Home Made Meat Smokers?

I've had experience with smoking pork shoulders and ribs before, but I'm looking to build a GRM/DIY smoker now that I will be living in a home with a back yard and a garage.

This is a completely open thread, I would love to read as much community input as possible. Smoker designs, recipes, tips and tricks, let's make everyone a better smoker and BBQ-er!

Initial plan is to build a smoker big enough to handle four standard racks of ribs OR two shoulders at once. I have experience smoking, BBQ-ing, and modulating temperature and airflow, but I want to learn as much as possible from everyone on this board.

Smoker designs...

This guy shows up to a lot of local fairs. His design is a MUST (Though I have NO IDEA about how well it works)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/nurse_marisa/1501489206/

He feeds wood in the rear where the engine used to be. Smokestack in the front.

Here's a video on a terra cotta smoker:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Ka2kpzTAL8

I started building a R2D2 meat smoker, and made great progress on the little guy, but the wife said he clashed with the patio furniture. I asked if I could get another project car instead of R2D2 and she went for that. She must have really hated R2D2.....its been a while, and about time to try and build him again.

I am watching this thread with interest... I am thinking about building a smoker grill combo.

I have one of these little Brinkman guys, I don't do it often. Usually in the gfall when you're working around the house, trim a few apple tree branches and soak their chips in water. Put the meat on and whenever I pass by, chuck in a few briquets and check the water.

DO NOT use thos insta-lite BBQ charcoal, the meat tastes like kerosene.

I have seen home made smokers out of an old refrigerator, cheap to free, easy to use; but I don't smoke enough to justify the space.

Dan

I've built a cold smoker with the ideas in Good Eats and made some great bacon. I don't have any experience with hot smoking, but know a few people who have those ceramic egg shaped smokers that they swear by.

914Driver wrote: I have one of these little Brinkman guys, I don't do it often. Usually in the gfall when you're working around the house, trim a few apple tree branches and soak their chips in water. Put the meat on and whenever I pass by, chuck in a few briquets and check the water. DO NOT use thos insta-lite BBQ charcoal, the meat tastes like kerosene. I have seen home made smokers out of an old refrigerator, cheap to free, easy to use; but I don't smoke enough to justify the space. Dan Cdowd has one of these at my cabin. He modified it by moving the legs to the outside.We now place the burner pan on 2 bricks. This allows us to lift the entire smoker off the pan to replenish the wood. I modified the burner pan by shooting 10 .22 caliber holes in it so it burns better. Three weeks ago Chris made 2 racks of ribs on the bottom rack with chicken leg quarters on the top rack. It was delicious. Braden