Ugly Drum Smoker

Kubbie · Jun 25, 2009

twisterbret said:
Hey all

This thread is crazy long ..to find my answer. I just bought some expanded metal to extend my Backwoods Party firebox. I just went 4 inches higher then the standard box. I fastened it together with some rods that I had to bend with tools. It's really too thick to work with. So I just put it together enough for a cook to see how it works.

What's everyone using to fasten their expanded metal? Any pics?

Thanks!!

Did you see my post a page back? - rebar tie wire worked well for me. Any home center will have it. A pair of lineman's pliers (also called Kleins) and you can twist it up and snip easily.

Kubbie said:
WOW!

Got some scrap expanded metal from a friend who owns a metal fab shop. It was only about 5" tall, but very heavy so I didn't fuss one bit.
I didn't want to wait for Monday to go to his shop to weld it up, so used rebar wire tie to connect it.

Cut so pattern continues.

Bottom View

Philly-QueMaster · Jun 26, 2009

First Time Poster

Hey everyone, I'm new to the board and this is my first post. I thought I would share pictures of my new UDS that I built....all due to the information on this forum. I did a test cook for the first time last weekend....did some babybacks. Had some trouble maintaining temp above 200 I think due to my smaller charcoal basket. Anyways I plan to fix that this weekend and I'm cooking for a large party this Sunday. Plan on doing some spare ribs, pork butts, and chicken. Hopefully everything turns out well. Anyways here are some pics of my drum while building and cooking.

michiana mark · Jun 26, 2009

looks like you have plenty of exhaust. How many intakes did you have open? My drum runs 200 with one opened and 2 in exhaust. Your fire basket looks big enough also. Good lookin ribs by the way.

Philly-QueMaster · Jun 26, 2009

I have 4 intakes at the bottom which were drilled 1" in diameter and threaded with 3/4" piple nipples. I started out with all 4 open until the temp started getting close to 200 and then closed all but 1. As time went on and my temps started to drop I started taking 1 cap off of each intake until all 4 were open again. My charcaol ring I was using only measured about 7" in diameter. I plan to make it larger so its about 13-14" in diameter. Hopefully that will allow for longer cook times and more steady temp control

Patrick

cardiac_cadet002 · Jun 26, 2009

Philly-QueMaster said:
I have 4 intakes at the bottom which were drilled 1" in diameter and threaded with 3/4" piple nipples. I started out with all 4 open until the temp started getting close to 200 and then closed all but 1. As time went on and my temps started to drop I started taking 1 cap off of each intake until all 4 were open again. My charcaol ring I was using only measured about 7" in diameter. I plan to make it larger so its about 13-14" in diameter. Hopefully that will allow for longer cook times and more steady temp control

Patrick

The charcoal basket your using, does it have just the holes around the top or do you have holes in the bottom as well? Its hard to tell from your pics. I've seen some people who have the same basket as yourself that cut the bottom out and replace it with expanded metal. Your fire may be choking itself out/not enough air holes in the basket to allow for higher temps.

Bbq Bubba · Jun 26, 2009

Philly-QueMaster said:
I have 4 intakes at the bottom which were drilled 1" in diameter and threaded with 3/4" piple nipples. I started out with all 4 open until the temp started getting close to 200 and then closed all but 1. As time went on and my temps started to drop I started taking 1 cap off of each intake until all 4 were open again. My charcaol ring I was using only measured about 7" in diameter. I plan to make it larger so its about 13-14" in diameter. Hopefully that will allow for longer cook times and more steady temp control

Patrick

You have WAYYYYYYYYY to much exhaust.
Why all the holes when you got a perfectly good bung?
Close up one or the other but your just letting the heat right out.

Philly-QueMaster · Jun 26, 2009

I don't have any pictures of just my charcoal basket. Basically I took a water pan from a different smoker I have (you can see it in one of the above pics), and I drilled a bunch of holes all around the sides of it. In the pick above I had only drilled holes around the top. I actually drilled holes all the way around it just about to the bottom of it. Then I put a grill rack on top of that, and I have an expanded metal ring that's 7" in diameter that sits on top of the grill rack. This was just a temporary setup until I could work on making a better long term solution.

Patrick

westernhunter · Jun 26, 2009

I am building a UDS and just cut off the top since I plan to use a Weber kettle lid. My question is regarding the exhaust vent on the Weber lid....is it big enough? Or do I need to add another exhaust vent to it? Do you guys who use the kettle lids modify them for more exhaust?

