Ugly Drum Smoker

SmokerKing · Sep 8, 2010

Durzil said:
What did you use for a lid? I'd love to get/make a lid like that with a stack on it. It rains a lot here in Oregon

I bought a couple from here.

http://turnerbiodiesel.com/8_gallon_55_gallon_drum_cone

I had to weld a 1/4" rod around the outside edge of the cone and then welded flat stock to the rod to make it fit since the cone sat on top of the rolled edge of the drum.

I then layed Rutland rope and adhesive around the inside edge of the top on top of the cone edge and rod so it would compress on top of the edge of the drum. Fits snug and leak free.

Southern Home Boy · Sep 8, 2010

Here's another option for cones and flat lids:
http://www.westtexasfeedersupply.com/lidsfunnels.htm

AustinKnight · Sep 8, 2010

Southern Home Boy said:
Here's another option for cones and flat lids:
http://www.westtexasfeedersupply.com/lidsfunnels.htm

Have you bought any of these lids, I'd like to buy one of the cone ones to have more space when I need it.

Louisiana Smoker · Sep 8, 2010

Southern Home Boy said:
Here's another option for cones and flat lids:
http://www.westtexasfeedersupply.com/lidsfunnels.htm

I like the cone lid but it looks like galvanized metal. Do you know what they are made with?

SmokerKing · Sep 8, 2010

Louisiana Smoker said:
I like the cone lid but it looks like galvanized metal. Do you know what they are made with?

looks galvanized and not very deep
wonder what the dims are

Southern Home Boy · Sep 9, 2010

AustinKnight said:
Have you bought any of these lids, I'd like to buy one of the cone ones to have more space when I need it.

No, I haven't bought any yet, but I'm considering an 85 Gal one for an XL UDS.

They DO look like they're galvanized, but I'm thinking with a good hi-temp paint outside and seasoning inside and normal smoking temps, it shouldn't be hot enough to out-gas anything.

At least, I would think that....

They do look a little thin, but no more flimsy than some of the cheapo wally world grills that some folks make their lids out of. For a cover, I'd think it'd work pretty well.

AustinKnight · Sep 9, 2010

Southern Home Boy said:
No, I haven't bought any yet, but I'm considering an 85 Gal one for an XL UDS.

They DO look like they're galvanized, but I'm thinking with a good hi-temp paint outside and seasoning inside and normal smoking temps, it shouldn't be hot enough to out-gas anything.

At least, I would think that....

They do look a little thin, but no more flimsy than some of the cheapo wally world grills that some folks make their lids out of. For a cover, I'd think it'd work pretty well.

They do look galvanized, they look thick enough to be used as a lid I sent them a email to see if they were galvanized I'll let you know if I hear anything back.

Johnny_Crunch · Sep 9, 2010

I have one of those lids on my deer feeder, that may work really well for this application.

Rodney · Sep 9, 2010

Southern Home Boy said:
No, I haven't bought any yet, but I'm considering an 85 Gal one for an XL UDS.

They DO look like they're galvanized, but I'm thinking with a good hi-temp paint outside and seasoning inside and normal smoking temps, it shouldn't be hot enough to out-gas anything.

At least, I would think that....

They do look a little thin, but no more flimsy than some of the cheapo wally world grills that some folks make their lids out of. For a cover, I'd think it'd work pretty well.

It'll be just fine... you'll get people here saying "Don't use zinc anywhere... better safe than sorry", but you have to get zinc well over 1000 degrees F before it'll start giving off harmful vapors. If the lid on your UDS is doing that, you wouldn't want to eat the food that comes out of it anyway. :wink: Even if you did make those zinc vapors, they're only harmful if inhaled as vapor. When cooled and accumulated on food, it becomes zinc oxide, which is a harmless, edible material. :deadhorse:

I'm really liking that Turner Biodiesel cone. Does it fit around the OD of the lip on an open-head drum?

-Rodney

Rodney · Sep 9, 2010

Johnny_Crunch said:
I have one of those lids on my deer feeder, that may work really well for this application.

And you just now spoke up, after the pages and pages of how to cram a Weber lid onto a drum??? :doh: :laugh: (j/k)

SmokerKing · Sep 9, 2010

Rodney said:
I'm really liking that Turner Biodiesel cone. Does it fit around the OD of the lip on an open-head drum?

