I just thought you guys might be interested in this. I have my BS sitting on a standard mechanics cart with a plastic storage tub on the lower shelf for storing the pucks in. Because I live in Saskatchewan I decided to install a direct vented range hood in my heated garage. At first I had some smoke in the garage (not much) until I realized that a range hood with a standard fan (not a drum style blower) actually only sucks air from the very centre. So I added a piece of 4" PVC pipe and that just sits on top of the BS over the vent. It worked very well but tended to draw too much air through the unit causing it to cool down. My solution was to notch the 4" pipe at the bottom to allow it to draw room air as well. I have found that I tend to have the vent slightly more closed now due to the assisted draw on it but I have no problem maintaining temps. For an example, if I was smoking something that I normally would have the vent 3/4 open I will now set it at about 1/2 way open.
Anyway, I just thought some of you guys might be interested.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/Fishing%20Photos/IMGP0285-1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/Fishing%20Photos/IMGP0283-1.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/Fishing%20Photos/IMGP0284-1.jpg)
Very well thought out Mr.W.
That's just the set up I was talking to Vanpyr about this weekend. He'll love to see this set up. Great job!!! ;)
nice!
Will you want / need the filter in the hood?
That looks like just the ticket for some quality indoor Alaska smokin!! :D I am gonna have to do the same thing as soon as i get a free wall in my garage LOL Lately it has been my front porch so i can look out the window to make sure things are goin good.
Looks nice .Your going to need a table for loading and un loading food.I dont see that in the pics so just a heads uppie. ;)
The filter is just a grease filter so I thought I would leave it in. It kinda has the consistancy of coarse steel wool.
I have another cart similar to the one the BS is sitting on to use as a portable table. Plus outside the picture I have 8' of workbench.
Another project I was thinking of is to remove the smoke generator and place it in the shelf below the BS (for cold smoking). Mount it to a metal box and run metal pipe up through the top shelf, then an elbow connecting it to the BS. I think the cords would be long enough to do this. This should help to be able to keep the box temp low enough. Any thoughts?
Mr. Walleye,
Very nice setup.
Arcs_n_Sparks
Quote from: Mr Walleye on October 10, 2006, 01:42:47 PM
The filter is just a grease filter so I thought I would leave it in. It kinda has the consistancy of coarse steel wool.
I have another cart similar to the one the BS is sitting on to use as a portable table. Plus outside the picture I have 8' of workbench.
Another project I was thinking of is to remove the smoke generator and place it in the shelf below the BS (for cold smoking). Mount it to a metal box and run metal pipe up through the top shelf, then an elbow connecting it to the BS. I think the cords would be long enough to do this. This should help to be able to keep the box temp low enough. Any thoughts?
It would seem to be too short of a distance for cold smoking. I would think too much heat would still be entering the box. Some guys have simply used dryer hoses, using the box the smoker came in, cutting out a hole to place the hot plate through. What are they (dryer hoses), 10 feet?
As for the cord reaching, I don't believe you need to plug the box in.
I hadn't thought about the box not having to be pluged in. On the digital there is also a small wire from the smoke generator to the box. I assume this is the temp. probe. I hadn't given it enough thought, I wonder if the generator runs with the others unpluged? I may have to try it and see.
Quote from: Smudge on October 10, 2006, 06:16:56 PM
As for the cord reaching, I don't believe you need to plug the box in.
Not with an original, but with the digitals there is a 3rd cord that is a safety feature. If it is not connected, smoker brain says screw you.
Kirk
Mr Tastyfish & I were posting at the same time. He beat me to "Post".
I know that when the small cord on the digital or anything in the temp sense line opens you get an error code and the oven temp shuts down. I didn't check or pay attention if the puck plate shut off as well. I too need to look at that.
I was waiting for the bitter cold of the San Diego winter nights to play with cold smoking - something I have rarely tried. I was hoping to be able to avoid the duct work stuff and still be able to stay under 90 -95F with outside ambient at 45 to 50F.
