el luchador
is Blowin Smoke!
Is there still rubber stuff on the lid around the rim? That stuff is like how when it gets warm
Ugly Drum Smoker
- Thread starter jgh1204
- Start date
ebijack
Babbling Farker
Since I have been planing at some point on building myself a new UDS without all the mods I had made over the years to test things. I decided to take my old coal/wood burning UDS and turn it into a stubby before I build anything new. Just to try it out first using coal/wood and burning pure wood splits.
Before
Stubby version
Before
Stubby version
Czarbecue
Babbling Farker
I used my weed burner to melt all the glue from the original gasket and scooped it out prior to using the lid.
DRMSMKER
Full Fledged Farker
Diffuser question:
Currently i use a 12 or 14 inch pizza pan with hole drilled in it. I think it's working fine but could be better. Its on my second grill grate located on the lower rings in a big popper smoker that is used to raise the basket up for grilling...
I was thinking of added some expanded metal to make by basket taller (for longer cooks). would it be better to just lay my holed diffuser right on the top rim of my basket? hansaker style minus the fans.
Think that will give more even cooking temps all around my drum? Then I could also use that lower grate to cook on, or do you think it will be too hot even with the difuser on the basket?
Currently i use a 12 or 14 inch pizza pan with hole drilled in it. I think it's working fine but could be better. Its on my second grill grate located on the lower rings in a big popper smoker that is used to raise the basket up for grilling...
I was thinking of added some expanded metal to make by basket taller (for longer cooks). would it be better to just lay my holed diffuser right on the top rim of my basket? hansaker style minus the fans.
Think that will give more even cooking temps all around my drum? Then I could also use that lower grate to cook on, or do you think it will be too hot even with the difuser on the basket?
Czarbecue
Babbling Farker
You may be better off just using some aluminum flashing to increase the height of your charcoal basket. You don’t necessarily need holes on the side of the basket if you have enough air drawing in from the bottom. Just buy a $8 roll of flashing and let it unravel inside the basket. It will naturally create a cylinder. They come in 12” or 18” in height and are 10’ feet long. Enough thickness to support a diffuser plate.
dadsr4
somebody shut me the fark up.
Lit charcoal will melt aluminum.
Beast_Mode
Wandering around with a bag of matchlight, looking for a match.
Las Vegas 55 gallon drums
Las Vegas craigslist has 55 gallon food grade drums for $15.
Las Vegas craigslist has 55 gallon food grade drums for $15.
Czarbecue
Babbling Farker
Had to check the melting point. I guess I never hit 650F in my WSM with the Hunsaker basket. I just don’t like expanded metal sides for a basket because it will project heat out in all direction.
Titch
somebody shut me the fark up.
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Is the uds usually 44 gallon or 55?
I havecaccess to 44
I havecaccess to 44
DRMSMKER
Full Fledged Farker
Wouldn't allowing the basket to let heat radiate out towards the wall of the drum and then up help increase the out edge of your grates temp. And having a diffuser over the top of the basket cool the middle kinda evening out the inner and outer of your top grate? sounds legit in my head hahaha
Czarbecue
Babbling Farker
UDS sizes are mostly 55 since it’s the same diameter for a 22” grate (24"). If your 44 has a 24” diameter but just shorter then that is fine too.
Titch
somebody shut me the fark up.
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ebijack
Babbling Farker
The drums I have bought/used were all 22 3/4" I.D. to 23" I.D.
Weber grates are 21.5" Some cheap copy grates are only 21"
Drums I have bought are pretty close to 35" tall.
Shorter drums are not a problem. At 24" tall you still have plenty of room for 2 cooking grates and a diffuser/drip pan grate. 3" tall legs for the coal basket with 6" high sides.
Example
I would not recommend aluminum flashing for a coal basket sides if you are going to do high temp cooking. Aluminum flashing is very weak/flimsy across the flat surface. Probably won't hold up with a handle attached for lifting said basket full of coal/wood. And yes you get more even heat around the drum using expanded metal. My experience.
