Hot smoked smokehouse made of brick. Brick smokehouse for the smoked meat lover

During the smoking process, products are impregnated with a bacteriostatic substance from the smoke and dried. A brick smokehouse can significantly increase the shelf life of such products. And many people like the taste of smoked fish or meat.

Types of smokehouses

Smoking is done in two ways: cold (19-25 o) and hot (45-120 o) smoke. The design of the smokehouse depends on the type of food processing.

For cold smoking, a chimney of 1.5 to 4 meters in length is provided between the firebox and the chamber so that the smoke has time to cool. The process lasts up to seven days. Products after such treatment do not spoil for a long time.

When smoking hot, the hearth is located directly under the chamber. In this way, ready-made smoked meats are obtained in a few hours. They are juicier and more aromatic than after cold smoking, but they cannot be stored for a long time.

Preparation for construction

Often, do-it-yourself brick smokehouses are built according to ready-made projects. You can find options for a free-standing design. If it is possible to build a large oven, it combines a barbecue, a smokehouse, and a hob.

Advice! For ease of work, you first need to prepare drawings. Using them it is easy to calculate the amount of materials required. Arrangement diagrams will help you avoid mistakes when laying bricks.

If ready-made solutions do not suit you, make your own development. A do-it-yourself brick smokehouse built according to your own design will become a source of pride for you.

Draw a plan and appearance of your stove from the front and sides, set the dimensions. To better imagine the future design, draw vertical sections. Show the structural elements on them and mark the brick rows.

When laying, the rule of ligating seams is always observed. The vertical joints of bricks should not coincide in adjacent rows.

Advice! For masonrywith your own handsBeginners are advised to draw a diagram of the arrangement of bricks for each row (order).

A shift of half a brick to overlap the bottom seam is made through a row. Therefore, the order shows even and odd rows of one wall.

A brick barbecue area with a smokehouse must be cleared of the plant layer of soil and leveled. Use string and pegs to mark the dimensions of the structure.

To build a smokehouse, red stove or fireclay bricks are used. The masonry is done using clay-sand mortar.

Step-by-step instructions for building a simple smokehouse

Operation	Description
Foundation structure	Formwork is installed in a pit 50 cm deep. Rubble stones are placed at the bottom, leaving a distance between them. Pour cement-sand mortar. For the top layer, crushed stone of a fraction of 10-15 mm is used. The surface is leveled using a level. To harden the concrete for two weeks, the formwork is covered with film or wet sawdust to prevent it from drying out.
	The base of two rows is made of continuous flooring. Two layers of waterproofing made of roofing felt or similar material are laid on the finished foundation. The first row of bricks is laid dry, checking dimensions with drawing. The second row is placed on the solution.
Wall masonry	The brick smokehouse is placed on a clay-sand mortar. The horizontality and verticality of the rows are checked with a building level and plumb line every two rows. The laying is carried out from the corner to the middle of the wall. Reinforcement is laid after two rows. Grate bars are installed above the fifth row. To ensure the oven is sealed, the seams must be completely filled with mortar. Excess from internal and outside are immediately removed with a trowel.
Eighth row	The corners for the lintel above the opening of the vent and firebox are embedded in the wall. Doors into these openings are installed during the masonry process. Raising the wall to the eighth row, the inner surface of the firebox is lined with fireproof or fireclay bricks.
Tenth row	In the tenth row you need to make protrusions from the inside. The sawdust box will be placed on them. To do this, in places where half a brick is laid, a whole or 3/4 brick is laid across the wall and launched into the oven.
Twentieth row	In the twentieth row, a jumper is installed above the opening of the smoking chamber. It can be made from a corner or two reinforcing bars. In the next row, lay two or three rods with a distance of 30 cm between them across the chamber. Products will be hung on them.
Connection of the chimney with the firebox	The covering of the smoking chamber is made of brick with metal corners. To install the chimney, a support platform is laid out. The chimney is attached to it. The joint is coated with a clay-sand mixture.
Door installation	The smoking chamber door is made of metal. To prevent smoke from escaping into the street, its size must match the box.
Completion of construction	The construction of a smokehouse with your own hands from brick is completed by installing an umbrella at the top of the chimney. It will protect against rain getting into the smoking chamber. After 2-3 days, a test run of the furnace is carried out. While the fuel is burning, the surfaces of the walls and the joint with the chimney are inspected. Places where smoke escapes are covered with a solution.

