How to Make a Cold Smoker - Door

Introduction : Cold Smoke Generator - Door

This is a follow on from the initial instruction on creating a vent for the smoke generator.

Part 1 - Vent

I have decided to break the instructions into a number of key parts which might just be useful components on their own. The circular door isn't something I have seen elsewhere and ended up much simpler to implement than you might think.

Part 2 - Door

Part 3 - Pump

This video shows the smoker during an initial test run to check that the door actually worked.

The aim is to use a few consistent parts

• 5 x 4mm x 15mm long pop rivet;

• 1 x M6 10mm x 10mm square nut;
• 1 x M6 pan head machine screw x 30mm long (any head will do);
• 1 x 20mm diameter M6 Penny washer;
• 1 x M6 nylon lock;
• 1 x M6 nut;

• 2 x 15mm diameter M4 Penny washer (optional);
• 3 x M4 counter-sunk machine screw x 15mm long (any head will do);
• 5 x M4 nut;

• 2mm x 100mm x 100mm sheet aluminium;
• 2mm x 35mm x 35mm sheet steel or aluminium; and
• 1 x nylon plastic handle 172mm x 30mm x 40mm.

**A gas canister or anything else that needs a door**

Think this is the minimum you will need

• 1 x drill (potentially electric);
• 1 x 100mm diameter hole saw (needs to be robust as cutting steel);
• 1 x 4mm drill bit;
• 1 x 6mm drill bit;
• 1 x angle grinder;
• 1 x slitting disc;
• 1 x hand file with flat blade;
• 1 x sharp scribe (sharpened nail worked);
• 1 x dividers or compass for drawing a circle; and
• 1 x clamp.

Cut out the shape

• As the aluminium is relatively soft, just use a sharpened scribe to drawn out the shape directly on the metal.
• Use the compass for dividers to scribe out the circle.
• No simple options for this, but I tend to use an angle grinder with a slitting disc to slice the metal off in successive passes and then file down the shape.
• Clamp the aluminium to a piece of wood or chipboard so you can cut through the metal against something flat.
• At this stage you only need to drill a 4mm hole at the centre.

I have added a PDF for the dimension and DXF file of the outline.

Cut out the shape

• Clamp the aluminium/steel to a piece of wood or chipboard so you can cut through the metal against something flat.
• Drill the two 6mm holes.

Using the hole saw drill the door hole

• Take the cut canister circle.
• File off any rough edges.

Assemble the parts together to form the door

• Bolt the door to the canister circle together using the M4 bolts and nut.
• Line up the canister circle so that most curvature part lines up with one of the six holes.
  • This will be where the door touches the cut canister circle.
  • Otherwise when you fit the handle it will end up in a odd place.
• Clamp the door and circle together.
• Drill a 4mm diameter hole.
• Rivet the two pieces together.
• Re-clamp the pieces together for the next hole working up the circleYou should have once hole left which is for the handle.
• Drill a 6mm diameter hole.

To stop the door falling off

• Test fit the door.
• Drill two 4mm diameter holes at the perimeter.
• I aligned these with the lower diagonal rivets for aesthetics.
• Place the M4 nut onto each M4 machine screw.
• Pass through the hole in the canister.
• Tighten the internal M4 nut against the external nut.

At this stage you can adjust the length of screw sticking out of the canister, to improve the fit.

**Optionally you can add washers and further nuts if you have problems getting it to sit correctly in the hole**

Assemble handle

• Cut the handle in half.
• Place the square nut onto the M6 screw and tightened to the end.
• Pass the bolt through the handle hole.
• Slid on the penny washer.
• Pass the bolt through the assembled door.
• Tighten the M6 nylon lock bolt onto the M6 screw so the handle will just spin.
• Add the latch.
• Aligned the handle.
  • I set it so that up was open and down was closed.
  • The latch will need to be set in the opposite direction to the handle.
• Tighten the M6 nut on the M6 screw so that it locks against the other nut.
• Fit the door into position.

**Handle is a grab handle for a caravan, and looks similar to the BBQ manufactures ones**