First Drum Butts

Bummer about snowbird, but Provo looks to be real good... I'm not positive I can be there tho... the wife thinks we need to spend the holiday with family. (I agree, I think she's a nut job too!):icon_devil

PD, I am in the same category, I cannot control temps with lump in the UDS. Others have no problem with it.

My best results with fire control have been to start with the smallest fire possible, about 1/2 a chimney.

For some reason I get real good results using my small charcoal ring and lump. I try to bust up the lump so they are pretty much the same size and get @ 5+ hours of cooking time with it. I rarely use lump for long cooks, I might mix some in if I'm down to the bottom of the bag of Mesquite, but never on an overnighter! If I'm not around to shake the ashes with lump my temps will drop, thats just a given.

Interesting, I had not seen anything about the taller intakes being a problem. I am a bit curious about PDs cook taking 10.5 and 11 hours at an average temp of 265*. Even when I cook four butts on the drum I have never taken more then about 8 hours at 230*-250*.

So Norco and Bubba do you think if you have a good sealing lid the taller intakes are okay?

I have also found that using the weed burner to start the fire I don't really have to get much of the charcoal started. Maybe 5 or 6 coals with a little flame and that's it, nowhere near a half a chimney. I think it comes to temp maybe a couple minutes slower but it is easy to level it off with the temp going up slower.

Right or wrong here's my thoughts.

I have not made a drum with tall intakes. But I have tracked builds and first time uses. I noticed 2 things. People that use 1/2 nipples seem to have problems getting to higher temps and take longer to getup, or they compensate with starting a larger fire and make it through. The only long intake drums i have seen work from the get go are ones that use 1" pipe and magnets. I think N8's is like that. Others have used 3/4" and only 2/3 up cans that seem to get control, better with only 1 elbow. People that have intakes near or above top of can seem to have total caos. I have seen people make bigger exhaust and get better temps but I would bet they don't have control. You have to remember all this UDS stuff is modeled after a basic BDS. Ask Thirdeye how easy it is to control and change temps from first burn. Some might disagree but on this forum. I first spotted Mista's drum and one a member started making known as EDS (Eds Drum Smoker). Mistas worked for him but access door leaked and intakes were crude torch cut holes. The EDS used holes with welded in nuts and bolts to plug holes. He also had a door and had sealing issues. I made mine and put a valve on it for control I got the idea from reading about how Stumps smokers controlled temps by controlling air intake and limiting fire. I will tell you from my first burn on the only issues I have had was when i did a trash man slam with my drum and made it slightly out of round. I use the band clamp to seal lid now. The other issue I had was getting temps up and i attributed that to my charcoal drawing moisture. I went to a new bag and problem solved.

Not to say you can't learn to control what you have built but look at the simple builds and notice they are happy from the get go. Look at Swampb who uses conduit plugs much like BDS and he has made several and even passed them on and all are cooking fiends now. Look at NotleyQ and he is cranking out awesome grub time and time again. Look at the ones Smookin has built. Ask Fatdaddy about his drum. I think he was about to back over it with his truck and if i remember right he went twords the basics and learned to use what he made.

All this is just my opinion from following the threads.
It is fun to out cool the next guy but some things work and some don't. I just advise if you are limited on resources and want a cooker that the masses here can advise on, go simple basic build. It will make it through and produce great grub. And while it is chugging away you can work on the mother of all drums and come back and toss my opinions out the door.

Found EDS Ahh Modlemaker
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=19764&highlight=eds+drum+smoker


Neils first
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17343&highlight=barrel+smoker

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=17668&highlight=drum

I agree with all of the above.
I kept mine very simple one only added stainless parts for a bit of bling and long weather wear because she lived outside. I don't weld so everything has been a bolt together, I can only get charcoal or lump that is inferior not to mention only sold some three months out of the year.


I like having a large basket for several reasons-

It helps to keep temps even across the field.

True slow and low.


The ability to spread the smoke wood for continuous smoke throughout the cook.

The drippings hit the coals and not the bottom of the drum.

Free unused coals to start next weekend cook with.

Easier to shake with a rod.

Meat further from the heat source.

I have one 3/4 hole that always stays open and the second one has a ball valve that I use to dial it in. The ball stays at about half way and she just chuggs along.

I never saw a need to have more than two intakes. When I made pizza I just removed the lid and the temps spike all on their own.

Same with chicken, if you want higher temps just leave the lid off and open the intakes for a bit because as most have found out it takes a while or some fairly drastic measures to get them back down.