Ugly Drum Smoker

Smokendink71 · May 8, 2012

UDS bolts

Okay, got me 2 drums today for $20 and 8'x16" expanded stainless steel that a friend gave me but I have a questions about the bolts that I need for it, can you use zinc bolts and nuts? HD doesn't seem to carry stainless steel hardware in very large sizes and I have not got a welder so bolting the fire basket is the only way I have of doing it.

retired trucker · May 9, 2012

I have some zinc bolts in mine, and some stainless also. I have cooked on it for over a year and a half, and I am still around along with my family. You would have to get it awfully hot to get enough bad fumes to hurt anything.

If it's only bolts there isn't enough area of the zinc to matter anyway. Now if you were using a zinc coated grill, you might have a problem. That is my opinion, but wait for the "zinc police" to chime in. Good luck! Welcome to the DRUM CORPS.

Hook_Line_and_Sinker · May 9, 2012

Smokendink71 said:
Okay, got me 2 drums today for $20 and 8'x16" expanded stainless steel that a friend gave me but I have a questions about the bolts that I need for it, can you use zinc bolts and nuts? HD doesn't seem to carry stainless steel hardware in very large sizes and I have not got a welder so bolting the fire basket is the only way I have of doing it.

I used zinc bolts on the fire basket but stripped the zinc coating off with pool acid , in a pinch drop them in vinegar for a few days

pwa · May 9, 2012

Smokendink71 said:
Okay, got me 2 drums today for $20 and 8'x16" expanded stainless steel that a friend gave me but I have a questions about the bolts that I need for it, can you use zinc bolts and nuts? HD doesn't seem to carry stainless steel hardware in very large sizes and I have not got a welder so bolting the fire basket is the only way I have of doing it.

I'm one of the few that uses regular bolts. I don't cook at 700F+ so not worried about zinc off gassing. so guess if you cook at 700F+ I would get stainless. Otherwise don't sweat it

O for those wondering Zinc melting point is 787F

pwa

jldozier · May 9, 2012

Usually, if there's a Home Depot, there's a Lowe's nearby too. My Lowe's had stainless 1/2" up to 3.5 inch long.

I burned the zinc off a large eyebolt in my basket design. Used a plumbers torch and MAP gas. The shiny goes away quickly, then the bolt turns yellow like a post-it-note. And eventually the yellow burns away and the bolt was cherry red.

brickie · May 9, 2012

Why chance the zinc? Drop the bolts or whatever in some $2 gal muratic acid and in about 10-15 minutes zinc will be floating around in plastic cup. When you rinse bolts you will see them start to rust almost immediately. No more stainless for me,but still gotta be safe!

brickie

hamiltont · May 9, 2012

So, I've read most of the bazillion posts over the past year and rather than going back through all of them to answer my question/idea I'll ask it here. I have the drum & I'm slowly making progress on the design and accumulation of "stuff" to finish it. I got a 22.5" donor grill (Char-Broil I think) and will need to add the 2" aluminum bar to the inside of the top of the drum for the lid to fit.

I don't relish the idea of leaning inside of that thing to clean the bottom. An ash pan will only catch so much and I want easy access. SO! Here's my question/idea. Cut the drum into two halves at ~2" above the fire basket height and add 2" aluminum bar around the outside perimeter of the bottom section so the top section will slide inside of it. If you can picture it the top and bottom will meet at the middle of the 2" aluminum bar and rest on each other. The aluminum bar will serve as a seal and a guide, and will hold it all together. I might also add 2-3 clasps to hold it all together. Has anyone done this and if so what was your result? Cheers!!!

brickie · May 9, 2012

There are designs where I've seen them put 2 drums together but really seems like it's asking for trouble from air leaks..

brickie

hamiltont · May 9, 2012

brickie said:
There are designs where I've seen them put 2 drums together but really seems like it's asking for trouble from air leaks..

brickie

I'm thinking with a good clean cut and some sort of a guide so the 2 halves can be lined up exactly as they were before the cut, and with the 2" aluminum overlapping the top & bottom that there would be minimal leakage if any. But as a backup I could attach a gasket with RTV to the top section right where it meets the aluminum bar??

10_Bears · May 9, 2012

Mister Bob said:
Yes, cap all other intakes.
Light it the same way you always did.
I run my probes through the vent holes in the dome, but a hole and grommet is in my future
I use a 16" clay pot base wrapped in foil.

