70monte
is Blowin Smoke!
I've watched plenty of videos of drums with wheels or stands on wooden decks with no issues. You should be fine. You can always put some type of bbq mat underneath it just in case.
Pit barrel, Gateway or build a UDS?
- Thread starter tbag
- Start date
I've watched plenty of videos of drums with wheels or stands on wooden decks with no issues. You should be fine. You can always put some type of bbq mat underneath it just in case.
raynchk
Is lookin for wood to cook with.
I would agree after using a Pit Barrel Jr for a year. I was in a toy hauler and bought it so I'd have a smoker that didn't take up much space. It works pretty good, but I find the flavor to be much better on my new Hunsaker. Maybe I was doing something wrong with the PBC jr, but I find I don't like the flavor of fat dripping on hot coals anymore. Also heat control is a pain if your in wind -- which in the southwest is always.
chargrill2369
Knows what a fatty is.
I built a uds. You can make them great if you take your time. They also cook as nice as anything you buy. Better sometimes as you can make them custom. For a uds her are some things to think of. Get a food safe drum. Spend a few bucks and take it someplace and get it sand blasted. That will save you time and a lot of work. I just used bbq paint on mine but you can also get it powder coated. That will add a few bucks to your build but it will look great. I have seen the gateway drum. They are nice but at the end of the day it's a well put together uds. You can make your uds with gas vales and one inch pipe extensions. Put a three or four inch exhaust on it with a ball valve it will work great. I just put in 4 3/4 pipe extensions for my stacks. To build the fire basket I just used an old charcoal bbq with some expanded steel. Some people have said mine looks like I bought it at a store. They honestly work great for cooking. Trick it out by adding a pitmaster IQ to help control the temp.
gambler
Knows what a fatty is.
This is the grand daddy of all UDS threads.
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43943
I used this to build mine. The guy goes step by step, and shows you what to do. There are a lot of pages, but there is a lot of info in there with input from other guys. Keep scrolling through the pages, as Norcoredneck continues his build, he repeats the previous steps. So you have to got through a lot of pages before you get to the end of his build. There are some alternatives to welding, which I used on mine cuz I don't weld. It's best if you get an unlined drum...preferably new (unused). But if you can only find a used drum make sure it is unlined and didn't contain toxic chemicals in it. Guys say you can burn out whatever chemicals were in it, but I'd rather not take the chance. I got a closed head drum like the one in the build, and cut the top out (like opening a can of soup) with a jigsaw. A 22.5" weber kettle lid fits perfectly on a 55 gal closed head drum, not on an open head drum.
Here is what mine came out like:
The biggest pain in the butt was sanding off all the paint.
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=43943
I used this to build mine. The guy goes step by step, and shows you what to do. There are a lot of pages, but there is a lot of info in there with input from other guys. Keep scrolling through the pages, as Norcoredneck continues his build, he repeats the previous steps. So you have to got through a lot of pages before you get to the end of his build. There are some alternatives to welding, which I used on mine cuz I don't weld. It's best if you get an unlined drum...preferably new (unused). But if you can only find a used drum make sure it is unlined and didn't contain toxic chemicals in it. Guys say you can burn out whatever chemicals were in it, but I'd rather not take the chance. I got a closed head drum like the one in the build, and cut the top out (like opening a can of soup) with a jigsaw. A 22.5" weber kettle lid fits perfectly on a 55 gal closed head drum, not on an open head drum.
Here is what mine came out like:
The biggest pain in the butt was sanding off all the paint.
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GA1dad
Full Fledged Farker
Build one,,,,, then brag on your creation. I have loved my homemade UDS from day one. Gonna use it at a comp next week.
smokainmuskoka
is one Smokin' Farker
cleaning UDS
smokainmuskoka
is one Smokin' Farker
Arrgh, thought I was in the search bar. My apologies to fellow brethren, and beg the Mods forgiveness.
Haven't posted in a while, and I'm out of the groove.
Haven't posted in a while, and I'm out of the groove.
tbag
Knows what a fatty is.
Im thinking about going for the Gateway drum smoker after considering the cost of building a drum from scratch. Since we don`t have any of these parts here in Norway I would have to order from the states or other countries. So all in all the lowest price I have found included shipping and tax + parts would be around $850 and then I have to build the thing. Its also hard to find the drums new but old rusty ones is easier but it would need a lot of work with rust,dent,paint++++.
Is there somthing to think about before getting the Gateway?
Is there somthing to think about before getting the Gateway?
jermoQ
Babbling Farker
Glad you worked out a solution! The only thing that I can think of before you use the gateway, would be to find a mat that will shield your deck from grease splatter if you keep it there. I have dripped and splattered on my deck in the past, so it would be helpful to protect from grease stains.
gambler
Knows what a fatty is.
Yes, the drums are very thin metal and anywhere the paint gets scratched, it can rust pretty easy if you leave it outdoors. I keep mine in a shed, so no worries. If you can keep it in a garage or covered should be fine. Otherwise just touch up any scratches with high heat bbq or engine spray paint.
Nuco59
Babbling Farker
Not "fragile"- but it is mild steel. If your car gets scratched, it will rust too. A cover will be fine.
Every year or so, you might want to wipe it down, scuff it up some and lay down a new coat of spray paint- just to keep it looking good.
Every year or so, you might want to wipe it down, scuff it up some and lay down a new coat of spray paint- just to keep it looking good.
tbag
Knows what a fatty is.
So it’s only the exterior of the smoker or is it also the inside?
The humidity can be high here in the North.
If I would get rust in the smoker, is it easy to fix? It is just surface rust and no damage to the smoker itself?
The humidity can be high here in the North.
If I would get rust in the smoker, is it easy to fix? It is just surface rust and no damage to the smoker itself?
70monte
is Blowin Smoke!
Hunsaker offers a stainless steel drum which should not rust. They are pricey though.
gambler
Knows what a fatty is.
Before your initial cook, season it by wiping down the interior with any high heat cooking oil (vegetable, avocado, canola, etc.) and burn coals in it at 350 to 400 degrees F. This will give you an initial protective coating to prevent rust. As you cook on it, the grease and oils from the meats will continue to layer on a seasoning that will give you further protection.
Also, if you store it outside covered, you still want to keep the base of it raised off the ground. Place a couple of 2X4’s underneath it. The bottom is closest to the heat source, and over time the heat will take its toll on the metal. If the bottom gets rusted, it will disintegrate quickly.
But for the most part, keep the exterior covered, touch up any scratches, store it raised off the ground and you should be fine.
Have fun with it!
tbag
Knows what a fatty is.
The gateway has wheels so the base will be raised from the ground.
I did not understand why I need to have the wood underneath the bottom.
It will be kept in a shed in the winter but spring,summer and fall it will stay on the deck.
Was that what you meant with rust coming up from underneath?
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Big Andy
Take a breath!
He's saying if the bottom of the drum sits directly on the ground or a solid surface for long periods of time, then it is prone to rust.
