Ugly Drum Smoker

[el luchador]

guys ive been racking my brains trying to figure out a way to have a uds stick burner.

what do you guys think of this idea? the drum is sitting on bricks and would slide off for cleaning
sorry abt poor sketchup skills. downloaded it two days ago

 

[ebijack]

guys ive been racking my brains trying to figure out a way to have a uds stick burner.

You can purchase a door made to fit a 55 gal drum and mount it.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231293
https://www.bbqsmokermods.com/product-p/ll-uwsm-qcdr22.htm
Or make one yourself. Note: you will need alot more intake and exhaust than what is required for smoking using coal/wood to burn wood splits. Some folks run with the door open as their intake control. I use my intakes below the door. 4" exhaust is ideal for getting to 800+*.

 

[Nuco59]

That wood fired UDS could be a fun project. Building the fire box separately and plopping your drum section right on top is pretty novel. How much do you plant to shorten the drum so it's not too tall? I've seen folks piece together sections of drums- it doesn't look too bad. Good point is you don't have to worry as much about sealing the leaks back up as you would with charcoal burning UDS.

Keep figuring, planning and drawing- it could turn into a very cool cooker.

 

[el luchador]

You can purchase a door made to fit a 55 gal drum and mount it.
http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231293
https://www.bbqsmokermods.com/product-p/ll-uwsm-qcdr22.htm
Or make one yourself. Note: you will need alot more intake and exhaust than what is required for smoking using coal/wood to burn wood splits. Some folks run with the door open as their intake control. I use my intakes below the door. 4" exhaust is ideal for getting to 800+*.

thanks for that pic. I have seriously considered that, using a full diameter baffle or two between the fire and the meat. Im not sure how it would work but that would be the easiest method.
I was thinking put the door right at the bottom lip of the barrel so one can open it up and sweep out the ash.

thanks for sharing that pic. is that perchance your build?

That wood fired UDS could be a fun project. Building the fire box separately and plopping your drum section right on top is pretty novel. How much do you plant to shorten the drum so it's not too tall? I've seen folks piece together sections of drums- it doesn't look too bad. Good point is you don't have to worry as much about sealing the leaks back up as you would with charcoal burning UDS.

Keep figuring, planning and drawing- it could turn into a very cool cooker.

thanks a bunch man. I was planning on going 18 inches for the height of the drum so its not too tall.

thank you man. I want to figure this out. theres got to be an inexpensive way to burn wood with the uds

 

[ebijack]

thanks for that pic.
I was thinking put the door right at the bottom lip of the barrel so one can open it up and sweep out the ash.
thanks for sharing that pic. is that perchance your build?

Yes that is one of my builds.
The access door has to reach well above the fire basket in order to easily add/adjust logs. Sweeping out coals is easy with
https://www.menards.com/main/housew...57-c-7116.htm?tid=-3602350627761706210&ipos=9
and dump ashes where ever you want. Very easy.
I burn alot of wood in my vertical UDS. That is what I use it for the most. I have other "smokers", one being an offset.
Questions, just ask.

 

[el luchador]

Yes that is one of my builds.
The access door has to reach well above the fire basket in order to easily add/adjust logs. Sweeping out coals is easy with
https://www.menards.com/main/housew...57-c-7116.htm?tid=-3602350627761706210&ipos=9
and dump ashes where ever you want. Very easy.
I burn alot of wood in my vertical UDS. That is what I use it for the most. I have other "smokers", one being an offset.
Questions, just ask.

AWESOME.
that's like me asking my boy "if you want Pizza, just ask" . the answer is always HEck yeah. :biggrin1:

so heck yeah I do have questions.
burning just wood, what kind of bafflage do you have between the fire and the meat?

what temps do you generally cook at?

do you put logs in the barrel or get it to embers outside the barrel and then put the embers in the barrel?

if you have a baffle, how high up is it?

you made a cutout of the barrel. and then it looks like you surrounded the opening with some steel - what gauge and width?

These are just the beginning questions. I will have MOAR!!! :biggrin1:

THANKS

 

[ebijack]

AWESOME.
that's like me asking my boy "if you want Pizza, just ask" . the answer is always HEck yeah. :biggrin1:

so heck yeah I do have questions.
burning just wood, what kind of bafflage do you have between the fire and the meat? I have 3 bolts that can hold another grate with deflector. But I don't use it.

what temps do you generally cook at? 275-750*

do you put logs in the barrel or get it to embers outside the barrel and then put the embers in the barrel? splits, same I use for my offset.

if you have a baffle, how high up is it? 15" from the bottom if I remember right.

you made a cutout of the barrel. and then it looks like you surrounded the opening with some steel - what gauge and width? I used some 1/8X3/4" and rolled to the shape of the drum. Tack weld. You could use some sheet metal 1" wide and do the same. I haven't seen where what I used makes a difference.