-Rodney

The Turner cone is 22 7/8" lip to lip.
12" high at the center
16 ga spun steel, no seams

My drum was 23" outside to outside of the top rolled lip.
I spot welded a 1/4" round rod to the outside perimeter of the cone, then spot welded 3/16" x 1 1/2" flat stock to the rod. This acted as the "capture" for the drum for the cone. I then used the 1/4" rod and cone lid edge as my area to lay the Rutland rope for the seal.

Rodney · Sep 9, 2010

SmokerKing said:
The Turner cone is 22 7/8" lip to lip.
12" high at the center
16 ga spun steel, no seams

My drum was 23" outside to outside of the top rolled lip.
I spot welded a 1/4" round rod to the outside perimeter of the cone, then spot welded 3/16" x 1 1/2" flat stock to the rod. This acted as the "capture" for the drum for the cone. I then used the 1/4" rod and cone lid edge as my area to lay the Rutland rope for the seal.

Ahh... I see. Not quite a direct fit. I like how you incorporated the seal!

-Rodney

Johnny_Crunch · Sep 9, 2010

Rodney said:
And you just now spoke up, after the pages and pages of how to cram a Weber lid onto a drum??? :doh: :laugh: (j/k)

I haven't needed to look into a lid until mine recently warped..... sorry!

Rodney · Sep 9, 2010

Johnny_Crunch said:
I haven't needed to look into a lid until mine recently warped..... sorry!

I's just givin' ya a hard time. :thumb:

Johnny_Crunch · Sep 9, 2010

I wouldn't have it any other way!

otis · Sep 11, 2010

Rodney said:
It'll be just fine... you'll get people here saying "Don't use zinc anywhere... better safe than sorry", but you have to get zinc well over 1000 degrees F before it'll start giving off harmful vapors. If the lid on your UDS is doing that, you wouldn't want to eat the food that comes out of it anyway. :wink: Even if you did make those zinc vapors, they're only harmful if inhaled as vapor. When cooled and accumulated on food, it becomes zinc oxide, which is a harmless, edible material. :deadhorse:

I'm really liking that Turner Biodiesel cone. Does it fit around the OD of the lip on an open-head drum?

-Rodney

Thank you Rodney for the voice of reason. It's good to see somebody thinking for themselves instead of blindly following the horde.

sjm845 · Sep 11, 2010

Hot and Fast

Does anyone cook hot and fast in their UDS? On pitmasters a few weeks ago the fireman from Florida did his brisket in the drum at 350 for like 4-4:30 hours and won! With the size of the coal baskets and the "direct" cooking aspect of the design, it seems the UDS could be an excellent power cooker.

I'm looking for a resource with smoking times using high heat (300-350) so I can cut my time down on the cooks. Overnight for pork or brisket doesn't cut it any more--my son is almost 6 months old...so any extra sleep I can get is big since I get none now! Any help would be appreciated.

Also...anyone in the NYC/Rockland/Orange county areas, I have a drum hookup. Completely refurbished and bare metal on the inside. Cheap--$35.

stglide · Sep 11, 2010

Southern Home Boy said:
Here's another option for cones and flat lids:
http://www.westtexasfeedersupply.com/lidsfunnels.htm

Definitely if anyone tries one of these, let us know! Especially if they are a good snug fit for the drum. Especially since finding a Weber lid around here is like finding a needle in a haystack! :roll:

mdub · Sep 13, 2010

Caster issues?

Anyone have issues with their casters melting when attached directly to the bottom of the UDS?

Thanks!
Mdub

Southern Home Boy · Sep 13, 2010

mdub said:
Anyone have issues with their casters melting when attached directly to the bottom of the UDS?

Thanks!
Mdub

No,

eusa_clapbut I used steel casters, so it would have to get REALLY hot before they'd be damaged...)

I use PVC pipes for my intakes.

I had the drum up to 500* this weekend burning off the last bits of some old charcoal and had no issues with the heat damaging the PVC.

I would think you'd be pretty good with some hard rubber casters on the bottom of the drum if that's what you've got on hand. If you're going to buy them anyway, I'd still get the steel ones.

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