Is there a break even ambient temperature where you dont need duct work and you dont need ice, or pop cycle sticks in the door?
I would guess Saskatchewan, would have that temperature if not SD?
Hi WCK
Here in Saskatchewan we get down to -40 and lots of wind. Thats why I set it up in my heated garage. I will have to head out to the garage and try unpluging them.
Ok... I ran out and tried it and the answer is no. The smoke generator will run without the power plug going to the main box but it will not run without the temp probe being pluged in.
Mr. Walleye and a nice clean looking installation you have as well!
If it turns out the puck burner shuts off with the temp sense circuit disconnect I will use that excuse as my play for a second Bradley smoker. Maybe a scratch and dent unit from Chez Bubba plus another tower good enough to hold racks. I just dont want to mess with boxes, duct work, pop cycle sticks, ice or etc. I would rather have a consistent look and units permanently mounted on a portable set of shelves.
A smallish fridge may be the answer (rigged with a couple of generators) but would want all metal inside (now I wonder why?).
I got distracted and your answer beat my question. We need the temp circuit to run the generator.
1) Longer cord for temp sensor plus all the nonsense to cool the air
2) Dummy load for sensor jack off the generator box plus all the nonsense to cool the air.
3) Used fridge to use as cold smoke tower to plug our generator (still need the longer cord or dummy load.
4) Second unit plus extra tower for dedicated cold smoker
or
I wonder how much heat loss there is inside the bradley (I need to take the temp of the exhaust smoke). Could a guy smoke something by just putting a tower on top of the initial unit and let the smoke from the first one be the input to the cold smoke chamber. Use a sleeve similar to what you have to your exhaust hood to slip into a hole in the bottom of the cold smoke chamber.
Bet someone has tried cold smoking with the vent of the bradley sourcing some type of cold smoke chamber.
I had never thought about putting a chamber above the main unit. I'm not sure it would cool it off enough.
My plan in my original post was meant to be permanent. Because it's inside I have no problem maintaining temps in the box without the generator on. I thought if I mounted the generator in a metal box on the lower shelf the box itself would dissipate some of the heat. As well by using metal piping out of the metal box, through a 45 degree elbow, then a vertical section of metal pipe up through the top shelf, then another 45 degree elbow and finally connected to the BS box. I thought by the smoke having to pass horizontally through the metal box on the lower shelf the heat would dissipate through the metal, or at least some of it.
I like your idea from your post and the permanent set up.
I confess I know squat about cold smoking :-\ and have been looking forward to learning more - bought an electric smoker thinking I would be able to minimize the temperature over other units on the market - (obviously not even an option on chuck wood units).
For you I would think the length of duct necessary is a function of how much temp difference there is between the inside and outside of the duct. In the case of Saskatchewan I had hoped it would be a huge temp difference and if you roll that unit outside in the winter, I would have hoped it would be no ducting necessary for cold smoking.
At about 65 degrees ambient is where i gave up in SD. The ice and wedge in the door to reduce and let out heat (plenty of smoke left) started to exceed the challenge / fun / cold smoke proportion values (wife laughing) value. This short cord sensor news is something I am going to have to find a way to deal with pretty soon.
Yes there is no question during the winter months I could wheel it outside and would have no problem maintaining a temp below 90 degrees. I just wanted a more permanent solution. I guess I will have to keep brain storming.
Great setup. Mine is not so clean looking. In my garage the range hood is handing on 4 tie-downs floating over the smoker with a dryer hose to a window. As mine is a Original, I built a TS and plugged the Range hood to the power that turns the Generato on and off. That enables my to know that the vent is working when the generator is working.
I like the idea of the 4" pipe, I need that. I get smoke in the garage. I normally have to open a door to allow the excess to escape. I will try the Pipe. I may also notch mid way on the pipe to allow more outside air. But not at first.
Great ideas...
