Ugly Drum Smoker

[Skidder]

I agree with you but not all use low ash. Only most do because it is cheaper. Better is up for discussion but definitely cheaper.

[coewar]

Originally Posted by JuanMoore

I read over half of this monstrous thread, and then built a UDS for myself using mostly materials I had on hand. Took it for its virgin run today, with a pork butt and some ABTs.

What is "ABT"?

[Skidder]

Atomic Buffalo Turd. Basically a Jap pepper stuffed with an assortment of different things as in sausage Little Smokies etc. that have been added to cream cheese then wrapped in bacon,dry rubbed and smoked

[coewar]

Originally Posted by Vulcanus

I would create a unique big lower air intake, but the intake tube must be put directly under the centre of the fire basket (not laterally).

I suggest against that. You may turn your smoker into an incinerator. For intake circular area, you only need equivalent of three 3/4 inch holes.
It's just slightly smaller than 2centimeter diameter, and that would be fine too if you only have metric measurements. Here is a little table I made for you to see. For intake, that's all you need. With these 3 holes, to get the best hot smoke cooking temp, you'll only run all 3 holes half way, or 1 fully open, 1 half way and 1 closed.

inches
diameter radius area # of holes total area
0.75 0.375 0.44 3 1.33
2 1 3.14 1 3.14
1 0.5 0.79 4 3.14
0.79 0.395 0.49 3 1.47
1.5 0.75 1.77 2 3.53

centimeters
diameter radius area # of holes total area
1.905 0.9525 2.85 3 8.55
5.08 2.54 20.27 1 20.27
2.54 1.27 5.07 4 20.27
2.0066 1.0033 3.16 3 9.49
3.81 1.905 11.40 2 22.80

Originally Posted by Vulcanus

also a cheap Ikea frying pan upside down like this



Thanks to all,
Have a nice day.

I was laughing when I saw this! I love how the frying pan is on a roof on top of smoke stack. :)

For your exhaust (if you can read that table I made for you) you should strive for the 2inch diameter which calculates to 1 pi for the area. So essentially, your intake should be HALF of your exhaust, and if you stick to these measurements as most everyone does, you'll have the best results.

If you are trying to do COLD SMOKING (which is different!!) then I suggest something else.
I would cut one 3 inch hole (or something comparable) in either the bottom of the barrel or low on the side, and run duct work into it to allow the smoke to travel some distance to cool down. Your exhaust however, probably should still be about the amount of 1 pi area.

But wait, that's not all. :) If you create a little chimney with your exhaust, you will have a strong air flow and it will maintain temps well however it will tend to burn a bit more and be eager to get hot. I have found that it's easier to deal with and you get more moisture inside if you don't make the exhaust so "easy" to get out. So I make two 1.5 inch holes on the SIDE of the barrel and then that's it, or assemble elbows to point the exhaust up.

OR.. make four 1 inch holes either on the sides of the barrel or in the lid.

OR.. make eight 1/2 inch holes.. again either on the side or in the lid.

[JuanMoore]

I made a few upgrades to my UDS, and then took it for another spin today. I touched up the paint, added a small side table, put a handle on the lid (old slag hammer), and put in a thermometer bulkhead. It started raining pretty hard ~1hr into the smoke today, so I wired a small patio umbrella ($7 at harbor freight) to the exhaust. I think I'll weld a pipe on somewhere to mount the umbrella for shade and rain protection when needed. The second pork attempt came out even better than the first, and I tried some wings that came out great too. Thanks again for everyone who posted in this thread!

[GlobalTJB]

Im using a weber lid on the bottom of an open topped drum. The past few cooks have left the exterior covered in dripping streaks from moisture collecting up top and drizzling out of the side. Whats the best way to mod the drum so i dont have to keep cleaning the outside each time?

[Pappy]

Originally Posted by GlobalTJB

Im using a weber lid on the bottom of an open topped drum. The past few cooks have left the exterior covered in dripping streaks from moisture collecting up top and drizzling out of the side. Whats the best way to mod the drum so i dont have to keep cleaning the outside each time?

My UDS was getting a lot of moisture inside when I would smoke butts at 225. I went up to 250 and that reduced a lot it.

[brickie]

I smoke at 250 myself and have alot of it..So not sure what is answer.Probably have to do with top not fitting perfect, even though I use clamps on lid..

brickie

[jcinadr]

Originally Posted by Vulcanus

Hi Hoosier1960

I would create a unique big lower air intake, but the intake tube must be put directly under the centre of the fire basket (not laterally).
I would create a simple air diffuser to prevent the ash clogging the air intake tube and also for better air distribution like a chimney cowl

Here is a link to my build http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...postcount=6890 It has a very effective bottom diffuser, and a simple ash pan made out of a pizza pan (I had way too many issues with high rimmed ash pans and honestly they don't do anything that the pizza pan and fire basket do not already do.