To smolder sawdust or shavings, a metal box is installed above the firebox. A tray is placed above it, in which the draining fat is collected.

Valves must be provided in front of the chimney. During smoking, they regulate the temperature and amount of smoke.

Advice! A layer of pebbles or granite crushed stone, poured onto the base, and covered with a sheet of iron, accumulates heat well. You can bake food wrapped in foil in the ash from burnt fuel.

Finishing

A brick smokehouse, built with your own hands near the house, requires finishing not only for decoration. Brick is a porous material that absorbs atmospheric moisture. Smoking involves drying, and high humidity in the smoking chamber will cause the product to become soggy.

During smoking, the lower part of the structure heats up to 300 o, so finishing material must be heat resistant. To decorate the smokehouse, facing bricks, ceramic tiles, and natural stone are used.

The price of natural stone exceeds the cost of other materials, but the decor is more impressive. Such a structure fits harmoniously into any landscape.

For lovers of smoked delicacies from fish and meat, the smokehouse has occupied first place since the Middle Ages. Today, the benefits of a DIY smokehouse are on summer cottage or next to a private home are obvious - fish and meat acquire an original taste, and in comparison with store-bought counterparts, you can always vouch for the quality and freshness of the products.

It's easy to find information on how to build a smokehouse from scrap materials, but brick version will serve for a longer time; the construction of such a structure will not require special skills and funds, the main thing is diligence and patience. If you follow the instructions, you will soon be able to delight your loved ones and friends with aromatic smoked meats.

Preparing for construction

It is worth paying attention to the place where you plan to make a brick smokehouse with your own hands, because this stationary design, which cannot be moved. It is worth choosing a site away from housing and gardens, so that smoke does not disturb people with plants; after clearing it of debris and plants, you can begin laying the foundation.

Next you need to determine what type of brick smokehouse will be: for hot smoking, cold smoking or combined option, consisting of two departments. Regardless of which option is chosen, the future structure will consist of the following parts:

• Fireplace.
• Firebox.
• Grate.
• Grill for food.
• Lid.

We create a drawing and work plan

If you have already decided to build a smokehouse with your own hands, regardless of its size, thoughtful drawings and plans are a necessary step. It’s easier to plan the work step by step; a rough plan would look like this:

1. Preparing the site for pouring the foundation.
2. Purchase of tools and building materials.
3. Installation of the foundation.
4. Brickwork.
5. If you choose a cold smoked brick smokehouse, it is necessary to construct a smoke inlet.
6. Testing of the finished design.

Materials needed to build a brick smokehouse.

When choosing bricks, it is better to give preference to fireproof or ceramic products. Sand-lime brick not suitable for buildings of this type. You will also need:

• Doors and lid made of stainless metal.
• Cement.
• Shovel, level, spatula and container for mixing the solution.
• Grid for metal products (rods can be used).

Laying the foundation and masonry for the smokehouse

A concrete pad is created using a solid concrete slab or personally from steel mesh, crushed stone, sand and concrete as follows:

Brick laying process

The laying is done by coating the butt (small side of the brick) with mortar, which makes it possible to fill the vertical seams, since during laying the stone moves towards the joint. Before this, the solution is applied to the foundation. If excess mortar appears (when the brick is pressed), the remains are removed with a trowel.

Figure 2. Laying the base

To ensure that the masonry is even, the brick is lightly struck with a rubber hammer. Usage building level mandatory to maintain even corners of the building. The masonry is laid in rows, after each the height of the building is measured to avoid unevenness. To buy a smokehouse made of bricks with your own hands aesthetic appearance, you should use a few tips:

Chimney installation

The difference between cold and hot smoked smokehouses is visible in the length of the chimney. Since the cold smoking process requires cooled smoke, the chimney must have the required length. When installing a hot smoker, the chimney should be short. On one side, such a chimney is limited by a hearth (firebox), on the other, by a smoking chamber.

Smoking chamber

The chamber for smoking products can have a round, oval or rectangular shape (height up to 1.5, size 1 sq. m). To build such a chamber, clay mortar (or cement) is used, gradually laying bricks on it edgewise. Why use clay? Because when heated it does not release harmful substances, which means the smokehouse will not spoil the product. Rods or a grate for food are installed in the upper part; burlap can be installed in the lower part, which will serve as a kind of filter for smoke. It is advisable to place a tray at the bottom of the chamber to collect fat.

