Ugly Drum Smoker - Page 45

Beerwolf · 12-23-2007, 12:21 PM

What is the Dia of those exhaust Tubes? Did you square the radius and multiply by Pi (3.14)? Assuming 3" pipe, both stacks would be a little over 7" and one stack 3 1/2" so you are definately in the ball park of horse shoes and hand grenades, which seems to be about as close as it takes to work

My Weber lid has 4-1 inch holes or roughly 3.14 square inches

You are also onto something with the basket size, I learned the hard way on the 2 units I built this year, My drum basket wound up about 16" dia x 5" deep and it runs rock solid.

Your smoker is the first Ive seen using a gate valve on the inlet, let me know how it works for you.

Scudrunr · 12-23-2007, 08:02 PM

Well my first smoke I have to call a success! Moist, tender, and smoky.

Took 8 hours for a 5lb brisket, would have been less had I not had to leave for 3 hours. My temps fell whilst I was gone

There are some things I will do differently.

The exhaust issue is OK but needs work. The stacks are 2". During warm up I experienced what one member said that the temps are high and hard to control. I reached my temp and couldn't throttle it back down to stabilize. I completely blocked one of the stacks and was then able to regulate temperature fairly well. I believe the proper equation of intake vs exhaust is 1:1

My fire basket is too small. The result of this is slow starting, poor temp control, very little smoke at temp, small smoke ring. As you can see there is a non-existent smoke ring. while you can smell it and taste it you cant SEE it. There is enough room for a long burn with the basket at its current size, I shut down with half the basket full. The larger fire basket would let me put in more wood and make more smoke. I think.

I had no apple juice for foiling so I used hornsbys hard apple cider, seemed to work good.

I want a different wood. I used mesquite because that is what was available. Its good but not my style.

sampson · 12-23-2007, 08:25 PM

I think you did great for the first cook on the drum... Temp control on one of these just takes a couple of cooks to learn but once you got it, it's a no brainer.

Meat Burner · 12-23-2007, 09:23 PM

You'll be fine Scud, like sampson said it just takes a few times to figure what your ugly wants and then you will be fine...actually, sounds like you have it pretty well covered for the first cook. Congrats, it sounds like it went better than most!!! Keep us posted!

JamesB · 12-29-2007, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by N8man

Fantastic job with your DrumPit!!! How are you measuring the Temps?
If you are using a Dial Type Therm mounted on the DrumPit side, the temp can vary from the side of the drum to the center of the cooking grate by as much as 100 degrees, at least that has been the case with mine...I use an Electronic Temp Probe on the cooking grate for additional temp exactness....

This is what I'm finding as well. The 3" stem on my side mounted thermo just ain't up to the job... plus it seems to fluctuate during the cook... I've got one of my remote thermos snaked down an exhaust snout for now, but that is a ping when I remove the lid to rotate the meat... There has got to be a better way!

James.

smooookin · 12-29-2007, 09:22 PM

James, I drilled a couple of small holes in the side of my drum. 1 for the grate temp and one for the meat. The holes are just large enough for the probes to slide in. The grate probe sets usually right in the middle running thru a block of wood.

JamesB · 12-29-2007, 10:08 PM

Thanks, smooookin... I'm figuring that I need to drill another hole for the probe as well. I don't usually cook with a probe in the meat anymore, so 1 should do me! I hope...

James.

Scudrunr · 12-29-2007, 10:12 PM

James, no probe in the meat? just go by time?

JamesB · 12-29-2007, 11:45 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scudrunr

James, no probe in the meat? just go by time?

Time. What it looks/feels like and then a few checks with the thermapen when I think it should be getting close to where I think it needs to be. It's an experience thing I suppose... Gave up on the probes a long time ago for the meat when I started cooking in quantity on my offsets.

James.

Bottles 'n Bones BBQ · 12-31-2007, 11:46 PM

Snausage rods for the trashcan...for those that make Slim Jims, Dry Salami and Whatnot...

chinesebob · 01-04-2008, 08:12 AM

Did anyone ever try using a 110 gallon drum? I just got offered a free 30 and 110 gallon drum and was thinking about taking them. You could potentially get 3 shelves in the 110. Don't know if anyone tried it or has pics.

Mark · 01-04-2008, 08:23 AM

As long as the diameter corresponds to standard Weber grates.

gotwood · 01-04-2008, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mark

As long as the diameter corresponds to standard Weber grates.

I doubt a 110 gal drum has same diameter it would be 6' tall, sort of impractical

the 85 gallon drums ive seen are greater in circum. than the 55 gallons

it has a 26 inch inside diameter...anyone know if there are grates that can be bought that are 25-25.5 inch in diameter??

also I saw a post in site somewhere , cant find anymore. said they could buy reconditioned Stainless 55gal drum for about 135 bucks or so..any help would be great

Smokin Gator · 01-04-2008, 08:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotwood

I doubt a 110 gal drum has same diameter it would be 6' tall, sort of impractical

the 85 gallon drums ive seen are greater in circum. than the 55 gallons

it has a 26 inch inside diameter...anyone know if there are grates that can be bought that are 25-25.5 inch in diameter??

also I saw a post in site somewhere , cant find anymore. said they could buy reconditioned Stainless 55gal drum for about 135 bucks or so..any help would be great

The XL BGE grid is 24 inches in diameter. That is the largest one I know of.

