Ugly Drum Smoker

I have given this thread a good go but I just can't do it guys. I got through the first twenty or so pages and then another 40 or so in the middle but think I now have enough to put together my first UDS.

A question I have not seen asked though is about the dreaded red lining on food grade drums, which yes, I unfortunately acquired. Has anybody considered using paint stripper to remove this instead of all the manual labour of grinding and sanding. I am on a 4 acre property so doing a big burn is not a problem but was wondering what would be wrong with paint stripper to do the bits the burn doesn't get out?

I have read the entire thread by norecore and his redneck UDS and will do a very close copy of his design.

Thanks in advance guys
Henno from Aus

stl-rich said:

I was thinking "gotta get some expanded metal for my charcoal bucket" then I thought "Why not use the one from my 18.5" WSM?"

Has anyone tried that? If full of briq wonder how long it will burn?

Comments??

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That's what I did. Fastened the Charcoal ring from a 18.5" WSM to the charcoal grate from a 22.5" Ketttle with U-bolts. The 3 inch U-bolts also act as the legs. I actually used 2 charcoal grates together with the grids running the opposite way on each in order to keep less of the charcoal from falling through. Just did a test burn and it worked out great. A level filled charcoal ring of Kingsford burned at 350 for 1 hour and then fell to 225+/- for the next 15 hours until we just decided to kill it. There was still charcoal left.

BWJ said:

Well I just aquired a new 30 gallon unlined drum. Gonna make UDS #2. I am thinking on this one I would like to try a BGE draft door. From what I have read it seem most are using the medium/large size door and only need it cracked open. Has anybody used the small/mini sized door? I figured I would use the smaller one being its a smaller drum. Now I just need to find a doner 18.5" kettle for the lid.

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Smaller one would probably work fine...

Here is a look see at mine...sorry brethern couldn't resist.....



This is also showing my mod for the ROL (rib-o-lator) and Auspit spit. The spacer ring is also SS.

Paul B
SS UDS
SS Auspit
SS ROL

Anybody tell me where I can find SS wire? Didn't see it at Lowe's, I stopped by an ACE this weekend, and they didn't have it. Just curious if there was a good source for it out there...

Tks!

I went to HD and bought annealed steel rebar wire - should do the job and its cheap :clap:

Drum source in Los Angeles: For those in LA, Ditty Containers has used drums (reconditioned – cleaned and painted / no lining) for ~$35. http://www.ditty.com/contact.htm Hopes this helps. I am headed over there soon and will post some pics as soon as I get rolling on my UDS. Thanks in advance to all of the ideas and help on these pages.

Evil Red Liner

Found a clean drum with a red liner and from what I've read the best way to remove is sandblasting. A local company will blast the interior for about $40. Is it worth messing with and will it make the drum useable? or should I keep looking for a better barrel/ I know the answer is in this forum somewhere but I could only look at 4000 of the 6466 posts:doh:.

owen299 said:

Found a clean drum with a red liner and from what I've read the best way to remove is sandblasting. A local company will blast the interior for about $40. Is it worth messing with and will it make the drum useable? or should I keep looking for a better barrel/ I know the answer is in this forum somewhere but I could only look at 4000 of the 6466 posts:doh:.

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I almost did the same thing. Until I found a place that had reconditioned open head drums non linered for sale for $45. Why give yourself more work than you need? I would keep trying and if all else fails you have access to at least a drum.

stglide said:

Jay... any chance of posting a pic or two of what you did? Would love to see how you did it.
Tks!

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Sure, I'll take a few pics and try to post them.

Stglide, Here are the pics of my basket hope it helps you out. I just used some stainless steel bolts and washers I had laying around. I put 8lbs of charcoal in it and it went for 15 hours at 250F.

How long are everyones pipe nipples for the intake on the bottom? The long ones I saw werent threaded the whole length for like 6" ones. They were just threaded at the ends. Will 1 1/2" long ones work or do they have to be a certain length?

Also it was very hard to find stainless stell hex bolts for the grill grate holders. I found some but they didnt have 1 3/4" they were just 1/2 inch increments. So will 1 1/2" and 2" work? or should I go 2" top and then 2 1/2" for bottom?

ChicagoSizzlin said:

How long are everyones pipe nipples for the intake on the bottom? The long ones I saw werent threaded the whole length for like 6" ones. They were just threaded at the ends. Will 1" long ones work or do they have to be a certain length?

Also it was very hard to find stainless stell hex bolts for the grill grate holders. I found some but they didnt have 1 3/4" they were just 1/2 inch increments. So will 1 1/2" and 2" work? or should I go 2" top and then 2 1/2" for bottom?

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The only reason you need nipples are for the caps, so you can close the intakes. you can drill the holes and cover with magnets if you want. I use 1" nipples secured with conduit nuts. I also used 2' SS carriage bolts to hold my grates top and bottom, (4ea). They work fine. I only used SS for corrosion resistance.

Just drilled my intakes and burned out my mineral oil drum. Paint came off very easily. So tomorrow its getting a quick sand and paint. Its going easier than expected. Might be seasoning by the weekend. Just wanted to give some props to all the contributors of this thread.

@ Jay871... Thanks!! That helps a lot! Appreciate it. That's what makes this site so great. A lot of great people willing to help out us fledglings... :-D

Btw... SS wire.. found it tonite. Got to thinking about my old racing days, and remembered Safety Wire was SS. Dropped by the local O'Rielly's and picked some up! A little thinner than I liked, but easily solved by doing the old double twist.

Now I have options!! :clap2:

Jay871 said:

Sure, I'll take a few pics and try to post them.

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Forgot to ask... What size grate did you use? Just curious...

Does anybody else have any thoughts about my idea regarding using paint stripper to remove the dreaded orange lining that I asked on page 431?

henno said:

Does anybody else have any thoughts about my idea regarding using paint stripper to remove the dreaded orange lining that I asked on page 431?

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Its a great idea if it works.

Try it and tell us how it works

Sooo...this might have been mentioned before, and if it has, my bad... But I went to my basement today to grab some simple green to scrub in my uds a tad, when I saw a can of Easy Off Oven Cleaner. A little light went off. I am into rc cars, trucks and such, and some people use Easy off to strip paint and anodizing off metal parts.... I took the can and on my way out to nail the drum with it I noticed it even has for bbq grills on it. I did a few long hot burns on my drum and was able to sand and wire wheel the vast majority of the red liner off. However, there was some still present in the pits of the metal and harder to reach areas. I sprayed on some Easy Off and waited about 5 minutes and Whala! It wiped off... I went to the garage and grabbed the lid that had not recieved any treatment or sanding at all. The most I had done is place the lid on the barrel one nite to help snuff the coals that remained. I sprayed a spot on the lid and after about 20 minutes I took a scrubber brush to it. It comes right off.

Not the greatest of pictures, and out in the sun a haze formed, but I think it demonstrates it enough.
I am sure there will be the nay sayers and the like that will say it will kill you and give your children and what not the skizzles, but if you can use it in the oven and be safe and the same with a bbq pit, then why not an UDS? I wouldn't leave it on too terribly wrong cause I am sure it cant be all that great for the meta, but hey, it seems to work. I am sure if its used in a responsible manner, and rinsed well, and sealed with a good seasoning, dont know how it could be a bad thing... Me I know what I am stripping the rest of the lid with...:becky:

A cure for yhe dreaded red liner? Easy Off? Awesome post!

A cure for the dreaded red liner? Easy Off? Awesome post!