Horizontal & Offset Drum Smokers

Thawley · 07-29-2009, 02:24 PM

I've been thinking about building a stick burner since leaving Texas a few days ago. The Brisket from Lockhart is the new target I'm aiming for. Since all the pits I saw in Texas (and here) use indirect heat, I'm going to assume there are limits to how close one can get with a direct heat smoker like the UDS.

The Ugly Drum Smoker thread is losing some of its original focus. The term "UDS" is a fun & functional parody on Rocky Richmond's BDS smokers which were the first to use the viral nature of the internet to catch on. Our thread has done a great job educating the masses (Your's T. among them) about the concept and the DYI versions. But it's getting diluted. Anything with a drum now winds up in an already lengthy thread that is nearly unsearchable.

Seems like the time has come for a design resource thread on home-built Horizontal & Offset Drum Smokers. Those of us with a fondness for economical pit building have other options besides the UDS concept. Hopefully this will help keep non-UDS designs out of the original UDS thread and also make it easier to find info on DYI drum-based offsets & horizontals.

Here's what I've found so far (with thread's linked whenever possible)...

The Texas Hibachi

Phubar's upscale Netherlands version

Big Baby Double-Barreled Cooker

Matt Wagner's double barrel build photos

Triple Drum Smoker

BBQBlitz's hammerhead smoker

Big Papa's hammerhead grill

Shopping cart drum grill

Please add yours or any good idea's you find...

ZILLA · 07-29-2009, 02:46 PM

There have been many a great brisket cooked on a 55 gallon offset pit. It's cheap and functional. I agree about having a "build section" that has been sorted out.

ZILLA · 07-29-2009, 02:52 PM

Here in SA they make the 55 gal drum offset with a firebob made from 1/2 of a second drum like a standard pit.

Thawley · 07-29-2009, 03:02 PM

Like to see photos of that. Any links?

Phubar · 07-29-2009, 03:19 PM

Thanks for splicing those topics up Thawley.
I'll post the pics of my drums seperated.
Don't wanna cause too much confusion on the UDS thread.

Thawley · 07-30-2009, 10:05 AM

Found some interesting ideas about baffles that might be used in a hammerhead design. Hell, might even work in a tall UDS or one with firebox access on the side...

Also a good page about firebox design & theory (for offsets)...

Here's a link to the book Meat Smoking And Smokehouse Design. (May the authors see this use as promotion of their copyrighted material and not a violation – happy to remove the images though if they prefer...)

cdollar · 07-30-2009, 10:24 AM

I don't have any pictures, but many years ago I built a quick-and-dirty offset drum smoker for a neighbor using an old 20# propane tank as a firebox. I went to a muffler shop and had a couple pieces of stainless exhaust pipe cut and bent for a chimney and for delivering the smoke from the firebox to the drum. very cheap, and turned out some great Q.

Chuck

Phubar · 07-30-2009, 02:48 PM

Thanx for the links Thawley.
Some good stuff is written down there plus the drawings are acceptable as well.
Monday I'm gonna pick up my charcoal grate which I ordered today.
It's gonna have a sort of charcoal basket attached to it on the right for indirect grilling and keeping the charcoal from touching the drum.
The basket sits above the air intake so the airflow comes from under the coals,I came with this idea from building the UDS.
Just now I saw a drawing in 1 of your links that matches my idea.

flynaked720 · 07-30-2009, 03:25 PM

Awesome pics. some of them smokers are just crazy

Thawley · 07-30-2009, 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Phubar

Monday I'm gonna pick up my charcoal grate which I ordered today.
It's gonna have a sort of charcoal basket attached to it on the right for indirect grilling and keeping the charcoal from touching the drum.
The basket sits above the air intake so the airflow comes from under the coals,I came with this idea from building the UDS.
Just now I saw a drawing in 1 of your links that matches my idea.

Please post some photos when you get it. Sounds like a good idea. Hope it'll keep those pesky coals from messing up your killer yellow paint job.

Norcoredneck · 07-30-2009, 06:03 PM

I of all know the pride of building something that works, but there are a lot of offset type (chargriller, ect) that show up on craigslist. They are heavier, usually have nice grates and begging to be modified. One could be easily modified into something like this.

Asking $80

Thawley · 07-30-2009, 06:07 PM

Who are you and when did you steal Norco's laptop?

Thawley · 07-30-2009, 06:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Norcoredneck

Asking $80

Good price. But I am right-handed. Besides, I like this one better.

Norcoredneck · 07-30-2009, 06:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thawley

Shopping cart drum grill

Please add yours or any good idea's you find...

Hey Thawley how about a drum that slides in under something like this.

http://orangecounty.craigslist.org/hsh/1269577331.html

Also some look see

http://inlandempire.craigslist.org/hsh/1294095113.html

Norcoredneck · 07-30-2009, 06:28 PM

How about this for a start $65

http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/for/1297150847.html

07-29-2009, 02:24 PM	#1
Thawley Take a breath! Join Date: 06-17-07 Location: Disneyland Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Horizontal & Offset Drum Smokers I've been thinking about building a stick burner since leaving Texas a few days ago. The Brisket from Lockhart is the new target I'm aiming for. Since all the pits I saw in Texas (and here) use indirect heat, I'm going to assume there are limits to how close one can get with a direct heat smoker like the UDS. The Ugly Drum Smoker thread is losing some of its original focus. The term "UDS" is a fun & functional parody on Rocky Richmond's BDS smokers which were the first to use the viral nature of the internet to catch on. Our thread has done a great job educating the masses (Your's T. among them) about the concept and the DYI versions. But it's getting diluted. Anything with a drum now winds up in an already lengthy thread that is nearly unsearchable. Seems like the time has come for a design resource thread on home-built Horizontal & Offset Drum Smokers. Those of us with a fondness for economical pit building have other options besides the UDS concept. Hopefully this will help keep non-UDS designs out of the original UDS thread and also make it easier to find info on DYI drum-based offsets & horizontals. Here's what I've found so far (with thread's linked whenever possible)... The Texas Hibachi Phubar's upscale Netherlands version Big Baby Double-Barreled Cooker Matt Wagner's double barrel build photos Triple Drum Smoker BBQBlitz's hammerhead smoker Big Papa's hammerhead grill Shopping cart drum grill Please add yours or any good idea's you find... __________________ E. John Thawley III UUDS™ Thawley on Tumblr

07-29-2009, 03:02 PM	#4
Thawley Take a breath! Join Date: 06-17-07 Location: Disneyland Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Like to see photos of that. Any links? __________________ E. John Thawley III UUDS™ Thawley on Tumblr

07-29-2009, 03:19 PM	#5
Phubar somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 04-24-09 Location: Utrecht,The NetherPharkinglands Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Thanks for splicing those topics up Thawley. I'll post the pics of my drums seperated. Don't wanna cause too much confusion on the UDS thread. __________________ -TG -WGA (3) -UDS (S,M,L) All fueled by Ecobrasa Coco Briquettes Lowland Smokers Dutch BBQ Champion 2011 - 2012 *Lowland Smokers Dutch BBQ Champion 2013 Low 'n Slow

07-30-2009, 10:05 AM	#6
Thawley Take a breath! Join Date: 06-17-07 Location: Disneyland Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Found some interesting ideas about baffles that might be used in a hammerhead design. Hell, might even work in a tall UDS or one with firebox access on the side... Also a good page about firebox design & theory (for offsets)... Here's a link to the book Meat Smoking And Smokehouse Design. (May the authors see this use as promotion of their copyrighted material and not a violation – happy to remove the images though if they prefer...) __________________ E. John Thawley III UUDS™ Thawley on Tumblr Last edited by Thawley; 07-30-2009 at 10:13 AM.. Reason: Added link to book from which images were sourced

07-30-2009, 03:25 PM	#9
flynaked720 Is lookin for wood to cook with. Join Date: 01-26-09 Location: dubuque, ia Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Awesome pics. some of them smokers are just crazy __________________ Country BBQ Pellet Smokers / Grill CS-680 Masterbuilt 30" Smokehouse

07-29-2009, 02:46 PM	#2
ZILLA is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 12-01-05 Location: Universal City, Texas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	There have been many a great brisket cooked on a 55 gallon offset pit. It's cheap and functional. I agree about having a "build section" that has been sorted out.

07-29-2009, 02:52 PM	#3
ZILLA is Blowin Smoke! Join Date: 12-01-05 Location: Universal City, Texas Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Here in SA they make the 55 gal drum offset with a firebob made from 1/2 of a second drum like a standard pit.

07-30-2009, 10:24 AM	#7
cdollar Full Fledged Farker Join Date: 07-03-09 Location: Deep in the East TX Piney Woods Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I don't have any pictures, but many years ago I built a quick-and-dirty offset drum smoker for a neighbor using an old 20# propane tank as a firebox. I went to a muffler shop and had a couple pieces of stainless exhaust pipe cut and bent for a chimney and for delivering the smoke from the firebox to the drum. very cheap, and turned out some great Q. Chuck

07-30-2009, 06:03 PM	#11
Norcoredneck somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-11-06 Location: Norco, Ca. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	I of all know the pride of building something that works, but there are a lot of offset type (chargriller, ect) that show up on craigslist. They are heavier, usually have nice grates and begging to be modified. One could be easily modified into something like this. Asking $80 __________________ *Low and Slow.....* *The Prontologist is in...* *Ok let's see your Butt!*

07-30-2009, 06:07 PM	#12
Thawley Take a breath! Join Date: 06-17-07 Location: Disneyland Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	Who are you and when did you steal Norco's laptop? __________________ E. John Thawley III UUDS™ Thawley on Tumblr

07-30-2009, 06:28 PM	#15
Norcoredneck somebody shut me the fark up. Join Date: 07-11-06 Location: Norco, Ca. Downloads: 0 Uploads: 0	How about this for a start $65 http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/for/1297150847.html __________________ *Low and Slow.....* *The Prontologist is in...* *Ok let's see your Butt!*

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