Fig. 5. Pre-final readiness: installation of doors, grilles and test run

Furnace equipment

The firebox is installed at the other end of the chimney; it can be made of thick sheet iron; it must be ensured that there is a blower under it to generate draft and collect ash. The outside of the firebox is lined with brick.

How does a do-it-yourself cold-smoked smokehouse differ in design from a “hot” smokehouse?

In the design of smokehouses different types there are differences. In the process of hot smoking, it is necessary to install the hearth directly under the smoking chamber; during cold smoking, the hearth is located to the side, and a chimney is installed next to the chamber.

Advantages and disadvantages of a brick smokehouse

The quality of construction depends on the quality of the material. The service life of a brick smokehouse also depends on how good brick was used. The advantages of using brick include:

• Long service life compared to other materials.
• Relatively cheap.
• A wide selection of colors will allow you to harmoniously combine the future construction with the existing ones.
• Environmental friendliness.
• Properties to retain heat.

One of the main disadvantages in construction is the complexity of the masonry, which requires certain skills and abilities in the construction industry.

When choosing a brick for building a smokehouse, choose quality material not difficult. The broken shape and “bloating” in places indicate that the brick was made in violation of technology. But even quality product there are a number of disadvantages - high water absorption, exposure to chemical influence(relevant for areas where chemical industry enterprises are located), but in general this material is quite capable of working for ten years without additional restoration.

Fig 6. The result of fruitful work

The advantages of the brick smokehouse itself are obvious: not only the opportunity to try tasty and healthy food, but also excellent design solution for any area. Equipped with additional shelves and a sink, the smokehouse will become a real help in the household.

Smoking is not only tasty, but also one from universal methods preservation of meat products and fish for a long time. Most commercially available portable smokers allow you to cook meat or fish only by hot smoking. It’s quick, but such products are stored without refrigeration for 2–3 days.

In order to be able to enjoy smoked ham or delicious muksun at any time, you need to prepare them using the cold smoking method. And this is only possible in a stationary smokehouse or a very expensive imported one, which simulates the smoking process using electronic hardware.

What is this article about?

Design examples

Build a stationary brick smokehouse on garden plot It is advisable if you have a subsidiary farm or you produce a significant amount of fish or meat.

Simple outdoor smokehouse for hot smoking

To do this, you can build a simple, free-standing structure that will perform only one function - smoking.

With a hob in the house for hot smoking

More often, in order not to waste time heating the stove and smokehouse separately, they build a stove with hob, in the chimney of which they arrange smoking cabinet. The benefit of such a structure is obvious - at the same time, on one stack of firewood, during the cooking process, the process of hot smoking occurs.

Scheme Appearance

Large universal ovens with hot smokers

Lovers of large companies and noisy feasts, not thinking about rest in nature, without barbecues or barbecues, entire furnace combines are built: stove-fireplace-barbecue-smokehouse.

From economic points of view, this design is advantageous because it is combined common walls and has one chimney.

Despite the massiveness of the structure, such oven with barbecue and smokehouse does not require large quantity firewood The structure is located outdoors, so it does not require heating of the walls.

The grill, cooking area and smokehouse are heated separately. Essentially, they all represent independent ovens connected together, and can be rearranged or supplemented at will.

The simplest cold smoked smokehouse

Such a smokehouse is actually made from scrap materials; its structure is completely clear from the drawing.

Smokehouse for hot and cold smoking

If desired, you can build a smokehouse out of brick, which will simultaneously prepare hot and cold smoked products.

The principle of such a smokehouse is extremely simple. It contains one smoking chamber; in the photo it has the largest door. One of the fireboxes is located directly under the smokehouse and from it the smoke flows over a short distance into the smoking chamber, thereby creating conditions for hot smoking. The second firebox is located at some distance - from 1.5 to 3 meters. The smoke from it travels a long distance before entering the smoking chamber, has time to cool down and exposes the products to cold smoking.

Construction of a smokehouse

The combination stove is a rather heavy structure, so a foundation is required.

Foundation

In general, this type of stove is no different from stoves without a smokehouse and described in a separate article.

