Freezer Smoker Question

[dcooper]

Hi everyone
I'm new to this forum and this is my first posting. Not new to Q and been cooking for years. My wife and I operated a BBQ booth at festivals for 4 years and had a great time but as is grew it became too much. Long story. I look forward to chatting and learning more as well as sharing what I know.
Here's a question. I'm ready to build a new smoker and have built one from a commercial freezer which worked great.....sold that one. I just bought another commercial freezer with all metal interior. The problem is it has foam insulation that burns like a toxic nightmare. Havent really started the project but getting ready. Should I scrap this unit or can I get inside and cut out the foam replacing it with heat resistant insulation. Or will I lose all the structural integrity of the side walls. I cook hot, maybe hotter than most at around 350 degrees using an actual small wood burner in the bottom so it probably get even hotter than that around the bottom. The first one I built had fiber base insulation which didnt burn. A lesson learned here. The unit I have is really nice and I'm willing to do the work. Any advise?

 

[jgbmgb]

I had one the same way. Luckily our interior skins came out pretty easily. It did take some work to get the foam ins. out. We then went back with some high temp sheet insulation, reinstalled the int. skins and finished the build. We use it with either a charcoal basket in the bottom or our propane burner. We like the charcoal best! Being that its one solid door fire can get away from you if you are not used to it!