Thoughts on a new build

[robgunby]

Speaking with Cyderpig yesterday got me thinking of a whole load of new ideas for smoker builds, and I wanted to ask the community's opinions on a few thoughts:

First up, I'm considering using a garden incinerator bin as a starting point, and using a gas ring like this one http://www.amazon.co.uk/LPG-Burner-Boil ... gas+burner

So - few questions on the burner. Can I just hook my campingaz canister up to this burner through one of the holes in the bottom of the incinerator? Will I need some kind of heatproof hose instead? Will gas be cheaper than charcoal?

Next question - I'm thinking of using a clay dish for the heatsink instead of a water pan, as I keep hearing about these. Where do you get them from? What exactly is it that I'm looking for?

Finally, I was thinking of attaching a 5 ft aluminium duct to the chimney vent, cutting a hole in the base of a second incinerator and feeding the duct into that to make a cold smoker. Would that work? Would the smoke have cooled enough, and would the airflow pull the smoke through?

TIA!

[CyderPig]

Hi Rob
Don't use a garden incinerator, they are made from galvanised metal, big NO-NO.
An old filing cabinet would work.
Si

[keith157]

Clay dishes are from garden centres, they are plant pot stands.

[robgunby]

Oh crikey, glad I saw your post before I bought a couple more bins Si! What's wrong with galvanised steel? I've a couple of old smoking and curing books that recommended them. There's a company in Rotherham which sells food grade drums for about the same price, so maybe I'll head down that route, I was just being lazy as the fire bins have inlets and exhausts pre made!

Keith - so just a terracotta tray sort of thing?

Thanks for the advice both - any thoughts on the use of the stove burner instead of charcoal?

ETA http://www.tankanddrum.co.uk/products.asp is the company I was looking at.

ETA Oh I see, the charcoal is hot enough to zap the zinc....

[keith157]

Yes, just get one that fits the water pan and wrap in foil for ease of clean up

[robgunby]

In the pan itself? I thought it would have to be lower than that (atm I have my rusting, uncontrollable firebin resting on four bricks under the firebin on my modded ECB) and presumed I would have to put a gas burner in the same place.

One of my concerns is the piping going to the burner - will I have to use metal piping inside the smoker?