Does, a UDS + 3 Rebar + some hooks = a PBS ?

are you pushing buttons this early in the morning?!

The only difference I see is a PBC is the design it has 1 2" intake and it exhausts where the re bar goes through the sides at the top of the barrel. The intake is open full during a cook. So it cooks Hot & fast. Go to the website and watch a few cooking vids. It shows it in action. I think a UDS can be easily modified to work the same.

There was an interesting thread about this in the last few days, if you can find it, it was informative and somewhat entertaining.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149518
Found it.

I've no doubt it's a fine product. Patiodaddio and others have vouched for it. Good enough for me. I believe them.

The price looks fair enough, but I just can't afford it! Plus I prefer to have on the fly intake adjustments.

Since I prefer to build my own smokers anyway, I will be building one! My first uds works awesome, and I have no doubt I can build something comparable to the PBC style. It has definitely peaked my interest.

I don't think there is to much difference to where you cant build a hybrid, I have a new drum right now that I was planning on making a hybrid. My sisters BIL has been cooking in a drum for years that I always figured it was a UDS until I saw it in action. No intake down below the only exhaust was the air gap the rebar created (just laid across the top for hanging the meat). I was surprised how well they cooked and with no idea what temp they were running just dump in a bag of K blue and get all the coals burning.

Now that's interesting! Thanks for sharing.

code3rrt said:

There was an interesting thread about this in the last few days, if you can find it, it was informative and somewhat entertaining.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=149518
Found it.

Click to expand...

I posted a couple times in this thread basically explaining your question in one post. All my opinion of course, not fact.

Hook_Line_and_Sinker said:

For those that own both, what are the differences between a UDS and a PBS ?
Would a simple set of mods to a UDS give you a PBS ?
Does a PBS yeid different results than a UDS?
If modding a UDS does provide you with a PBS, what cooks would you hang PBS style, and what cooks would you use a cooking grate for ( UDS style )?
I guess the end results of this mod would be called a UDPBS...

Or would it be best to buy a PBS or build a clone?

Click to expand...

But so you don't have to find it, and since you asked, you could sorta make a PBC with a standard drum. It would be more a UDS with rebar and with the option to adjust temperature. I think a lot of people don't realize that the idea behind the Pit Barrel is to be easy, efficient, and set and forget. Its designed to not need to be adjusted or messed with intake or temperature wise. Good for someone that wants the efficiency of a UDS but doesn't want to mess with temps or build a UDS.

IF you were to build a clone, your best bet would be to use a 30 gal drum instead of a 55 gal. The 30 gal size uses less charcoal, cooks hotter, and radiates heat more evenly than the 55 gal.

The way I think of it with my pits is this-
PBC= hot and fast smoke, 300*-325*, great for poultry and when there is less available cook time for things like pork butt (4-6hrs vs. 12-16hrs).
UDS= true low and slow smoke, 225*-250*, great for the long haul when time allows.

Hope that helps.

I'm curious...if the intake is set, how can it possibly cook at the same temps during the winter months as it does during the summer months?

jrn said:

I'm curious...if the intake is set, how can it possibly cook at the same temps during the winter months as it does during the summer months?

Click to expand...

It doesn't. I asked Patiodaddio something similar.


I don't see why it couldn't be cloned easily. But, I also think they are charging a very fair price. A better comparison would probably be a WSM, since they are both commercial products and about same exterior dimensions.

jrn said:

I'm curious...if the intake is set, how can it possibly cook at the same temps during the winter months as it does during the summer months?

Click to expand...

Well it cooks in the 300-325 range. With the cold it will run a bit cooler just like any pit. Yesterday when I cooked on mine I used about 1/3 of a basket of lump to make up for the 20 degree weather.