Ugly Drum Smoker

Pappy · Nov 21, 2011

Once the exhaust is heated up it will draw more air than a drum without a exhaust tube. The same way a charcoal chimney speeds up starting the charcoal. Heat rises.

10_Bears · Nov 21, 2011

Will PVC pipe be ok for the exhaust?

pwa · Nov 21, 2011

coewar said:
[/COLOR]
TASTE LIKE ASHTRAY? DON'T USE HARDWOOD LUMP COALS FOR SMOKING.

Just throwing out a contrary opinion. Lump is fine to use adds nothing more /less then KF blue. But does it with less ash build up, more heat and less fuel usage. I swapped form KF blue to WG weekend warrior lump and had more stable temp can run hotter and no ash build up killing the heat on long burns. I do cook in a extreme environment so that may be the difference. I don't know, but try it for yourself makeup your own mind

pwa

GlobalTJB · Nov 21, 2011

pwa said:
Just throwing out a contrary opinion. Lump is fine to use adds nothing more /less then KF blue. But does it with less ash build up, more heat and less fuel usage. I swapped form KF blue to WG weekend warrior lump and had more stable temp can run hotter and no ash build up killing the heat on long burns. I do cook in a extreme environment so that may be the difference. I don't know, but try it for yourself makeup your own mind

pwa

I havent tried lump yet but I will on the next smoke to get a feel for it (and because i have 4 bags of royal oak). Using the trader joes hardwood, natural binding briquettes, I have it dialed in to +-5 degrees (usually a +-2 degree) variation with one 1" hole half blocked with a flat magnet and fine tuning with the ball valve. I was going to ask for a auber industries temp controller for Christmas, but after using the drum a few times I cant justify it.
I fired it up for chickens yesterday and reaching temp is not an issue. I brought it up to 410 just to see if it could and I have no doubts that it could get hotter than that to make some pizzas. This thing is great and the only complaint is that the center of the grate is substantially warmer than the edges.

Sammy_Shuford · Nov 22, 2011

brentb said:
I have built 5 of these pits and on my latest build I drilled only one hole for intake ventilation, put a t-nipple in it and then attached the hose from an electronic temperature controller to it. Game over. No more fiddling with the ball valve, taking nipple covers on and off, etc. I know it costs a bit more but you don't have to drill as many holes nor do you buy the gate valves which can run up to $25. The electronic temp controllers can be bought for as little as $150 and in my opinion, they are worth it for when you want to put the meat on and go to bed.

Some day I will retire and have nothing to do except set out and drink beer while I monitor my cook.

But for now, a pid controler and sleep are more important.

mike5150 · Nov 22, 2011

brentb said:
I have built 5 of these pits and on my latest build I drilled only one hole for intake ventilation, put a t-nipple in it and then attached the hose from an electronic temperature controller to it. Game over. No more fiddling with the ball valve, taking nipple covers on and off, etc. I know it costs a bit more but you don't have to drill as many holes nor do you buy the gate valves which can run up to $25. The electronic temp controllers can be bought for as little as $150 and in my opinion, they are worth it for when you want to put the meat on and go to bed.

Can we get more info on your pid? Parts, photo, wiring configuration

the_hunchback · Nov 22, 2011

Does anyone have issues with juices building up in the bottom of their drum? I haven't used mine but a few times and have liquid in the bottom built up.

smokingj · Nov 22, 2011

the_hunchback said:
Does anyone have issues with juices building up in the bottom of their drum? I haven't used mine but a few times and have liquid in the bottom built up.

If your talking about drippings that may have missed the coals, yea me. I now layer the bottom with heavy duty foil and pull it up and yank it out after each meal. To old to be bent over in a drum trying to clean 'grease/ashes' out of it.

Bubblehead · Nov 22, 2011

coewar said:
So please explain your process. When do you light it? How long do you let it burn before putting into the smoker? How much of it? Do you have un-lit coals in the drum? Do you add other wood for flavoring? Do other people like the taste of the food you cook in there?

Have you ever tried using just plain charcoal briquettes?

I've used briquettes in the past but don't like the added coal and fillers or the amount of ash it produces.

To light I simply fill the basket(in the drum), add whichever wood I am using for that session, and stick my torch in the center for about 20 seconds, I replace the grate, clip the temp probe in the center, put the lid on, and plug in the the BBQ Guru. It smokes pretty heavily for about the first 15 minutes while coming up to temp but usually by the time I hit 225 it's producing thin blue/invisible smoke.

