Offset smoker mod for UDS using a kettle grill... crazy idea?

[caliking]

Howdy brethren.

I had a crazy notion (which others may have had before me)... about building an offset mod for my UDS. What if I took a kettle grill and used it as a firebox connected to the UDS (crude schematic diagram attached) using 2" pipe with a ball valve to isolate the UDS when needed? The pipe connection could be heavy so I might have to build some kind of support, or consider shortening the legs of the kettle grill.

I would consider building a larger cooker out of a propane tank or something like that, but I lack the space, equipment, and skills for metal welding/cutting work of that nature.

Any thoughts?

[Bbq Bubba]

Maybe as a cold smoker.

[JiveTurkey]

I wonder if the smoke having to travel down to the bottom of the UDS will cause it go stale. Or will it even travel down the pipe? I've only seen offsets below the main chamber as heat and smoke travel up. Let us know how it works.

[landarc]

Why would you want to do this? I am not understanding the benefit.

[cdollar]

I built a horizontal drum smoker for a friend using a 55 gal. drum and a 20# propane tank for a friend. I went to the muffler shop and had some exhaust pipe bent to connect the firebox to the drum and for a smokestack.

It worked great, but I had a welder to work with. Maybe you could get the guy at the muffler shop to weld you something up. The smoke pipe wouldn't have to go into the bottom of the drum, just below your cooking grate.

Good luck,


Chuck

[caliking]

The inspiration comes from being curious about an offset smoker and how it works. Yes, I could go and just buy an offset smoker... but then I could just go and buy Q too . It would give me another project as well.

What drives the airflow in a horizontal smoker? I had thought that airflow would be established by having a relatively air tight system with one inlet and one exhaust. Would the temperatures be sufficient to cook my groceries?

I could start looking for a welder if I get serous about it... or just stick with the UDS for now...

[Papa Payne]

Looks like you would have a heat transfer problem from the kettle to the UDS. Even if you could get enough heat through a 2" pipe that travels down, your fuel consumption would be much, much greater than the UDS...

Like BBQ Bubba, that configuration could make a good COLD smoker.

Just my 0.02

Papa

[Teleking]

Originally Posted by cdollar

I built a horizontal drum smoker for a friend using a 55 gal. drum and a 20# propane tank for a friend.

Department of Redundancy Department

[sfbbqguy]

I've been toying with doing something similar but using a 5 gallon bucket at the base of the UDS.
My idea is that then I may be able to achieve lower temps for extended periods for making stuff like Jerky, beef sticks and items like that.
I have the bucket and lid just need some time to make the mods.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

[Midnight Smoke]

Can't see that working out for ya, heat rises and a 3' drop of the pipe does not seem feasible. Maybe if you cut the Legs off the Kettle to about 4" and then used a 6" pipe between you may have something that would work. If I were to build an offset I would do something different altogether. JMHO

[caliking]

Originally Posted by sfbbqguy

I've been toying with doing something similar but using a 5 gallon bucket at the base of the UDS.
My idea is that then I may be able to achieve lower temps for extended periods for making stuff like Jerky, beef sticks and items like that.
I have the bucket and lid just need some time to make the mods.
Any thoughts would be appreciated.

your idea looks better!

I am concerned about the heat transfer issue. So how is this resolved in the typical offset smoker?

[cdollar]

Originally Posted by Teleking

Department of Redundancy Department

Yeah, I know, and it won't let me edit it edit it.

Chuck

[landarc]

heat is moved through an offset by using the tendency of hot air to rise out of the chimney and the resultant air flow pulls the heat from the fire chamber into the smoking chamer. Hence the importance in having the balance between exhaust and intake capacity. Also why extensions to the chimney can result in lower hot spot temperatures and more even convection heating through a chamber. Vertical smokers such as UDS types do not require long chimneys as the vertical chamber creates the convection draw itself. All of this is not disimilar to a house, wherein, you can create up and down drafts in stairways if the house is not properly vented.

I can see what you are thinking as one way to achieve your goal of having longer smokes available to you. At one time I was giving a lot of thought to having a Smoky Joe connected to the bottom vent of a old style Weber Kettle and using the Smoky Joe as an offset firebox. Just not sure why I would do that.

[HumboldtSmokeBBQ]

Where did you two guys get your engineering degrees???
AWESOME DRAWINGS!
Dont go getting any ideas on bridge building, ok?

[caliking]

Originally Posted by HumboldtSmokeBBQ

Where did you two guys get your engineering degrees???
AWESOME DRAWINGS!
Dont go getting any ideas on bridge building, ok?

Don't know about the other, but I got mine in 1st grade... with a grape scratch 'n' sniff sticker They told me it was legit! Luckily, what I do for a living does not require any drawing skills.

@landarc: I am also curious about the taste of Q from an offset smoker and whether it would be an improvement on the UDS. But it seems that would be regression instead of evolution. Maybe I will stick with the UDS for the moment... might actually build this contraption if I want to cold smoke cheese or jerky. Thanks for your input!