You will definitely need two types of bricks - ordinary ceramic (red) and fireclay (fireproof) for laying out the combustion chamber.

Masonry mortar: clay with sand and the addition of salt or cement. You can use local clay. But it’s better not to risk it and buy packaged stove clay and fireclay for the firebox at a hardware store.

Project selection

We will describe in more detail the following combination oven with hob and a smokehouse for hot smoking.

Masonry

When preparing the solution, be guided by:

Each row of bricks is first laid out dry. In the necessary places they are trimmed with a grinder. After this, 1-2 bricks are removed from the row and lowered into a bath of water for a few minutes. Wait until air bubbles stop escaping from the brick, and only then apply masonry mortar and install the brick in place. It is recommended to do the jointing immediately after laying the next row, otherwise it will be difficult to achieve a beautiful, natural look for the masonry.

Masonry arched structures: barbecue fireboxes, woodshed under the stove, made according to a pre-made template made of wood and plywood.

Installation of accessories

Particular attention is paid to the installation of the doors of the firebox, blower, and smoking chamber.

For this purpose, annealed steel wire d 3–4 mm, 1–2 m, which is folded in half, passed through an eyelet in the oven door frame, and twisted. The ends are bent at an angle of 90%. After installing the door frame in place, the wire is placed along the masonry of the side walls of the furnace and laid with bricks. This fastening system does not allow the doors to become loose during operation.

The service life of such a smokehouse stove can be 25 years or more. If desired, you can attach a barbecue to it, cutting table and other elements.

Many people who are owners of private plots want to arrange their territory in such a way that it is comfortable and pleasant for use. This provides the possibility of installing various small architectural forms, as well as elements for cooking outdoors or for cooking meat and fish. This includes a brick smokehouse, which ensures the creation of tasty, aromatic and enjoyable dishes that are distinguished by a rich and incredible taste.

This design can be intended for both cold and hot smoking. If you wish, you can build a smokehouse with your own hands, for which you can study the instructions and watch the corresponding video, where the construction process will be described step by step. You can create a smokehouse from absolutely different materials, and often improvised means are used for these purposes, so you don’t have to spend too much on this process Money. It is the brick structure that is considered the most optimal choice.

Advantages of brick smokehouses

These products have the following positive aspects:

• high practicality;
• reliability;
• long service life;
• the ability to complete all stages of construction with your own hands;
• beautiful appearance that will be suitable for absolutely any area.

However, to ensure all of the above advantages, it is necessary to select only high-quality materials that have the necessary parameters.

What materials need to be prepared

It is possible to build a structure only if certain materials are available, which include:

• special brick, which must be of high quality and reliable;
• clay;
• metal rods and cover;
• wooden door;
• grate on which the process of smoking products will take place.

Tools are also being prepared that will ensure the completion of all planned work. To others important issue is the choice of the specialization of the future smokehouse, since it can be cold or hot smoked, and you can even build a structure that will be universal, so two completely different processes can be carried out in it.

Choosing a location for the structure

A brick smokehouse should be located on the site in a place where it can be used with all amenities. It should be remembered that this is a complex and heavy material, as a result of which only stationary and permanent structures are made from it. Therefore, if desired, it simply will not be possible to move the resulting smokehouse to another place. Therefore, the choice of its location is a very important point.

Read also: Manufacturing a device for hot smoking

The location must not only be convenient for use, but must also be located at a certain distance from the residential structure.

It is important to remember that during the operation of both cold and hot smoking smokehouses, smoke will be generated that will go outside, so there should be no trees near the structures, otherwise irreparable damage may be caused to them.

Preparing the site for construction

As soon as it is decided where exactly the smokehouse will be built, the selected area needs to be properly prepared. For this the following work is performed:

• The area is cleared of all unnecessary elements, which include dirt or debris.
• The top layer of soil along with the grass is carefully and thoroughly removed.
• Next, you can begin arranging the foundation, which is mandatory element, and the optimal choice is considered to be the usual concrete base, the depth of which will be no more than 40 cm, since the smokehouse will be a small structure.
• You can make a pit on your own or with the help of machinery, but due to the fact that it will be narrow and shallow, there will not be any special problems doing the work with your own hands.
• Smokehouses are often created, the dimensions of which are quite large, and for them it is necessary to equip a foundation that will be laid below the freezing level of the soil, and the reinforcement of the base is also provided;
• If the cold or hot smoked smokehouse is small, since it will be intended for a small amount of meat or fish, then if there is good and dense soil, it will be possible to simply compact the bottom layer of soil.