I've served my BBQ to a LOT of people over the years and even catered a few events(including a wedding reception) and have never had any thing but compliments on food that comes out of a drum with lump in it. The only person that's had anything negative to say is me. I'm my own worst judge of my BBQ. I'm not saying I'm the best at BBQ, just talking about the lump aspect.

The only thing I can think is you didn't let it get settled before adding the food?

Edited for grammar.

Lawdog's Smokewagon · Nov 23, 2011

Starting build

Well the drums were lined but it was the tan one. Not too bad to mget out. Just one burn with some oak fire wood and a leaf blower and that baby was glowing. Now just too assemble. Got 3 3/4 close nipples, 1 3/4 ball valve, Stainless carriage bolts 1/4" for the grates. 1 new 18.5 Weber fire grate. All I need is some expanded metal for the basket. Can I do a seasoning burn with just a chimney? Heres some PRON.

PhilipW · Nov 23, 2011

Lawdog's Smokewagon said:
Well the drums were lined but it was the tan one. Not too bad to mget out. Just one burn with some oak fire wood and a leaf blower and that baby was glowing. Now just too assemble. Got 3 3/4 close nipples, 1 3/4 ball valve, Stainless carriage bolts 1/4" for the grates. 1 new 18.5 Weber fire grate. All I need is some expanded metal for the basket. Can I do a seasoning burn with just a chimney? Heres some PRON.

Is the 18.5 grate for your fire basket or cooking grate? I'm assuming fire grate, as the 22.5" weber is great for a cooking grate.

1FUNVET · Nov 23, 2011

10_Bears said:
Will PVC pipe be ok for the exhaust?

PVC will work.

MushCreek · Nov 23, 2011

1FUNVET said:
PVC will work.

Seriously? Better keep that smoker low 'm slow! PVC will soften at 200 degrees; puddle of goo at 375.

As for the exhaust stack- mine ran hot without a stack, and a 9" stack brought it back under control.

Capozzoli · Nov 23, 2011

Im still haveing trouble getting my MUDS to 300. I built a bigger basket 8" sq 8" deep out of all expanded metal. Its a fifteen or twenty gallon drum and it is every port is wide open and it is only at about 210. I cant figure it out.

Im using lump and I started thinking that maybe it has had something to do with it. But after reading the last several posts that cant be it.

I built and used severl 55 gallon UDS and never had a problem.

Im kinda stumped.

PhilipW · Nov 23, 2011

Lawdog's Smokewagon said:
<snip>Can I do a seasoning burn with just a chimney?</snip>

Haven't personally ever tried to cook with that few coals, but you need to get it up to temp and hold it for awhile to cook something like a fattie to season it.

Mr. Bo · Nov 23, 2011

Capozzoli said:
Im still haveing trouble getting my MUDS to 300. I built a bigger basket 8" sq 8" deep out of all expanded metal. Its a fifteen or twenty gallon drum and it is every port is wide open and it is only at about 210. I cant figure it out.

Im using lump and I started thinking that maybe it has had something to do with it. But after reading the last several posts that cant be it.

I built and used severl 55 gallon UDS and never had a problem.

Im kinda stumped.

I'm stumped with getting my 55 gal drum above 210. First burn was with a 2" exhaust stack and all 4 vents open. Second burn I drilled 4 more 1" holes in the lid and it didn't do much better. I'm thinking of making my charcoal basket a smaller diameter cause I think I used a 20" grate for it.
Sure would appreciate some advise from anyone who has had this problem. There's another drum waiting in the wings but I'm not touching it until I get the first one working right.

Skidder · Nov 23, 2011

How did you light the coals. Was the charcoal old or new? Could it have gotten damp. I'm sure it's not the drum

Mr. Bo · Nov 23, 2011

The first burn was some older blue K and some lump. Second was brand new blue K. I put a coffee can in the middle of the basket, fill the basket with charcoal and a few wood chunks then pour half a chimney of lit coals on after I pull the can out of the middle.
Drum has three 3/4" pipe nipples and a 3/4" ball valve and all were wide open.

Carbon · Nov 23, 2011

Try lighting more coals....always works for me.

Lawdog's Smokewagon · Nov 23, 2011

PhilipW said:
Is the 18.5 grate for your fire basket or cooking grate? I'm assuming fire grate, as the 22.5" weber is great for a cooking grate.

Fire grate is from 18" weber to make fire basket. I'll get a couple new 22.5" grates for cooking.

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