Thanks guys
The pipe is kinda a work in progress. I started with out any notches in it and kinda progressed from there. I may just trim the notches a little higher yet. It is nice having it in the garage though, last night it got down to -9, brrrr. Today it's -1 and the wind is 46, gusting to 59 kph and I'm smokin' some snack sticks. Ya gotta love it!
Mr Walleye,
I have a question on your set up here.... Did you try it without the pipe first? I have been thinking about doing something similar and was wondering if the oven exhaust hood would draw enough that you wouldn't need the pipe, or doesn't it have enough draft to pull all the smoke up? What about when you open the door? I picked up a bathroom fan but don't think it will have enough cfm's to work. That is why I am so curious about yours.
Thanks,
Mark
Hi Mark
I did try it without the pipe first. The pipe was a secondary idea. I quoted from my first post below. I don't think the bathroom fan will have enough CFM. I think the rangehood I used was 220 CFM. If I remember correctly the bathroom fans are rated around 90 or 100 CFM.
"At first I had some smoke in the garage (not much) until I realized that a range hood with a standard fan (not a drum style blower) actually only sucks air from the very centre. So I added a piece of 4" PVC pipe and that just sits on top of the BS over the vent. It worked very well but tended to draw too much air through the unit causing it to cool down. My solution was to notch the 4" pipe at the bottom to allow it to draw room air as well. I have found that I tend to have the vent slightly more closed now due to the assisted draw on it but I have no problem maintaining temps. For an example, if I was smoking something that I normally would have the vent 3/4 open I will now set it at about 1/2 way open."
Mike
Quote from: Mr Walleye on October 10, 2006, 08:24:58 AM
I just thought you guys might be interested in this. I have my BS sitting on a standard mechanics cart with a plastic storage tub on the lower shelf for storing the pucks in. Because I live in Saskatchewan I decided to install a direct vented range hood in my heated garage. At first I had some smoke in the garage (not much) until I realized that a range hood with a standard fan (not a drum style blower) actually only sucks air from the very centre. So I added a piece of 4" PVC pipe and that just sits on top of the BS over the vent. It worked very well but tended to draw too much air through the unit causing it to cool down. My solution was to notch the 4" pipe at the bottom to allow it to draw room air as well. I have found that I tend to have the vent slightly more closed now due to the assisted draw on it but I have no problem maintaining temps. For an example, if I was smoking something that I normally would have the vent 3/4 open I will now set it at about 1/2 way open.
Anyway, I just thought some of you guys might be interested.
Mr W, when you had this setup did the oven fan vent to the outside or just back in the garage?
Edit- Ok I found another thread where you stated it vented outside. Most of the oven hoods I have come across vent out the front. Did you find one that vented out a vent or did you modify it? I think this is what I want to do in my garage.
I think it looks brilliant....NOW...what can ya think of for 110 in the summer and garage is like 120? Put your thinking cap on Fishman...I want to keep cold smoking!!! ;)
PS...you cannot answer "MOVE"!!!! ;D
Hi BL
Most of the range hoods will vent both outside or recirculate back to the inside. Here is a link similar to the one that I have.
http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_02252882000P?keyword=range+hood#specificationsAnchor
To me the must have options are...
At least 250 CFM
Vented outside
infinite variable speed fan
Mike
Quote from: La Quinta on April 12, 2009, 08:00:53 PM
I think it looks brilliant....NOW...what can ya think of for 110 in the summer and garage is like 120? Put your thinking cap on Fishman...I want to keep cold smoking!!! ;)
LQ
Ya mean to tell me ya don't have Central air in your garage? ??? ??? ???
Man... that's like me "not" having heat in mine! :o
:D :D :D :D :D :D ;D
Mike
Thanks for the quick answer. Now what does infinite variable speed fan mean? I see it listed but what does it do?
BL
Instead of having 1, 2 or 3 fan speeds, it is a rheostat so you can adjust it to any speed. Kinda like the volume on a stereo so to speak.
