Ugly Drum Smoker

[Sugar-T]

Been reading and reading and trying to take notes between all the double talk and personal conversations and gets hard when you are supiosed to be working instead. That is why I just need the simple part list and measurements of top rack, lower rack and height of fire basket.

Trust me, I am reading chapter by chapter

[Sugar-T]

Thanks for all the help... keep it up

[Rodney]

Originally Posted by Sugar-T

Been reading and reading and trying to take notes between all the double talk and personal conversations and gets hard when you are supiosed to be working instead. That is why I just need the simple part list and measurements of top rack, lower rack and height of fire basket.

Trust me, I am reading chapter by chapter

The Pickled Pig link I posted has a shopping list and dimensions for all holes on the drum (although I recommend ditching their damper idea and either doing Norco's 8-hole exhaust or do like I did and screw an 8" pipe nipple into the bung hole and cap it off with a pipe cap), and several examples of the fire basket are shown (theirs, mine, Norco's). Unless you want to get fancier with your design, those references are enough to make you a drum that'll work great!

Specifically, on the fire basket, if you don't want to weld, you could do exactly like I did on mine but use stainless wire or stainless zip ties instead of the weld joints, and use the lightweight expanded steel sheet that they sell at Home Depot in 24" squares.

-Rodney

[Skidder]

Rodney hey man all's cool. Just voicing my thoughts. Hope your smoker works as good as my five do.

[IrregularPulse]

What is being used (not pvc) at the smoke stacks? I know I know, read the thing. I feel I've paid my dues and read it once but now that I've been building this I forget and really don't want to go back through it all again! Stainliess is cool. If the only option, what kind of shop are you getting it at? And is there a cheaper option besides pvc? (I want a small stack, not just an opening.

[Rodney]

Originally Posted by IrregularPulse

What is being used (not pvc) at the smoke stacks? I know I know, read the thing. I feel I've paid my dues and read it once but now that I've been building this I forget and really don't want to go back through it all again! Stainliess is cool. If the only option, what kind of shop are you getting it at? And is there a cheaper option besides pvc? (I want a small stack, not just an opening.

I used an 8" long, 2" pipe nipple from Home Depot. Galvanized steel. When you're not using the smoker, you can just spin a cap onto it. Just gotta remember to lube the threads with oil so they don't rust!

EDIT: It also makes a nice handle for the lid!

[Dr_KY]

I use 2" stainless for the exhaust.

My basket is made from stainless mesh and attacked with stainless zip ties.

[MushCreek]

I used a 9" long piece of 2" SS pipe for the stack on my SS UDS. Stupid expensive, but it looks cool. I found my UDS ran too hot without a stack, especially on windy days. I think the wind was getting in the big 2+" hole and stirring things up. It's steadier with the stack. Now I need to come up with some kind of weather cap. I nearly had my fire put out during a typical FL frog-strangler. I ran out (in the thunder and lightning) and McGyvered a weather cap of sorts to save the meat, but I need to make something better looking.

[Louisiana Smoker]

I purchased a basket on ebay. The gentleman sells complete UDS but I asked if he would sell just the basket. To my surprise he sold me one for $25.00 and I had it within 2 days of completing the auction. You can't buy the parts for the basket cheaper than he will sell it to you. This is the link and once my UDS build is complete I will provice pictures and provide the appropriate kudos
http://cgi.ebay.com/charcoal-smoker-...item2a09b0a2f0

My intent is to pass along to my fellow brethern a connection to a quality product at a great price. Hope this isn't considered spam

[chaddie]

Good score, LS! I built my no weld basket and materials cost at least that.. not including my labor!

[otis]

Originally Posted by Jeff S.

Has anyone ever tried putting 90° elbows on the inside of the intakes?

If you turned them all in the same direction, say all pointing to the right, seems like it would create a swirl effect of the air coming in.

As soon as I can get to the depot, Im going to pick three up and then try the biscuit test, with and without.

Jeff

I've thought about this alot myself. The only thing that has kept me from trying it is wondering if warm air rising in a semi-enclosed column naturally rotates one direction or the other, like water going down a drain...

If it does, then it should be easy to give it an assist with the directional intakes. Question is, which way does it rotate?

[Rodney]

Originally Posted by otis

I've thought about this alot myself. The only thing that has kept me from trying it is wondering if warm air rising in a semi-enclosed column naturally rotates one direction or the other, like water going down a drain...

If it does, then it should be easy to give it an assist with the directional intakes. Question is, which way does it rotate?

That's due to the Coriolis Effect, and it turns in a different direction depending on which side of the equator you're on. In the northern hemisphere, it's clockwise when looking down.

Due to the low density and velocity (and resulting low momentum) of the intake air and the relatively strong influence of thermal updrafts, etc., I think the Coriolis Effect would be swamped out in this case, and is probably not worth considering in the design of your smoker.

Bringing up the Coriolis Effect in the context of UDS design has to mean we've reached a new milestone in the quest to overthink things as much as possible... LOL

-Rodney

[Smiter Q]

Originally Posted by Rodney

That's due to the Coriolis Effect, and it turns in a different direction depending on which side of the equator you're on. In the northern hemisphere, it's clockwise when looking down.

Due to the low density and velocity (and resulting low momentum) of the intake air and the relatively strong influence of thermal updrafts, etc., I think the Coriolis Effect would be swamped out in this case, and is probably not worth considering in the design of your smoker.

Bringing up the Coriolis Effect in the context of UDS design has to mean we've reached a new milestone in the quest to overthink things as much as possible... LOL

-Rodney

Ummmm Yeah, what Rodney said!

If ya need more info, like I always do... here is a link for even more "over engineering" of the subject..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect

[Rodney]

Originally Posted by Smiter Q

Ummmm Yeah, what Rodney said!

If ya need more info, like I always do... here is a link for even more "over engineering" of the subject..
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coriolis_effect

I didn't even know there was a nerd smiley! LOL

For what it's worth, I was wrong about the direction that a vortex in the northern hemisphere would spin, according to the Wikipedia article. ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corioli...bs_and_toilets

-r

[Southern Home Boy]

Originally Posted by Rodney

I didn't even know there was a nerd smiley! LOL

For what it's worth, I was wrong about the direction that a vortex in the northern hemisphere would spin, according to the Wikipedia article. ;-)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corioli...bs_and_toilets

-r

I was about to make that correction for you.

Just look at a hurricane sometime. It will show you the direction of spin in the Northern hemisphere.