Ugly Drum Smoker

[Hoosier BBQ]

So I just picked up a really nice unlined food grade barrel. My question is should I burn off the paint on the outside and paint it with high temp paint? Or will it not come off with regular cooking? I don't want to build a nice smoker and then it look bad after the first cook or 2. If I need to get the paint it came with off and painted with high temp paint Id rather do it before I build it.

Thanks

[10miler]

Originally Posted by Hoosier BBQ

So I just picked up a really nice unlined food grade barrel. My question is should I burn off the paint on the outside and paint it with high temp paint? Or will it not come off with regular cooking? I don't want to build a nice smoker and then it look bad after the first cook or 2. If I need to er the paint it came with of and painted with high temp paint Id rather do it before I build it.

Thanks

I asked this very question in the page before this one. 2 people gave good answers.

[dadsr4]

For those who want the pics from "If a Redneck wanted to build a UDS",
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...ad.php?t=43943
Pinterest has at least some of them.
https://www.google.com/search?hl=en&....0.7bSNoM9sJps

[muddypluka]

hey folks just finished my first cook on the UDS had problems keeping temps down

as soon as I opened the lid that was it up in the 300s and I couldn't bring them back down are there any tricks I'm missing

[PorkinButts82]

Originally Posted by muddypluka

hey folks just finished my first cook on the UDS had problems keeping temps down

as soon as I opened the lid that was it up in the 300s and I couldn't bring them back down are there any tricks I'm missing

Gotta be quick. And maybe close the valves when opening the lid. I've done that with good results

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[Nuco59]

Your temps WILL spike if you take your lid off and take your sweet time wrapping, spritzing, flipping or admiring the color of whatever you are smoking

Don't panic- don't start closing vents or intakes. Just "chill Winston". The temps will come back down- really - no fooling. It will take a bit of time- but a few degrees never hurt anybody.

Best weapon: minimize that "lid off time". When you take the lid off, all the coals you have been keeping asleep- wake up to the huge influx of fresh air-and say "heyyyy! and perk up- there's your spike. If you just put the lid back on -leave the settings alone, they will go back to napping and your temps will be right where you left them.

[ebijack]

Originally Posted by muddypluka

hey folks just finished my first cook on the UDS had problems keeping temps down as soon as I opened the lid that was it up in the 300s and I couldn't bring them back down are there any tricks I'm missing

Close your intake/intakes before removing the lid.
3-5 mins after you have put the lid back on, re-open your intake/intakes. No where near the temp spikes w/o closing intakes. Like mentioned, within 5-10 mins you are back at your target temp.

[10miler]

Originally Posted by muddypluka

hey folks just finished my first cook on the UDS had problems keeping temps down

as soon as I opened the lid that was it up in the 300s and I couldn't bring them back down are there any tricks I'm missing

Are you saying that temps NEVER came back down? Or it just took awhile?

[SmokinJohn]

Originally Posted by Hoosier BBQ

So I just picked up a really nice unlined food grade barrel. My question is should I burn off the paint on the outside and paint it with high temp paint? Or will it not come off with regular cooking? I don't want to build a nice smoker and then it look bad after the first cook or 2. If I need to get the paint it came with off and painted with high temp paint Id rather do it before I build it.

Thanks

The old paint may not come off during a cook, depending on what type of paint was used.

My vote is to burn off the old paint, and use VHT paint (I use the 500 degree stuff) to customize it.

Now all you have to worry about is grease and stuff mucking up the pretty paint job.

[SmokinJohn]

Originally Posted by cowgirl

Don't paint the inside. Clean it down to bare metal. You want to oil it and season like cast iron.
Welcome to the forum!

Listen to this woman!

[SmokinJohn]

Originally Posted by Vicusj

Hi All,

Here some piccies of my setup.





My UDS with the HM mounted



My HM / Damper combo



And its guts...



The base where the air is channeled to the fan-pods on the bottom



The fan-pods



All connected and running




Pit probe (Thermocouple) and 3 meat probes (Maverick 733 probes)



Air diffuser underneath coal basket



Coal basket ready to be lit.



UDS Hinged lid



Testrun, dialling in the PID values (Orange is the pit temp, red is the set temp, degC)

Did I see a Raspberry Pi Zero in the middle of that ATC?

[OEF5]

So here is my first build, it is built just like the one I got 12 years ago from my brother after he read about them here. The original is still going!

Holes all drilled, fire set and rolling, basket nearly done. I've got three more to do!

Sorry for the sideways pics can't flip them from the phone

[PorkinButts82]

High heat paint is not needed on these drums. Regular rustoleum works just fine.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

[bakerk7]

How do I remove the bolt ring? Really struggling to figure this out .I can't turn the darn bolt.

[Nuco59]

It should just be a bolt.
Righty Tighty
Lefty Loosey
(Smitty could probably do it with his bare hands.
The rest of us need a wrench.)

If all else fails - take a hack saw to the band. No one uses them for a UDS anyway.