want to build an electric smoker

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i've got no shortage of ideas for making one except how I'm going to control the temperature in it. initially i had thought of just using one of the ebay temp controller units, but I'm not sure the controller has enough capacity to control the style of heating element i was looking at:

http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/VU...ogle Base-_-HVACR-_-Heating Equipment-_-4E268

i know the amp draw on those controllers is 'limited' at 10A, but I don't know much about electricity beyond that and all I see is the 1550 W on that heater. does anyone know if that would work with the temp controller i mentioned?
 
This was my first thought: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ka2kpzTAL8

It's an episode from a few years back and seems to stay in the homebrew/DIY realm, if not a little ghetto...

Here is a write-up on it with instructions and some empirical data:

http://www.naffziger.net/blog/2008/07/05/the-alton-brown-flower-pot-smoker/

+1 built one of these and been using it since college. Temp control is hit or miss with just using the hotplate control. but cheap as hell. i usually just smoke 3 hours and finish off in the oven for convenience.
 
I looked seriously at building one of those Alton Brown style DIY smokers.

I added up the costs of the parts, and by the time everything was said and done I figured I could just buy a commercially-made smoker for nearly the same cost, and save myself a ton of headaches.

That might change if I could have found any of the parts I need via scavenging or dirt cheap on craigslist/garage sales, but so far no luck. I'm still without any kind of grill or smoker at our new house, and probably going to get something soon while it's the "off season" somewhat.
 
Yeah, you have good points.

I am with Sawdust guy, if you are looking for a set it and forget it style smoker, I would look into getting a Traeger, or building my own from their mechanism. I just think food taste so much better over real wood, fire, and smoke.
 
thanks for all the replies. i like the idea of using a smoke producer and integrating it into a box. i want it to be big enough to hang sausages in. i have a charcoal smoker, but i'd like to be able to cold smoke in this thing. thanks again for the replies.
 
...i'd like to be able to cold smoke in this thing. thanks again for the replies.

That's what I was just thinking... You really want to have the smoke separate from the heat source if possible. The Alton Brown smoker is ok - I had a similar design for a while, but cold smoking is the way to go.
 
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