Here's my hot rod UDS.

Hey Mister Bob, awesome looking drum. I'm also doing a hot rod drum, a little different to yours though, and I was wondering what your method was to paint the flames. I'm tossing up on a few ideas, but just cant decide. Would love to hear about your flame painting experience.

Thanks mate.

ymmiT · May 9, 2012

I just realized I finished my drum about a month ago and never posted the completed pictures. Weber lid modification in process to still allow for flat lid use.

Drum welded to the hand truck with upgraded wheels to allow for ground clearance ...

...and a small movers dolly for the front wheel

All the rain and pollen got her pretty dirty

The usual basket and diffuser for when I need it. Eye-bolts are for a future grilling basket to hang from beneath the upper rack.

In use at work with 35 lb of pork loin with golf umbrella zip-tied to the hand truck to keep her dry.

View attachment 64446
And she's easy to load up and take places.

KGNickl · May 11, 2012

My drum smokers.

stevenw106 · May 11, 2012

vent size

when i built my uds last year i built it with 1/2 holes in bottom been using a v burner in it tired of buying propane will 3 1/2 holes be enough air flow to burn charcoal i already had 1/2 inch nipples and thats largest bit i had

NRF · May 11, 2012

First cook underway- Thanks Bretheren!

About three hrs into a 9lb 6oz butt.

Cruising at 239-244 degrees. 131* on the food probe.

Amazing how sensitive the ball valve adjustment is.

Thanks to all who have contributed so much to this thread. :hail:

Smokendink71 · May 12, 2012

Finished my first uds

Well as I said I was going to build my first uds, this week I finally got to it and finished it last night, did my first burn in it over night to season it and tonight I'm throwing a brisket on it for my mom's dinner tomorrow per her request :thumb:

Smokendink71 · May 12, 2012

I didn't put the ball valve on and I'm glad now because it seems to keep temp just fine with me putting caps on the nipples and adjusting my exhaust

retired trucker · May 12, 2012

hamiltont said:
I don't relish the idea of leaning inside of that thing to clean the bottom. An ash pan will only catch so much and I want easy access. SO! Here's my question/idea. Cut the drum into two halves at ~2" above the fire basket height and add 2" aluminum bar around the outside perimeter of the bottom section so the top section will slide inside of it. If you can picture it the top and bottom will meet at the middle of the 2" aluminum bar and rest on each other. The aluminum bar will serve as a seal and a guide, and will hold it all together. I might also add 2-3 clasps to hold it all together. Has anyone done this and if so what was your result? Cheers!!!

I have a pizza pan mounted to the bottom of my basket to catch the ash. It does a great job, but some ash spills over into the bottom. I take an ordinary garden hoe and a small broom from my fireplace tool set and sweep it onto the hoe. Take about 5 minutes to get it all cleaned out, and no bending into the drum.

I am too old and fat to do much drum diving.:twitch:

greg_99 · May 12, 2012

I've been lurking for about 2 weeks now .... last week I decided to build my UGS and today I completed it. I found an unlined 55 gal steel drum that had been used for Coconut Oil. It has a removable lid and 2 bung holes. It didn't take much to complete and tonight I'm giving it a test run. Nothing in it but 10lbs of briquettes. With one 3/4" nipple open, 1 closed and a ball valve at 1/4 open I'm getting temps of 260. I bet that will go down with meat in the smoker though. Nevertheless, I've closed the ball valve and in an hour I'm going to check to see if I've dropped to 225. I'll post pics tomorrow.

Mister Bob · May 12, 2012

10_Bears said:
Hey Mister Bob, awesome looking drum. I'm also doing a hot rod drum, a little different to yours though, and I was wondering what your method was to paint the flames. I'm tossing up on a few ideas, but just cant decide. Would love to hear about your flame painting experience.

Thanks mate.

First painted the black. Then taped over the entire bottom of the drum. Drew the flames using a cardboard template I made. Cut along the lines and peeled the tap in the shape of the flames. Painted the yellow, then the orange and finally the red. When everything was dry, I peeled the rest of the tape.

greg_99 · May 13, 2012

Here's the UDS I built this weekend. Thanks to all the people who took the time to post on how to build one.

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