Ugly Drum Smoker

here we go!

Steel drum and most parts acquired! Build starting shortly. Thank you all for the weeks of reading and unbelievable inspiration.

I will post pics of the build and final Product when its done! Can't wait to start smoking!
 
Help. I've done three burns now and can't get a blue smoke burn below 350 degrees. I have a 2" X 7" tall exhaust. 1" valve and a 3/4" valve then added another 3/4" hole. Tried opening the 1" bung also for more exhaust--little temp increase 15 degrees. Fire basket is 17" round and 10" tall, normal 3/4" expanded metal side and weber fire rack, 2 inch legs with ash pan. I used a mixed charcoal and lump the first two times more lump than bricks. Third time about 50/50. Putting 4 fist sized Hickory chunks on top of coal, but not on hot pile. Lighting 10 bricks in a chimney and pouring them in one six inch area( 2 and 3 burn). The first time I put them in a 10" area. OK so here's the problem---220 to 300 degrees only white smoke produced. Opening air to get a Blue smoke produces 350+ temp. Cannot get blue smoke AND 225 to 250 degrees. First burn was ribs, spent two hours trying to get above 225,finally got to 275, ribs not good. Second burn did two whole chickens--yo-yoed between 280 and 350, white smoke the whole time--chicken was terrible. Lots of juices in bottom of drum, had to clean and reburn out for bacteria. With a basket of hickory and the lid ajar, 700 degrees is possible. Third burn for chicken breasts and potatoes. Could not get above 250, white smoke. Added 3/4" hole,blue smoke acheived followed by 375 degrees. Reduced air = 300 degrees and light white smoke. Increase air = 350 dgrees and Blue smoke. Chicken was better but dry.

Any help appreciated.
 
It sounds like you might want to try to cut back the amount of charcoal you are lighting , try starting with 6 briquettes and see how you fair out with that. When you starve an already burning fire for oxygen you get white smoke(or worse, black) , so if you are starting with too much fire it would explain why it want to burn cleanly at a higher temperature than you are aiming for. Also , I might cut back on the chunks of wood , 2 fist sized chunks is a lot.
 
spareheat said:
Help. I've done three burns now and can't get a blue smoke burn below 350 degrees. I have a 2" X 7" tall exhaust. 1" valve and a 3/4" valve then added another 3/4" hole. Tried opening the 1" bung also for more exhaust--little temp increase 15 degrees. Fire basket is 17" round and 10" tall, normal 3/4" expanded metal side and weber fire rack, 2 inch legs with ash pan. I used a mixed charcoal and lump the first two times more lump than bricks. Third time about 50/50. Putting 4 fist sized Hickory chunks on top of coal, but not on hot pile. Lighting 10 bricks in a chimney and pouring them in one six inch area( 2 and 3 burn). The first time I put them in a 10" area. OK so here's the problem---220 to 300 degrees only white smoke produced. Opening air to get a Blue smoke produces 350+ temp. Cannot get blue smoke AND 225 to 250 degrees. First burn was ribs, spent two hours trying to get above 225,finally got to 275, ribs not good. Second burn did two whole chickens--yo-yoed between 280 and 350, white smoke the whole time--chicken was terrible. Lots of juices in bottom of drum, had to clean and reburn out for bacteria. With a basket of hickory and the lid ajar, 700 degrees is possible. Third burn for chicken breasts and potatoes. Could not get above 250, white smoke. Added 3/4" hole,blue smoke acheived followed by 375 degrees. Reduced air = 300 degrees and light white smoke. Increase air = 350 dgrees and Blue smoke. Chicken was better but dry.

Any help appreciated.
Click to expand...

I found this thread to be very heplful about loading the charcoal basket.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=109339
 
Recon drum prep...burned it

OK.. Bought a recondition open head drum, drilled some holes and burned it out. Warped the lid a bit. Any best practices to straighten it?

Thanks.

Look forward to participating in the forums.
-cjd
Abscam
 
Welcome Abscam!
I'm no help with that one. But I have to ask... why did you leave the lid on to do a burn out of the barrel?
 
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I placed it over it later in the burn to help get rid of the paint on the lid as well as the glue that held the gasket. It wasn't on when the fire was blasting to start...
 
Understood. This may be a lose / lose either way because I took the paint off my lid with a wire brush on a drill and it doesn't fit right now when it did before. I heated the gasket with a propane torch, removed it and then burned the gunk out with a torch. Then I wire brushed it with the drill again.
It's a learning thing. :)
 
Ok been reading about UDS for awhile and noticed some using 1/2 in nipples and some using 3/4. Which is best size and how many 3 or 4? 1/2 in ball vave or 3/4in? Sorry for the newbie questions just trying to get it right.
Thanks,
Lawdog's
 
Lawdog - I used 2 nipples and one ball valve, all in 3/4".
In real use I rarely need more than the ball valve, so in my experience 4 would be too many.
Enjoy your build!
 
Lawdog's Smokewagon said:
Thanks Otterpop. I'll go with the 3 3/4 fittings. Seems like they would work better - more air = more adjustable to me.
Click to expand...

