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Tell us about yourself: “I'm a toolmaker at Chrysler and love the outdoors. I just wanted a challenge, and every last detail was made with a chop saw, a grinder and welded by me!”
There’s nothing like a good BBQ, especially when it involves the smoking of meats for a period of time. Inspired by the food during a trip to the southern US, Al created his own version of a reverse flow smoker. He uses oak, apple pear and hickory wood to add amazing flavour to his outdoor cooking.
Terrific project, Al! Thanks for sharing it with us!
What is it? It's a reverse flow smoker made out of a used propane tank. I made a charcoal tray to BBQ with it, but it’s first and foremost a smoker! How the smoker works is a fire is lit in the firebox, and the smoke is vented through the bottom of the smoker (a welded 1/4 inch steel plate spreads out the heat evenly). The smoke then rolls around over the cooking grill, and then gets vented out the same end as the firebox!
What inspired me to build this was we went to a wedding in Alabama, and everything was cooked on a huge smoker about 2 ft round and 15 ft long! I chose a propane tank because of the round end that makes the smoke roll over better. It took me a while, but I found one in Ohio, and went and got it! Time to build was probably about 100 hours.
What is the main power source for your project? (e.g. electric motor, gas engine etc.) The main power source is a wood fire.
How do you control your project? (e.g. hydraulic control valve(s), electric switches etc.) I have various dampers to control the heat.
What design/build challenges were overcome? The first challenge was getting the courage to cut into the tank! Then getting the proportions right for the smoker box, and figuring out the venting. I made the box in the garage using all 1/4 inch plate steel, so it was not easy to move around. My initial plan was for it to be on casters, but while building it the weight was in excess of 1,200 lbs!
During the build, I had assembled the box, but it looked too bulky in the back. So I disassembled it and took 6 inches off to make it look better.
If you had to build it again, what would you do differently? I have plans to build a smaller version on casters. The weight prohibits me from putting it on casters, so I had to trailer mount it instead.
Which Princess Auto location do you visit most? Windsor, ON