Ugly Drum Smoker

stglide · Mar 27, 2011

IMA_Redneck said:
Those pipes are 12" long 1/2" pipe nipples each has 4 1/4" holes cross drilled in it. 3 have pipe caps on them on 1 has a ball valve. Seems to work very well. In fact it may work too well. I am having trouble getting grill temps below 300. If i measure near the edge of the barrel I read 225-250 but over 300 right in the middle below the grill. The pipes fit very tight in the holes i drilled but i am going to try silicone around the holes to see if i am getting air leakage there. It may not be a big deal either way because it still makes great Q. :thumb:

You're going to get some variation in temps, since the drum basket rest in the middle. That's where you want to judge it by, but you should be able to pull that down w/ the ball valve if you don't have any additional excess air leaks.

Other way to deal w/ the temps inside, is a diffuser.... This one has been debated often, but I for one have found it very useful for me. Does use a little more fuel typically, but it will help keep the middle of cooker a little more controllable. Next question is usually what to use, and again, various methods, but most commonly used is a large pizza pan with holes, slots, etc cut in it. Then there is SmkKing that makes us all jealous with this water jet cut diffusers.... :roll: LOL!! (Sorry dude, had to throw that one in there!) Look back in this thread a few pages, and I'm sure you'll see his and know it right away.... as well as others....

petey'sbbq · Mar 27, 2011

If you have your threaded nipples in place and there appears to be a loose fit, what are some ideas to seal this up??? Is it possible to sodder them in?? JB Weld?? Sealant??

righteousdog · Mar 27, 2011

Elfmaze said:
I have some light surface rust on the inside of the drum

not sure how much i'd even be concerned with it if it's "light".

if it bothers you then spray it down with pam or rub it with some veg oil, green scrubbie it, then paper towel it to a cleaner state. hit it with the oil again and season it.

i think i'd let oil and heat do the work first to see what i'm up against.

Stig · Mar 27, 2011

petey'sbbq said:
If you have your threaded nipples in place and there appears to be a loose fit, what are some ideas to seal this up??? Is it possible to sodder them in?? JB Weld?? Sealant??

You COULD seal them in with some high-temp RTV (food safe, not sure what type to use). If they are very loose, welding would be the best. I would not use JB or solder.

petey'sbbq · Mar 27, 2011

Stig, what is RTV and where do I get it?? Sorry if that is a stupid question. I am not real mechanically inclined...Thanks for the info...

Bone In · Mar 27, 2011

I understNd everything and can't wait to start, but what do u use under the coal basket to catch the ash so it doesn't just fall on the bottom of the drum? And I assume the coal basket sits on screws coming through the wall like the grates.

And no water pan like the WSM right?

I can't afford a WSM but these beauties I can have 2

stglide · Mar 27, 2011

Bone In said:
I understNd everything and can't wait to start, but what do u use under the coal basket to catch the ash so it doesn't just fall on the bottom of the drum? And I assume the coal basket sits on screws coming through the wall like the grates.

And no water pan like the WSM right?
No water pan for most....

I can't afford a WSM but these beauties I can have 2

Why stop w/ 2.... :becky:

No water pan for most, but I've some will do it...

Most people use a large pizza pan or something similar. You want it larger than your basket, or at least I think you do. You use Stainless bolts (some use Zinc, but that's always a topic of discussion) and raise the basket to around 3" above the pan. It becomes one unit, so to speak.... See pic

Stig · Mar 27, 2011

petey'sbbq said:
Stig, what is RTV and where do I get it?? Sorry if that is a stupid question. I am not real mechanically inclined...Thanks for the info...

Just do a search for food grade RTV silicone (RTV means room-temperature vulcanizing). RTV is commonly used for automotive gaskets, but I don't know if the parts store stuff is food-grade. A quick Google search came up with this http://www.emisupply.com/catalog/su5005-food-grade-silicone-black-tube-p-2286.html

Sterling · Mar 27, 2011

Elfmaze said:
Hey guys, I have adrum that i just finished the burnout, stripping, repainting, and drilling for the shelves and ports.

Unfortunatly i forgot one part.... I have some light surface rust on the inside of the drum i was planning to electricute off. But now with the holes in the drum i will have to seal, and the stainless parts exposed to the process i'm a bit concerned.

Do you think the electrolysis will strip the stainless parts? how long should i zap it for a light surface rust. deeply pitted parts usually get 24 hours. I am thinking of trying six to ten and see where i'm at.

Do i need a electrolite like baking soda, or does it work with clean water as well?

