Smokehouse from a gas cylinder - the best master class on making a homemade smokehouse with step-by-step photo diagrams for beginners

The gas cylinder smokehouse is a universal type design. Here you can build a grill, barbecue, as well as a smoke generator for the smoking process. We understand the manufacturing technology, what materials and tools will be needed. Where safety precautions will be important, because some metal processing work is quite dangerous. We will also consider several ways to improve the finished product to make its operation even more comfortable.

Smokehouse from a gas cylinder - beauty and practicality Source 24aul.ru

Homemade products from a balloon

The large volume and metal walls make the cylinder suitable for the manufacture of various devices, inside which you can smoke and fry various products.

Craftsmen are already ready to share proven manufacturing schemes:

Stoves for a cauldron - you need to cut the cylinder or make a hole in it of the required diameter, and then weld the legs to the bottom of the container.

Barbecue - a lid is cut out of the cylinder, which will have to be installed back later using hinges, holes are also drilled in the walls for attaching skewers, and the container itself is placed on the legs.

Smokehouse with barbecue and barbecue - made like a barbecue, but with the addition of a second container for storing and igniting fuel (the firebox transfers heat to the barbecue through a pipe).

The listed devices are good because they are hollow, and therefore they have little weight. It is advantageous to attach wheels to their load-bearing legs for mobility.

Safety Rules to Remember

The propane tank is under pressure, so as long as there is gas in it, there should be no ignition source. This is important because when unscrewing the valve, many people use a hammer to remove rust, which may cause a spark, which will lead to a fire. The main rule when working is accuracy and strict adherence to instructions.

Removing gas from a cylinder

To clear the cylinder of gas residues, you need to unscrew the valve. This is difficult to do with old containers, as it may rust. You will need to knock it down with a hammer or other hard object. This is done carefully to prevent fire from a spark. To check the degree of cleaning of the cylinder, perform the following steps:

1. The container is filled with water through a thin hose. The hose is necessary to prevent an air lock from forming in the upper part. When the cylinder is filled to the top, this means that there is no gas left inside.
2. The second test option is to set fire to a rag placed in a container. To do this, the cylinder is laid horizontally, a piece of rag is moistened in a flammable liquid and placed in the neck. After setting fire, you need to move to a safe distance. If a loud bang is heard after the rag burns, then the gas has been completely removed from the container.

After making sure that there is no gas, you can proceed to further actions. Working with such a container will be safe.

Marking and cutting

The cleaned container is placed on its side.
Using a marker or chalk, cut off the side part with a distance of 10-15 cm from the edges. There is no need to cut off the last side right away. It will be cut off after welding the hinges. This will ensure that the lid fits tightly to the smokehouse. At this stage you should mark and cut:

1. Hole for chimney. This is done in the upper part, near the neck of the container.
2. Input for smoke generator. Performed depending on the selected type of smoking. For cold cooking, a round cut is made under a small diameter pipe.
3. Holes for attaching grills or placing skewers.

Once all the openings are ready, begin assembling the parts. All fastenings must be strong and reliable, as well as as airtight as possible.

Making the lid

The edges of the cut element are carefully aligned and cleaned.

After attaching the hinges, the cover can be cut off to the end. A handle is welded at the top. You can use various materials for this, but in any case you need to think about convenience and safety, so it is better to wrap the handle with fire-resistant fabric.

Cold and hot smoking

Before making a smokehouse, you need to decide on the smoking method, which can be:

• Hot – food is cooked under high temperature (plus 40-120 degrees Celsius);
• Cold – products are treated with smoke at temperatures below 40 degrees Celsius.

It must be said that the latter option contributes to the long-term storage of ready-made dishes, while a hot smokehouse from a gas cylinder makes the food beautiful and aromatic. At the same time, the taste in both cases is excellent.

Smoking methods

There are two main methods for smoking: hot and cold. They differ:

• according to the temperature maintained in the smoking chamber;
• smoking time of products;
• shelf life of the processed product.

Differences between hot and cold smoking
If the temperature or cooking time falls between these parameters, you will get a semi-hot smoked dish.

Smoking fish

For cold smoking, which lasts several days, the products are pre-processed: salted or boiled.

How does a balloon smokehouse work?

Unlike a barbecue, a smokehouse requires two containers. The use of a pipe is also encouraged. At the output, the design has:

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• Firebox;
• Smoking chamber;
• Smoke exhaust.

