Let's breathe life into old equipment - making a smokehouse from a washing machine with your own hands

Old or broken washing machine can still serve the owner. But from a different perspective.

From the core - tank, a unique smokehouse is being made.

Therefore, there is an opportunity to surprise both yourself and your loved ones with juicy smoked dishes.

DIY Smokehouse from a Washing Machine Drum

All washing machines are divided into two types: vertical And horizontal loading. Regardless of the type, the basis of the future smokehouse is the container into which the clothes were loaded for washing. In vertical machines, this is a tank, in horizontal machines, a drum, but the purpose of both is the same.

Photo 1. The drum of a horizontal loading washing machine. Before using it as a base for a smokehouse, it must be separated from all foreign structures.

Advantages of the tank (drum):

• Stainless steel. Excellent durability and eco-friendliness. Stainless steel does not react with food when smoked.
• Convenience. The design is reminiscent of classic smokehouses.

A smokehouse is not just a container. Therefore, one tank or drum will not be enough. In the design of the future smokehouse includes the following components:

1. Lid. Closes the device and ensures smoking.
2. Pallet. Collects the fat that flows down during smoking and prevents it from getting on the wood. It protects the products from burning.
3. Lattice. Products are placed on it.
4. Fasteners and legs. Ensure stability of the device.

Attention is paid to each component. Only with the coordinated work of the elements will a high-quality smokehouse be obtained.

Preparation: Necessary tools

You can't do without them. For productive work on the smokehouse The following tools will come in handy:

• hammer;
• screwdrivers: Phillips and flat;
• welding machine;
• pliers;
• drill;
• Bulgarian;
• roulette.

This is the minimum. Manufacturing conditions vary from case to case, so in some situations other tools and materials may be required. It makes sense to stock up metal and wire. They will be needed to make additional components. Instead of a grinder, you can use jigsaw.

The whole manufacturing process can be broken down into three stages:

1. tank preparation;
2. installation of the grate and tray;
3. creating the lid and legs.

Each stage will require its own tools and materials. Armed with everything necessary, the master begins manufacturing.

Preparing the tank

The choice of the project is limited only by the imagination. Both economy class smokehouses and advanced electric models are available. Each type is based on the same sequence of actions. Step-by-step instructions for making a tank:

1. We turn the car upside down.
2. Remove unnecessary components: engine, plastic and rubber. Only the bare tank or drum should remain.
3. We look at the bottom of the container and see many through holes. We brew them using a welding machine. This way, smoke will not escape from the smokehouse. Another option: weld a sheet of metal to the bottom.
4. Using a grinder or jigsaw cut out an oval or rectangular hole for future throwing of chips.
5. We retreat a few centimeters from the bottom.
6. We install a chimney (a simple tube will do) on the opposite side of the firebox inside the drum.

The base is complete and ready for use. The next step is additional components.

We make a grate and a tray

It is ideal as a grate barbecue grill: the round shape and high-quality material will harmoniously fit the stainless steel of the drum or tank. If there is no barbecue, the grill you can create it yourself:

1. We make a round frame from steel strips. An alternative is to bend a thick layer of wire.
2. We string pieces of wire onto the frame. There is no need to weld them together, just attach them to the frame.

Installing the grate and tray looks like this:

1. Turn the container over.
2. Inside the tank, approximately 40 cm from the bottom, We weld the fasteners for the grill.
3. We weld hooks for a 5 cm pallet below the grate.

You may also be interested in:

How to make your own smokehouse from whatever you have on hand: pressure cookers, foil, pipes

The Second Life of a Medical Bix: How to Make a Smokehouse

Convenience and ease of use: Grundfos heating circulation pump

Finishing touches: lid and legs

The lid closes the container. If there is no tire, it you can do it yourself:

1. We take a steel sheet. Recommended thickness - 3 millimetersIf you make it smaller, the tire will shake when warming up; if you make it larger, it will become too heavy and uncomfortable.
2. We cut a lid from a sheet of steel by the shape and diameter of the tank opening.
3. We weld the handles in the shape of the letter “P” from two opposite sides. The handles are made of reinforcement or thick wires.

The container usually has a slanted bottom for draining water. When installed, the device falls on its side, causing the lid to slide off. The problem is solved by making three support protrusions on the edge of the drum.

Photo 2. A finished smokehouse made from a washing machine tank: there is a flat lid, handles, legs made from reinforcing bars.

They are made from plates of any metal thickness. 1 mm. They are installed as follows: imagine an equilateral triangle on the surface of the container and place the protrusions in the corners of the imaginary triangle.

For the stability of the structure We weld the legs. The legs are made of a solid material that can support the weight of the device. Any strong metal will do. Another option is wooden legs from old furniture.

Production completed.

Operation and possible modifications

How to use the device:

1. we make a fire in a hole made of bricks or stones;
2. we place at the bottom of the structure chips;
3. we install gratings And pallet;
4. loading products;
5. we cover them with fabric And lid;
6. we transfer homemade design to the fire.

The downside of such an economy class smokehouse is that you can’t leave it even for 5 minutes. You have to constantly monitor the cooking. An alternative option is to install a heating element. Instructions for upgrading your smokehouse:

1. We take an electric spiral. The requirement for the heating element is a power of not less than 1 kWOtherwise, the fuel will smolder and the entire structure will cease to function at full capacity.
2. We attach her electric spiral from the back side of the bottom.
3. We bring it out wire with plug.

The smokehouse has changed beyond recognition. The advantage of this method is there is no need for a fireboxIf there is a heating element at hand, a hole for the chips is not made.

Nuances in manufacturing and use

The most common problems: fire intensity (products simply spoil) and grease leak. The first nuance is solved either by constant monitoring of the smokehouse operation or by an electric spiral. The second problem deserves special attention.

Tank (drum) for draining water - oblique. The bottom and top are not parallel to each other. As a result, when smoking the product, the fat does not flow strictly down onto the tray, but onto the sawdust. This is unacceptable. Solution: We fix the support with screws, which will level the container. Alternative: make a homemade grease trap.

Photo 3. Top view of a smokehouse made from a washing machine tank. It is clear that the bottom is slanted.

Conclusion

A smokehouse made from a washing machine is a unique design with its own pros and cons. The device is suitable for smoking any products, from fish to meat. It is used in operation hot smoking.

Processing does not take much time. The duration directly depends on the type of product: fish is cooked in 40 minutes, meat - for 1 hour. Undoubted advantages are economy, versatility and mobility. You can do everything yourself. Disadvantages are easily eliminated by competent execution and use.

Basic recommendations for use: Do not leave the device unattended and monitor the smoking process. If you follow everything correctly, you will get delicious smoked dishes that can please both the creator of the miracle smokehouse and his friends and family.

Useful video

Watch the video that demonstrates the process of making a smokehouse from a washing machine tank.