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Q-talk *ON TOPIC ONLY* QUALITY ON TOPIC discussion of Backyard BBQ, grilling, equipment and outdoor cookin' . ** Other cooking techniques are welcomed for when your cookin' in the kitchen. Post your hints, tips, tricks & techniques, success, failures, but stay on topic and watch for that hijacking.


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Old 03-06-2013, 04:25 PM   #10651
pal251
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Default Re: Ugly Drum Smoker

You could try setting the basket s bit higher but doubt it would help much ...

That's pretty odd. Usually my uds does as well as my wsm if not better..

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Old 03-06-2013, 04:28 PM   #10652
AZBBQ
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OK well the first time was a disaster, about 3 hours and it died. So I added a ton more fuel and added more vent holes. Lasted the 6 hours on a ton of fuel. I am guessing the water pan used a lot and the charcoal basket was too low.
So, I think that if I want to use the water pan she is going to use a LOT of fuel. so I will attempt wo water in the pan. Also, add another thermometer on the food grate to get a good accurate temp reading. I have a feeling with no water I will be plugging up a lot of holes to keep the temps where I want them. 225-250 for me personally.

I don't know I have this water pan thing that I want to use so maybe h20 for the first three hours where the meat soaks up the most smoke then control the temps and let the h20 run out. Any other suggestions?

Thank you in advance.
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Old 03-06-2013, 04:31 PM   #10653
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Quote:
Originally Posted by pal251 View Post
You could try setting the basket s bit higher but doubt it would help much ...

That's pretty odd. Usually my uds does as well as my wsm if not better..

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Yeah I don't know, maybe the charcoal basket is too narrow and high instead of low and wide? Might change the airflow. I am afraid the air from my intakes is getting sucked in and right out with the heat and not feeding the fire all that much. Maybe some plumbing to direct the intake air more towards the firebox since it's not as close to the intakes like a lower wider basket would.

A lot to try I guess
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Old 03-06-2013, 04:47 PM   #10654
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Default Re: Ugly Drum Smoker

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Originally Posted by AZBBQ View Post
Yep has the 2" bung hole wide open. Also, I added boiling water so to heat up the water pan shouldn't have been an issue. Yeah the charcoal basket is only about 1" set above the bottom right now. But I wouldn't think that would be an issue for at least a few hours in?
The water pan is an issue. Remove it. Is the bottom of your basket expanded metal? If it is, set it 1 1/2" above the ash pan which should also be 1" off the floor of the drum
Make a chimney full of charcoal to add to the basket. You should be up to temp in 10 to 15 minutes.
I may stir up some strife with one.
Would everyone please stop using Kingsford. That stuff burns carcinogens. It it's made out of furniture scraps. That's why the directions on the bags say to let the coals turn gray before cooking.

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Old 03-06-2013, 04:52 PM   #10655
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Would everyone please stop using Kingsford. That stuff burns carcinogens.
All wood smoke contains carcinogens.
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Old 03-06-2013, 05:12 PM   #10656
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Default Charcoal

I usually only use wood or lump but the competition said no fillers but I don't know that's the first time I have used charcoal in years.
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Old 03-06-2013, 05:34 PM   #10657
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Default Re: Ugly Drum Smoker

Could be the shape of your basket.

Could also be your gauges. Those analog ones are notoriously off by 50º. Buy a Maverick 732

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Old 03-07-2013, 12:45 PM   #10658
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IIRC it takes 1 calorie to raise 1 gram of water 1 centigrade, then it takes 70 calories to convert it to gas. Trying to get a pit much over 225 with a pot of water in it will take a ton of heat boiling the water. Same problem happens when you get damp charcoal. That said, if you are trying to go really low and slow - the water is a huge temp buffer when you are under it's boiling point.
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Old 03-07-2013, 01:46 PM   #10659
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Most of the facts regarding the specific heat of water are correct but I think the thing being missed is that you are not doing that work over an open fire so there is some energy savings that would apply here - the heat remains in the smoker until exiting your exhaust. I would say that it becomes harder to cook at higher temperatures say over 300 with a water pan. I would try cooking without the water pan and see what the difference is for you. If you still have poor temps and charcoal consumption I would rethink your charcoal basket. Model your basket after the weber - use the charcoal grate off of a 22.5" kettle and use expanded metal to make the basket 6" tall. The charcoal ring on my wsm is maybe 4" tall and can burn for over 20 hours at 235. I have the same basic set up in my uds and never had an issue with burn times or poor charcoal consumption. The other item that may contribute to poor burn times is wind and rain. If you find that situation, try to make some kind of wind block and wind related issues will be resolved.
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Old 03-07-2013, 01:57 PM   #10660
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZBBQ View Post
OK well I smoked my first butt. BUT I had to finish it off in my oven for the last 4 hours. Not cool.

