Ugly Drum Smoker

[grads]

Just thought I'd tell you all that i finally found a supplier for some unlined drums, albeit there painted on the inside. Figured i could just weed burn them inside and out then paint em up. Delivery charge is a bit of a bummer though. £12 each for the drums sounds good. With delivery it works out at around 24ish a drum, going to buy a few and eventually sort a few mates out....maybe ;-)
Roll on payday, can't wait :-)

[jcinadr]

Originally Posted by Chopjaw

How long does the fuel last in the USD?

Also how does the USD hold Temp lets say 225° How many vents do you need? I'm thinking 4 around the btm of the drum. What do you use for a sealant?

Instead of ball valves can you put vent on the btm of the drum?

Do you need to have a gasket around the top?

Here is another UDS thread. First post is a decent tutorial http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...hlight=redneck

Don't bother with the hole cutter - the step bit works fine for the 1" hole (harbor freight is your friend for cheep step bits). Don't bother welding it - use conduit nuts, they will thread on the nipples just fine (one on each side will tighten things up nicely). You may not even need them (YMMV), but I did.

If you use dry charcoal - usually you only have the caps removed to light the fire, and work with a fraction of one hole (the one with the valve) to fine tune the fire. If you charcoal is at all damp, you will probably need to remove 1 cap as well.

Generally a full basket of charcoal will give you over 14 hours of burn time - which is enough for pretty much any bbq. I have probably done somewhat longer by cooking multiple meals on the same burn (my record was almost a 24 hr burn - lunch (burgers), dinner (pulled pork and abt's), then an overnight brisket for lunch the next day. My set up is different though in that I am VERY frugal with my charcoal. I have a single centered and baffled intake that is attached to a fan and a digital thermostat. This is my second UDS, the first was fully traditional.

[Carbon]

When people mention "full basket of briquettes" are we talking about dumping a whole 20 lb bag of charcoal into the basket as most UDS baskets can easily hold that much plus more?
UDS newbies would like to know...:))

[mike5150]

Originally Posted by Carbon

When people mention "full basket of briquettes" are we talking about dumping a whole 20 lb bag of charcoal into the basket as most UDS baskets can easily hold that much plus more?
UDS newbies would like to know...:))

I think they are talking about 10#

[Chopjaw]

Originally Posted by schellter

Dude, all of your questions have been answered already. Read the thread and you will be the Yoda of UDSs

I have read 259 pages, I wanted to scoop out my eyes.. Just last night I was up till 1am reading. I just wanted some direct answers so i can start mine.


sent from phone.

[tragusa3]

Got my UDS up and running today for the first time. Two chickens stuffed with onions and apples, corn on the cob and some modified turds. :) Can't wait for dinner tonight!

So far, one chimney of coals has held 275 for 3.5 hours with plenty left. Haven't had to touch it a single time after the initial setup! This thing is going to make smoking too easy. My wife might think she could do it. LOL



This is a link to my facebook for a photo of todays meal...not sure it will work. Let me know if you guys can see it.

https://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net..._4556623_n.jpg

[bbqchicken]

Originally Posted by bmarley5780

Anyone have experiance with 8 butts on at once?

hmmmm no comment

[Chopjaw]

Jeez man, another long night of reading. I'm on page 256... WHEN WILL THIS END!

[Skidder]

As of today the end is 563. Tomorrow it will be different so get reading

[Chopjaw]

I read 4965 posts on 331 pages. I have no questions. My eyeballs are bleeding. My brain is mush I'll be back later.

I'm on a mission!!!!

[woodbutcher1]

take lots of notes chopjaw. or at least page and post Numbers,otherwise you will be reading everything for the second time.lol

[hankll]

It is mostly done. Finished the basket off with a bail handle, but I will need to go back and redesign it a little. And I forgot to take a photo of it before I put charcoal in it and lit it off......

With 2 of the the 3/4" pipe couplings opened, it climbed to 300* before I knew it. I'm now waiting for it to drop down to 225* and crack one back open. I didn't get a Ball valve for it yet, either. I just was running like mad to finish it enough to use it this evening for some Loin Back Boneless Ribs I've been craving.