A grinder and my head inside a steel drum does not sound like a good day.

Elf, don't worry about the light rust inside the drum. It means the drum had no dreaded liner that you would have to remove.

What did the drum originally contain?

If nothing toxic, spray it with Pam, do a seasoning burn and you should be good to go.

Don't overthink things. Check out NorcoRedneck's, "If a Redneck were to Build a Uds" thread.

Cardinal rule: K.I.S.S.

Sterling

Bone In · Mar 27, 2011

Thanks makes sense!! How big is your basket? And then the pan sits on the screws you have coming through the barrel.. Hardest part is making the basket..

Thanks for the clarification

Sammy_Shuford · Mar 28, 2011

Stig said:
You COULD seal them in with some high-temp RTV (food safe, not sure what type to use). If they are very loose, welding would be the best. I would not use JB or solder.

JB, as JB weld? Rated to over 400. I use it inside of several smokers.

Mossberg · Mar 28, 2011

smokindave74 said:
Noticed you still have the orange liner in there.......you planning to burn it out or sandblast. Those can be hard to deal with.

Sadly where i live burning the barrel is illegal, so i went with a non-toxic, non-caustic (citristrip) paint stripper. Put it on, placed the lid on adn covered it up so the stripper wouldnt dry out, and let it work for a few days. This morning about 230ish I took a copper scrubbing pad (4) to it and cleaned it out nicely. Cleaned off the lid also. Gunna run a whire wheel over it to get the remaining paint out of the dents and dings. I had some motivation so i took it out on the coal basket. Its slowly coming together.

Coal basket is 15" wide, and 8" tall.

expatpig · Mar 28, 2011

My basket sits right on my ashpan secured with 3 return springs, my grate is elevated and adjustable sitting on flat bar X through the basket. I can adjust it high enough to grill. The only mod that I made, was to make my grate out of exp. met. too much coal was falling through the Weber grate.

JS-TX · Mar 28, 2011

So how important is to use a charcoal basket made of stainless steel expanded metal? I know ideally it's good to use SS hardware, but does that apply to the charcoal basket too? Just asking, cause it costs quite a bit more and harder to find. I can probably build 4 baskets with standard expanded metal than using SS.

h20loo · Mar 28, 2011

JS-TX said:
So how important is to use a charcoal basket made of stainless steel expanded metal? I know ideally it's good to use SS hardware, but does that apply to the charcoal basket too? Just asking, cause it costs quite a bit more and harder to find. I can probably build 4 baskets with standard expanded metal than using SS.

standard is perfect. Stainless is "over the top"

El Ropo · Mar 28, 2011

Bone In said:
I understNd everything and can't wait to start, but what do u use under the coal basket to catch the ash so it doesn't just fall on the bottom of the drum? And I assume the coal basket sits on screws coming through the wall like the grates.

And no water pan like the WSM right?

I can't afford a WSM but these beauties I can have 2

Many people are mounting a pizza pan several inches below the fire basket so the whole unit lifts out of barrel for easy cleanup, here's mine:

Many people also use a water pan, but many people prefer not to because they like the distinct flavor the food gets from the fat dripping directly into the fire and steaming back up to the meat.

smokindave74 · Mar 28, 2011

Stig said:
Just do a search for food grade RTV silicone (RTV means room-temperature vulcanizing). RTV is commonly used for automotive gaskets, but I don't know if the parts store stuff is food-grade. A quick Google search came up with this http://www.emisupply.com/catalog/su5005-food-grade-silicone-black-tube-p-2286.html

http://www.permatex.com/documents/msds/01_USA-English/81160.pdf

Even the non-food grade stuff seems pretty harmless. It is stable up to 450 F. If you are getting that hot on you intake pipes, you would have some scorched unedible meats anyway I think.

1FUNVET · Mar 28, 2011

h20loo said:
standard is perfect. Stainless is "over the top"

I agree. If it is SS, it stands for Super Spensive:heh:

smokindave74 · Mar 28, 2011

1FUNVET said:
I agree. If it is SS, it stands for Super Spensive:heh:

I saw a UDS somewhere.....maybe even on here, that was made from a stainless drum.....wowza....talk about Spensive. I think the drums are over $300-$400.

El Ropo · Mar 28, 2011

smokindave74 said:
I saw a UDS somewhere.....maybe even on here, that was made from a stainless drum.....wowza....talk about Spensive. I think the drums are over $300-$400.

I've seen one somewhere in cyberspace, but as I recall, the stainless drum was a freebie!

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