Build a smoker!!
Whitetail Deer
Contributors to this thread:
Grubby's Link
I have used a variety of smokers over the years, they all worked pretty well but lacked the capacity to do a full batch of sausage in one batch. A friend of mine had built one that looked pretty good. He shared a link with the plans. Someone put some effort into posting them and it’s well thought out and easy to follow.
I can’t wait to try it out.
Send me your first batch of sausage. I will let you know if it worked well. I won't even charge you for my expert opinion! ;)
Flame inside of wood - what could go wrong? ;) He doesn't find he has clearance issues with the plywood swelling? For door swing and such?
That looks like treated plywood. With the chemicals that are used to treat that plywood I think I will pass on eating anything smoked in that outfit.
Even if it's not treated plywood, I will pass. It's comprised of mostly glue and chemicals.
It’s ok buckhammer, I’ll put lead paint over that “treated” plywood for you.
As long as it’s non-GMO paint, you’re good to go grubby.
I insulated it with asbestos I got when they took it out of the school in town in 84, I’ve been storing it in my pantry waiting for this chance to use it. That should take care of the fire concerns too.
The food you have been eating for the last 30 years will kill you long before food smoked in ACQ plywood or untreated plywood.
Hopefully it didn’t start off as an outhouse!
Was having same concerns about chemicals in that plywood. I have a stainless Bradley smoker. Works great, capacity is not great.
I wonder if a fruit wood like wild cherry would work better than plywood. Of course it would have to be several planks rather than one solid piece.
Good instructions and nice workmanship.
Looks Real good Grubby. I am impressed.
post some pics of it in action! i have been wanting to build a smoke house at my place for a while!
The easiest smoker build is using an old refrigerator. The best part is you can scrap it just about anywhere when it`s had it`s day.
THAT PLYWOOD WILL KILL YOU!!!
THAT PLYWOOD WILL KILL YOU!!!
We built one out of an old commercial 3-door refrigerator. It's insulated so you can use it in the dead of winter. 3 burners allow us to keep temps even throughout. Oftentimes the upwind side will require more heat. I think we can usually pull off a few hundred pounds in one batch. If you are thinking of making a smoker, it's worth a look to see if you can find something like that available locally. That treated plywood would make me nervous not so much for myself, but for my kids.
That’s a great way to convert an outhouse ;)
It’s most definitely not treated plywood. Not that that would put any of you at ease.
Post some pictures of the smoked results when some meat is ready.
Most of us are old, lived through the chemical era or survived wars and millions of miles of driving, smoked various irritants and carcinogens, drank gallons of ethanol, ridden bikes and sleds, hunted in southern NY during shotgun season in the 70s* ( :^) * ), and you are worried about smoking meat inside a plywood hut? LOL! That's comical. All carpet contains formaldehyde, so you are breathing toxic residues from that too if you have carpet. Esp. new stuff. I'd think that plywood he used doesn't emit too much toxicity, it is getting sealed by the smoke and moisture given off, anyway. Some may be released, but not in enough concentration to do much or any harm. Cancer rates are high from something else, this I would not worry about, personally.
Hell, It has been said that wood smoke itself, and grilling stuff too dark, is carcinogenic. Burnt wood smoke causes cancer, so you don't really need to worry about the unburned wood... :)
Trapper I'm not the "sky is falling type" but you have to admit it's ironic when you make that post about all the bad stuff out there and "ah even your carpet has toxic chemicals in it so why worry?! Oh and by the way cancer rates are high," so I wouldn't worry about it lol ;)
I’d rather die of a heart attack that’s why I eat loads of fry’s like big Nick. ;)
Truth be told if most of us knew what pesticides, herbicides, feces and everything else was in our water, we wouldn’t worry about a plywood smoker.
I survived a Baker climbing tree stand. I’m not sceered of a little plywood. :)
My solution is better. Your son builds a steel smoker, learns to use it really well, calls you when he’s gonna smoke, and you bring him what you want smoked. It’s been working really well for me. :-)
“I survived a Baker climbing tree stand. I’m not sceered of a little plywood. :” I know here there’s one on a pond dam in Mississippi. Left it there 30 years ago in you want directions.
I worked with the "killer plywood" for 40 years....still standing.
Smoke doesn`t make plywood excrete it`s "toxins"....lol...if anything it would seal it. Have you ever seen the inside of a smoker?
Modern houses are built with more engineered and recycled than ever before. Most of your floorings use recycled products and plastics. Give me plywood any day of the week and twice on Sunday.
I've been in the landscape supply business for almost 30 years. Original owner of the company had a lab that played fetch and chewed on CCA treated lumber and creosoted RR ties all day. (No he didn't fetch whole RR ties but you'd be amazed how big of a piece he'd tackle!) That dog still lived a long, happy life.
Maybe we are looking at this all wrong....maybe the chemicals are killing the carcinogens in the smoke we are infusing into the meat?! I'm no doctor but I have slept in a Holiday Inn!
Apauls, I had throat cancer almost two years ago, surgically removed a tonsil and half a neckfull of lymph nodes as a precaution (they biopsied negative), and radiated for 6 weeks. I would bet my last dollar that it was not from smoking meats inside a plywood smoker, or eating out of aluminum pans, or breathing in woodsmoke from holey woodstoves and fireplaces most of my life, which I did. I would surmise it was from something else (no I did not smoke tobacco). Could be from pipetting straight formaldehyde in the dairy lab I worked in during most of 1976-77. Or pumping petroleum fuel containing benzene rings for nearly 50 years of my driving career. Or having worked with MS-222 while doing fisheries research for a whole bunch of years. Or this or that, tons of environmental carcinogens in this modern society of ours. I stated these things above because there are so many other way more potentially life-threatening causes out there than eating something out of a plywood smoker, as to not worry so much about it like its a life or death situation, Chicken Little ;). I was using those things as examples. I kind of objected to everyone pooping all over the OP's post like it was some huge evil issue, since he entrusted us with a positive suggestion to help our harvested experiences be better. He appreciated it, according to his PM.
You all are still arguing and the OP said "it's most definitely not treated plywood"
Just think if I had posted it on February!
LOL, It must be those frustrated hunters who have to work instead of being out during season... :)