I filled up my basket with one and a half bags of Kingsford competition and about 10 chunks of Hickory. Did the minion method with the bottom of the chimney starter and got it goin. I did use a water pan. Temp took about an hour to get to 250. Set the 8 lb butt in and had to tend to the drum every 90 minutes due to temp flux. Ended up drilling while cooking to keep the temp up above 200. I now have 8 3/4" holes wide open. Started at 12:45am and by 7am the temps tanked. I looked at the charcoal basket and it was all burned up. Top was on most of the time unless I needed more heat then I removed to get something burning better then put it back on. long night

Pretty sure I am going to buy a smoker, too much time and money in this thing that I can't get to work.

I may try a different charcoal basket but man I am running out ideas here. I shouldn't need two or three bags of charcoal for a 12 hour burn should I.
You know what the problem is?? I'm gonna tell ya. Your trying to fix what aint broke. Here's the Scoop News Worthy; "THE UDS is a BDS Clone" the original BDS don't use no Farking Water pan! Get rid of the water pan get rid of your problems. A UDS is a direct heat cooker putting a Water pan in the mix is as productive trying to wash your feet while wearing Hip waders.
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Old 03-07-2013, 04:52 PM   #10661
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AZBBQ View Post
OK well the first time was a disaster, about 3 hours and it died. So I added a ton more fuel and added more vent holes. Lasted the 6 hours on a ton of fuel. I am guessing the water pan used a lot and the charcoal basket was too low.
So, I think that if I want to use the water pan she is going to use a LOT of fuel. so I will attempt wo water in the pan. Also, add another thermometer on the food grate to get a good accurate temp reading. I have a feeling with no water I will be plugging up a lot of holes to keep the temps where I want them. 225-250 for me personally.

I don't know I have this water pan thing that I want to use so maybe h20 for the first three hours where the meat soaks up the most smoke then control the temps and let the h20 run out. Any other suggestions?

Thank you in advance.
Lose the water pan, man. These aren't "designed" to operate with one. Millions of non-water pan UDS users can't be wrong! Don't give up on it yet, they're great cookers and like ALL cookers-store bought included, you must learn how to use it.
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Old 03-08-2013, 09:28 AM   #10662
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I had a pretty spec UDS, and initially had trouble with maintaining 225. I made a few small changes, then one large one. My first change was to ditch the budget grill ash pan. I replaced it with a pizza pan - it cleaned up the air flow at the bottom of the pit. Second change was to make 100% sure their was no extra humidity in my lump. After that things went much better.

Then I said to hell with this all and put a BBQ guru on it. I think I have managed a 24hr burn with 1 basket of coals (I did burgers for lunch, chickens for supper, and then pulled pork over night. Most of the time I just walk around the yard picking up limbs that have fallen from my by pecan trees - I can get a 6 hr burn off a basket of broken twigs. The guru is true set and forget - not only I can control a burn of twigs with it, I can usually go from empty to a locked in temp in 15 minutes (abet that is a bit of trial and error - you have to get a good burn started w/o overheating the pit).
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Old 03-08-2013, 10:24 PM   #10663
Hammer325
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Default Re: Ugly Drum Smoker

Ok, plan on finishing my build this weekend, but I have one question. First I have ADD and my last day working on the drum it bit me in the arse. Without taking my parts list I FUBAR'd and got 1" fittings, got home, realized they didn't fit my 1" holes. So I start drilling and enlarging hole #1. Get the first nipple in, THEN it strikes me as odd it wouldn't fit, so I look at my list, :banghead: OHHH that's why was supposed to get 3/4". :( .
So back to Lowes get correct hardware as well as a 1" - 3/4 reducer. Got all installed and painted.
Hers the question. I lucked out, picked through a friends scrap pile and what do I find but 36" pipe, elbow and ball valve. :D get home and realize they are all 1". I still have 1" nipple that can be reinstalled to make it all work.
Can I use all the 1" stuff without it being much of an issue or should I just go buy 3/4" pipe and valve?

Oh yeah I like to talk a lot too.

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Old 03-09-2013, 06:52 AM   #10664
Just BS
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Default Re: Ugly Drum Smoker

No two UDS's are the same. 1" will be fine. The secret is and always has been learning how YOURS works. Have fun, don't get discouraged when the temps spike and/or drop (because they all do) and enjoy feeding your family and friends!

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Old 03-09-2013, 07:05 AM   #10665
wmarkw
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Ok here is my latest build. My first with a dome top. I used a template from another build with the bar stock mod. Painted with a hight temp white for something different and designed some custom magnets using Vistaprint. Going for a different look lol.















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