. check out what 160 can get you so far

Can you post a link to the website that has the interactions?

titos · Nov 20, 2011

Philly-QueMaster said:
Can you post a link to the website that has the interactions?

For sure! Like I said its a build I found online and decided to make one like it. http://www.instructables.com/id/Brick-Barbeque/?&sort=ACTIVE&limit=50&offset=50

Sent from my DROID BIONIC using Tapatalk

captndan · Nov 21, 2011

A word of caution. In some of the pix the block looks wet. A hot fire can make these explode. Make sure the pit is dry and make several low temp burns to season it.

Rick T · Nov 21, 2011

You can do it for a lot less than 250.
Buddy of mine, layed out a row of blocks, and built a Louan box, top cut holes in the end for a manual rotiserre. Put KB in bottom three bags I think, right on the gravel.
Wish I had a pic of it. It was ugly and surprisingly only caught fire twice over 4 years.

THing cooked great cost about$75 plus the pipe for the rotiserre.

DirtyDirty00 · Nov 21, 2011

Does this count?

Less than 250 to build. And believe me... U learn to cook on this and u can cook on anything.

Still Smokin · Nov 21, 2011

My family has one. Put Fire Brick on the bottom and fill the cinder blocks with sand to help hold the heat.

We do the burn barrel method and shovel hot coals under each quarter of the whole hog.

$600 smoker? (anyone use a cinder block smoker?)

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