Insulated Cabinet Traeger Conversion

[sappleton]

Good Day,

I am currently the owner of a used Traeger bull smoker and I am looking to sacrifice it and convert it into a small insulated cabinet smoker measuring 20" deep, 24" long and around 36" tall. When doing early concepts I found myself wandering through the various smokers and I did notice the smokers Edna and Easybake were very similar to what I was envisioning. I am enticed by the idea of channeling the flow was curious if channeling the air up false walls and then down to a lower exhaust stack was worth it? I am also still bouncing between saving the base of the traeger or just pulling the firepot and components from the cooking chamber. Any suggestions would be helpful.

Cheers
Sean

[Big T]

I'm not much help on the pellet part but as far as the vertical reverse flow part, most guys believe that it's not necessary. If you have any specific questions about Edna and Easybake you can pm Gizmo as those were his creations.

[sappleton]

Thanks I will do that

[Pete Mazz]

Yea, I'm in the "not worth it" camp. The natural convection in a vertical is all you need.

[Squiggle]

verticals are fine without flow channeling, I have two & both just go straight out the stack.

[Gizmo]

Hello again Sean! Post a sketch when you get a chance so we can see what you're thinking .... that usually gets a good argument - I mean - discussion going

[Rodcrafter]

Bring it!


Making memories!

[sappleton]

I have my basic model done. Using 1" x 1" HSS frame built around the bottom half of the Traeger. Single panel front door and I made the racks offset from the smoker wall to allow the air to circulate around. Right now I have the stack coming out halfway up the chamber.

Basic Model Front View

Here is a cross section view showing my planned heat deflector and drip tray. The main idea is fairly simple to allow the heat to rise to the left side of the smoker and up. Ideally it would cool and come down the right side and exit. I think I have seen something similiar in many other smokers and the it seems to make sense.

Thoughts? Concerns? Outbursts?

Cheers
Sean

[Tom_Heath]

Mine ran perfect exactly how you have it drawn.


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[Gizmo]

I like it. I have a hunch the stack could be higher up and it might breathe better .... the top of the stack should be at least above the top of the cooker - or you are building in your own 'dead spot' and you'll be discoloring the side of the cooker prematurely.

Question: did you mean to draw the drip pan/BP to connect to the stack side of the FB with a grease discharge? That way the smoke would have to come up the left (drive unit) side and cross the CC to reach the stack to help the smoke flavor....? Just curious ....

[sappleton]

Thanks for the advice I will raise the stack outlet above the cabinet.

Yes that was what I was thinking. I have seen that several times and it seems to make sense to try and get the smoke and hot air to move from left to right.

[Rodcrafter]

I don't think that the smoke will have a chance to cool to exit. But it will exit because there's only so much space for the moving air. I have made a vertical with 2 different elevations of stacks. It gave me the option of how smokey I wanted.


Making memories!

[Gizmo]

RC did the lower stack position create a noticeable increase in smoke flavor?

[Rodcrafter]

It did, but having the experience I have now I believe it was too smokey. My wife for one doesn't like a heavy smoke flavor. I don't think the smoke really got stale.


Making memories!

[sappleton]

That is interesting. So really it would be better to have a higher stack and maybe use a butterfly valve to control the flow from the smoker.

Right now if I want more smoke I do use one of those smoking tubes they seem to do alright but it is hard to control because the current smoker leaks from everywhere.

[sappleton]

Smoker is in the truck ready to go to the shop.

[Big T]

It's GO time !!

[sappleton]

Got all the components out and I am ready to start cutting.

[sappleton]

No going back now. Just onward

[Gizmo]

I've heard of buying a quarter beef before but Sheeeesh!
This is gonna be very interesting!

[sappleton]

Funny part is that growing up and again now I still buy I'm beef and pig by the half. When we were kids it was a weekend family activity to go butcher the cow.

Having some fun with this winter project though. Have to do something it's below -35 Celsius here

[Gizmo]

OUCH! And I was complaining about the -7F we're getting right now .....

I'm also working on the numbers for an old Traeger insulated conversion project for this winter so I'm not too far behind you right now ....

[Tom_Heath]

The one I had didn't even have a proper stack. It just used a 6 inch hvac elbow. Some times I didn't even use the elbow. It ran great.


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[Squiggle]

Wow, that's very cool!

[sappleton]

Done cutting.... Now time to clean up the metal and start fabricating the new body.