I guess the first question is Why? Easy Smoking meat was a way to preserve it. So I thought this would be a great topic for all to learn. Plus I recently watched the movie, "Into the Wild" and he was trying to smoke some Moose and failed. That is skill is probably what really led to his eventual departure from the Wild.

Building your own Smoker

    Smoking your meat today is done largely to add flavor and not to preserve the meat.

    Smoke contains tiny particles of natural preservative chemicals such as ketones, carbolic acid, aldehydes, and phenols. Some are absorbed into the liquid of the meat and some make their way into the meat itself.

    The phenols in the smoke help prevent the oils and fats from turning rancid.

        Your smokehouse can be made of just about anything that will hold smoke. Wood barrels, steel drums, bricks, plywood. The smoke can come from a fire placed a good ten to twelve feet away from the smokehouse itself or from a hot plate with a pie pan to hold the wood. Or you can use an electric smoker.

Guidelines

       1. The smokehouse should be of a tight enough construction to hold the smoke and heat.
       2. It must have a ventilation system to maintain a given temperature. Probably a top and bottom draft should be installed.
       3. It should have a heating and smoking system that can be controlled.
       4. It should be large enough to hang sausages so they don't touch each other.
       5. There should be a way to measure inside temperature.

    If you use the method be sure to take the following precautions:

       1. Preheat your smoker before placing in your meat.
       2. Put vegetable oil on the smoking racks and trays so the meat will not stick to them.
       3. Make sure the meat is thoroughly dry before putting it into the smokehouse, otherwise it will steam instead of smoke.
       4. Positively no resinous woods are to be used.

Alton Brown had a show on how to build an electric smoker with large terracotta planters and a hot plate.
Here is something similar.
<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/3oGOZmWZ6r8&rel=1" target="_blank">http://www.youtube.com/v/3oGOZmWZ6r8&rel=1</a>

You can make a neat smoker out of those old metal refrigerators that are made of thick steel and have the large silver handle locks in front. The kind that they are scared of kids getting trapped in. You can cut the smoke stack in from the top or the side. At the bottom you can put a damper in. You have to make a large tray for the wood and charcoal or add a 2 burner hot plate. Put a  thermometer in the door near the middle. Use the steel racks for the meat.

west texas has an overabundance of old oil drum, and with a welder/cutter and a few little personal touches, make a swank smoker. you could cut it, reweld some together, imagination at its finest.