Ugly Drum Smoker

Melon bros. catering · Aug 25, 2009

all right guys i'm on page 21 and been searching craigs list. found a guy named bob who will sell me barrels for $4 a piece. told the wife i'm buying 2, think i will buy more and hid them in the basement - she never goes down there. anybody in or around omaha want these barrels pm me and i will send you his number.

Norcoredneck · Aug 25, 2009

Old Hippie said:
I'm all confused. Which brand of "donor" lids fit a drum?

Drums vary in diameter. People on the east say they get the Weber and BBq pro lids to fit a clased head drum. I have never had one fit unmodified. I did get a couple of Kingsford lids to fit unmodified.

garyk1398 · Aug 25, 2009

Melon bros. catering said:
all right guys i'm on page 21 and been searching craigs list. found a guy named bob who will sell me barrels for $4 a piece. told the wife i'm buying 2, think i will buy more and hid them in the basement - she never goes down there. anybody in or around omaha want these barrels pm me and i will send you his number.

Pm sent!

Merlinspop · Aug 25, 2009

They fit only with the rolled lip cut off, yes? That's my problem, because I'd rather leave it on. I have a solution in the mail, I hope.

BG

Norcoredneck said:
Drums vary in diameter. People on the east say they get the Weber and BBq pro lids to fit a clased head drum. I have never had one fit unmodified. I did get a couple of Kingsford lids to fit unmodified.

N8man · Aug 25, 2009

I don't have a Weber type lid on my Drumpit, but I do have one on my DrumGrill, I had to persuade the Drum a little with Channel Lock Pliers in order to fit the Lid....Here I'm using Foil to create a better seal...I have Food Safe Red Silicone to make a Gasket in the near future....

Norcoredneck · Aug 25, 2009

Someone here posted that they just got a strip of metal and rolled it inside the drum, let it stick up 1/4"or so and lid seals against that. Don't know why that wouldn't work.

Norcoredneck · Aug 25, 2009

Merlinspop said:
They fit only with the rolled lip cut off, yes? That's my problem, because I'd rather leave it on. I have a solution in the mail, I hope.

BG

Rolled lip? Open top have a larger diameter, closed head have more of a crimp.

The lids I mentioned fit a closed or crimped lip.

Norcoredneck · Aug 25, 2009

Open head with rolled lip

Closed head with crimped lip (after using drum deheader)

trb · Aug 26, 2009

smoker built

Well, I am still not all of the way through the entire thread, but I have finished a smoker. She's seasoned and all, I hope to be cooking something this week sometime.

From what I could find, I opted to get the thicker drum (18 ga) with closed head versus the open head but really thin drums. So, I would say about 60% of my work making a workable lid. I probably will never put this kind of time into another, it just adds so much work.

We'll start with the basket. 14" wide x 7" tall, with the ash pan (a pizza pan) attached.

The only things left to add are the 2" pipe smokestack, and I am going to put wood on one of the side shelves someday.

I put alot more work into the lid than I really had to. Once I cut it, I wrapped both cut side with a 1/4" roundbar to give a seating surface, then on the lid half also welded a thin flatbar around the edge to line it up over the bottom. I also added a stove gasket in that lip, so it is sealed up tight.

Thanks for all of your help! What do y'all think?

trb

N8man · Aug 26, 2009

trb said:
trb

OutStanding Job!!!!!

jswordy · Aug 26, 2009

Norcoredneck said:
Someone here posted that they just got a strip of metal and rolled it inside the drum, let it stick up 1/4"or so and lid seals against that. Don't know why that wouldn't work.

We did this with one we just about have finished. We left the metal stick up 1/2" and it works fine with a Uniflame knockoff lid.

We are building another one with a Weber lid that also does not fit, and contemplating flattening the lid rim and wrapping the steel around the lid this time, rather than tacking it inside the drum. Working theory is that it would control wind effects better that way.

The steel is tack-welded in, and then the seam is sealed with JB Weld.