N8man · 01-04-2008, 09:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by gotwood

I doubt a 110 gal drum has same diameter it would be 6' tall, sort of impractical

the 85 gallon drums ive seen are greater in circum. than the 55 gallons

it has a 26 inch inside diameter...anyone know if there are grates that can be bought that are 25-25.5 inch in diameter??

also I saw a post in site somewhere , cant find anymore. said they could buy reconditioned Stainless 55gal drum for about 135 bucks or so..any help would be great

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ess+55gal+drum

12-23-2007, 12:21 PM	#661
Beerwolf Take a breath! Join Date: 06-03-07 Location: Cloverdale, Ca	What is the Dia of those exhaust Tubes? Did you square the radius and multiply by Pi (3.14)? Assuming 3" pipe, both stacks would be a little over 7" and one stack 3 1/2" so you are definately in the ball park of horse shoes and hand grenades, which seems to be about as close as it takes to work My Weber lid has 4-1 inch holes or roughly 3.14 square inches You are also onto something with the basket size, I learned the hard way on the 2 units I built this year, My drum basket wound up about 16" dia x 5" deep and it runs rock solid. Your smoker is the first Ive seen using a gate valve on the inlet, let me know how it works for you. __________________ *"Assumption is the Mother of all F___ups!"*

12-23-2007, 08:25 PM	#663
sampson is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 10-28-07 Location: North Logan, UT	I think you did great for the first cook on the drum... Temp control on one of these just takes a couple of cooks to learn but once you got it, it's a no brainer. __________________ [FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif]Two Big Fat 22.5" WSM's[/FONT] [FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif]Two Well Worn UDS's[/FONT] [FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif]Great Outdoors Smokey Mountain Gasser[/FONT] [FONT=Microsoft Sans Serif]KCBS Member and CBJ[/FONT]

12-23-2007, 09:23 PM	#664
Meat Burner Quintessential Chatty Farker Join Date: 02-22-07 Location: Springfield, MO	You'll be fine Scud, like sampson said it just takes a few times to figure what your ugly wants and then you will be fine...actually, sounds like you have it pretty well covered for the first cook. Congrats, it sounds like it went better than most!!! Keep us posted! __________________ my avatar swiped fatties from the plate....look how sorry he is. ________ Meat. NB Bandera with mods Weber 22 .5" x 2, 26.75" x 1 UDS x 3 KCBS CBJ Created "The Great Spam Revelation of 2011." www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=111155

12-29-2007, 09:22 PM	#666
smooookin is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 03-04-07 Location: KC Mo.	James, I drilled a couple of small holes in the side of my drum. 1 for the grate temp and one for the meat. The holes are just large enough for the probes to slide in. The grate probe sets usually right in the middle running thru a block of wood. __________________ "Foil is a BBQ mans duct tape" my wife.

12-31-2007, 11:46 PM	#670
Bottles 'n Bones BBQ Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 06-06-07 Location: Tiger Country	Snausage rods for the trashcan...for those that make Slim Jims, Dry Salami and Whatnot... __________________ [FONT=Comic Sans MS]Switz[/FONT] [B][FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=navy]Bottles 'n Bones BBQ Squad[/COLOR][/FONT][/B] [B][FONT=Comic Sans MS]..............................[/FONT][/B] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=#008000][B]Large BGE[/B] [COLOR=black]named Rhona[/COLOR][/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=black][B]WSM [/B][/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=black]Trashcan UDS[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=black]Former Klose BYC owner (sniff sniff)[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=navy]**************************[/COLOR][/FONT] [FONT=Comic Sans MS][COLOR=navy]Ignorance killed the cat. Curiosity got framed.[/COLOR][/FONT]

12-23-2007, 08:02 PM	#662
Scudrunr Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 11-23-07 Location: Denver, CO	Well my first smoke I have to call a success! Moist, tender, and smoky. Took 8 hours for a 5lb brisket, would have been less had I not had to leave for 3 hours. My temps fell whilst I was gone There are some things I will do differently. The exhaust issue is OK but needs work. The stacks are 2". During warm up I experienced what one member said that the temps are high and hard to control. I reached my temp and couldn't throttle it back down to stabilize. I completely blocked one of the stacks and was then able to regulate temperature fairly well. I believe the proper equation of intake vs exhaust is 1:1 My fire basket is too small. The result of this is slow starting, poor temp control, very little smoke at temp, small smoke ring. As you can see there is a non-existent smoke ring. while you can smell it and taste it you cant SEE it. There is enough room for a long burn with the basket at its current size, I shut down with half the basket full. The larger fire basket would let me put in more wood and make more smoke. I think. I had no apple juice for foiling so I used hornsbys hard apple cider, seemed to work good. I want a different wood. I used mesquite because that is what was available. Its good but not my style.

12-29-2007, 10:08 PM	#667
JamesB is one Smokin' Farker Join Date: 08-15-05 Location: Irving, Tx	Thanks, smooookin... I'm figuring that I need to drill another hole for the probe as well. I don't usually cook with a probe in the meat anymore, so 1 should do me! I hope... James.

12-29-2007, 10:12 PM	#668
Scudrunr Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 11-23-07 Location: Denver, CO	James, no probe in the meat? just go by time?

01-04-2008, 08:12 AM	#671
chinesebob is One Chatty Farker Join Date: 04-07-07 Location: Westerville,OH	Did anyone ever try using a 110 gallon drum? I just got offered a free 30 and 110 gallon drum and was thinking about taking them. You could potentially get 3 shelves in the 110. Don't know if anyone tried it or has pics. __________________ Chinesebob - Central Ohio A Chinese speaking white guy in search of the perfect bbq.

01-04-2008, 08:23 AM	#672
Mark somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 08-13-03 Location: St. Peters MO: 38.786730,-90.642551 Name/Nickname : Mark	As long as the diameter corresponds to standard Weber grates. __________________ Dr. Mark (STL) Ph.D. (honorary) Bovine $hitology A thin line separates paranoia from an acute understanding of reality.