My last smoker finally died 2 years ago. It was a somewhat gutted Philco refrigerator with the death door. Had a Franklin stove plumbed about 6 ft off the back of it. One of the sides on the bottom rotted and broke and the whole works fell over. I could have rigged it again but it had been held together with all-thread and bailing wire for years by that point. We could fit 40 fish in it, two large turkeys etc., burning primarily live oak from my back yard or elsewhere.
Was a lot of work. I would have to often do an all nighter on holidays and would be totally beat by the end of it all. Used to do a smoked turkey on Thanksgiving, along with an oven roasted one. The smoked bird would get picked nearly clean. Pork butts were also a favorite. Smoked mullet (fish) is a big deal down here. There does not have to be a holiday for that, just a mention of it.
Now I don't know if I feel like learning another way but I may look into it after seeing your post. I had used that refrigerator over 30 years. I have recently considered converting an old electric range/oven, which would be nice being they are all porcelain inside and insulated for much higher temps with adjustable stainless steel racks etc.