Also, the barrel had some iso-butyl-something-or-other alcohol in it and is unlined. Alcohol is VERY volatile and there is no longer any odor just from being open a couple hours. Should I still burn it out or just season it at a fairly high temp? I am hoping to avoid taking a wire brush to the inside and outside of the thing if possible.

I will take pics and post up when I complete the project.

Thanks!

westernhunter · Jun 26, 2009

One more thing......what thermometer do you guys mount on the UDS that gives you ACCURATE temps, and where do you buy them from?? I hope to avoid having a dedicated digital smoker thermo.....just use those for meat temps.

Thanks again!!!

jtwisted13 · Jun 26, 2009

westernhunter said:
One more thing......what thermometer do you guys mount on the UDS that gives you ACCURATE temps, and where do you buy them from?? I hope to avoid having a dedicated digital smoker thermo.....just use those for meat temps.

Thanks again!!!

i use a turkery deep fryer thermometer... cheap at any store... 12" stem

CostaRican · Jun 26, 2009

I want a weber lid to increase capacity on my UDS. I cant find one anywhere but I was in walmart and saw a uniflame kettle for 40 $. It would be worth it if I could recycle the food and charcoal grate into a 2nd UDS....what do you guys think? Are the parts sturdy enough?

ajmcedar · Jun 27, 2009

CostaRican said:
I want a weber lid to increase capacity on my UDS. I cant find one anywhere but I was in walmart and saw a uniflame kettle for 40 $. It would be worth it if I could recycle the food and charcoal grate into a 2nd UDS....what do you guys think? Are the parts sturdy enough?

Works for me, just a little tweaking. plus I can still use the original, just a little leakage. The grate doesn't compare to Webers though, but cannibalism is worth it. :razz:

Dr_KY · Jun 27, 2009

I can see several people have not read through the thread.

CostaRican · Jun 27, 2009

thanks i'll try it. As for reading through the thread (i'm working on it I'm working on it) it's just long sorry if i'm repeating old stuff i'm new here!

mister blister · Jun 27, 2009

I thought i would post this link to a thread on a German BBQ site to show the twist they have put on UDS's. I guess you know you have a problem when you go to websites from other countries to see how they smoke meat.
http://mybbq.net/forum/viewtopic.php?t=16972

Learnin Querve · Jun 27, 2009

Gotta love Google. Open this page in a new tab...

http://translate.google.com/#

Then in the text box, copy mister blister's link...

The translation isn't the greatest, but it's a lot better than my German, which consists of about 10 words...

Chris

TexasAggie97 · Jun 27, 2009

Well I did it. 3,476 posts and 232 pages. Thanks for all the info to those who have shared! Epic thread!

And now to finish the build.

Thanks again, y'all!

helljack6 · Jun 27, 2009

Haven't seen it posted so i'll ask.

Just out of curiosity, what's the largest intake people have used successfully? I am in the process of building my first UDS and to help keep costs down, i'm doing everything I can to use recycled stuff and tools from friends that I need for drilling. The tool I have for drilling the intake holes isn't 1" like I would want, but 1-1/4" so i'm trying to figure out if I should just go with three intake holes or still drill four. I'm using the standard 2" bung hole on the top with a 6" aluminum tubing JB welded to the top since I don't ever see my cooker pushing more than 250. Great forums and information ya'll got here. I've learned sooooo much after reading the UDS posting that I had to buy two reconditioned drums so I could start the project.

Skidder · Jun 27, 2009

Helljack if ya need a 1" step drill to do your project p.m. me your address and I'll send ya one. That's what we do here help others out. This is why they call us Brethren.

Meat Burner · Jun 27, 2009

Skidder said:
Helljack if ya need a 1" step drill to do your project p.m. me your address and I'll send ya one. That's what we do here help others out. This is why they call us Brethren.

That's a cool thing to offer. Good for you!

Ugly Drum Smoker

Knows what a fatty is.

is one Smokin' Farker

is one Smokin' Farker

is one Smokin' Farker

is one Smokin' Farker

somebody shut me the fark up.

is one Smokin' Farker

westernhunter

Guest

westernhunter

Guest

Full Fledged Farker

CostaRican

Guest

Full Fledged Farker

Quintessential Chatty Farker

CostaRican

Guest

Found some matches.

Full Fledged Farker

Full Fledged Farker

helljack6

Guest

Babbling Farker

Quintessential Chatty Farker

Similar threads