fridge cooker

Tony · Posted: Mar 05 2007 Post subject: fridge cooker

Hi yall,
I know some folk were interested in knowin how i put together my fridge cooker.
Here are some pics. Hope they help:

PM Me if any questions.....
Best Regards,
Tony Very Happy

hawgonaut · Newbie Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Posts: 61

What changes would you make to the smoker if it was powered by charcoal?

Do you like the dry heat or the use of the water pan to act as a heatsink?

is the stack in the center of the cooker and how did you get the correct length for it?

What would you change next time?
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BBQMAN · Posted: Mar 05 2007 Post subject:

Nice, nice job Tony! Thanks for sharing the pics again! Very Happy

My wife took a look and said 'wow, that will cost us a fortune". Retro working appliances fetch BIG bucks here! Shocked

Then I explained that our city brush site also accepts old appliances. Now she's getting the picture! Very Happy

I figure with my limited skills, and a whole bunch of time on my hands this summer I should have a Kool smoker oven for my new trailer.
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BBQMAN
"I Turned A Hobby Into A Business".
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bucket · BBQ Fan Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 272

Looks good Tony, Very clean. Cool

mrcustomsteel · Posted: Mar 05 2007 Post subject:

Tony, that's awesome. I really like the retro look. Those were just teasers, show us more pics.
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skybob · Posted: Mar 05 2007 Post subject:

How about a shot with the door open?? I'd love to see an action photo with it loaded up and the door open.

allsmokenofire · Posted: Mar 06 2007 Post subject:

That is sweeeeet Tony!

I'd love to have one of those on the patio(but I might get overruled by the boss Wink

)
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Team Enoserv

roxy · Posted: Mar 06 2007 Post subject:

Great job with the cooker Tony.

I agree, we need some shots of the gas burner/waterpan setup and lots of shots with meat a cooking... Wink

It is nice to put a face to the name as well my friend.
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bucket · BBQ Fan Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 272

Tony, I just noticed that it looks like you took the insulation out. Is that right?

Tony · Posted: Mar 06 2007 Post subject:

Thanks for the "Flowers",Guys! Very Happy

Food shots will have to wait for the Weekend. Crying or Very sad

,

I just cooked up a load of chicken quarters Yesterday!

I'll post a few shots with the door open as soon as I can find my Son!
(he's the one with the photo savvy!)

Bucket...The shots You saw was After I gutted but just Before I packed it with High Temp woven glass insulation.One of the pics shows the inside cabinet assembled to the main frame for "fit" with no insulation.

I'll be installing a new type of smoke generator soon,(another home brew)
I'll let Ya'll know how it works out as soon as I finish and test it.

Don't know When that will be...But I'll let ya'll know! Laughing

Thanks Again for the kind words,Guys! Very Happy

Stay Tuned Wink

Best Regards, Tony Cool

Tony · Posted: Mar 06 2007 Post subject:

Rox...

Hey!!! I hope You don't Think that was ME in that Pic! Shocked

That was really my.....OLDER ...UUmmmm....Cousin! Yeah,...That's It!

It was my older cousin and he was needin' ta' lean on sumthin' cause....

cause...He Was DRUNk ...Again! Shocked

Naaahh! It's Me ,David! Laughing

My Son snuck that in at the end and I didn't get to see the pics until After he posted them.Just His way of Razzin' Me!

Hey...We can't ALL be as Good Lookin' and Handsome as You! Razz

Talk at 'Ya Later. Cool

Best Regards, Tony Very Happy

Tony · Posted: Mar 06 2007 Post subject:

Hawgonaut:

This cooker was originally designed to be fired with charcoal.

The coal pan was inside the smoker to begin with,and was adequate
to maintain 225-250' F for 4-6 hours.

What I didn't like was opening the fridge door whenever it was time to add smoking wood on top of the coals...besides that,whenever I added wood (dry chunks,only) at some time they would always ignite,causing
temp spikes;although they were always manageable and tolerable..jus'
didn't like the "up and down" cycle of spikes.Having to open the door to manage the fire leads to RAPID heat loss! Using charcoal -internally-to fire this cooker was just not in the Plan.

As I have already indicated,The cooker is now Natural Gas fired(and is readily switched over to L.P.G.) as formerly charcoal fired.

I would think the matter of smoke induction ,at this time, would be a major consideration...That is, by what means,etc.

Don't want to get too deep on the smoke thang...That's simple to create.

Hope some of this helps...P.M. Me if You want to "gab" a bit more! Wink

Best Regards, Tony Very Happy

Yes, The stack is in the top center of the cooker.No Rocket Science here.

Just cut the holes and Mounted it. Because I converted to Gas,Height was
not an issue.

During ALL my cooks, the exhaust stack is WIDE OPEN.

Due to the great insulating properties of the cooker,a water pan as a heat sink would not be required...However,,,I do use a waterpan at times to introduce humidity.As of this writing(typing? Smile

) still don't know if it makes a difference.

hawgonaut · Newbie Joined: 18 Oct 2006 Posts: 61

Thanks for the info I will do my best to get these pics posted Laughing

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Time is the crucible of a man's character.

yukondude1 · Posted: Mar 06 2007 Post subject:

Tony,

That is a really neat looking setup. I too, am curious if the insulation in one of the photos was removed from the refrig, or did you install it in the walls of the smoker?

I understand what you're saying about opening the door to add wood and losing your heat. My cabinet style smoker that I built from an old electrical vault does that. I bought a gas afterburner but haven't had time to install it yet.

Thanks,
Dean

Tony · Posted: Mar 06 2007 Post subject:

yukondude1:

The white insulation to the left of the fridge in one of the pics is brand new.

I gutted the fridge and removed and discarded all the old stuff...the new stuff is flame-retardant,high temp woven glass.

Right after I shot those pics,the interior cabinet was removed and the new insulation was fitted inside the cabinet,then the interior cabinet was re-installed. Wink

Best Regards, Tony Very Happy

bucket · BBQ Fan Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 272

Tony, I'm sure you've seen these pics before, but this is how I took care of the problem of having to open the door to add wood. My fridge is the same design as yours and I used the steel from the kick plate at the bottom of the fridge and made a door to access the wood pan. I can add wood as often as I want and never effect the temp.

Also, I had trouble with grease building up in the bottom of the fridge, so I drilled a 3/8" hole in the bottom. Flaired out one end of a 8" long piece of copper tubing and slid it in the hole. Makes a nice grease drain. (and the dog loves it, like a meat popsicle).

I'm almost embarased to show this after seeing how clear your is... Laughing

Tony · Posted: Mar 07 2007 Post subject:

bucket:

Yo...those pics I posted are NOT NEW! As of this point,mine dosen't look much different than Yours right now,due mainly to being left exposed the elements.

Hell, looks don't determine how good or how bad a cooker performs,right?

When I described the "heat loss thang" as I opened the door,well that was when I originally built it and it was charcoal fired.I don't have that problem anymore since I built an "outboard "smoke generator and piped it through the back of the fridge and into the bottom rear portion of the inside cabinet.

Smile

Also,like yours,mine is Gas fired. Smile

Works like a Charm,and I don't have to open the cooker door to tend the wood for smoke! Wink

Goin' to cook up a buncha' stuff Saturday...If the weather is good! :shock

Stay in touch,pal! Cool

Best Regards, Tony Very Happy