If the smoking chamber is a long cylinder in a lying state (the container lies on legs), then the firebox is a small container in which firewood is burned.

The firebox is connected to the smoking chamber through a pipe that transmits heat. The connection occurs through the bottom of the smoking chamber. The second semicircular end is used to cut into the chimney pipe. As a result, the dimensions of a cylinder smokehouse exceed the dimensions of a traditional barbecue in the form of a metal box.

Before assembling a thematic structure, you need to take care of its supporting part. It is made from angles or rods of reinforcement.

Decorating a universal roaster

The resulting multifunctional barbecue can be equipped with additional functions and the structure can be decorated with decorative elements:

1. cutting table - convenient for placing food in the smokehouse, stringing skewers, packaging ready-made dishes;
2. canopy - protects from temporary precipitation and snow in winter;
3. woodpile - will save you from walking while cooking;
4. forged and twisted elements will increase the artistic value of the structure.

If you equip the universal fireplace with wheels, the grill-smokehouse can be moved around the area so that when the wind changes, combustion products do not interfere with the rest of guests and family members.

Thus, from at least two 50 liter used cylinders for storing a propane-butane mixture, a multifunctional fireplace is obtained. You can cook barbecue or shashlik on it, or smoke meat products all year round.

Cylinder selection

To make a smokehouse, you need to use two cylinders - large and small-medium diameters. The grill welcomes only one container. The cylinder itself must be:

• Unworn - no dents, rust, dirt;
• Sufficiently capacious - at least 20 liters.

Although you will have to get rid of the gas remaining in the cylinder, blue fuel indicates that its container does not have holes and is working.

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Construction of legs

To prevent food and heat from tipping over , the smokehouse is given stability. Legs that are welded to the product are suitable for this purpose. You will need to purchase pipes or corners as support. It is important that these elements are the same length, ideally 80-100 cm. Parts are attached to the marks and attached by welding.

It is preferable to make the supports removable. 4 bolts are welded to the container. Next, take 4 tubes of the same diameter with bolts. Threads are made in the tubes, and then they are screwed onto bolts. In this way, the tubes can be unscrewed at any moment, and the structure can be placed in the car.

Instead of legs, you can build a more complex structure, which will make it possible to transport the smokehouse throughout the yard without any difficulties. The technology for mounting the supports is the same, but small wheels are attached to the lower part of the corners. Such wheels can be removed from a children's bicycle, if such transport is available.

Often the base of the smokehouse is not removable. On the contrary, the structure is further strengthened to make it stationary. Then the risk of capsizing is significantly reduced.

How to remove gas

The newer the cylinder, the greater the likelihood of retaining gas in it. It is recommended to eliminate it in one of the following ways:

• Filling the container with water through a hose and then draining it;
• Immersion of the balloon in a bath filled with water;
• Laying the container at the bottom of a 1.5-2 meter hole, followed by igniting the wick going inside the container itself.

In the latter case, it is necessary to keep a distance and partially fill the cylinder with soil so that it does not fly up in the event of a possible explosion (although for such an explosive force the container must have a large volume of gas) and after a couple of days you do not have to watch a video of a thematic emergency incident.

Finishing and painting

Most gas storage tanks are made of ferrous metal, so the smoker needs to be painted or blued. In any case, it is advisable to clean the body to white metal and thoroughly degrease it. Can be painted with epoxy paint with black filler.

Instead of paint, the body can be blued; for this, a thin layer of machine oil is applied to the walls and heated to 200°C. The bluing will not peel off even when the smokehouse is very hot.

Necessary equipment

After the gas has been removed, you can take up the tools. Their type depends on the condition of the cylinder. But in any case, you will have to have on hand:

• Welding machine;
• Bulgarian;
• Electric drill;
• Locksmith and wrenches.

From here a list of necessary consumables emerges - electrodes, bolts, nuts, discs and metal drills. Moreover, the drills must be of different diameters.

Preparation and work with the cylinder

The durability, operational reliability and functional characteristics of a homemade fryer largely depend on the quality of the work performed. The tank is pre-prepared for transformation into a barbecue body.

They sequentially clean the product and drain the remaining gas mixture, marking and cutting. The cylinder must be checked for traces of rust, dents and cracks. If there are corrosive areas, they are cleaned with sandpaper. It is not recommended to use a product with cracks in the case.

Removing gas residues

An extremely important procedure in terms of compliance with safety regulations. When cutting a cylinder, the gas mixture may explode or ignite. Work on releasing hazardous substances should be carried out in an open space away from residential premises, people and pets.

