Ugly Drum Smoker

tuliku · Sep 4, 2011

My Ugly Drum Smoker

Gents,

After checking out loads of video's on youtube and reading even more on this forum, and collecting the materials during the past 2 weeks, I finally build my UDS this weekend.

Typical black, nothing fance, but all mine and all self made :bow:

However, a problem, can't get the temp higher then 120 F.

Here are the steps I took.
- Fired up a charcoal holder and waited till the coals where red hot burning.
- Poored them over the charcoal basket i made. (only half full for a test run)
- Put the basket in the UDS, all 3 air intake vents at the bottom open
- Top vent open, the smaller vents with 4 holes closed.
(charcoal was from normal quality, also tried briquettes, same issue.
But this charcoal and briquettes work fine on a normal grill)

No luck. Also after closing the 2 side air intake vents, and opening the top 4 holed vent, no change.

What am i doing wrong ? How do you gents make it work ?

Here some pics:

Basket: 25 cm / 9.8 inches deep x 33 cm / 13 inches in diameter.

Inside:

And the UDS completed:

Soon a complete step by step overview with pics.

Please let me know in detail how you get your UDS up and running.

Thank you,
Tuliku

PhilipW · Sep 4, 2011

I'd first open up both your top vents, the single one looks pretty small. ok if 2", but smaller is not great.

Your intake vents *look* quite a bit smaller than 3/4". If so, You need bigger inlets. 3 x 3/4" are pretty standard. I generally start with two full open and cut down from there.

If you can take your lid off and you hear some cracking as the fire gets going, it's probably the things above that will make it work with the lid on.

Carbon · Sep 4, 2011

tuliku said:
- Top vent open, the smaller vents with 4 holes closed.

I think there's your problem. Keep all your exhaust vents open. That single pipe exhaust vent by itself is too tiny. After you open or close vents it takes time for temp changes so be patient.

tuliku · Sep 4, 2011

The bottom and the top vents are all 2 cm / 0.8 inch.
This should be the same as a 3/4" ?
(1 inch = 2.54 cm)

tuliku · Sep 4, 2011

I've also tried with everything open, and even a while the lid off..
I did read something about using quality charcoals, does it really make such a difference ?

Carbon · Sep 4, 2011

Perhaps you simply don't have enough charcoal lit in the basket to start with.
Even with bad charcoal you should easily be able to go much higher than 120F.

PhilipW · Sep 4, 2011

tuliku said:
The bottom and the top vents are all 2 cm / 0.8 inch.
This should be the same as a 3/4" ?
(1 inch = 2.54 cm)

As long as you're know the 3/4" is the inside diameter. Actually, it's more like .8125" ID for a regular threaded black pipe nipple from the home center.

pirate94 · Sep 4, 2011

No Smoke??

I am two hours in to my maiden smoke on just finished UDS. Temp is holding strong bettween 225-250. However the smoke has stopped a few times. I have added chips several tmes in two hours. I am using a propane burner as a heat source, with a cast iron skillet on top to put my chips in. Where did I go Wrong?

PhilipW · Sep 4, 2011

pirate94 said:
I am two hours in to my maiden smoke on just finished UDS. Temp is holding strong bettween 225-250. However the smoke has stopped a few times. I have added chips several tmes in two hours. I am using a propane burner as a heat source, with a cast iron skillet on top to put my chips in. Where did I go Wrong?

It sounds like you didn't get your coals started well and they burned out.

I hear about using weed burners to start the coals, but I've only ever used a chimney, and it works perfect every single time. Once started well, you should never have to add anything to the fire.

I'm not sure I follow you on the cast iron skillet for chips. Generally, you just put your smoke wood in with the coals, and make sure some are on the top so they get going initially. Dry, not soaked in anything.

Carbon · Sep 4, 2011

Try wrapping the chips in foil or use wood chunks instead on the skillet. Chips directly on the skillet will burn out quickly I would imagine. Your UDS is almost like a gas grill with open vents for the burner. Wood chips should be wrapped in foil.

Also, be extra cautious to make sure you have no trapped gas in the drum prior to lighting.

rondini · Sep 4, 2011

pirate why are u using a burner for your heat source and not a bed of coals?

pirate94 · Sep 4, 2011

rondini said:
pirate why are u using a burner for your heat source and not a bed of coals?

I thought it would be easier to control the temp. and easier cleanup. It shouldnt matter coal or propane, heat cooks, smoke flavors.

pirate94 · Sep 4, 2011

PhilipW said:
It sounds like you didn't get your coals started well and they burned out.

I hear about using weed burners to start the coals, but I've only ever used a chimney, and it works perfect every single time. Once started well, you should never have to add anything to the fire.

I'm not sure I follow you on the cast iron skillet for chips. Generally, you just put your smoke wood in with the coals, and make sure some are on the top so they get going initially. Dry, not soaked in anything.

I'm not using charcoal, propane burner at bottom, skillet on top to hold chips. I can't figure out how to post pics.

pirate94 · Sep 4, 2011

Carbon said:
Try wrapping the chips in foil or use wood chunks instead on the skillet. Chips directly on the skillet will burn out quickly I would imagine. Your UDS is almost like a gas grill with open vents for the burner. Wood chips should be wrapped in foil.

Also, be extra cautious to make sure you have no trapped gas in the drum prior to lighting.

Thanks, Ill try both. When chips have turned black are they finished smoking?

pirate94 · Sep 4, 2011

propane smoker

This should give you an idea of what I did.

rondini · Sep 4, 2011

pirate, my experience with 3 intake holes 1 of which has a ball-valve make it very easy to control temps. Clean-up, I don't do this everytime I cook, only when needed. Also, clean-up is not all messy in my opinion. You're right heat cooks. But, like a gas stove u put the flame on a pan u will burn everytime if u can't see whats happening on the stove. I can get hotter temps in my UDS with more coals and more air. A gas burner is limited to the burner. I have to wonder how much gas I'd go thru on a 12, 14 16 hour burn. If I did not have a full tank of gas, would it be enough with out swiching out tanks. Do I have a full tank for an over night cook? I hope a picture is forming.

Carbon · Sep 4, 2011

Pirate, for your safety your UDS should have an open vent at the bottom. I'm assuming you're controlling your temp by the amount of gas being fed and not by the intake vents.
If the flame goes out in the middle of the cook that drum can explode. Does the burner have some sort of a safety shut off valve should the flame go out?

pirate94 · Sep 4, 2011

I have three vent holes, one with valve. Do you see an advantage to charcoal? I could easily convert.

mike5150 · Sep 4, 2011

tuliku said:
The bottom and the top vents are all 2 cm / 0.8 inch.
This should be the same as a 3/4" ?
(1 inch = 2.54 cm)

I agree the intake look too small. What size drill did you use? If you used a 2cm drill thats not the same as mine i used a 1 inch or 2.54cm

tuliku · Sep 5, 2011

Thanks all for the advice given. The drill was indeed 2 cm, so i guess the inside of the air intake is a bit smaller.
First thing after work will be getting new vents, and a bigger single exhaust on the top.
Will post again with pics on v1.1 of my UDS

Thanks !

Ugly Drum Smoker

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