But there is no problem using aluminum flashing for intakes/exhausts. All of mine have seen 700-800* multiple times/years.
A couple examples, this was when new. Cooking at 600*
A few years later, still working just fine.
One on my vertical cabinet. But it does not see high temp
Flat lid drum
Even on my Acorn for an intake. This was when new. Smoke Ninja still using it today. Many nuclear cooks. No problem.
Weber grates are 21.5" Some cheap copy grates are only 21"
Drums I have bought are pretty close to 35" tall.
Shorter drums are not a problem. At 24" tall you still have plenty of room for 2 cooking grates and a diffuser/drip pan grate. 3" tall legs for the coal basket with 6" high sides.
Example
I would not recommend aluminum flashing for a coal basket sides if you are going to do high temp cooking. Aluminum flashing is very weak/flimsy across the flat surface. Probably won't hold up with a handle attached for lifting said basket full of coal/wood. And yes you get more even heat around the drum using expanded metal. My experience.
But there is no problem using aluminum flashing for intakes/exhausts. All of mine have seen 700-800* multiple times/years.
A couple examples, this was when new. Cooking at 600*
A few years later, still working just fine.
One on my vertical cabinet. But it does not see high temp
Flat lid drum
Even on my Acorn for an intake. This was when new. Smoke Ninja still using it today. Many nuclear cooks. No problem.
Last edited:
Nuco59
Babbling Farker
44 gallon drum vs 55 gallon
Titch said:
Never heard of 55 gallon here,[/QUOTE]
Yes you have- y'all just call it a 44. You guys use imperial gallons (tad larger than US gallons. Both your 44 and our 55 hold right at 200 liters. There are minor differences in the actual dimensions of our 55 drums depending on mfg- I would expect the same in your neck of the woods.
Most common steel drum in the world plus the grates of the most common sized charcoal grill - it's no wonder why that is the "normal" uds config.
Titch said:
Never heard of 55 gallon here,[/QUOTE]
Yes you have- y'all just call it a 44. You guys use imperial gallons (tad larger than US gallons. Both your 44 and our 55 hold right at 200 liters. There are minor differences in the actual dimensions of our 55 drums depending on mfg- I would expect the same in your neck of the woods.
Most common steel drum in the world plus the grates of the most common sized charcoal grill - it's no wonder why that is the "normal" uds config.
DRMSMKER
Full Fledged Farker
Yes you have- y'all just call it a 44. You guys use imperial gallons (tad larger than US gallons. Both your 44 and our 55 hold right at 200 liters. There are minor differences in the actual dimensions of our 55 drums depending on mfg- I would expect the same in your neck of the woods.
Most common steel drum in the world plus the grates of the most common sized charcoal grill - it's no wonder why that is the "normal" uds config.[/QUOTE]
wow didnt' even look where he was from. Good catch.. Thats why a 44 gal drum seemed so foreign to me....b/c it is hahaha.
anyone else want to weigh in on the benefits of putting my diffuser right over the coal basket instead of on teh lower great about 8 inches above?
Czarbecue
Babbling Farker
The Hunsaker basket has the deflector right on top because why waste vertical cooking space? If you’re not hanging then it’s no big deal. Doesn’t make much difference where it starts, from my experience.
ebijack
Babbling Farker
3 bolts/nuts and you can have a 3rd grate/diffuser/drip pan location.
Keeping the diffuser above the basket a bit will have better airflow than sitting on top of a full/mostly full basket. IMHO
Snakestyle5
MemberGot rid of the matchlight.
I’m a new member/new to smoking. I built a homemade UDS and tested it this weekend. I have to say I’m quite pleased. I have a bit of learning to do as I figure out exactly where my intake should be set to get my target temps. I used a homemade slider instead of ball valves. Has anyone else done something similar? If so what are your thought. I did it this way because it was much cheaper. I may change that down the road as the slider is a bit stiff. Also need to make a mount for my meat probe. Would post photos but I don’t know how. Lol.
Big Dan
Full Fledged Farker
Heat rises.