The process of creating a small smokehouse

As a rule, if you intend to create a structure that will be intended for personal private use, and you do not intend to constantly engage in the smoking process, then a small structure that will perfectly cope with the assigned tasks is ideal for the site.

Its construction will be easy to do with your own hands, and this procedure will not take much time or require significant effort.

However, even when constructing a small structure, it is important to know what nuances and requirements must be taken into account during work. It is advisable to watch various videos that are freely available on the Internet, where you can clearly see exactly how construction should be carried out.

The whole process is divided into the following stages:

There are many models of compact portable smokehouses for a summer house or private home on the market. But it is much safer to build a brick smokehouse on a garden plot with your own hands. Its design is not as complicated as it seems at first glance. The presented drawings, photos and videos will help you understand the device, and step-by-step instruction- cope with the task without any problems.

You can smoke chicken legs, lard, fish, homemade sausage, and meat. When smoked, products are saturated with wood smoke, acquiring a unique aroma and taste. Without a wood-burning smokehouse, you won’t be able to achieve this result. No liquid smoke, tea leaves and other inventions of industry and resourceful housewives can replace real smoking with smoke.

Shelves for products in brick smokehouse

On personal plot You can install either a purchased smokehouse or build it with your own hands from scrap materials. Homemade smokehouse May be:

• from a metal or wooden barrel;
• from a bucket;
• from metal sheets welded together;
• brick.

At home, you can also smoke food in a chimney located in the attic of the house. To do this, it is necessary to build a smoking chamber near the chimney, into which smoke will flow through the chimney from the stove located in the house. This option is the most budgetary, but at the same time the most dangerous from a technical point of view. fire safety.

Smokehouse for cold and hot smoking

Most reliable design is a brick smokehouse. Moreover, laid out with skillful hands the design can be a real highlight landscape design plot. Using photos and drawings, you can build a functional, durable and stylish structure.

Brick smokehouses vary:

• to size;
• by device:
• by functionality.

On the site you can build both a very small and quite impressive smokehouse. It is recommended to design large smokehouses in the form decorative houses.

Smokehouse for large volumes of products

Smokehouses of various designs can be used for hot and cold smoking of products. In the first case, the firebox will be located directly under the smoking chamber, exposing the food to hot smoke. Cold smoking involves a fire center slightly removed from the chamber so that the smoke can cool before reaching the food. Hot smoking products take an average of 2.5 hours to prepare, but cold smoking will take up to 7 days. The drawings clearly show the difference in the design of the two types of smokehouses. You can expand the functionality of the smokehouse by combining it with a barbecue or grill.

Diagram: smokehouse structure for hot (left) and cold (right) smoking

What does the smokehouse consist of?

The design of any smokehouse consists of:

• fireboxes;
• blower;
• chimney;
• smoking chambers;
• doors;
• top floor (roof);
• metal gratings and horizontal bars with hooks;
• tray for collecting fat.

Detailed diagram hot smoked smokehouse devices

The wood chips placed in the firebox generate thick smoke, which is fed through the chimney into the smoking chamber. Combustion waste (ash) accumulates in the ash pit located under the firebox. Products in the smoking chamber are laid out on metal grates or hung on special hooks. To collect the resulting fat, it is necessary to install a removable tray.

Preparatory work

The correct choice of location for a stationary smokehouse has great importance, since the smoking process involves fire, smoke and soot. The main fire safety requirement is distance from residential and commercial buildings on the site. The same rule applies to green spaces. You also need to take into account that the area of ​​the selected area is sufficient for laying the chimney.

Choose a place for the smokehouse away from living quarters and recreation areas

The site chosen for construction must be cleared of foreign objects, debris and grass in advance. It is also worth taking care of necessary materials and tools. You will need:

• fire brick;
• cement, sand, clay;
• wooden doors;
• sackcloth;
• roof materials;
• metal corner;
• measuring instruments;
• trowel, hammer, spatula;
• container for mixing the solution.

For construction, use only refractory bricks

For quality work Experts recommend that beginners prepare a drawing of the structure in advance and develop step-by-step instructions that they should follow when building a smokehouse with their own hands. It would be a good idea to study the theory and get acquainted with photos and videos of upcoming work.

