An unusual double stud design – wood smoker
I’m planning on building a vertical wood smoker, like a cabinet with a smoke source at the bottom and a chimney at the top. Unfortunately, meat smoking forums seem full of people who have no idea about how insulation works, and generally view thicker steel as a better investment than insulation. So I figured I would see if I could get constructive feedback here.
I want an insulated unit, to reduce fuel waste and allow it to work year round. Most people build insulated smokers with 18ga or thicker steel, inside and out. Steel prices are astronomical, and using that much steel is not environmentally friendly. Then it hit me: I could build a compact offset double stud wall, using a wood stud exterior and a steel stud interior, with roxul insulation. I would just have to make sure that the areas that are exposed to heat or thermal bridging are appropriately protected.
What are your thoughts? Any suggested alternative ideas? I think cost wise, weight wise, fuel efficiency wise and environmental impact wise, this is better on all counts.
(I’m considering a pellet or electric fuel source, which means I don’t need a huge 1/4″ steel firebox.)
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I'll include my smoker as an example for you to consider moving ahead. Interior is 2' square, and it's 6' tall. Framed with 2x4's and sided with board and batten. No interior paneling. My firepit is underground and the chimney runs 6' underground from it to where it enters the smokehouse at the center of the floor. The design is for cold smoking.
I live in zone 6 and winter is cold.
If I don't keep the very smallest smouldering fire going in the pit with a handful of tiny sticks, the temp in the smokehouse can rise alarmingly high regardless of how cold it is outside, and it can be challenging to keep the temps in the cold smoking range. I can get the temp up to 180 with the smallest effort and amount of wood, again regardless of how cold it is outside.
I suspect the folks on the smoking forums are aware of this, and that's why they opt for thicker gauge steel rather than insulation: a typical home smoker is so small that insulation isn't necessary and in fact might cause more problem than benefit. My 2' square x 6' tall smoker holds the entire belly from our hog, with ample space for hams and room left over at least twice that amount.