Ugly Drum Smoker

[GrassRun]

I opted to follow the KISS principle with three 3/4” intakes and eight 1/2” exhaust. My plan was to evenly space eight quarters around the lid of the drum, mark them with a Sharpie, then drill the holes.

As I stood there contemplating how best to measure, my better half walked up with a beer in hand for me, took the quarters, arranged them on the lid and then she said “There you go. How’s that?” Nothing left for me to do but enjoy the beer.

[Blue Kettle]

What about building a charcoal basket. I'm finding that looks to be a particularly expensive part of this endeavor what with having to buy expanded metal, a charcoal grate, and enough bolts and nuts to actually put it together. That Big Poppa basket pre-built for $57 really doesn't look like that bad a deal by comparison.

[el luchador]

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle

What about building a charcoal basket. I'm finding that looks to be a particularly expensive part of this endeavor what with having to buy expanded metal, a charcoal grate, and enough bolts and nuts to actually put it together. That Big Poppa basket pre-built for $57 really doesn't look like that bad a deal by comparison.

metal bucket with a few holes around the side, and a few on the bottom put up on a couple of bricks would work fine and be about $10

something like this

https://i.imgur.com/eoYii82.jpg

[Hinds15]

Lol me and blue kettle are kinda on the same wavelength. I'm taking the advice of others and going with the hunshaker style intake on the bottom so wind isn't as much a factor. I will be building a conventional charcoal basket (2 sheets expanded metal, 17inch charcoal grate, nuts/bolts, and ash catcher). My question is with the intake at the center of the bottom how high should my ash catcher be to allow good airflow and do I need to worry about a lot of grease coming out?

[DRMSMKER]

Originally Posted by Hinds15

Lol me and blue kettle are kinda on the same wavelength. I'm taking the advice of others and going with the hunshaker style intake on the bottom so wind isn't as much a factor. I will be building a conventional charcoal basket (2 sheets expanded metal, 17inch charcoal grate, nuts/bolts, and ash catcher). My question is with the intake at the center of the bottom how high should my ash catcher be to allow good airflow and do I need to worry about a lot of grease coming out?

If you're going with a vent in the bottom center, i wouldn't worry about an ash catcher under your basket, put a pan under the drum and then just sweep the ash and drippings through the hole on the the pan and toss..I dont' think you will get good air flow to the basket with a pan under covering the intake unless you raise your basket much higher than most have them..
just my .02 so probably worth just that much.

[Hinds15]

I was thinking of that also when it was suggested to me but hunsaker has a ash catcher under their vortex charcoal basket. Even if I raise it for the ash catcher I should still have room for 2 grates and a 3rd for the deflector.

Edit: if it's too high I'm fine with cutting a few inchs off the 12inch expanded metal

[DRMSMKER]

Originally Posted by Hinds15

I was thinking of that also when it was suggested to me but hunsaker has a ash catcher under their vortex charcoal basket. Even if I raise it for the ash catcher I should still have room for 2 grates and a 3rd for the deflector.

I was unaware they did that with their baskets. So if that's the case, then i it should work just fine. They should know, they invented it haha. From the pics it looks like it's only about 1 inch about the ground an inch below the basket.

[Czarbecue]

Originally Posted by Hinds15

Lol me and blue kettle are kinda on the same wavelength. I'm taking the advice of others and going with the hunshaker style intake on the bottom so wind isn't as much a factor. I will be building a conventional charcoal basket (2 sheets expanded metal, 17inch charcoal grate, nuts/bolts, and ash catcher). My question is with the intake at the center of the bottom how high should my ash catcher be to allow good airflow and do I need to worry about a lot of grease coming out?

Their ash catcher tray (pizza pan) sits 1" above the legs of the vortex basket. That is plenty of space for air to come in from the intake. I have my charcoal basket sitting inside a deep dish pan that has a 1" coupler for its feet. Catches all the ash with no spread, homies.

[Hinds15]

Pictures of the deep dish see the up?

[Czarbecue]

Originally Posted by Hinds15

Pictures of the deep dish see the up?

I used 2” square tubes that are 1” tall for the pan to sit on. The pan is 22” in diameter and 3” tall.

[el luchador]

may I ask where you got the 22" pan?

[Czarbecue]

Originally Posted by el luchador

may I ask where you got the 22" pan?

From 4" to 24"!

https://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?...categoryid=103

[Blue Kettle]

Still considering this UDS build but I'm starting to resent having to drive from OKC to Tulsa just to acquire the drum. What's frustrating is there's got to be some of those here locally it's just finding them. What am I missing? Would a restaurant supply place have these perhaps? Craigslist is a dry well.

[Czarbecue]

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle

Still considering this UDS build but I'm starting to resent having to drive from OKC to Tulsa just to acquire the drum. What's frustrating is there's got to be some of those here locally it's just finding them. What am I missing? Would a restaurant supply place have these perhaps? Craigslist is a dry well.

https://www.grainger.com/branch/Okla...ity-Branch-568

[Czarbecue]

And then there's this guy....

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/...430591786.html