These are just the beginning questions. I will have MOAR!!! :biggrin1:

THANKS

No problem.

 

[Czarbecue]

Correct me if I am wrong but isn’t that just an elaborated vertical smoker at that point?

 

[Czarbecue]

This is pretty awesome. :clap:

$500 My cost - BUFORD UDS;

 

[el luchador]

No problem.

thank you.

when burning wood in the uds do you get the same flavor as with the offset, or is there a difference?

if there is a difference would you be so kind as to expound.
thanks

 

[ebijack]

Using my offset I'm smoking. Using the vertical UDS I'm grilling/smoking over wood fire. Like a Argentine grill, just i have alot more height and wind doesn't bother it like an Argentine. You do get a great light smoke flavor. Fire management (air flow and split size) allows me to grill at most any temp.
I also have a pizza lid I made for pizza and high heat grilling.

 

[el luchador]

Using my offset I'm smoking. Using the vertical UDS I'm grilling/smoking over wood fire. Like a Argentine grill, just i have alot more height and wind doesn't bother it like an Argentine. You do get a great light smoke flavor. Fire management (air flow and split size) allows me to grill at most any temp.
I also have a pizza lid I made for pizza and high heat grilling.

Awesome. Either way, for about $40 Im going to try it out. If I don't like it I have about 3 friends that need a free UDS

thanks

 

[SkunkApe]

I found this forum looking for ideas for my first UDS build and man do I have a lot of reading to do!

 

[el luchador]

Using my offset I'm smoking. Using the vertical UDS I'm grilling/smoking over wood fire. Like a Argentine grill, just i have alot more height and wind doesn't bother it like an Argentine. You do get a great light smoke flavor. Fire management (air flow and split size) allows me to grill at most any temp.
I also have a pizza lid I made for pizza and high heat grilling.

I just now saw the pic. Nice idea on the semi open top. Im thinking of incorporating my controlled leak into the drum and making it adjustable.

 

[el luchador]

my existing upside down UDS. I love this thing

 

[el luchador]

The new Woo-D-S in progress

I cant wait to burn some stick

 

[ebijack]

You will need a short/height wise basket. You will want/need at least 3" legs on the basket.
A controlled leak? You want the drum to be able to seal up any leaks after a few cooks or you will not be able to control temps or shutdown the drum when done cooking.
That was my pizza/high temp cooking/searing lid. I use my regular lid for all cooking under 600*, with removable chimney. Looks like cr@p but works great. 3 5/8" hole for exhaust. Adjustable exh vent even with chimney installed.


You can see one of 2- 1.5" elbows near the top lip. That was an experiment that did not work.
Using the 2 elbows as exhaust , screws up the air flow. Can not get temps above 275* even using enough intake to be cooking at 550* the temps will not get higher. Bad flow. I keep them plugged. I removed the plugs just to show.

 

[el luchador]

You will need a short/height wise basket. You will want/need at least 3" legs on the basket.
A controlled leak? You want the drum to be able to seal up any leaks after a few cooks or you will not be able to control temps or shutdown the drum when done cooking.
That was my pizza/high temp cooking/searing lid. I use my regular lid for all cooking under 600*, with removable chimney. Looks like cr@p but works great. 3 5/8" hole for exhaust. Adjustable exh vent even with chimney installed.


You can see one of 2- 1.5" elbows near the top lip. That was an experiment that did not work.
Using the 2 elbows as exhaust , screws up the air flow. Can not get temps above 275* even using enough intake to be cooking at 550* the temps will not get higher. Bad flow. I keep them plugged. I removed the plugs just to show.

This is very good information. Thanks. I thought you used the other lid all the time.

when I say controlled leak, I guess I should have said controllable, Ie adjustable. my goal it to have as much intake air as possible to keep a hot fire, but keep cooking temps around the 250-300 range.

my thought was that if I could have something to exhaust an adjustable amount of heat from the drum, just below the meat, I could achieve this.

for example using a big green egg intake.
so it seems like your 1.5" exhausts achieve exactly what I am looking to do.

I think what I'll do is drill 4 1" holes around the drum right under the meat and then use those to control temp as needed and just cover them up with magnets when not needed.

regarding the basket - I don't even plan to have a basket. Im just going to use some expanded steel as a platform for the wood, put some 3" legs on it, and go.

my current basket is 12" high, 17" diameter, 6" off the bottom. way overkill for anything I would ever cook given how efficient the uds is.

 

[Czarbecue]

To cook with high heat but have 250 temps you will need a deflector. I recommend a 20” cast iron skillet if you want to mimic the green egg deflector.

 

[OEF5]

To cook with high heat but have 250 temps you will need a deflector. I recommend a 20” cast iron skillet if you want to mimic the green egg deflector.

Thought the Green Egg had a stone in it. Like the Pampered chef pizza or cookie stone.