Miss Betsy's Cold Smoke Generator
by MissBetsy in Cooking > BBQ & Grilling
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Miss Betsy's Cold Smoke Generator
![Cold_Smoker_20.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FIS/S9FZ/H8CVGO47/FISS9FZH8CVGO47.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_20.jpg)
Fall is already here, the days are cool and unlikely to push the thermometer over 70F, which means perfect weather to make bacon!
Last time I made bacon I used a pretty complicated arrangement of a stove and stove pipes to cool the smoke and guide it into my smoke chamber; this time I made myself a small and easy to maintain "Cold Smoke Generator".
Materials needed:
16/14 oz. can
36 oz. coffee can
#6 metal screws
8" piece of 3/8" iron pipe
Several brass and copper fittings and pipe (get your idea from the pictures)
1/4" O.D. plastic hose
Some kind of feet (I used 3 shelf brackets) Make sure the apparatus doesn't tip over and set your house on fire!
An old aquarium air pump. (Even a new one isn't too expensive ~ $20).
Wood pellets or Hardwood! saw dust to fire the thing up.
Tools you should have and which will make completion of this project a lot easier -_^
Drill / Drill-stand
Assorted drills
Screwdrivers
Pliers
Hack- Jigsaw
Metal file
Last time I made bacon I used a pretty complicated arrangement of a stove and stove pipes to cool the smoke and guide it into my smoke chamber; this time I made myself a small and easy to maintain "Cold Smoke Generator".
Materials needed:
16/14 oz. can
36 oz. coffee can
#6 metal screws
8" piece of 3/8" iron pipe
Several brass and copper fittings and pipe (get your idea from the pictures)
1/4" O.D. plastic hose
Some kind of feet (I used 3 shelf brackets) Make sure the apparatus doesn't tip over and set your house on fire!
An old aquarium air pump. (Even a new one isn't too expensive ~ $20).
Wood pellets or Hardwood! saw dust to fire the thing up.
Tools you should have and which will make completion of this project a lot easier -_^
Drill / Drill-stand
Assorted drills
Screwdrivers
Pliers
Hack- Jigsaw
Metal file
Main Parts
![Cold_Smoker_01.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FMI/8WH9/H8RVLK7U/FMI8WH9H8RVLK7U.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_01.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_02.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FWB/4JZ1/H8RK8OJP/FWB4JZ1H8RK8OJP.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_02.jpg)
I decided to use a 16oz. can as burner chamber and a coffee can as reservoir for the wood pellets. Should be available in every household.
Attaching the Burner
![Cold_Smoker_03.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FBY/6ICO/H8RK8OOY/FBY6ICOH8RK8OOY.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_03.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_04.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F8P/V57G/H8I43SXB/F8PV57GH8I43SXB.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_04.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_05.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FX0/JTMV/H8TTNSVW/FX0JTMVH8TTNSVW.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_05.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_06.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FEO/SLKF/H8LVX211/FEOSLKFH8LVX211.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_06.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_07.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FKX/TYWX/H8TTNSVZ/FKXTYWXH8TTNSVZ.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_07.jpg)
Put the smaller can centered in the middle of the bottom of the coffee can and mark with a pen. I divided the circle in 8 pie shaped pieces and drilled a hole in the middle of this circle. With the help of a jigsaw I cut along the lines so that I could connect these 2 cans. Bend the sheet metal up, set the smaller can on top and use metal screws to secure it.
Preparing the Venturi Tube
![Cold_Smoker_08.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FF3/48QR/H8TTNT0I/FF348QRH8TTNT0I.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_08.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_09.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F0X/GT4I/H8RVBDYB/F0XGT4IH8RVBDYB.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_09.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_10.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FWA/N4AQ/H8RVBDYC/FWAN4AQH8RVBDYC.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_10.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_11.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F9D/FKNB/H8LVX218/F9DFKNBH8LVX218.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_11.jpg)
In my parts drawer I found this 8" piece of 3/8" galvanized iron pipe. With the help of a drill and a file I made a slit roughly in the middle. The plastic hose, coming from the aquarium air pump, was attached with some connectors and brass fittings. You will have to play around a bit depending on what you find.
Preparing the Burner
![Cold_Smoker_12.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FVM/M6XV/H8RVBDYF/FVMM6XVH8RVBDYF.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_12.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_13.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FTJ/HV26/H8RVLK7X/FTJHV26H8RVLK7X.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_13.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_14.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FZ1/86UN/H8RVBDYM/FZ186UNH8RVBDYM.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_14.jpg)
In order to make the burner work, you will have to drill 3 holes; 2 to push the venturi pipe through, and 1 to ignite the hardwood pellets and provide oxygen for the embers. I used a 9/16" drill which is about the right size for the 3/8" pipe to fit through snug.
Assembling the Cold Smoke Generator
![Cold_Smoker_16.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F57/J9TI/H8CVGBSH/F57J9TIH8CVGBSH.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_16.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_15.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F1H/PSW8/H8RVBDZQ/F1HPSW8H8RVBDZQ.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_15.jpg)
I had 3 shelf brackets at hand to use as feet which works great but I am sure there are plenty other ways to stabilize the smoke generator. Just make sure you don't set your house or garage on fire!
In the pictures you see a prototype where I used a drain strainer as bottom for the burner. I found out that this didn't work so well so I made the version with the 3 holes in the burner. This latest version works at least 2 hours without maintenance which is sufficient.
In the pictures you see a prototype where I used a drain strainer as bottom for the burner. I found out that this didn't work so well so I made the version with the 3 holes in the burner. This latest version works at least 2 hours without maintenance which is sufficient.
Trial Run
![Cold_Smoker_17.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FOZ/CTR6/H8RVBE3D/FOZCTR6H8RVBE3D.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_17.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_18.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/F63/NBLE/H8SVC5HA/F63NBLEH8SVC5HA.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_18.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_19.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FEU/97AI/H8I43SY3/FEU97AIH8I43SY3.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_19.jpg)
![Cold_Smoker_20.jpg](/proxy/?url=https://content.instructables.com/FXY/73IA/H8SVC5HD/FXY73IAH8SVC5HD.jpg&filename=Cold_Smoker_20.jpg)
The cold smoker doesn't need much wood pellets to run and produce sufficient smoke. What you see is plenty for at least 8 hours of operation which will soon produce some fantastic bacon. (I will tell you about that in a separate instructable!)
Watch a short video of the smoker in action:
Watch a short video of the smoker in action: