Ugly Drum Smoker

[Blue Kettle]

Originally Posted by el luchador

plus, you can grill on the uds and get rid of the kettle if you wanted to

OR, you could just smoke on the kettle and forego the uds altogether. only thing is you wont get the fat dripping flavor(my favorite) but the kettle still puts out some GREAT Q

No doubt it makes some great Q. There's a part of me that thinks I'm being silly. That I should just be happy with the kettle and move on. But there's another part that wants a bit better temp stability (set it and forget it). The Kettle has served me well, particularly once I got a slow n sear, but I don't quite have set it and forget it confidence in it.

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by Hinds15

Ah so most likely mine wouldn't have had it since the coconut oil would have kept the drum from rusting?

correct. the lining is THICK. your barrel should be good to go. if It had coconut oil they already seasoned it for ya

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle

No doubt it makes some great Q. There's a part of me that thinks I'm being silly. That I should just be happy with the kettle and move on. But there's another part that wants a bit better temp stability (set it and forget it). The Kettle has served me well, particularly once I got a slow n sear, but I don't quite have set it and forget it confidence in it.

the uds CAN hold more charcoal for longer cooks but I wouldn't be surprised if you could get the kettle to have better temp control.

I think with the coals being so close to the meat you may just be able to close down the bottom vent and just use the top vents for intake and exhaust.

or you could just buy a heatermeter and for $150 you have temp control, awesome thermoworks probe, AND wifi monitoring

[Blue Kettle]

Originally Posted by el luchador

the uds CAN hold more charcoal for longer cooks but I wouldn't be surprised if you could get the kettle to have better temp control.

I think with the coals being so close to the meat you may just be able to close down the bottom vent and just use the top vents for intake and exhaust.

or you could just buy a heatermeter and for $150 you have temp control, awesome thermoworks probe, AND wifi monitoring

I'm unfamiliar with this product. Where can I go to find more details?

[Nuco59]

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle

Is a propane weed burner not sufficient to get the job done of (liner) removing all of that at once? (Plus some wire brush after the fact to remove the remnants?)

I can't say for certain how well it would work. I have heard that if you are trying to burn out the barrel with a weed burner you need to do it from the outside of the drum. You stick the nozzle inside and it gets O2 starved, your flame goes out and you have raw gas settling inside the barrel.

possible "boomage and loss of eyebrows (or worse) could occur".

Unless you live in an area where you can open burn, I'd forego buying a food safe barrel with a liner. There are too many better options.

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle

I'm unfamiliar with this product. Where can I go to find more details?

https://github.com/CapnBry/HeaterMeter/wiki

it written by a tech guy so sorry about that in advance (no graphics etc)

it is basically an arduino mated to a raspberry pi and a damper.

here is a cost breakdown

1. heater meter package ($72- takes two hours to solder)
2. box for the hm $20 ( he often has misprints for free - I got a misprint)
3. power supply $15
4. temp probe $15
5. micro damper about $30
6. raspberry pi $35
7. wifi usb $8

total about $175

[DRMSMKER]

Originally Posted by Nuco59

I can't say for certain how well it would work. I have heard that if you are trying to burn out the barrel with a weed burner you need to do it from the outside of the drum. You stick the nozzle inside and it gets O2 starved, your flame goes out and you have raw gas settling inside the barrel.

possible "boomage and loss of eyebrows (or worse) could occur".

Unless you live in an area where you can open burn, I'd forego buying a food safe barrel with a liner. There are too many better options.

I thought most people burned theirs out after they've drilled all the holes.
(i didn't burn mine b/c mine was new w/ no liner)

[Blue Kettle]

Alright. I just got a quote on a new unlined drum for $68. Its about a 1 and a 1/2 hour drive but thinking that might be better than screwing with the burn out and paint removal b.s. (was going to have to buy a weed burner to do this in the first place so that's $30 right there I won't have to spend if I opt for this).

[SmokerKing]

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle

Alright. I just got a quote on a new unlined drum for $68. Its about a 1 and a 1/2 hour drive but thinking that might be better than screwing with the burn out and paint removal b.s. (was going to have to buy a weed burner to do this in the first place so that's $30 right there I won't have to spend if I opt for this).

Save yourself a lot of grief, make the drive to buy a new unlined drum, you won't be sorry. Granted, you may be looked down upon by the hard core, cheapskate UDS builders for not making the painstaking mistake and paying $68.00, oh well.

[Blue Kettle]

Question, if you end up buying a painted but unlined drum, do you have to still strip the outside and re-paint with high temp paint? Or is most of that paint on these drums sufficient to handle average smoking temps (225-325 give or take)? If I could avoid painting altogether that'd be pretty nice.

[SmokerKing]

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle

Question, if you end up buying a painted but unlined drum, do you have to still strip the outside and re-paint with high temp paint? Or is most of that paint on these drums sufficient to handle average smoking temps (225-325 give or take)? If I could avoid painting altogether that'd be pretty nice.

The paint on the new drums I have purchased is damn good. If you want to leave it the stock gloss black, you'll be fine.

If you want to change it to a different, non-high heat color, then Scocth-Brite the gloss black, spray high heat flat black as a base and then paint it any non-high heat color.

If you can find the color you want in high heat, just spray it over the scuffed up gloss black.

[Blue Kettle]

Originally Posted by SmokerKing

The paint on the new drums I have purchased is damn good. If you want to leave it the stock gloss black, you'll be fine.

If you want to change it to a different, non-high heat color, then Scocth-Brite the gloss black, spray high heat flat black as a base and then paint it any non-high heat color.

If you can find the color you want in high heat, just spray it over the scuffed up gloss black.

Thanks so much. That's just what I was hoping to hear.

[el luchador]

the stock outside paint will handle 400 degrees no problem.

buy 2 drums that way you have a spare if you need one.

I have 2 drums in my garage just in case

[Blue Kettle]

In terms of the exhaust, I seen everything online from daisy wheels like on the big poppa smokers, to a pipe with an elbow to chrome exhaust tips from a car muffler to just plain old holes with no adjustment or cover whatsoever. Does it make any difference in terms of how hard it is to control temps? Those ones where they just drill about 6-8 holes sure seem attractive to my cheap side.

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle

In terms of the exhaust, I seen everything online from daisy wheels like on the big poppa smokers, to a pipe with an elbow to chrome exhaust tips from a car muffler to just plain old holes with no adjustment or cover whatsoever. Does it make any difference in terms of how hard it is to control temps? Those ones where they just drill about 6-8 holes sure seem attractive to my cheap side.

cheap is good. consider putting the holes on the side for a more rain proof drum. since rain water can sit on the drum lid, one thats not very tight will let water in your drum. using the pbc method on the side seems like a better idea to me.

also, doing it on the side allows you to put your temp probes in without having to drill addl holes .

also we dont technically even need holes- just lay your lid on the drum and crack it open a tiny bit and youve got all the venting you need.