The gas mixtures used in such products are highly toxic, explosive and emit a strong, unpleasant odor. To completely bleed the substance, you need to unscrew the valve all the way with an adjustable wrench. The volatile mixture will gradually dissipate on its own. Waiting time – 2-3 days.

You can start making a barbecue from a cylinder only after the dangerous gas substance has been completely released. The future unit with a smokehouse involves the use of a body blank that has been finally cleaned of the propane-butane mixture.

Otherwise, when working with an angle grinder or a welding machine, there is a high probability of an explosion. Check whether gas is flowing using a soap solution. Cover the valve with it and observe whether bubbles form. If they are not present, the mixture is completely removed.

Condensation settles on the inner walls of the cylinder. It is drained by turning the product over with the outlet hole facing down. The dangerous liquid will leak out on its own within a few hours. Then you need to remove the valve and fill the bottle with water.

The procedure ensures the final removal of volatile explosive residues. Drain the water away from residential premises and cultivated plants. The liquid contains sulfur analogues of alcohol, which are highly toxic.

It can be difficult to remove the valve from an old cylinder. In this case, it is carefully cut off with a hacksaw. The final procedure for removing a hazardous substance involves testing with an open flame. When a match or lighter is placed near the outlet, there should be no fire.

Marking work

Use a marker or chalk, a metal ruler. It can be difficult to apply markings on curved and rounded surfaces. To create lines in accordance with the drawing, you can use a measuring tool made of soft and elastic material.

The diameter of a gas cylinder with a volume of 50 liters is 96 cm. When applying marking lines and choosing a ruler, the features of the geometric configuration of the workpiece, its overall parameters, the passage of welds, the placement and number of technological holes are taken into account.

Cylinder cutting

Use a gas cutter or a circular saw with a metal cutting disc. Mark the outline of the lid along the lines previously drawn with a marker or chalk. It is recommended to make an indent of 5-6 cm from the weld seam connecting the side surfaces of the cylinder with the bottom and upper end surface.

The hole for the lid is cut in a circle, trying to maintain a perpendicular position of the cutting disc in relation to the workpiece. If the walls are too thick and the diameter of the cylinder is too large, the tool may become unusable before the work is completed.

Cooling with water and leisurely cutting will help to avoid burning the disc. In some areas, the cut can be done incompletely to save tools. The body segment is knocked out with a chisel and hammer. To make a homemade roasting pan, you need to remove almost the entire side surface, the place of which will be taken by the lid.

Sawing a cylinder

Regardless of the position of the finished product, the instructions on how to make a smokehouse from a gas cylinder require cutting an opening on the side of the container. The remaining sheet of metal will later serve as a lid door.

But before you take up the grinder, you need to make markings:

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• Firstly, the opening for the future door must have straight lines so that the density of the rebate is of high quality, and the skewers and mesh are not tilted;
• Secondly, the cut should occupy no more than half the diameter of the container, so that there is space under the skewers and mesh for burning or smoking.

After making the opening and getting the door, you can move on to the remaining parts of the structure.

Advantages of manufacturing

In theory, a smokehouse can be built from any metal cylinder of suitable size, but it is gas containers that are in greatest demand among home-made workers. There are only two reasons for such sympathies and preferences in favor of gas models:

• A suitable cylinder volume is usually 27-50 liters, this is more than enough for a household home smokehouse;
• Increased wall thickness. On average, the walls of a gas container for propane are made 4-5 mm thick, while for oxygen cylinders the thickness reaches 9 mm.

At first glance, what difference does it make? For any container, even if you take a cylinder from a boiler or a hydraulic accumulator, the metal of the body will withstand the thermal load under cold or hot smoking conditions.

But this is only at first glance, in practice, when making a smokehouse with your own hands, cold smoking or hot, it doesn’t matter whether you will need to cut out a window of sufficiently large dimensions in the side wall or at the end. Otherwise, placing food inside will be very inconvenient.

Models of smokehouses with bottom loading, despite the simplicity of their design, are not popular

Important! For propane and oxygen cylinders, the wall thickness is large enough to provide the necessary rigidity of the smokehouse even with a cut sector in the wall or bottom.

All other containers of a similar device, the same boiler or hydraulic accumulator, aluminum cylinders for air filters, after cutting, lose stability and can be crushed even with a slight mechanical load. In theory, you can make a smokehouse from a hydraulic accumulator, but working with it will be extremely inconvenient.

