Ugly Drum Smoker

el luchador said:

very nice thinking there

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Thanks, but Keith (Fwismoker) designed his 007 UDS grill using a swing grate to add wood. I built one. But for me found I did not need/want the swing grate. I used my fire door. So as a test I built that ring with 4" legs that sits ontop of the drum, but does not allow it to push/slide off. And pins (bolts) that lock the cooking grate in place.
Worked so well, I never made a purdy one.
If I'm cooking below 350* I do not use the 4" riser ring. Just the 1" down from the lip cooking grate sitting on bolts. Weber knock off lid.

SkunkApe said:

:rockon: I'm starting my build this weekend! I can't wait!

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Right on. Remember, dont overcomplicate it. You are about to have a great smoker.

ebijack said:

Thanks, but Keith (Fwismoker) designed his 007 UDS grill using a swing grate to add wood. I built one. But for me found I did not need/want the swing grate. I used my fire door. So as a test I built that ring with 4" legs that sits ontop of the drum, but does not allow it to push/slide off. And pins (bolts) that lock the cooking grate in place.
Worked so well, I never made a purdy one.
If I'm cooking below 350* I do not use the 4" riser ring. Just the 1" down from the lip cooking grate sitting on bolts. Weber knock off lid.

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I saw that but it looked kinda complicated. I like yours as its a little bit more accessible for the average joe. I dont intend to ever grill on mine so Im good to go .

Bakers first UDS

My first UDS :thumb:. I read through 1/2 of the posts before I started and I appreciate all the insights. The first picture is my dry run before the burn out.

Drum for $51 new, unlined. Burned out once and then used a wire wheel brush to get down to bare metal.

I purchased engine primer and paint from AutoZone for about $18 (1 primer, 2 cans of paint). I think the paint job looks pretty good for a first time and it evened out really well.

I left the lid alone since it was white and I'm too lazy to change it. Looks pretty good though. Lid exhaust is a 2" black pipe, 2" cap both of which I also painted.

Grate is from my old 22.5" Webber. Grate is supported by bolts. The ones I installed are to short. I'll have to get longer ones.

Charcoal basket grate is from the Weber as well. I used two sheets of 12x24" expanded metal with some sort bolts, washers, hex nuts. I also bought a cheap 12" metal trashcan and used the handle for the basket, perfect fit. I bent the metal easily Judith a tree log. Put the metal flat, put the log in to and use your hands to roll the metal and the log.

The basket legs are 5/16" and 3.5" long. Put a washer on each side and two bolts. I found some neat clips to attach the expanded metal to the grate.

Funny / dumb, but I knew my pizza pan wouldn't be wide enough but luckily the pan fit snug in between the legs. :clap2: I think it will still get the ash.

Intakes are 3/4" close nipples. Drilled the 1 inch hole and used 3/4" conduit washer things to get a snug fit. 90* elbows and 3/4" x 24" extension pipes. Ball valves to control the air. I also have one other 3/4" intake on the back side with a 3/4" cap. I think with the Minnesota winters I'll probably need that one completely open.

I went back and forth on how to support the intake extensions and ended up going with hooks that were threaded into the side and the pipes slid into. Looks like I'll need to get some nuts to secure the hooks better because it's not the greatest fit.

Hardest part about the build was getting the intakes installed. A lot of pieces and not a lot of twisting room once you install the support hooks.

Total estimated spent: $120. I'll update once I know the exact price.

Tomorrow is my first season with a breakfast fatty. The wife has zero interest in trying the fatty.

Well... I am waiting for my 110 gallon drum to be shipped and for Mark Hunsaker to send me my custom 20" Vortex basket. I am leery of ordering any 30" grates in case the barrel is dented or oddly shaped. But this will be fun...

My first UDS was Classic Pit Barrel Cooker but I am thinking to build a customized one.I have a fire place too in my house. I need a seperate place to keep this drum.

Czarbecue said:

Well... I am waiting for my 110 gallon drum to be shipped and for Mark Hunsaker to send me my custom 20" Vortex basket. I am leery of ordering any 30" grates in case the barrel is dented or oddly shaped. But this will be fun...