The diffuser was made by cutting tabs on a piece of metal, and bending every other one down. I suspect a cut out drum top would make a perfect piece of doner metal. I went with the diffuser to even the burn with blower based system.

[coewar]

Originally Posted by brickie

I smoke at 250 myself and have alot of it..So not sure what is answer.Probably have to do with top not fitting perfect, even though I use clamps on lid..

brickie

What are you guys complaining about? The moisture is great for the cooking as it keeps the food moist. I never have a problem with drippings because #1 my fire basket wraps around my charcoal grate as opposed to sitting on top of it, so the diameter of the fire basket is maybe 2 inches larger. That catches a lot of drippings that would just burn up when they hit the coals.

The #2 thing is that I don't have an ash pan so the bottom of the barrel might be warm enough to evaporate anything that drips down. After like 2-3 cooks, I scoop out the ashes with a cut up milk gallon or small shovel. However I do want to put in an ash pan, but I'm thinking that if you let some ashes settle on the bottom, and then use ash pan it would keep it dry down there too.

[JuanMoore]

Originally Posted by GlobalTJB

Im using a weber lid on the bottom of an open topped drum. The past few cooks have left the exterior covered in dripping streaks from moisture collecting up top and drizzling out of the side. Whats the best way to mod the drum so i dont have to keep cleaning the outside each time?

Maybe you could run a bead of food safe silicone just above the joint. If done right, it should divert the drippings before reaching the seam.

Originally Posted by coewar

What are you guys complaining about? The moisture is great for the cooking as it keeps the food moist. I never have a problem with drippings because #1 my fire basket wraps around my charcoal grate as opposed to sitting on top of it, so the diameter of the fire basket is maybe 2 inches larger. That catches a lot of drippings that would just burn up when they hit the coals.

The #2 thing is that I don't have an ash pan so the bottom of the barrel might be warm enough to evaporate anything that drips down. After like 2-3 cooks, I scoop out the ashes with a cut up milk gallon or small shovel. However I do want to put in an ash pan, but I'm thinking that if you let some ashes settle on the bottom, and then use ash pan it would keep it dry down there too.

I don't think they're complaining about the moisture/drippings on the inside. They're trying to figure out how to keep them inside so they don't make a mess on the exterior of the drum. Essentially how to keep an UGLY drum smoker looking pretty.

[brickie]

Yeah, something like that..I love the moisture created inside, it's the outside of a painted nicely drum starting to look like you know what from all the grease dripping down. No big deal,just have to clean outside a little more,but it is a problem when using kettle lids on these drums.

That being said I would not do it any other way for my own use.And I know some don't mind the rusty, "true" uds smokers but I could never get my family to eat food off a "true" uds.

brickie

[10_Bears]

Im sure this has been covered, sorry for asking again if it has. At what height should the grill be placed, is it 24" above the bottom of the charcoal basket? I've done it at 21" above the bottom of the charcoal basket, do you think it could cause any probs or should I plug up the holes and move it up 3"?

[GlobalTJB]

Originally Posted by 10_Bears

Im sure this has been covered, sorry for asking again if it has. At what height should the grill be placed, is it 24" above the bottom of the charcoal basket? I've done it at 21" above the bottom of the charcoal basket, do you think it could cause any probs or should I plug up the holes and move it up 3"?

im closer to 20" so i had decent room for a 2nd grate closer to the top. i dont see the big deal and havent suffered any problems due to this. Ill be using a diffuser shortly which i believe would allow one to drop the bottom grate enven further

[vance237]

Originally Posted by jcinadr

I use a guru - works great, super lazy. Really like it for starting the burn, does not take the extra time to stabalize that the basic UDS does. I have managed a 1am start up in under 5 minutes. Hell, one time I did it in probably 2 (but that was not intended)

A single blower on the side will cause a very uneven burn in your coals. It will probably cook fine - but looks terrible... Likewise, a single vent on top will cause uneven temps (at least if you are cooking on the hot side). When I cook hot, I either rotate my food, or the lid. I like having the elivated smoke stack as my lid holds water. If you use a Weber lid, ymmv.

If you search my posts - I ultimately rebuilt mine and put a false bottom in the drum with a bottom blower. It diffuses the blow 360 around the edge of the drum. Like the Guru, it is overkill - but works quite well.

This is exactly how I want to build mine, but I can't search your posts. Can you pm them to me or shoot me a drawing or pic... Figuring I only need one hole in the bottom for the guru, but want to make sure the air is circulating properly.