Ugly Drum Smoker

Well... here it is (sort of)... my very first UDS build. Just about as basic as it can get and - as yet anyway - completely unadorned.
First, the pieces with breakdown on cost:
55 gal new, unlined drum: FREE (got it and a twin from work)
Weber Kettle Lid: FREE (found it on the side of the highway)
Fire basket:
Coal Grate: FREE (From an old Weber Kettle a friend gave me when he moved.)
Sides: FREE (12" wire shelving recovered from a closet redo a few years ago.
Ash Catcher: $2.13 (el cheapo grill from the "dollar" store)
(3) 4" Stainless Steel bolts: FREE (had 'em in my tool box)
(12) 1/4" Fender washers: FREE (See above)
(9) Stainless Steel nuts: FREE (Love my tool box)
(3) 3/4" Close Black Iron Pipe Nipples: $3.15
(2) 3/4" Pipe caps: $2.10
3/4" PVC Ball Valve: $4.27
12" stem grill Thermometer: $8.57
(3) 3" Stainless Steel Bolts (For the Cooking Grate): FREE (Uh huh... Tool box)
(3) 1/4" nuts: FREE (Did I mention I have an AWESOME tool box??)
Cooking Grate: FREE (aforementioned donor kettle)


Total cost of build so far: $20.22


I still have a shelf I'm going to put on it that I took off my old CharGriller Offset when I put the propane burner on the side (FREE) and one more rack that I'll need to buy and then paint.

All in all, I expect to pay less than $50.00 for this. Let's hope it cooks better than it costs. I'll know this weekend. We'll do a Chuckie to christen her on Saturday. Wish me luck.ray:

Pvc?

You don't need any luck homeboy, not with a UDS

No luck required. It's amazing how well a UDS cooks. I'm still shocked at how little fuel this thing uses.

bottomsupbbq said:

Pvc?

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Yeah. Well, in case you didn't guess, the theme here was "cheap". After reading a lot (not all but a lot) of the thread, I saw that several people had used PVC Ball Valves without issues. Four bucks is better than ten, so I figured if the PVC melts or warps, then I'll know better next time. But for now, we'll try it and see how it goes.

Update.....

Got everything assembled last night excluding the Temp Gauge. I believe the drum must be bent because the Weber lid didn't fit to well. I bent the lip out, but in order to get good over all coverage of the top of the drum it seem as thought the lid needs to be almost flat and doesn't "lock" down over the drum. I'm thinking of getting a tube of hi-temp silicone caulk and put around the lid, but not sure if I should or not.

And I guess I am confused on the burn...yeah I know, but I am a perfectionist and want to do it right, I bent on the Weber lid for over an hour if that tells you anything and still it doesn't sit centered. But back to the burn, I thought I could just load it with some limbs and get it hot, but should I just load the basket with charcoal and leave all the intakes open with the lid off.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Also, lately I have been reading a lot about cations to certain metals you use in your smokers. Didn't know anything about this. What should I be cautious about....since I already have it built know of course.

I welded my weber lid to the original drum lid. Then I used a jig saw to trim out the inside of the drum lid. I get the dome space and the seal of the original lid. Works great and pretty easy.

Burn that drum HOT, make her glow

2Bulldogs said:

Also, lately I have been reading a lot about cations to certain metals you use in your smokers. Didn't know anything about this. What should I be cautious about....since I already have it built know of course.

Click to expand...

NO GALVANIZED METAL!!!!!!!!!
It will give of toxic fumes when it get's too hot!!

Use "standard" black pipe nipples, zinc bolts/nuts/washers, or stainless

2Bulldogs said:

Update.....

Got everything assembled last night excluding the Temp Gauge. I believe the drum must be bent because the Weber lid didn't fit to well. I bent the lip out, but in order to get good over all coverage of the top of the drum it seem as thought the lid needs to be almost flat and doesn't "lock" down over the drum. I'm thinking of getting a tube of hi-temp silicone caulk and put around the lid, but not sure if I should or not.

And I guess I am confused on the burn...yeah I know, but I am a perfectionist and want to do it right, I bent on the Weber lid for over an hour if that tells you anything and still it doesn't sit centered. But back to the burn, I thought I could just load it with some limbs and get it hot, but should I just load the basket with charcoal and leave all the intakes open with the lid off.

Any suggestions are appreciated.

Click to expand...

I had the same problem, just weld/bolt a ring on the inside of your barrel. I used a 2 inch strip of 10 gauge I believe. Left about a half inch sticking up above the lip of the barrel. I still had to do some shaping on the lid, and I high temp rtv'd the lip of the lid, seals like a champ now though..

GREAT!!!! So the expanded metal that is showed in the UDS build is toxic?

Not all expanded metal is galv. I used half inch on mine, a bit over kill in hind site. But it should last till the end of time atleast :becky:

Well, I left it out side and it rusted by the next morning.....so....it may not be then, cause Galvanized wouldn't have rusted right?

2Bulldogs said:

Well, I left it out side and it rusted by the next morning.....so....it may not be then, cause Galvanized wouldn't have rusted right?

Click to expand...

overnight, no

Whew!!!!! I had it leaning up against the house and it rained a little and where the water had got on it it was rusted.

The old lady would have been pissed considering I paid a welder $50.00 to weld the metal to the Weber grate.

UDS said:

Not all expanded metal is galv. I used half inch on mine, a bit over kill in hind site. But it should last till the end of time atleast :becky:

Click to expand...

I used #9 3/4" Flat sheet expanded metal

Looked up on McNichols website. The hot dipped looked like it had a texture to the metal. This stuff was smooth and when I put my fingers through the hole just to carry it the weight caused it peel off some skin. Galvanized looked like the edges were almost rounded.

Here is my entry.

Getting her up to temp.



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69cam said:

Here is my entry.

Getting her up to temp.



Uploaded with ImageShack.us

Click to expand...

We could start a fantasy team :becky:

bottomsupbbq said:

Pvc?

Click to expand...

Yep, been using PVC since I built BLACK BETTY last summer. Fresh, cool air is always passing through it.