Old Hippie · Aug 26, 2009

trb said:

I can figure out how you did the wheels and the like but the hinge action is astonishing! Give us some close up(s) and more detailed description if the close up(s) don't suffice.

Norcoredneck · Aug 26, 2009

jswordy said:
We did this with one we just about have finished. We left the metal stick up 1/2" and it works fine with a Uniflame knockoff lid.

We are building another one with a Weber lid that also does not fit, and contemplating flattening the lid rim and wrapping the steel around the lid this time, rather than tacking it inside the drum. Working theory is that it would control wind effects better that way.

The steel is tack-welded in, and then the seam is sealed with JB Weld.

If you flatten the lid it will damage the porcilean coating and you have to get it all off where you weld. It's kind of a pain.

Old Hippie, nice job. Did you paint the basket and inside?

Babyboomerboy · Aug 26, 2009

jswordy said:
We did this with one we just about have finished. We left the metal stick up 1/2" and it works fine with a Uniflame knockoff lid.

We are building another one with a Weber lid that also does not fit, and contemplating flattening the lid rim and wrapping the steel around the lid this time, rather than tacking it inside the drum. Working theory is that it would control wind effects better that way.

The steel is tack-welded in, and then the seam is sealed with JB Weld.

That is how I did my Weber lid and its works great. I also tack welded it and filled the cracks with JB Weld

nomorecoop · Aug 26, 2009

Any issues with this charcoal basket for UDS?

Any thoughts or suggestions on this charcoal basket? I haven't added the handle yet, waiting until it's perfect.

Used a 16" pizza pan as an ashtray. 16" grate for the bottom of the basket. Used 12"x24" expanded steel for the basket, giving me a diameter of appx 7 1/2 x 12".

From the ground to the bottom of the basket is 3 1/4".
From the lip of the pizza pan to the bottom of the basket is 2 3/4".

No galvanized nuts/bolts.

Will this work? Any suggestions?

Thanks in advance for any suggestions!!!!

trb · Aug 26, 2009

hige detail

Old Hippie,

See if this shows it better.

It isn't complicated, it just might look that way! I had to spread the mounting points out because a small mounting point on the thin sheet metal wall of the drum would let it be too flimsy, which is why there is so much steel for the hinge.

Also, I knew I had to back my pivot point out to allow it to lift and not catch that lip. Although, I went ahead and ground that lip up on the backside anyhow (which is why you can kind of see the gasket under that lip).

Melon bros. catering · Aug 26, 2009

Score!

got all 6 of these with lids for FREE!! they all had cows liver in them. oh wait the guy did charge me. just a PB. man im stoked! already started making one. just doing a basic build. i have no skills with tools so i figured i would start with the easy ones and work my way to those really nice ones like above.

Theboz1419 · Aug 26, 2009

I have one question, I have painted my UDS with BBQ paint, but its very dull(flat). I would like to shine it up a bit. Where could I get some High temp gloss can paint. Have not seen anywhere except for the bbq/stove flat paint.

Sizzlepig · Aug 26, 2009

I just scored 2 closed top drums for $6.00 each off of CL. They held isopropyl alcohol and are unlined. I already have one donor Weber kettle and am on the lookout for more donors for this project. I will post pics tomorrow. I gave up on the lined drum that I have had for awhile now. I will probably use it for an ash barrel. I am slowly reading through this thread and I have learned quite a lot.
Thanks for all of the great info.

Norcoredneck · Aug 27, 2009

Theboz1419 said:
I have one question, I have painted my UDS with BBQ paint, but its very dull(flat). I would like to shine it up a bit. Where could I get some High temp gloss can paint. Have not seen anywhere except for the bbq/stove flat paint.

Just use engine paint, or cook some butts and get it greasy, it will shine!:biggrin:

Ugly Drum Smoker

Melon bros. catering

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somebody shut me the fark up.

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Merlinspop

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somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

somebody shut me the fark up.

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jswordy

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Old Hippie

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somebody shut me the fark up.

is one Smokin' Farker

Found some matches.

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is one Smokin' Farker

Sizzlepig

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somebody shut me the fark up.

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