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Ok wow thats nice. But with two banderas already why are you building a uds

el luchador said:

Ok wow thats nice. But with two banderas already why are you building a uds

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As much as I love my double stacked WSM, it's a pain in the ass to manage. Everything has to be unwrapped and unspritzed. When it's just one chamber, I can get one or two grates in but I'm looking for something bigger when I set it and forget it. A 29" grate will be about 660 square inches of cooking space and roughly double that of a standard 21.5" rack.

Also, the Bandera is a stick burner and in another category compared to a UDS. I'm not building a UDS to make the cheapest thing possible. I'm already $650 into this project and I haven't looked at grates yet :heh:

Czarbecue said:

As much as I love my double stacked WSM, it's a pain in the ass to manage. Everything has to be unwrapped and unspritzed. When it's just one chamber, I can get one or two grates in but I'm looking for something bigger when I set it and forget it. A 29" grate will be about 660 square inches of cooking space and roughly double that of a standard 21.5" rack.

Also, the Bandera is a stick burner and in another category compared to a UDS. I'm not building a UDS to make the cheapest thing possible. I'm already $650 into this project and I haven't looked at grates yet :heh:

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Damn- $650 ? thats old country smokehouse territory. will it cook more than one of those?

Please post progress pics. I cant wait to see a 110 uds . where did you get your drum?

OC Smokehouse is still a stick burner, lol.

The drum is from The Cary Company... and is a new Skolink yellow drum. It cost $230 but the shipping cost is $200 or so for a freight with a lift gate. Wished I live near IL to save on shipping. It's 100 pounds and a bitch to ship. It cost the same to ship two drums but what would I do with two drums?

I use a Hunsaker vortex basket in my WSM and love how it handles the coals and the heat. I asked Mark to make me something for my 30" drum. So another $200 for a 24" heatshield and 20" basket. The original is 13" in diameter.

I'm hoping to keep it under $1000. Any more and the wife will start to ask questions, lol.

Czarbecue said:

OC Smokehouse is still a stick burner, lol.

The drum is from The Cary Company... and is a new Skolink yellow drum. It cost $230 but the shipping cost is $200 or so for a freight with a lift gate. Wished I live near IL to save on shipping. It's 100 pounds and a bitch to ship. It cost the same to ship two drums but what would I do with two drums?

I use a Hunsaker vortex basket in my WSM and love how it handles the coals and the heat. I asked Mark to make me something for my 30" drum. So another $200 for a 24" heatshield and 20" basket. The original is 13" in diameter.

I'm hoping to keep it under $1000. Any more and the wife will start to ask questions, lol.

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well I cant wait to see it in action.

its a moot point, but even though the old country smokehouse is sold as a stick burner , it would make a great charcoal burner too. just look at all the other verticals out there that are very much like the ocs but burn charcoal- no difference.

Took a month but just got the drum in. I also got shipping notification of the vortex basket for tomorrow. It’s going down!

Czarbecue said:

Took a month but just got the drum in. I also got shipping notification of the vortex basket for tomorrow. It’s going down!

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ooohh yeah!!!

Subscribed!

80 gallon

Built 80 gal awhile back. Difficulty was finding domed lid. For those considering one, Home Depot has inexpensive fire pit lid that will work= http://landmann-usa.com.

Finally got the Vortex basket. Here’s what Mark posted on the FB fan page 3 weeks ago:



Here’s it is unboxed inside the 28” heat shield. 30 oz Yeti cup for comparison.



Basket dimension itself is 18” diameter and 11.75” height. Close to what I asked for (20” and 12”).

Impressive is the word. That ought to do the trick, for sure!

I'd love to have a vortex for my "little" 55 gallon UDS - but it seems pretty spendy (at least for me).

Can't wait to see you get it all put together.

What is the purpose of the vortex basket?

Hinds15 said:

What is the purpose of the vortex basket?

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The basket holds the charcoal while the deflector plate still gives you that fat dripping on coals taste without it affecting the fire or causing grease fires. It also cause a convection like draft with the draw. I have it on my WSM and it’s pretty awesome.

Any pictures of it in your wsm?

Hinds15 said:

Any pictures of it in your wsm?

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I can't find any from my phone but here's from previous posts...