Ugly Drum Smoker

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by thirdeye

Before I made a new basket for my 10 year old BDS I asked in a POST here and on a welding forum about which direction is easier to roll a strip of expanded metal when forming the basket. I did find the video from Rodney where he recommended rolling in the direction the short way (of the diamond), and most everyone also recommended this direction as well. The "short way" would have the long dimension of the diamond vertical when the finished basket is sitting upright in the normal position of use.

There are plenty of ways to form the basket, like forming it around a post, telephone pole, or a propane bottle.... but I decided on using a 13" diameter cast iron grate. My finished size was 14.5" in diameter. Here is how I did mine:

1. First I pre-formed my strip of expando by hand getting a slight arc in it.
2. Tie the middle of the strip to the grate with wire in two places.
3. Form the strip to the grate and made a new wire attachment every 4".
4. Continue to work the ends of the strip around the grate until both ends are ready to overlap.
5. Insert a bar or big screwdriver through overlapping diamonds on each end, and pull together.
6. Use a large C-clamp to hold both ends together.
7. I needed some slight re-positioning of my diamonds, so I slightly loosened the clamp and pried the diamonds where I wanted them, then tightened the clamp back up.
8. Use at least 2 bolts with washers on the head end and the nut end. (I used 1/2" dia X 1" stainless steel bolts)
9. Remove the clamp and measure for roundness.
10. I was about 3/4" out of round in one area so I used a couple of 2X4's for blocks and forced the cylinder into round.
11. Remove the grate, and check again for roundness.

nicely done.
the basket is the only challenging part of the whole UDS build, and I contend that there must be an affordable product out there that one could just drop in so as not to have a basket.

Heck, I think that two chimney full of charcoal could probably power a uds at 275° for a good 8 hours.

[Nuco59]

My first UDS fire basket was the bottom foot of an El Cheapo Brinkman. I left the feet on it, left the grate in the bottom, put a piece of baling wire across the top. It worked pretty damned good- I gave it to my SIL- he still uses it. I saw everyone using expando and figured it would be "better" since everyone used it and all... it wasn't. The ECB made a better fire basket than a smoker - that's for sure.

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by Nuco59

My first UDS fire basket was the bottom foot of an El Cheapo Brinkman. I left the feet on it, left the grate in the bottom, put a piece of baling wire across the top. It worked pretty damned good- I gave it to my SIL- he still uses it. I saw everyone using expando and figured it would be "better" since everyone used it and all... it wasn't. The ECB made a better fire basket than a smoker - that's for sure.

sweet. thats a pretty bright idea

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by ebijack

It will work for charcoal/wood smoking, but I do not believe you will get/have
enough air flow to keep a pure wood fire burning without problems.

I think I spoke too soon on the smoke flavor. I think with version one of the stick burner, 95% of the fire was coming out of the bottom and only a little was going to the meat.

this time, I had more than enough exaust, and no smoke was coming out of the bottom of the barrel. All the smoke was going past the meat.

Ohhhh boy. Way more intense smoke flavor than before. I do believe Im finally getting the stick burner taste I was looking for.

Thank for the input
btw, the smoker was going in this pic. if you look closely you can almost see that beautiful thin blue smoke.

[ebijack]

I'd bet you burned alot less wood too.
A lot of your flavor is really coming from the dripping fat onto the burning wood. Not as much flavor from the type wood you burn cooking this way. Different flavor than doing over charcoal.

[dadsr4]

Originally Posted by Nuco59

My first UDS fire basket was the bottom foot of an El Cheapo Brinkman. I left the feet on it, left the grate in the bottom, put a piece of baling wire across the top. It worked pretty damned good- I gave it to my SIL- he still uses it. I saw everyone using expando and figured it would be "better" since everyone used it and all... it wasn't. The ECB made a better fire basket than a smoker - that's for sure.

Thank's for the idea.

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by ebijack

I'd bet you burned alot less wood too.
A lot of your flavor is really coming from the dripping fat onto the burning wood. Not as much flavor from the type wood you burn cooking this way. Different flavor than doing over charcoal.

I did burn a ton less wood, and the cooking flavor coming out of the drum was unreal.

I do like the dripping fat flavor , but for now I still had a diffuser in there mainly because Im still tuning and didn't know what to expect. AND, every vertical ive ever seen has that diffuser.

I AM going to try something though. I have a suspicion that if I took the diffuser out, I could cook on wood at 250° using just a bed of 4-6 coals, adding a new chunk every 15 minutes. Im going to find a large coffee can and make a chunk burner to test this theory.

[ebijack]

Originally Posted by el luchador

I did burn a ton less wood, and the cooking flavor coming out of the drum was unreal. I do like the dripping fat flavor , but for now I still had a diffuser in there mainly because Im still tuning and didn't know what to expect. AND, every vertical ive ever seen has that diffuser.
I AM going to try something though. I have a suspicion that if I took the diffuser out, I could cook on wood at 250° using just a bed of 4-6 coals, adding a new chunk every 15 minutes. Im going to find a large coffee can and make a chunk burner to test this theory.

With proper fire management, yes you can cook at 250* no diffuser. I don't use one (only on rare conditions). Full open exh.
Would be easier using a weber style lid and your grate 1" below the lip of the drum. As the greater distance between fire/food helps. You will still get flames that kiss the food off/on.
Very small splits, add one about every 15 minutes. No coffee can, let the fire breath.
And you might start thinking about add a spacer that holds the cooking grate around 4" above the top of the drum. The extra exh from that 4" gap, no exh on the weber style lid. You can cooking wings, burgers etc at 550-650* and not burn the food with a real nice fire burning.

[SkunkApe]

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

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by ebijack

With proper fire management, yes you can cook at 250* no diffuser. I don't use one (only on rare conditions). Full open exh.
Would be easier using a weber style lid and your grate 1" below the lip of the drum. As the greater distance between fire/food helps. You will still get flames that kiss the food off/on.
Very small splits, add one about every 15 minutes. No coffee can, let the fire breath.
And you might start thinking about add a spacer that holds the cooking grate around 4" above the top of the drum. The extra exh from that 4" gap, no exh on the weber style lid. You can cooking wings, burgers etc at 550-650* and not burn the food with a real nice fire burning.

very nice thinking there :)

[ebijack]

Originally Posted by el luchador

very nice thinking there :)

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.

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by SkunkApe

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

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

Originally Posted by ebijack

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.

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 .

[bakerk7]

My first UDS . 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. 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.

[Czarbecue]

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...

[leohnoz]

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.