Ugly Drum Smoker

[stlgreg]

Originally Posted by Andyll

Asking for input on How Many UDS cookers you would recomend for a KCBS comp?

Thanks,
Ken A.

I have done it with 2 but I have converted both to have two levels.

[jwalk721]

is this the right kinda torch to use for my burn?
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/cta...emnumber=91037

The wife just rolled her eyes and said I was gonna burn down the backyard, including the new fence, when I showed it to her. I said "but honey, I can burn the ice off the driveway." for some reason she just walked away.

[jwalk721]

Originally Posted by JD McGee

I'd make sure it's empty before torching it!

Here is the MSDS for acetone...check it out.
http://www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Acetone-9927062

excerpt...


Flammability of the Product:

Flammable.

Auto-Ignition Temperature:

465°C (869°F)

Flash Points:

CLOSED CUP: -20°C (-4°F). OPEN CUP: -9°C (15.8°F) (Cleveland).

Flammable Limits:

LOWER: 2.6% UPPER: 12.8%

Products of Combustion:

These products are carbon oxides (CO, CO2).

Fire Hazards in Presence of Various Substances:

Highly flammable in presence of open flames and sparks, of heat.

Explosion Hazards in Presence of Various Substances:

Risks of explosion of the product in presence of mechanical impact: Not available.
Slightly explosive in presence of open flames and sparks, of oxidizing materials, of acids.
Fire Fighting Media and Instructions:
Flammable liquid, soluble or dispersed in water.
SMALL FIRE: Use DRY chemical powder.
LARGE FIRE: Use alcohol foam, water spray or fog.
Special Remarks on Fire Hazards:

Vapor may travel considerable distance to source of ignition and flash back.

Special Remarks on Explosion Hazards:

Forms explosive mixtures with hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, nitric acid, nitric acid + sulfuric acid, chromic anydride,
chromyl chloride, nitrosyl chloride, hexachloromelamine, nitrosyl perchlorate, nitryl perchlorate, permonosulfuric acid,
thiodiglycol + hydrogen peroxide, potassium ter-butoxide, sulfur dichloride, 1-methyl-1,3-butadiene, bromoform, carbon,
air, chloroform, thitriazylperchlorate.

p

So you're saying I shouldn't use this barrell? I wonder what kind of cleaner would work to neutralize the acetone?

[dresselbrew]

Originally Posted by jwalk721

So you're saying I shouldn't use this barrell? I wonder what kind of cleaner would work to neutralize the acetone?

A good burn will be fine. If you leave the lid off I'm sure all the acetone will evaporate. I'm betting there is a liner inside the drum that needs to be burned off anyway.

[Napper]

Acetone would be the least of your worries.
Triple rinse it with water and 99.99% of the acetone would be gone. Any heat no the drum and the rest of it would be gone.

Burn it out and join the "Drum team."

I have 5 drums still going strong!

[jwalk721]

thanks, I was getting worried for a minute. It's a closed lid drum and the screw in caps have been off for awhile. There is no smell coming from the drum at all. I'm gonna pick up a cold chisel at work tonight and get the top off. Hopefully it'll be all bright and shiny inside.

[jaronimo]

Originally Posted by jwalk721

thanks, I was getting worried for a minute. It's a closed lid drum and the screw in caps have been off for awhile. There is no smell coming from the drum at all. I'm gonna pick up a cold chisel at work tonight and get the top off. Hopefully it'll be all bright and shiny inside.

A closed head barrel is a little different. Open head vents the fumes very quickly. If you have had the bungs open for days and cannot smell anything, you should be fine. I am a little nervous about fire/explosion/etc, so I would pour in some hot water and dish detergent and roll it around a little to clean some of the residue then turn it on its side and try to rinse most of that out before I started chiseling. Chiseling could cause a spark. But if you cant smell anything you are probably fine.

I am a little overcautious on these things. I developed a few pinholes in the gas tank of my 57 chevy and emptied it, rinsed it out with soap and water a few times. Lets it dry for two days out in the hot sun. Then rinsed it again even though I could not smell anything. Then put it out in the grass with a piece of rope sticking out of it and waited until the burning rope fell into the tank before I felt safe enough to TIG weld the tank.

