Ugly Drum Smoker

Okay, now I feel dumb. Being trying to post all day and it was always giving me an error. Now when I write something stupid, it actually posts it. What a moron.

Sorry

HatchQ4U said:

Okay, now I feel dumb. Being trying to post all day and it was always giving me an error. Now when I write something stupid, it actually posts it. What a moron.

Sorry

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From your nickname I'm guessing you hang with "T" ?

thirdeye said:

From your nickname I'm guessing you hang with "T" ?

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Actually no, I made my name up before I scanned through the forum. But now that I've scanned and seen a few more things, I'm wondering, if out of respect for a great BBQ'r, I shouldn't change it to something different.

new mod sighted ! creator = michiana mark


pierced nipple mod




thinking out loud here - what if it was a slot, and sized big enough to avoid removing the cap??? sort of a small valve

Norcoredneck said:

Thanks N8. I am going to consolidate all. First I am going to have basic build and links inserted on build options. Hopefully for a sticky. Several people have sent me info. Just got real busy at work. One thing to work 12's and sit and monitor, another when you have to do physical labor. This is why post slowed. Gonna pick up expanded metal at steel yard today. Had 4X8 sheet sheared into 6 8"X96" pieces. Will cut into 12 42.5" pieces for rings to go around 18" weber kettle charcoal grate which measures 13.5"dia. Have you noted this thread has over 100,000 views? Cool!

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I prefer the coal grate for an 18.5" as oppossed to a 22.5" Weber coal grate for UDS baskets. Tried them both and seems like the 13.5" dia. gets to temp faster.

swamprb said:

I prefer the coal grate for an 18.5" as oppossed to a 22.5" Weber coal grate for UDS baskets. Tried them both and seems like the 13.5" dia. gets to temp faster.

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That is what I meant. Like you said a 18.5" weber which is actual 13.5" charcoal grate is what I meant. I was calling it an 18". A 22.5" weber has a 17" charcoal grate. Thanks for posting to make it clear. I can see it but not always translate.

HatchQ4U said:

Actually no, I made my name up before I scanned through the forum. But now that I've scanned and seen a few more things, I'm wondering, if out of respect for a great BBQ'r, I shouldn't change it to something different.

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I don't think there will be any mix-ups. His forum nickname is Q4U's T, and his restaurant is called Q4U. He does not post here, I met him on another forum and he competes at the State Championship in Wyoming. T is also from Utah, so I thought you guys might know each other or work or cook together.

You are right, he is a real good cook and to keep this on topic, he cooks on a BDS.

One of my Big Green Drums got a paint job today...



This was the before look...






Now I get to "ugly" it up all over again...:biggrin:

Hook_Line_and_Sinker said:

new mod sighted ! creator = michiana mark


pierced nipple mod

thinking out loud here - what if it was a slot, and sized big enough to avoid removing the cap??? sort of a small valve

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I'm liking the slot idea...you don't need a lot of threads to hold that cap. I'd mill it out leaving just enough to thread on the cap. :idea:

intake vent hole ??

how big is to big ?? I am ready to start building mine , but the hole saw bit I have is 2.25 , I plan on only 1 hole , will that be enough ?? and how far from the bottom should I drill it ??

Richard_ said:

how big is to big ?? I am ready to start building mine , but the hole saw bit I have is 2.25 , I plan on only 1 hole , will that be enough ?? and how for from the bottom should I drill it ??

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Too big in my opinion.

I agree with Norco but it really comes down to how much is open when you're smoking. I have one 1 1/2" hole and I have it wide open to start and then close it down to 1/8 to hold 225. I would think 2.25 might come up to temp faster but it depends on the exhaust also. What are you using to control the air? I think I would use sheet magnet or a sheet metal flap rather than a huge ball valve. I kind of like a nice clean look to the barrels without too much hanging off them yet my favorite barrel to cook on has a intake coming up the side.
Let us know how it works for you!
How high- 2" off the bottom seems to work good to keep ashes and juices in the barrel.

perfect , ended up going with a 1.25 hole saw , probably cut 4 holes till after I do a burn to clean the barrel , then cap 3 of them and put a ball valve in 1

You don't need to cut that many holes. Why spend the extra cash and risk leaks? It's not a bad idea if you plan on doing big loads of chicken though.

You can see I have two , one with a ball valve to adjust tempsand the other running wide open with a stainless nipple. They are placed one third the way around the drum with one space left in case I needed to add a third.

Tried some thing new Fathers day on the drum. Cooked with no exhaust stack, just a open bung hole. Filled firebox with 10 lb of K. Put 2 lb of K in chimney and fired it off. Dumped well lit K on top of firebox, left all three holes open and put on lid. Side temp hit 225* center temp was 275* covered 2 holes up 1 open. 10 min later side temp 205* and center temp 240*. It stayed this way for the next hour and 20 min.
Time to put on the jerked chicken. Crips forgot to take out of refer for warm up, this was straight from the refer to the drum. Chicken is on, I do not leave lid off for any length of time. I load, temp and flip by taking grill off drum and replace lid then do what I have to, then put grate back on drum. Side temp 175* center temp went back to 220* with in 5 min I can live with that. Side temp took allmost 30 min to get to 200* center temp stayed around 220* to 225*. 30 min later time to rotate grill, just using open bung did not eliminate hot spot unde exhaust vent, but it did seem to be less (subjective). After short spike Temps returned to 200* center temp now 230* 30 min later time to flip. short spike then settled @ 205* side temp and 240* to 245* center. 30 min later rotate grill temps settled back to 205*side and 245* to 250* center. 30 min rotated grill temps settled in as before. 30min later flipped and opened 1 more hole temps now 230 * side and center was 260* 20min later flipped side 250* and center 280* 20 min later probed thighs temps in chix was 175* to 180 * depending on size. Dinner is on:icon_bigsmil cook time 2 hrs 40 min

What did I learn from this


I do not think you need a stack for cooking, open bung works just fine.

open bung does not eliminate hot spot under vent.

Condensation under lid was nil, big difference noticed. this was 7 lbs of marinated thighs.

Doing a fast finish on the chicken worked very well:icon_cool

Drums rock:icon_bigsmil

But the stack is the bling. :twisted:

swamprb said:

I'll tell you it is a sight to behold to see the convection effect with the drum lid and my 8 vent holes swirling in the early morning of an all nighter with just my dining room light reflecting on the deck!

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pic please.

JD McGee said:

I'm liking the slot idea...you don't need a lot of threads to hold that cap. I'd mill it out leaving just enough to thread on the cap. :idea:

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This actually has 4 1/4 " holes drilled in it. I have two of these in along with a ball valve. Tried to even out the air intake to evenly burn the charcoal on all sides.

exhaust ??

is there a magic # for the size ?? I was thinking of using 2.25 exhaust tubing

Richard,
Saw one a couple weeks ago that the guy put a angled chrome tailpipe extension over and it looked really cool.

Scott