Years ago, well...OK—a decade+ ago if I am being honest—I used to make a lot of BBQs and smokers for people. It was one of my favourite projects. I probably made 20+ of them. They are super fun, last forever—and (aside from making a still), I can't think of a metal working project that has as much of a comfort factor as a smoker. I even made a few that I know have been handed down to kids in the same family. That's super satisfying.
In the days when I made them, they were all offset models that burned either briquettes or (mostly) wood. However, sourcing actual hardwood in Calgary is now tougher and certainly more expensive. Fortunately the advent of pellet grills has changed this. You can now find hardwood pellets easily and even order custom pellet mixes online. Believe or not Princess Auto has a decent selection in their meat/grill aisle in different flavours. But best of all pellet grills now have electronic controllers that sample the temperature and adjust the feed rate to maintain a stable temperature without babysitting a flue, chopping wood, stoking a fire, etc. In combination with a $50 wireless temperature probe (some are Bluetooth), you get to sit on the southern part of your body, partake in an adult beverage or two, and do nothing but savour the smell of hardwood smoked brisket or ribs for hours on end. So, yeah...Heaven.
I recently discovered that you can just buy the hopper/feeder with digital temperature controller unit separately. This sounds like a summer project for me. Just add this to a homemade grill drum and stand and you have a gem of a metalworking project. The issue I now have is that the contact I used to know for oilfield pipe is no longer around.
Does anyone know a source for offcut steel pipe in the 24" ballpark? I do have a slip roll that can do up to 16 gauge, but I'd like something thicker...so pipe is typically the route for smokers.
In the days when I made them, they were all offset models that burned either briquettes or (mostly) wood. However, sourcing actual hardwood in Calgary is now tougher and certainly more expensive. Fortunately the advent of pellet grills has changed this. You can now find hardwood pellets easily and even order custom pellet mixes online. Believe or not Princess Auto has a decent selection in their meat/grill aisle in different flavours. But best of all pellet grills now have electronic controllers that sample the temperature and adjust the feed rate to maintain a stable temperature without babysitting a flue, chopping wood, stoking a fire, etc. In combination with a $50 wireless temperature probe (some are Bluetooth), you get to sit on the southern part of your body, partake in an adult beverage or two, and do nothing but savour the smell of hardwood smoked brisket or ribs for hours on end. So, yeah...Heaven.
I recently discovered that you can just buy the hopper/feeder with digital temperature controller unit separately. This sounds like a summer project for me. Just add this to a homemade grill drum and stand and you have a gem of a metalworking project. The issue I now have is that the contact I used to know for oilfield pipe is no longer around.
Does anyone know a source for offcut steel pipe in the 24" ballpark? I do have a slip roll that can do up to 16 gauge, but I'd like something thicker...so pipe is typically the route for smokers.
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here I am Mr. Safety OMG. Watch what was stored in the drum if you try this. I wouldn't cook food in a container that used to hold toxic stuff.