I mounted my (3) 3/4" pipe nipples 45 degrees apart on the front of the drum. Since only one is really used during cooking, I figured it didn't matter if the inlets were evenly spaced around the drum. Having them on the front is much more convenient. FYI, ball valve is 3/4".

-Rodney

picture.php
 
I used four 3/4 inch pipe nipple for mine. I figured I'll only be using two to get the uds to temp and the ball valve for fine temp adjustments.
 
spareheat said:
Help. I've done three burns now and can't get a blue smoke burn below 350 degrees. I have a 2" X 7" tall exhaust. 1" valve and a 3/4" valve then added another 3/4" hole. Tried opening the 1" bung also for more exhaust--little temp increase 15 degrees. Fire basket is 17" round and 10" tall, normal 3/4" expanded metal side and weber fire rack, 2 inch legs with ash pan. I used a mixed charcoal and lump the first two times more lump than bricks. Third time about 50/50. Putting 4 fist sized Hickory chunks on top of coal, but not on hot pile. Lighting 10 bricks in a chimney and pouring them in one six inch area( 2 and 3 burn). The first time I put them in a 10" area. OK so here's the problem---220 to 300 degrees only white smoke produced. Opening air to get a Blue smoke produces 350+ temp. Cannot get blue smoke AND 225 to 250 degrees. First burn was ribs, spent two hours trying to get above 225,finally got to 275, ribs not good. Second burn did two whole chickens--yo-yoed between 280 and 350, white smoke the whole time--chicken was terrible. Lots of juices in bottom of drum, had to clean and reburn out for bacteria. With a basket of hickory and the lid ajar, 700 degrees is possible. Third burn for chicken breasts and potatoes. Could not get above 250, white smoke. Added 3/4" hole,blue smoke acheived followed by 375 degrees. Reduced air = 300 degrees and light white smoke. Increase air = 350 dgrees and Blue smoke. Chicken was better but dry.

Any help appreciated.
Click to expand...

Sounds like your exhaust and valve setup is rather suspect. I think you will have better results if you just stick to the accepted norm from the beginning of this thread. Three 7/8" holes evenly spaced around the bottom of the barrel, with 2 close nipples and 1 valve, or just the magnet approach. I have both versions, and they both work equally well.

Your 2" exhaust should be fine.

I use the same setup you are describing as far as charcoal starting,etc. I open all three holes all the way, and dump in the coals.....I leave the valves open until the temp hits about 200 at the grates. Then close two holes and leave one open........it will cruise around 225 for 14 hours. Maybe you have some air leaks or too much smoke wood.
 
smokindave74 said:
Sounds like your exhaust and valve setup is rather suspect. I think you will have better results if you just stick to the accepted norm from the beginning of this thread. Three 7/8" holes evenly spaced around the bottom of the barrel, with 2 close nipples and 1 valve, or just the magnet approach. I have both versions, and they both work equally well.

Your 2" exhaust should be fine.

I use the same setup you are describing as far as charcoal starting,etc. I open all three holes all the way, and dump in the coals.....I leave the valves open until the temp hits about 200 at the grates. Then close two holes and leave one open........it will cruise around 225 for 14 hours. Maybe you have some air leaks or too much smoke wood.
Click to expand...

I was also going to add that another trick I have learned is to get everything setup on the cooker, grates in, lid on, and no meat until the cooker reaches its equilibrium. Mine seems to love about 230 degrees on an average 70-75 degree day. I let is sit there and just heat up for a good 15-30 minutes before doing any cooking. Putting cold meat in there on a cold grate will act like a big heat sink, and can give you false readings on your thermo. The fire is still the same, but the thermo makes you think you need to "stoke" everything up, and you will end up with lots of thick smoke and yo-yoing temps.
 
smokindave74 said:
I was also going to add that another trick I have learned is to get everything setup on the cooker, grates in, lid on, and no meat until the cooker reaches its equilibrium. Mine seems to love about 230 degrees on an average 70-75 degree day. I let is sit there and just heat up for a good 15-30 minutes before doing any cooking. Putting cold meat in there on a cold grate will act like a big heat sink, and can give you false readings on your thermo. The fire is still the same, but the thermo makes you think you need to "stoke" everything up, and you will end up with lots of thick smoke and yo-yoing temps.
Click to expand...

Great tip.
 
two rack questions

This is for all of you that use a two rack UDS. I am building my third UDS and I am wanting to put two racks in this one. Question one is how far down do you put the top rack? I was thinking of 1 1/2 inches from the top and then 7 inches down for rack number two. What do you think or am I totally off. Any and all input is greatly appreciated.
 
rhollar said:
This is for all of you that use a two rack UDS. I am building my third UDS and I am wanting to put two racks in this one. Question one is how far down do you put the top rack? I was thinking of 1 1/2 inches from the top and then 7 inches down for rack number two. What do you think or am I totally off. Any and all input is greatly appreciated.
Click to expand...

I use 1" and 7" for two rack smokers with a Weber lid.
 
I have found a barrel at a local machine shop that held a "water-based coolant" He said it has no liner on the inside and is just bare metal. Do you guys think this would work for my barrel? I wasn't sure about the water based coolant having been in it? I can't find a food grade barrel with the open top. I don't have a kettle lid and haven't been able to find one thus far to go with a closed head type barrel.
 
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