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-   -   Ugly Drum Smoker (https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436)

jgh1204 04-19-2007 10:50 PM

I hate it when my nipples get loose.

swamprb 04-19-2007 11:33 PM

Mine get hard just thinking about it.

Bigmista 04-20-2007 12:10 AM

You guys should all be very proud of me! I put the handles on the side of my barrel all by myself tonite. I measured twice, drill the holes, put the bolts in, put the washers on, tightened them and still managed to keep all of my fingers.

And they are exactly in the side and they are level (thank you Mr. Dickey my Geometry teacher)!

And most importantly, MrsMista didn't help me at all!

Smokin Gator 04-20-2007 05:58 AM

Yeah Mista... I know the feeling of pride... making these things actually makes me think I could change my own oil!!!

Ray Zorback 04-20-2007 07:58 AM

CraigsList Discouragement
 
Hey. I posted the need for a 55 Gal Steel Drum on CraigsList and here is a response I got:

Quote:

"Personally using 55gal barrels for a smoker is crappy idea. I speak from experience. The metal is too thin to effectively control the temperature for good barbeque. It would be adequate for grilling but for smoking it will only produce a very low quality product. Even if you installed a thermo sensor switch and a turbine fan. Hardwood burns closer to 500 degrees so you would need to suspend it with a grate of some sort if you want the rig to last for any extended period of time. That's why a good smoker has a separate cast iron firebox for the wood and a secondary heat source on the product side."
I'm looking for some replys to his concerns. What about the metal being too thin? & What about this "thermo sensor" & "turbine fan"?
Sounds like he knows alot about enginering & not much about smoking, but are his arguments valid?
I sent him to this site and BigMista's site to do more research.

Thanks! I'm new so I don't know much about all this stuff.

bmarley5780 04-20-2007 08:08 AM

Main question is: Does he have a 55 gal drum you can have? You know it works by the people on here that have posted the results...So what is the concern...

Ray Zorback 04-20-2007 08:32 AM

Quote:

So what is the concern...
About the walls being to thin to hold heat & lasting for any period of time. Anyone ever used this thermo sensor or turbine fine?
What about the wood burning at 500 degrees? That seems a little warm, but I also thought that we try to make sure the wood doesn't FLAME UP.. right?

bmarley5780 04-20-2007 08:56 AM

Yes, them are concerns.

But the people are this forum have built, fired up, and cooked briskets, butts, fatties, chuckies.....etc etc. All being successful...

One thing that I have been seeing with these drums is that the heat and burn time are GREAT.

bmarley5780 04-20-2007 09:00 AM

Quote:

Ribs are done. Man, the smell is amazing. Mista, I bet you drive your neighbors crazy when cooking on yours.

This thing holds temps like a dream. 220-240 all day so far on one load of charcoal, about 1/2 bag of royal oak with about 10 briquets of Kingsford to get things going.

The butts are at 150.
example

Bigmista 04-20-2007 09:12 AM

Ray,

The person who sent you that probably hasn't spent anytime learning to manage a fire. There are several reason the drums work well as a smoker.

1. The charcoal is suspended above the bottom so it doesn't get choked off by ash.

2. Airflow is restricted so burn times are extended. Some drums have held temp for 24 hours without reloading.

3. Meat is suspended at least 24" above the charcoal so the temps are lower at the grate than they are right over the fire.

4. Have the fan to help control the temp is a convenience but it isn't necessary. Once temp locks in, yo can generally count on it to stay there for at least 10 hours.

5. In a drum, the melting fat drips on the fire, evaporates and comes back up to add flavor to the meat. That's something you can't get in an offset.

6. Offsets are more work. Nothing wrong with that. Some people think of the fire managements as therapy and they like to do that. Just a different kind of cooking.

I hope this answers your questions. If you have more, we are all happy to answer them.

thirdeye 04-20-2007 09:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ray Zorback (Post 382750)
Hey. I posted the need for a 55 Gal Steel Drum on CraigsList and here is a response I got: I'm looking for some replys to his concerns. What about the metal being too thin? & What about this "thermo sensor" & "turbine fan"?
Sounds like he knows alot about enginering & not much about smoking, but are his arguments valid?
I sent him to this site and BigMista's site to do more research.

Thanks! I'm new so I don't know much about all this stuff.

Hi Ray,

That guy is right about the material being thin, but since upright drum cookers are a vertical style, and because you are cooking direct instead of indirect, a different heat flow is present and they cook differently than an offset design. Listen, I've had my drum for one year and they are great cookers. BigMista's summary pretty much tells it all. There are plenty of posts here that praise this style of cooker and it's attributes. I have plenty of action photos of my cooks as well, but the nicest collection of drum cooking photo's (that I have seen) are on the BDS site. There are 60 in all, everything from A (as in ABT's) to T (turkeys). Make sure you check out the 4 or 5 pictures of whole shoulders. They put the B in barbecue and they come out perfect when cooked on a drum.

Click HERE to check them out.

Edit: I have a guru set-up for my Eggs and a adaptor for my BDS is only $10. I'm sure I will at some point in time, but so far I haven't seen the need to set it up yet.

swamprb 04-20-2007 10:53 AM

Is anyone interested in building an Ugly La Caja China? It's been on my mind since Clint's New Years Pig roast and Bobby Flays Throwdown! Just a thought.

It's nice outside, I think I'll start drilling into the drum now!

Brian

Napper 04-20-2007 03:56 PM

Ray,

Tell the guy to kiss your butt and go ahead and build your smoker!
I used one of mine last night to grill some steaks. It is one that I have the fan control installed. I set the fan to run continuously.

Thing was like a blacksmith's forge! Cooked the meat FAST and then I had to choke everything down before it got red hot. Temp gauge went to 500 !!!!

Worked good but it made my outside paint smell a little.

Drums Rule!

swamprb 04-20-2007 06:21 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Napper (Post 382913)
Ray,

Tell the guy to kiss your butt and go ahead and build your smoker!
I used one of mine last night to grill some steaks. It is one that I have the fan control installed. I set the fan to run continuously.

Thing was like a blacksmith's forge! Cooked the meat FAST and then I had to choke everything down before it got red hot. Temp gauge went to 500 !!!!

Worked good but it made my outside paint smell a little.

Drums Rule!

Bill- could you post some pics of the blowers you are using? I saw the digital controller you have set up, and noticed the wires to the pipe fitting but I'm not getting a clear picture of the fan setup. Just curious

Brian

Bigmista 04-20-2007 06:52 PM

I agree that it's a curiousity and not a necessity.


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