Thermometer/Hygrometer for cold smoking

[phitt]

Ok folks, I'm very new to this game and just picked up my OBS yesterday and have a question for you all.
I was reading about thermometers etc and how the OBS thermometer is not that accurate and was wondering how to best control my temps for cold smoking my first cheese when I stumbled across my Oregon Scientific weather station in a box in the garage. Now I've had a think about this and can't see any reason why this thermo/hygro would not work for cold smoking temps.
I'm going to aim for 75-85F to start with and rather than guessing I thought this would give a better indication. Is there a prime relative humidity to aim for in the tower also or is it a measurement that can be ignored and just smoke with the vent fully open?
Can anyone foresee any problems using this bit of kit for my cold smoking?
Many thanks
Phitt

[GusRobin]

Unless you are fermenting sausage or something, cold smoking doesn't need to have controlled humidity. It actually doesn't need anything at all except a decent thermometer and a method to keep the temp low.
You would only use the SG and the cabinet element would be turned off. The trick is to keep the temp around 85* - 95* (my opinion, others may vary). You can do this by not turning on the cabinet element and  (1) rely on the fact the the outside temp is cold enough or (2) crack the door open or (3)put a pan of ice on the bottom rack. Or a combination of all 3. As far as the vent position, mine is always wide open no matter what I cook.

[Habanero Smoker]

I prefer to cold smoke at the temperature range you are shooting for 75 - 85°F. If you are not going to detach the generator, make sure you unplug the cabinet. Since the controller is a rheostat the element may still produce some heat when the controller is all the way to the left.

I have a Oregon wireless weather station. My concern would be that the smoke residue may foul up your sensors, and it may not work and/or give you false reading.

[KyNola]

Phitt,
it seems to me that you are making cold smoking something as simple as cheese way too complicated.  My friend Gus has pointed you in the right direction.  If the temp in the tower rises too much to suit you, add a zip bag full of ice to the tower or make a simple cold smoking adapter so that the smoke generator is detached from the tower so there would be no heat source in the tower at all.

[phitt]

Thought as much but just thought I'd ask anyway. Although my smoker has been used before I thought I would re season it as it hadn't been used for about 3 years. Garage is stinking as am I but its nearly done now. Think ill maybe smoke outside. It's in great nick for over 4 years old eh?



Cheers

[Habanero Smoker]

phitt;

Nothing wrong with asking. The only dumb question is that which is not asked.

[EZ Smoker]

The only dumb question is that which is not asked.

Okay, then...  If our knees bent the other way, what would a chair look like?


with apologies to Gallagher, of course.

[Habanero Smoker]

The only dumb question is that which is not asked.

Okay, then...  If our knees bent the other way, what would a chair look like?


with apologies to Gallagher, of course.

Stools.  :)

[tskeeter]

phitt, when cold smoking cheese, I just use the ambient temperature to control the temp in the cabinet.  With only the puck burner running, you'll gain about 10 - 15 degrees F is it's not windy.  So I do cheese so it is done by about 10 AM, when it starts to warm up around here, or after about 5 PM, when it is cooling down at the end of the day.  If I fussed over the temp, I might be able to get a little more color on my smoked cheese (our resident experts tell us that color develops better at about 80 - 85 F).  But I'm fundamentally lazy, so I don't bother with controlling the cabinet temperature.