Mike
Fishman...the power bill is already 400-500 bucks a month in the summer....A/C in the garage? Ah....NOT SO MUCH....??? ??? ??? Keep thinkin.... ;) The attic get's to about 225 or more...KEEP THINKIN' ;D
LQ now that I some electric bill. Hopefully all frome smokin!
Mr W- thought of another one. Any moisture issues? When searching others post I read abut some using traps for catching moisture.
LQ
There's got to be a way to mount a small coil for a cooling system in the Bradley. ::)
Really LQ.... Ya need to move a little north! :D ;D
Mike
Quote from: Brisket Lover on April 12, 2009, 08:56:12 PM
LQ now that I some electric bill. Hopefully all frome smokin!
Mr W- thought of another one. Any moisture issues? When searching others post I read abut some using traps for catching moisture.
I certainly don't have any moisture problems. If anything you will find you have to close the vent down a little because the range hood can suck the heat out of the smoker. I'm not sure what posts you are referring to regarding the moisture traps.
Mike
Fishman...you told me to "move"...uh oh...you have teabags in your immediate future...I'm sorry but you brought it on yourself...
And the rigging a cooling system up....uh...yeah...I'll fly you down here for that!!! :D :D :D
Quote from: La Quinta on April 12, 2009, 10:10:30 PM
Fishman...you told me to "move"...uh oh...you have teabags in your immediate future...I'm sorry but you brought it on yourself...
"duck".... What was that!
Ohhh just another tea bag.
:D :D :D :D ;D
Mike
Fishman...do not tempt me...I can channel HOT weather up there... :D I mean HOT ;D ;D ;D
Actually LQ... that would be great!
We still have 36 inches of ice on the lake and I'm supposed to be in a fishing tournament on May 2nd. We may have a little trouble getting the boats in the water! ::)
Hey... on the positive side it was almost 20 degrees Celsius (68 F) today so we have our fingers crossed.
So send all the heat ya can LQ! Well... maybe not the 120 stuff! Crap... I'd melt at that temp! :o
Mike
Quote from: Mr Walleye on April 12, 2009, 08:58:37 PM
There's got to be a way to mount a small coil for a cooling system in the Bradley. ::)
(http://i94.photobucket.com/albums/l95/43something/bright_idea.gif)Hhhhmmmmm, while scrounging in a building we were going to tear down, I came upon one of those plug in roll around A/C's. Seems not too much problem to hook that into the Bradley for heat of summer cold smokes. Can't cost too much in electricity. Or do what Poli did with a freezer and a PID for a sausage curing cabinet, but add a smoke generator! Remember there are no rules in smoking!
Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'
Ok LQ.... one more idea....
If you made a coil from either 1/2" or 3/4" pipe with a hose bib on each end. You could connect it to a couple of garden hoses and run water through it, thereby cooling the tower temp and you can water your lawn and flowers at the same time. No electricity at all.
Mike
How about using a dryer vent and a small fan to get some of the AC from the house into the box? Of course you would have to have the smoker within 10 feet of a door or window and have a connection to hook it up to your cold smoke setup.
Quote from: Mr Walleye on April 14, 2009, 07:15:26 AM
Ok LQ.... one more idea....
If you made a coil from either 1/2" or 3/4" pipe with a hose bib on each end. You could connect it to a couple of garden hoses and run water through it, thereby cooling the tower temp and you can water your lawn and flowers at the same time. No electricity at all.
Mike
I like that - multi-tasking!
Shakespeare
The Bard of Hot Aire
Pontificator Extraordinaire'
Uh...well...uh...these seem like great ideas...I would imagine they are? Opening a window or a door isn't really an option (blowing sand)...I'm thinking that this may not work...We have a couple of hoses...uh but...I'd have no idea how I could rig this up...I have made my own bed...cold smoke is only 2 months at best a year...I just pray for clouds (we don't have those very often) and wind! (We do get the wind around here)...and I don't mean THAT kinda wind... ;D ;D ;D
My dad and I made a place for my smoker in my garage on Friday. I'll have to get some pictures up in a new thread. Thanks for the help here.