Cold Smoker Out of an Old Water Pressure Tank

It's so great to treat yourself and your loved ones with delicious smoked meats. I think that there is nothing tastier than homemade smoked foods. This instructable is about how to make an excellent cold smoker out of unnecessary things. This is a very cheap project, as this smoker was made from an old tank, old biscuit metal boxes, an old coffee metal can, an old lamp base cover.

an old water pressure tank,

2 biscuit metal boxes,

a coffee metal can,

an old lamp base cover,

square Cold Smoke Generator,

2 hinges,

2 handles,

sheet metal edge protector,

screws,

silicone to seal,

hooks for hanging food,

a grinder,

a drill for metal,

knife,

ruler and pencil,

sawdust and matches or lighter.

Measure and mark out the door.

Cut out the door.

Clean the surfaces. It should be free of any contaminants.

Drill holes for the hinges and attach the door.

So that the cut-out door does not fall inward, to protect the edges of the metal sheets and to close the gaps, add sheet metal edge protector.

Make a box for Cold Smoke Generator out of one biscuit metal box. This box with the Generator will then be inserted as a drawer into the bottom part of the cold smoker. Cut the biscuit box, fold and with pop rivets to hold.

To make it easier to pull out the drawer, screw the handle to it.

Cut a hole in the second biscuit metal box for the drawer with Generator made in the previous step (see photo). It is not really hermetic (there is a hole for the slide) and it allows air to get in because there is a need for air intake for the smoke.

Cut off the bottom of the coffee tin can.

Cut a round hole in the cover of the second biscuit metal box, the same diameter as the coffee can.

Cut and open the coffee tin can like a flower, join it with the lamp base cover (grey disk in the photo) and the biscuit box cover, use the silicone to seal the joints.

Join the lamp base cover with the hole at the bottom of the water pressure tank. Seal seal the joints.

Drill a hole in the door of the top part for a handle. Screw on the handle.

You can attach fixtures to install mesh shelves, for example to smoke cheese.

Prepare food for smoking.

For preparing the meat: 18 hours in salt for 1 cm of thickness, then in fresh water 1 hour skin up to remove most of the salt, then dry some time 1 h over with fabric.

To start the smoker, it’s better to use a small candle, as it’s not immediate. And wood dust must be dry. Light the tea light / dish heater candle, place it under the start of the spiral of the Cold Smoke Generator, wait utill it starts smoking, then you can remove the candle and blow it off. 

Insert the Cold Smoke Generator into its drawer.

Slide the drawer into the bottom part of the smoker.

Wait until done. Periodically check whether the wood dust has finished smoking, the readiness of the food.

Pork belly is smoked 3 times 8 hours with rest in fridge.

Then rest is done in fridge, wrapped (fabric, aluminum foil, plastic wrap).

You can use this smoker for different cold smoking foods such as cheese, fish, ham, bacon, butter, salt & garlic.

Duck breast is smoked 8 hours.

Cheese is smoked 1 hour, then rested for 23 hours, then 1 hour smoking other side.