Ugly Drum Smoker

Norco,

...don't buy cheap...get a good helmet...
Click to expand...

That is very sound advice on both counts. You only have two eyes .... I got an Optrel hood with the two-stage variable settings and love it. I can dial it down for low amp TIG or up for 6010.

You have a plas at home? Cool. I'm still a real novice with the TIG but I like the mechanics of the whole process.
 
Yeah I have a plasma cutter, my wife loves me and listens to what I tell my friends. I have a lot of coaches when it comes to welding. The problem I have is keeping the tungsten away from puddle/filler. Probably didn't help that I started to learn on aluminum. Started getting the hang of it and then electricity rates went up and you can see the meter try to spin the house! Need to get back to it. Wish I had time to take a class. My eyesight is changing with age, need reading glasses. Got a hood with magnifier lens. Real cool if you need it.
 
My machine is DC TIG only, so no aluminum. But it does have an adjustable arc pulse that helps me. It came with the finger control and a lot of welders like the foot pedal better. It's the out of position stuff that gives me fits.

My hood has a cheater lense too.
 
Start a new thread

You farkers should start a new thread about welding
This is not Q-Talk info...
JMO...
 
Most standard thermometers are @ 3-4 inches. I used a long temp probe in mine and the thermometer reads about 200Deg. when probe 6-8" in reads @250. I think this is part of the reason people say they cook faster. I run mine where the dial is "clocked" at 200 straight up. I can sit inside an still see it and know where it is even with my crooked eye no matter how many beers (short of passing out).
 
You farkers should start a new thread about welding
This is not Q-Talk info...
Click to expand...

Okay, here's The Welder Thread then.

Also, I've posted a separate thread for UUDS™ Foot-Operated Air Vents & fire-basket/ash-pan combo. Just wanted to link it here with the rest of the UDS info...

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WOW! What a great thread! Just finished reading from start to finish (at work no less!) and will now start searching for a 55-gal drum barrel for my very own attempt at one of these beauties. After all, how could something like these homemade smokers be called ugly?!
 
Started on my UDS project yesterday. Man, let me tell you, I do not really know steel thickness and such, but it is a bitch to weld thin gauge with a stick...you all keep that in mind when you look at my beads and my over all work! Looks like I will be ripping off many mods from this site! Anyway someone posted on here about finished look, heck the grinder is my best welding instrument! :eusa_clap Will try and put up some pictures today!
 
Bentley said:
Started on my UDS project yesterday. Man, let me tell you, I do not really know steel thickness and such, but it is a bitch to weld thin gauge with a stick...you all keep that in mind when you look at my beads and my over all work! Looks like I will be ripping off many mods from this site! Anyway someone posted on here about finished look, heck the grinder is my best welding instrument! :eusa_clap Will try and put up some pictures today!
Click to expand...

Burn baby burn. Not Grand Champion quality Bentley?
 
bentley when i burnt the paint off the inside and outside my finish came by spraying veg.oil on the outside of the barrel when the fire was hot it made the finish like gloss black also it protects it from rusting
 
Norcoredneck said:
Burn baby burn. Not Grand Champion quality Bentley?
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I guess not. Definition of Nimrod: Bentley

Example: Guess which slot I had the work in and which one I had electrode in for the AC application?

001-2.jpg


The scary part is that the ThunderBolt unit has this exact drawing on the front of the unit, except for the writing on the right side! Farken scary! And I was making fun of the French guy on Who wants to be a Millionaire! You know, I dont remember doing glue as a teenager!

I expect my welds to be much better tomorrow, actually went out into the garage tonight and switched them so I would not forget! Maybe it wont splatter so much tomorrow! I also broke down and bought a Miller self-darkening helmet, man was that worth the money!
 
The journy begins...

Well, time to let you make fun of my welding! The evil thin lid!
UDS012.jpg


Started out with this...
UDS001.jpg


Ended up with this...
UDS011.jpg

and this...
UDS010.jpg


Adjusting the Miller did nothing, I still burn through! Arghhhhh!

Mista, weed bunner is the way to go on burning out barrels!

To much to do tomorrow and Saturday, will get back at it in Sunday or Monday! Just need to put in nipples and ball valve, TRY and weld some brackets inside to hold the grates and make the fire box!

Sure could use some ideas on a paint job, would love to do something special, but I am not much when it come to design or insperation! Any suggestions Brothers!
 
I got a couple food grade barrels with the coated inside. I built one farking hot fire in and around the barrels but it still has a good amount of the inside paint. The fire was 10 times hotter then any cook that would be done. Does all the inside paint need to be removed?
 
Charcoal basket...thoughts...

For those of you who've gone through these builds before, what do y'all think about this as a charcoal basket?

5VE-16-007-xlg.jpg

I plan on using a whole lot more char lumps than brickettes and it's low design would allow the fire to remain 24" below the grill grate. My only concern is the overall size in not being able to concentrate the fire in one tightly packed area, but rather over 18" or so.

Thoughts? I'm a first time builder and a newbie 'que-er.
 
ipls3355 said:
I got a couple food grade barrels with the coated inside. I built one farking hot fire in and around the barrels but it still has a good amount of the inside paint. The fire was 10 times hotter then any cook that would be done. Does all the inside paint need to be removed?
Click to expand...

rlic80 said:
For those of you who've gone through these builds before, what do y'all think about this as a charcoal basket?

5VE-16-007-xlg.jpg

I plan on using a whole lot more char lumps than brickettes and it's low design would allow the fire to remain 24" below the grill grate. My only concern is the overall size in not being able to concentrate the fire in one tightly packed area, but rather over 18" or so.

Thoughts? I'm a first time builder and a newbie 'que-er.
Click to expand...

Yes you need to get the inside liner out. use a weed burner from the outside. that will make it go fast.

for a basket if you dont want to assemble one, you can take a water pan from a ECB and drill holes in it and rest it on a grate near the bottom. i got a good 12 hour burn out of one of those.
 
rlic80 said:
For those of you who've gone through these builds before, what do y'all think about this as a charcoal basket?

5VE-16-007-xlg.jpg

I plan on using a whole lot more char lumps than brickettes and it's low design would allow the fire to remain 24" below the grill grate. My only concern is the overall size in not being able to concentrate the fire in one tightly packed area, but rather over 18" or so.

Thoughts? I'm a first time builder and a newbie 'que-er.
Click to expand...

Kinda heavy, but don't see why it wouldn't work if it'll fit in the drum. Are you planning on anything around it to contain the coals?

This is a 18" Weber kettle with a chitload of 1/2" holes and the coal grate for all you tidy MOFO's that want the ash can mod!


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Of course you'll have to empty it more often if your using Rancher briqs!

Brian
 
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