Additional items

It is clear that for the smokehouse you will have to cut another small cylinder lengthwise or crosswise. The choice of sawing depends on the position of the future firebox. The main thing is that its hole allows not only to lay firewood, but also to clean the combustion chamber from coal.

The firebox does not need to be welded to the smokehouse. It is better to embed the pipe so that the structure is suitable for quick assembly and disassembly. As a last resort, an external thread is cut at the ends of the pipe connecting the smokehouse to the firebox.

Accordingly, a do-it-yourself smokehouse made from a gas cylinder along with the firebox must have holes with internal threads. The same applies to a chimney in the form of a vertical pipe.

A simple barbecue welcomes only the load-bearing part. But it can also be supplemented with a chimney. True, you will have to maintain the center of gravity so that the finished structure does not collapse under the weight of the side pipe. This requirement especially applies to a smokehouse that comes with a firebox.

To prevent the latter, being filled with firewood, from tilting the food preparation section, the following points must be observed:

• Firstly, the smokehouse must be in a horizontal position, i.e. lie;
• Secondly, the weight of the firebox should not exceed the weight of the smokehouse (that’s why the latter goes big);
• Thirdly, legs or other load-bearing elements must be installed below the structure.

Balancing is also facilitated by cutting in the chimney from the other side and installing stiffeners on the smokehouse cylinder.

The door-lid deserves special attention. It should fit snugly against the walls of the opening and have a handle, as shown in many photos of a gas cylinder smokehouse.

Moreover, the handle ends with a wooden plate, which must first be impregnated with fire retardant. As a last resort, the metal handle is wrapped with insulating tape or covered with a piece of rubber hose.

And of course, before assembling the structure, you need to make holes in the recumbent cylinder for the grill. To ensure that drilling does not cause difficulties, access to the internal space must be large. This requirement is met by first sawing a large opening for the door-lid.

Which cylinders are suitable for processing

The cylinder is well suited for barbecues, externally non-corrosive, without gas residues or freon inside. The optimal volume is 50 l, length is 0.85 m, diameter is 0.3 m.

One of its main advantages is the strength of the metal. The average thickness of the walls of its body is 3 mm and above. For comparison: the thickness of the purchased metal is 1–2 mm.

An installation made of such material will not burn out. It’s easy to make it stationary or portable. Its minimum service life is 15 years. In this design, there is no need to forcibly extinguish the fire, but simply block the air supply, and the flame will gradually die out.

Photo: propane tank

The smokehouse grill consists of two parts:

• smoke generator;
• barbecue

To get a full-fledged design, it is better to stock up on two gas cylinders - you will need a separate flask for the smokehouse.

Thanks to the cylindrical shape of the cylinder, the barbecue body is almost ready, which significantly reduces the time and labor intensity of the work.

The design of the “steam locomotive” type complex is more complex. To assemble it you need several barrels, main pipes and gas cylinders. It consists of four parts: barbecue, grill, smokehouse, grill.

Assembly

To attach the smokehouse to the firebox, an intermediate pipe is used, which serves as a heat main. But this pipe is not enough to guarantee high-quality assembly. Therefore, two cylinders often have to be attached to each other using 4-6 mm metal sheets.

For the appropriate fasteners, you will have to first make holes through which the bolts will later be inserted. The latter are fixed with nuts.

In general, drawings for smokehouses made from gas cylinders often include two small sections of pipe welded to the sides of the cylinder. These sections should be slightly larger than the pipes for the chimney and firebox, respectively. Otherwise, the two channels will not cut into the smokehouse.

Bolts and nuts are also recommended for attaching hinges under swing doors. But there is another option - welding canopies with electrodes. By the way, welding will be needed to attach the legs or corners to the lying “barrel”.

The good thing about corners is that they can be used to assemble a rigid frame with wheels. But it is almost impossible to attach discs and tires to the fittings.

Operating rules

First of all, you need to think about how to attach the smokehouse to the site. It is best to secure the legs of the device with hooks or anchors. This solution prevents the cabinet from falling during loading and operation.

In addition, during the smoking process, large amounts of carbon monoxide can be released from cracks in the door and at the welded joints of the cylinders. To avoid poisoning, it is necessary to work with the smokehouse in a draft or in an open area, but not in a closed room.

Checking traction

Although it is recommended to complete the finished structure with painting, before applying the decorative layer it is necessary to check the traction. The fact is that after connecting all the elements, smoke may not come out of the chimney.