Laying the foundation

Like any building, a smokehouse needs a solid foundation. The first step is to make markings according to the dimensions of the future smokehouse. To do this, use wooden stakes and cord. For small smokehouses, a foundation 40 cm deep will be sufficient. If a more voluminous structure is being built, the foundation should be deepened further and reinforced when pouring.

Using construction waste to lay a foundation

To fill the foundation, use a cement-sand mixture with the addition of gravel or crushed stone. In some cases, a foundation trench can be laid construction waste, and pour concrete on top. Since the load on the foundation of the smokehouse is small, such a device will be quite sufficient.

Advice. To ensure waterproofing of the foundation, it is recommended to cover it with a layer of roofing material.

It would be useful to arrange a basement. To do this, it is necessary to build wooden formwork that is wider than the laid foundation.

Ready foundation

Laying out the chimney

The principle of building any smokehouse is the same, regardless of its size and internal structure. First of all, the chimney is laid out - the main working element of the structure.

A trench of the following dimensions is dug in the ground under the chimney:

• width – 50 cm;
• depth – 30-40 cm;
• length - 25-30 cm.

The bottom of the prepared trench is carefully compacted and a row of bricks is laid using clay mortar. It is important that along the length of the chimney there are two bricks located end to end. The chimney channel is limited on one side by the firebox, and on the other by the smoking chamber.

Attention! The smoking chamber should always be located above the firebox.

The chamber location rule implies that the smoke channel should rise from the firebox at an angle of 8-9 degrees. When laying a chimney, the brick is installed on its edge, and the dressing of all seams remains the same. The vertical walls of the chimney are erected to a height of 25 cm. The upper ceiling of the chimney is also made of brick. For convenience, it is recommended to do it in the form of a house.

When the chimney is laid out, you need to let the solution used dry. Next, the chimney is covered with a layer of earth, which is limited by the smoking chamber.

Attention! The chimney should not enter the smoking chamber more than 25-30 cm. The layer of earth poured onto the chimney should be 12-14 cm.

Lay out the smoking chamber

When the chimney is ready, you can begin building the smoking section. Here you can show your imagination by building a round, square or rectangular chamber. Drawings, photos, videos and step-by-step instructions, widely available on the Internet, will come to the rescue. The most important thing is not to rush, but to lay out the brick with high quality. For home smokehouse a chamber measuring 1 x 1 m and a height of 1.5 m will be quite sufficient.

It is advisable to carry out the masonry using clay mortar, laying the brick on the edge. Clay is a natural material, and when exposed to high temperatures does not emit harmful substances.

Construction of the smoking chamber

Metal pins are drilled into the upper part of the chamber, onto which a grate or rods with hooks for food will be mounted. At the bottom, you need to provide fastenings for burlap, which is used as a smoke filter. In the middle are fastenings for a removable grease tray.

The top of the chamber is covered with a special lid that regulates the density of the smoke. If the design of the smokehouse provides for the installation of a roof, do not forget about ventilated openings. When the frame of the smoking chamber is ready, you can install the doors and mount devices for laying out products.

Furnace arrangement

The firebox is installed at the end of the chimney opposite from the chamber. Its design is very simple. It is made of thick sheet iron with dimensions of 40 x 35 x 35 cm. A small ash pit is placed under the firebox to collect ash and provide draft in the chimney. The firebox is connected to the chimney at the back or side.

WITH outside It is recommended to line the firebox with bricks. This will protect it from exposure to precipitation and give a complete appearance to the entire structure. The entire process of constructing a smokehouse on a personal plot can be viewed in detail in the video.

Step-by-step instructions for building a brick smokehouse with your own hands

1. We lay the foundation for the smoking chamber.
2. We dig a trench under the chimney.
3. We lay out the chimney from bricks.
4. We are building a smoking chamber.
5. We are setting up a firebox.
6. We give the building a decorative appearance.

Building a brick smokehouse requires effort, but the structure will serve you for many years

Beginners in the construction business should not despair when building a brick smokehouse with their own hands. If you have a desire, then everything will work out! The main thing is to be patient, and slowly, step by step, complete this hard work. As a result, a brick smokehouse will serve you well and for a long time.

Building a brick smokehouse with your own hands: video