I went out after a half hour and the temps are at 235*.......so on the rib meat goes..... lid off lay out the rack of rib meat, close the lid and watch the temp go right back to 235* within a few minutes.

All I lack is some handles on each side of the barrel and a shelf to put my cooking thermometer so the probe can be in whatever I'm cooking. And I need to finish the intakes with a ball valve. I don't think it is gonna need two. I thinking about welding the intake close couplings into place. The barrel seemed awfully thin.

I'm pleased with the ability to run temps higher to around 300 plus. I used 3/4" close couplings instead of the 1/2" ones. I'm planning on making the basket hang on the lower grill supports, so I can use it as a charcoal grill for steaks and hamburgers, etc. Sometimes gas is good but sometimes it is better to have charcoal to cook over.

I used SS eye bolts for my shelf hardware, and I stole someones idea of using SS acorn nuts on the outside. Very Good idea! So whoever I stole the idea from, Thanks!
Tonite, I'm just gonna check it at 3 hours and see what it has done.

I mixed Kingsford with Lump Charcoal, and added 6-8 chunks of white oak on top. I was getting moderate smoke when I checked it.

Sorry for the photo, it was getting dark and my Blackberry isn't as good as my Sony camera.

[hankll]

Well the cooking part went well, except I had the temp drop to 150* one time. I kicked the bottom a little, and opened up 1 of the intakes, and unscrewed another one almost all the way. Temp came back after about 1/2 hour. I put a flashlight to the vent on top of the Weber lid, and the charcoal seem to be mostly used up and not much smoke being produced. The lump charcoal didn't seem to have taken off, so I'm probably not gonna try it again. The oak was smouldering slightly. When I opened the one intake all the way, the temp went up to 245* and seemed to stay put. I let it alone until the 4 hr mark and check internal temp. It was 163* I took them off and put my sauce on them and wrapped it up in foil. I'll let it set in my oven at 200* until morning, and have it shut off about another 4 hr from now. This UDS is a little new for me. So since I only lit about 3/4 of a chimney with charcoal, and only put maybe 10# around the lit center well, and the added 6-8 pieces of lump, plus the chunks of oak, it was still put out enough temp at 225* to do the job for who knows how much longer. But I will try again, after I have put at least one ball valve on. I believe it will make a noticeable difference in the temp control.

[makeos]

Here is mine...still tinkering with it, but it is producing good food.

[mike5150]

Originally Posted by hankll

It is mostly done. Finished the basket off with a bail handle, but I will need to go back and redesign it a little. And I forgot to take a photo of it before I put charcoal in it and lit it off......

With 2 of the the 3/4" pipe couplings opened, it climbed to 300* before I knew it. I'm now waiting for it to drop down to 225* and crack one back open. I didn't get a Ball valve for it yet, either. I just was running like mad to finish it enough to use it this evening for some Loin Back Boneless Ribs I've been craving.

I went out after a half hour and the temps are at 235*.......so on the rib meat goes..... lid off lay out the rack of rib meat, close the lid and watch the temp go right back to 235* within a few minutes.

All I lack is some handles on each side of the barrel and a shelf to put my cooking thermometer so the probe can be in whatever I'm cooking. And I need to finish the intakes with a ball valve. I don't think it is gonna need two. I thinking about welding the intake close couplings into place. The barrel seemed awfully thin.

I'm pleased with the ability to run temps higher to around 300 plus. I used 3/4" close couplings instead of the 1/2" ones. I'm planning on making the basket hang on the lower grill supports, so I can use it as a charcoal grill for steaks and hamburgers, etc. Sometimes gas is good but sometimes it is better to have charcoal to cook over.

I used SS eye bolts for my shelf hardware, and I stole someones idea of using SS acorn nuts on the outside. Very Good idea! So whoever I stole the idea from, Thanks!
Tonite, I'm just gonna check it at 3 hours and see what it has done.

I mixed Kingsford with Lump Charcoal, and added 6-8 chunks of white oak on top. I was getting moderate smoke when I checked it.

Sorry for the photo, it was getting dark and my Blackberry isn't as good as my Sony camera.

Nice work bro

So did you run the whole time with just one intake open?