It happens that no heat gets into the smokehouse. Therefore, you have to disassemble the structure in order to:

• Place the firebox 20-30 cm below the smokehouse;
• Increase the pipe diameter;
• Clean the chimney and connecting line from possible deposits;
• Install the product outdoors.

The last point is explained by the fact that trees and other tall objects located next to the structure impair traction.

With high-quality traction, you can move on to processing elements from the outside and inside.

The principle of operation of the smokehouse

With hot smoking, the source of smoke and heat is located almost next to the product. A lower temperature during cold smoking is ensured by a distance between them of 1 m or more.

Hot and cold smoking schemes

The smoke that is formed when wood and aromatic wood chips burn in the firebox rushes to the pipe located above. At the same time, it passes through one or two cylinders where the workpieces are placed. The dampers are closed, and the products are kept in smoke-filled chambers.

Examples of dampers for blowers

The draft is created using a pipe and dampers that regulate the combustion of coal and the density of smoke.

Processing of finished elements

If you look at the drawing of the smokehouse, you can only notice the component elements and their dimensions. But the barbecue and smokehouse should also be smooth and painted in order to look good against a country background.

In addition, mechanical processing eliminates rust, which causes explosions during combustion and food spoilage due to specific smoke. Therefore, it is recommended to treat the cylinder and other parts after assembly:

• A drill or grinder with a brush attachment;
• Heat-resistant paint for metal (the paint must be applied to a smooth surface in two layers).

It is clear that the latter is only relevant for external use. Dali and High Heat products have proven themselves to be excellent colorants. Of course, for a mobile metal fire source it is recommended to choose matte black paint.

Which wood chips are suitable for what?

In order for the smoking result to please you, the wood chips must be:

• equal in size to produce uniform smoke;
• large enough - small ones produce a lot of burning, which worsens the taste;
• moistened so that it burns gradually without drying out the product.

A few recommendations that will make your dishes even tastier or save you from disappointment:

• The best wood for successful smoking is considered to be aspen, alder, and fruit trees.
• Coniferous wood chips and sawdust are much easier to find, but it is better not to use them. They produce a lot of soot, and the product is imbued with a pungent, inedible odor.

• When preparing wood chips yourself, you need to remove bark from it, wood spoiled by fungus or bark beetle.
• Before use, part of the wood chips is soaked for 1-2 hours.
• For hot smoking, wet wood chips are loaded into the firebox and roasting pan; for cold smoking, sawdust is used.
• Twigs of shrubs and herbs will add an original aroma. Try sage, mint, rosemary, almond, eucalyptus, bay.

Which wood chips will best reveal the taste of the dish:

Conduct your own experiments, try combinations.

Useful ideas

The smokehouse can be horizontal or even vertical. The second option is a tall multi-tiered pipe, at the very bottom of which there is an ash pit, higher up is a firebox, and even higher is a smokehouse or a section for a cauldron.

The advantage of a vertical grill-smokehouse is the absence of a pipe. The latter will not be needed, because There is already a hole at the very top of the structure. Also, the vertical product is quite compact and therefore does not take up much space.

A ready-made barbecue-smokehouse made from a gas cylinder is not only a magician of savory dishes, but also a potential hearth for heating small structures:

• Household block;
• Greenhouse;
• Garage;
• Alcove.

But before placing a brazier inside the shelter, you will have to install a fireproof screen. True, such walls will not be needed if the utility block or gazebo is already built of brick.

If the thematic design stands on a platform made of corners, then in this platform you can provide a department for firewood (woodshed). Sometimes, below the cylinder there is an ash pan into which the ash is poured. This section eliminates the need to turn the cylinder over after each barbecue. However, when making an ash pan, you will have to make holes at the bottom of the cylinder through which the ash will fall down.

Holes in the grill

The location of the holes in the grill affects the quality of the food cooked on it. If holes are made at the bottom of the unit , this allows the release of burnt oxygen and the outflow of harmful microelements, which directly leave the structure without lingering on meat or fish. And typical side openings are a little worse at producing this circulation of burnt oxygen, and not very useful particles may settle on the products.

It is better to drill holes with a diameter of 12 mm at the bottom of the gas cylinder . It would be advisable to make not only a stand for the barbecue, but also an additional bottom on this stand so that the ash can be poured there.

1. Cut and install the hinged cover.
2. Make cuts for skewers.
3. Weld along the hinged lid 5cm below the edge of the walls of the grille mount.

Photo of a smokehouse made from a gas cylinder