I was probably way overcautious, but I have heard too many stories over the years about people blowing themselves up doing stupid **** and I was not going to be one of them.

Speaking of stupid ****, I had a friend about 25 years ago that wanted to soak chainlube into his harley chain really well. He took the chain off the bike, put it into a cooking tray, filled it with chain lube to cover the chain, then put it on the oven to let the small burner on the stove heat up the lube so it flowed better. He was a dumbass because the house caught fire and he got third degree burns on both arms trying to shut the burned off when the lube started bubling and spitting.

[sfbbqguy]

Originally Posted by jwalk721

thanks, I was getting worried for a minute. It's a closed lid drum and the screw in caps have been off for awhile. There is no smell coming from the drum at all. I'm gonna pick up a cold chisel at work tonight and get the top off. Hopefully it'll be all bright and shiny inside.

You should certainly be as cautious as you can. I would do my best to try to find a jigsaw or a reciprocating saw to take the top off. I used a chisel on mine for a portion of the top then switched to reciprocating saw and it cut through just like butter with a 24 tpi blade and had a much cleaner edge needing far less attention when finished.
Good luck and lets see pics!

[DDave]

Originally Posted by jaronimo

I was probably way overcautious, but I have heard too many stories over the years about people blowing themselves up doing stupid **** and I was not going to be one of them.

Nothing wrong with being overcautious. Better than getting a Darwin Award.

Dave

[dresselbrew]

I saw someone that used an angle grinder and took just a little off the bottom side of the bead then used a hammer to pop the lid off and he had a flat lid that fit right on like an open head drum.

[JD McGee]

Originally Posted by jwalk721

So you're saying I shouldn't use this barrell? I wonder what kind of cleaner would work to neutralize the acetone?

Nope...not saying that at all. I think your drum will be fine. I was just suggesting that you be certain all the acetone is gone before you burn it out. Sounds like that's already been taken care of. Good luck with your build...be sure to post pics!

[jwalk721]

Originally Posted by sfbbqguy

You should certainly be as cautious as you can. I would do my best to try to find a jigsaw or a reciprocating saw to take the top off. I used a chisel on mine for a portion of the top then switched to reciprocating saw and it cut through just like butter with a 24 tpi blade and had a much cleaner edge needing far less attention when finished.
Good luck and lets see pics!

I'm liking that idea better and I have both. Any excuse to use a sawzall right? My buddies always laugh and say I seem to find a way to use a sawzall, angle grinder, or welder on almost every project I do. I actually found a use for the grinder when laying laminate flooring. When I got tired of using the backsaw, I just set the grinder right on the slab and used it to cut my door casings. The laminate fit underneath perfectly! If you got the tools you might as well use them I always say.

Anyways, thanks for all of the help so far and I will be sure to post pics.....as soon as I figure out how.

[sfbbqguy]

Originally Posted by jwalk721

I'm liking that idea better and I have both. Any excuse to use a sawzall right? My buddies always laugh and say I seem to find a way to use a sawzall, angle grinder, or welder on almost every project I do. I actually found a use for the grinder when laying laminate flooring. When I got tired of using the backsaw, I just set the grinder right on the slab and used it to cut my door casings. The laminate fit underneath perfectly! If you got the tools you might as well use them I always say.

Anyways, thanks for all of the help so far and I will be sure to post pics.....as soon as I figure out how.

When yo cut the top leave it tacked in a couple places so it doesn't sag and bind up the saw. I didn't do this and ended up bending the lid up for the last few inches of the cut. Not a big deal just a PITA.

[redaub]

I picked up three drums this morning(free) They had coconut oil in them. Some light surface rust inside and no liner, still going to burn though. Got my step bit and Yeungling ready for some fun tomorrow. Went to Lowes tonight and got my "nipples, caps, and nuts". I still need to find some expanded metal so I can make the basket.
My Weber 22.5 lid fits these drums perfectly, so there's no need to alter. I need to find some cheap 22.5" dome lids. I am probably more excited about this than I should be.

[Meat Burner]

Redaub, you think you are excited now...wait till you taste the food from the first UDS cook. Then you will really be excited! Garage sales or craigslist is a good place to find the webers for sale. Gangster the grates, lid, and cut the top couple inches off the kettle (optional) and then just build and smoke away. Good luck!