Ugly Drum Smoker

[BruceKWHP]

I built my UDS with a 1" ball valve and a 1" nipple / cap.

open everything up to bring it to temp, close the cap and fine tune with the ball valve.

Not hot enough? open the cap and tune with the ball valve...

Fatty meats run hotter.... it takes lots of beer er, I mean experience to learn the way around your UDS.

Happy Smokin !

[Carbon]

I also agree that only one control valve plus a couple of capped nipples will give you infinite adjustments.
As far as reaching operating temps, whether you want to settle at 250 or take it up to 350, you need to find out how many lit coals to start out with for each type of cook. Once you establish that for your particular drum it only takes a few minutes to reach those temps.

[brentb]

I have built 5 of these pits and on my latest build I drilled only one hole for intake ventilation, put a t-nipple in it and then attached the hose from an electronic temperature controller to it. Game over. No more fiddling with the ball valve, taking nipple covers on and off, etc. I know it costs a bit more but you don't have to drill as many holes nor do you buy the gate valves which can run up to $25. The electronic temp controllers can be bought for as little as $150 and in my opinion, they are worth it for when you want to put the meat on and go to bed.

[Lawdog's Smokewagon]

Score! Found a place near Gardendale, Al that has used open top drums unlined that used to hold cooking oil for for $10 ea. Headed to get 2 right now to start my build. 1 for KISS and 1 for future experimenting and mods.
Wish me luck!

[10_Bears]

Found an exhaust stack that screws straight into the bung hole, happy days!!!

Does the length of the exhaust have any effect on temps, for example, does it run hotter with a longer exhaust?

[Pappy]

Once the exhaust is heated up it will draw more air than a drum without a exhaust tube. The same way a charcoal chimney speeds up starting the charcoal. Heat rises.

[10_Bears]

Will PVC pipe be ok for the exhaust?

[pwa]

Originally Posted by coewar

[/COLOR]
TASTE LIKE ASHTRAY? DON'T USE HARDWOOD LUMP COALS FOR SMOKING.

Just throwing out a contrary opinion. Lump is fine to use adds nothing more /less then KF blue. But does it with less ash build up, more heat and less fuel usage. I swapped form KF blue to WG weekend warrior lump and had more stable temp can run hotter and no ash build up killing the heat on long burns. I do cook in a extreme environment so that may be the difference. I don't know, but try it for yourself makeup your own mind :)

pwa

[GlobalTJB]

Originally Posted by pwa

Just throwing out a contrary opinion. Lump is fine to use adds nothing more /less then KF blue. But does it with less ash build up, more heat and less fuel usage. I swapped form KF blue to WG weekend warrior lump and had more stable temp can run hotter and no ash build up killing the heat on long burns. I do cook in a extreme environment so that may be the difference. I don't know, but try it for yourself makeup your own mind :)

pwa

I havent tried lump yet but I will on the next smoke to get a feel for it (and because i have 4 bags of royal oak). Using the trader joes hardwood, natural binding briquettes, I have it dialed in to +-5 degrees (usually a +-2 degree) variation with one 1" hole half blocked with a flat magnet and fine tuning with the ball valve. I was going to ask for a auber industries temp controller for Christmas, but after using the drum a few times I cant justify it.
I fired it up for chickens yesterday and reaching temp is not an issue. I brought it up to 410 just to see if it could and I have no doubts that it could get hotter than that to make some pizzas. This thing is great and the only complaint is that the center of the grate is substantially warmer than the edges.

[Sammy_Shuford]

Originally Posted by brentb

I have built 5 of these pits and on my latest build I drilled only one hole for intake ventilation, put a t-nipple in it and then attached the hose from an electronic temperature controller to it. Game over. No more fiddling with the ball valve, taking nipple covers on and off, etc. I know it costs a bit more but you don't have to drill as many holes nor do you buy the gate valves which can run up to $25. The electronic temp controllers can be bought for as little as $150 and in my opinion, they are worth it for when you want to put the meat on and go to bed.

Some day I will retire and have nothing to do except set out and drink beer while I monitor my cook.

But for now, a pid controler and sleep are more important.

[mike5150]

Originally Posted by brentb

I have built 5 of these pits and on my latest build I drilled only one hole for intake ventilation, put a t-nipple in it and then attached the hose from an electronic temperature controller to it. Game over. No more fiddling with the ball valve, taking nipple covers on and off, etc. I know it costs a bit more but you don't have to drill as many holes nor do you buy the gate valves which can run up to $25. The electronic temp controllers can be bought for as little as $150 and in my opinion, they are worth it for when you want to put the meat on and go to bed.

Can we get more info on your pid? Parts, photo, wiring configuration

[the_hunchback]

Does anyone have issues with juices building up in the bottom of their drum? I haven't used mine but a few times and have liquid in the bottom built up.

[smokingj]

Originally Posted by the_hunchback

Does anyone have issues with juices building up in the bottom of their drum? I haven't used mine but a few times and have liquid in the bottom built up.

If your talking about drippings that may have missed the coals, yea me. I now layer the bottom with heavy duty foil and pull it up and yank it out after each meal. To old to be bent over in a drum trying to clean 'grease/ashes' out of it.

[Bubblehead]

Originally Posted by coewar

So please explain your process. When do you light it? How long do you let it burn before putting into the smoker? How much of it? Do you have un-lit coals in the drum? Do you add other wood for flavoring? Do other people like the taste of the food you cook in there?

Have you ever tried using just plain charcoal briquettes?

I've used briquettes in the past but don't like the added coal and fillers or the amount of ash it produces.

To light I simply fill the basket(in the drum), add whichever wood I am using for that session, and stick my torch in the center for about 20 seconds, I replace the grate, clip the temp probe in the center, put the lid on, and plug in the the BBQ Guru. It smokes pretty heavily for about the first 15 minutes while coming up to temp but usually by the time I hit 225 it's producing thin blue/invisible smoke.

I've served my BBQ to a LOT of people over the years and even catered a few events(including a wedding reception) and have never had any thing but compliments on food that comes out of a drum with lump in it. The only person that's had anything negative to say is me. I'm my own worst judge of my BBQ. I'm not saying I'm the best at BBQ, just talking about the lump aspect.

The only thing I can think is you didn't let it get settled before adding the food?


Edited for grammar.

[Lawdog's Smokewagon]

Well the drums were lined but it was the tan one. Not too bad to mget out. Just one burn with some oak fire wood and a leaf blower and that baby was glowing. Now just too assemble. Got 3 3/4 close nipples, 1 3/4 ball valve, Stainless carriage bolts 1/4" for the grates. 1 new 18.5 Weber fire grate. All I need is some expanded metal for the basket. Can I do a seasoning burn with just a chimney? Heres some PRON.