Ugly Drum Smoker

HI guys I have managed to get myself an old castrol oil drum it is sealed so I will have to cut the top off. My question is as I live in the UK and it is constantly wet here how do I best protect it from rust? I can probably find a cover for it but I was wondering if there were any paints that I could use such as hammerite on the outside?
 
Took me six weeks but I finally finished the entire thread. Feels like I should have a PHD in UDS.
 
For those of us that have used the Big Lots 22.5" cheapo grill for the lids & rack, be aware that they have reduced it to a 21.5" grill! Obviously this doesn't come close to fitting the standard drums any longer...

Just picked up 2 for $25/ea to learn this lesson...back to the store. :icon_frow
 
Rain has kept me from burning out the barrel for 2 weeks. Finally got it done. I see many meats in my future.

VHT High Temp Copper. It was free with Autozone reward points. :clap2:

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Obligatory Basket Photo - cut barrel top out and used as the ash catcher.

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coachmccoy543 said:
Tulse
Is that your air intake door on the bottom? Care how to tell how you fabricated that?
Nice looking build!
Click to expand...

Thanks.

Somewhere in this tomb of UDS builds are a few more examples I copied from. I just sandwiched a "slider", with a tab I bent on vise, between the actual drum and a larger piece of sheet metal. Used some washers as spacers and guides for the slider. It's tight, but I wanted it that way. I tap it with a machete to open and close.

Make it nice and long and be sure to space your holes a bit more than their diameter apart. That's about it. Not too much trouble, but more work than a ball valve.

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Smoker basket

Great looking copper color! Smoker basket question - is the side standing off of the bottom (on other words, is there an air space between them), or is it just the angle of the pic? And if it's standing off of the bottom, why? I'm not questioning it, I just want to know if I should make my next basket like that.

Thanks!
 
Smoker basket

One more question for the bretheren in general. Any thoughts on using a cut down basket from a turkey fryer for a fire basket?
 
yes, it is standing off the bottom. It does two things for you. One, lets air circulate through the basket, and two gives the ash a place to fall too, instead of gathering around the coals.

And there is no issue using a cut down turkey fryer backet for the coal basket. They dont have to be pretty, just functional. I prefer something with more/larger holes because I want as much ash to fall as possible.
 
Rmhardie said:
Great looking copper color! Smoker basket question - is the side standing off of the bottom (on other words, is there an air space between them), or is it just the angle of the pic? And if it's standing off of the bottom, why? I'm not questioning it, I just want to know if I should make my next basket like that.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

Yes, the basket is up off the ash catcher buy about 2.5".

If you meant the ash catcher itself (a cut out barrel top), it looks like that because the barrel was stored somewhere hot. The barrel had methanol in it. The pressure bulged the lid, turning it into a shallow bowl. The lid, once cut out and flipped upside-down, makes a perfect ash-catching shape (purely accidentally). So, yes, the ash catcher's rim is a bit up off the floor, but not for air flow reasons, just due to the slight dome shape.
 
UDS #11 or 12 I can't remember but anyways nailed a first place trophy for for ribs with it beat out some big rigs too. Not the cooker it's the cook. Don't know why it's sideways but oh well turn your computer or yer head haha
11uds002.jpg
 
Rmhardie said:
Great looking copper color! Smoker basket question - is the side standing off of the bottom (on other words, is there an air space between them), or is it just the angle of the pic? And if it's standing off of the bottom, why? I'm not questioning it, I just want to know if I should make my next basket like that.

Thanks!
Click to expand...

I believe he means is the expanded metal standing off the bottom of the charcoal grate, not the charcoal grate off the bottom of the ash catcher. In this instance, the answer is no. If you look closely you can see the welds between the expanded metal and the grate. It does look a little bit like it from the angle though. If this is not what you meant, then woops:icon_blush:
 
First butt came out like prime rib??

So I smoked my first butt on the UDS today for about 8.5 hours, my Maverick showed the temp spiked up to about 260 at the highest, and about 219 at the lowest, most of the time cruising around 235. Oddly enough, the meat stalled out at about 187, and actually dropped down to 176 at about 6.5 hours where it stayed for a while before climbing back up.

I took it off when the butt reached 191 and let it rest for about an hour, but when I went to pull the bone, it was stuck firm! I tried to pull it apart, and it wasn't possible - it was more like prime rib than pulled pork! I could slice it, but not pull it. I thought it would be falling apart. The UDS seemed to prerform well, I'm sure it was something I did. As a noob, I'm not sure where I went wrong - can any of you experienced UDSers impart some knowledge?
 
Probably had nothing to do with the UDS. Sounds like it performed flawlessly. My thoughts are you pulled the butt too soon. The magic for me is to pull between 200 and 205 degrees , wrap in foil and let it sit in a cooler for at least an hour.
 
Mr. Bo said:
Probably had nothing to do with the UDS. Sounds like it performed flawlessly. My thoughts are you pulled the butt too soon. The magic for me is to pull between 200 and 205 degrees , wrap in foil and let it sit in a cooler for at least an hour.
Click to expand...


200-205 for me too.
 
Too soon. I start probing for butter probe feel at 195, usually it's about 202-205 when I pull mine. I think you just pulled her too early.
 
Thanks guys. I figured it was me. Live and learn. I only had to adjust the uds about twice. It held temp perfectly. I can't wait until my experience catches up with the performance of the uds!
 
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