Tinkering with the UDS idea

[Saulnier]

I am tinkering with the idea of building a large smoker that is roughly based on the UDS. It would not be built from a drum. It is basically a 24"x24"x65 tall air tight box. I can control air in and smoke out. I should have room for 4 cooking grills above the fire basket. The lowest grill would still be 24" above the fire basket.

My question is this: If I build this it will hold a little more than 4 times what my UDS will hold. Do I need to make the fire basket bigger?
My current basket is 13"dia and 9" tall. I use about 10lbs at a time in my 55gal UDS.

Whacha think?

Saulnier

[ssbbqguy]

I make and sell three sizes of drum smokers here in SW MO. Each size uses its own size basket and grills. Sizes are 55gal.,85 gal., and 110 gal. All of mine are made with a smoker plate and pan to use as an option. Whenever a customer tells us their intended uses, vending, competing, home or rest., then we offer a size of intake and exhaust tubing for proper airflow. I think its just controlling air , temp and humidity the easiest as our goal. I would increase fire basket height. Good luck, Steve.

[Bbq Bubba]

Originally Posted by Saulnier

I am tinkering with the idea of building a large smoker that is roughly based on the UDS. It would not be built from a drum. It is basically a 24"x24"x65 tall air tight box. I can control air in and smoke out. I should have room for 4 cooking grills above the fire basket. The lowest grill would still be 24" above the fire basket.

My question is this: If I build this it will hold a little more than 4 times what my UDS will hold. Do I need to make the fire basket bigger?
My current basket is 13"dia and 9" tall. I use about 10lbs at a time in my 55gal UDS.

Whacha think?

Saulnier

You'd need a stepladder to get into it.

[TysDad]

Originally Posted by Saulnier

It is basically a 24"x24"x65 tall air tight box. I can control air in and smoke out.

Like a giant charcoal GOSM? As long as you get the intake/exhaust ratio right it should work great.

This is 15 x 16 x 36. The stock air adjusters aren't great, so I am going to convert it to ball valve/open pipe nipples like a UDS one of these days.

[Bbq Bubba]

Originally Posted by TysDad

Like a giant charcoal GOSM? As long as you get the intake/exhaust ratio right it should work great.

This is 15 x 16 x 36. The stock air adjusters aren't great, so I am going to convert it to ball valve/open pipe nipples like a UDS one of these days.

Nope.......NOT air tight!

[DDave]

Originally Posted by Saulnier

I am tinkering with the idea of building a large smoker that is roughly based on the UDS. It would not be built from a drum. It is basically a 24"x24"x65 tall air tight box. I can control air in and smoke out. I should have room for 4 cooking grills above the fire basket. The lowest grill would still be 24" above the fire basket.

My question is this: If I build this it will hold a little more than 4 times what my UDS will hold. Do I need to make the fire basket bigger?
My current basket is 13"dia and 9" tall. I use about 10lbs at a time in my 55gal UDS.

Whacha think?

Saulnier

I think your current basket will hold close to 18 pounds. Mine is 13.5" x 9" and it holds two 9 pound bags of charcoal easily.

Beyond that, I would be curious to know if anyone has any thoughts on the temperature gradient since the chamber is so tall. I notice on my UDS that when things are chugging along nicely, the top third of the drum feels hotter than the middle third and that is with a 34" (about) barrel. I wonder what the temp differences would be from the bottom rack to the top in a chamber 65" tall. Might lead to some interesting rotation issues.

Just a thought.

Dave

[Saulnier]

IT is going to run like a UDS but I will have a door on the front to get at the meat. I know that ALL of the heat will escape as soon as I open the door, but As well insulated as it is I think it will recover quickly.
I am gathering materials for the build over the next couple of days.
Yes I will psot pics.

[TysDad]

Originally Posted by Bbq Bubba

Nope.......NOT air tight!

True the GOSM is not airtight. But what are you saying? Please elaborate on your comment.

[Mark]

Here's a thought. Given the state of the economy, I'd bet that an upright filing cabinet could be gotten cheap. Just cut out the bottoms of the drawers and replace with expanded metal. Perhaps even a fire rated filing cabinet sinces the sides are insulated.

[Bbq Bubba]

Originally Posted by TysDad

True the GOSM is not airtight. But what are you saying? Please elaborate on your comment.

Saul was saying he wants to build a cabinet smoker with UDS controls, i was naysaying your comparision to a GOSM because the leaky door would not allow the airtight structure needed to run like a UDS.