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

Soulcoffr 07-04-2012 02:31 PM

Those stainless drums always look sharp. By the way, you can tell how hot it got by the temper color of the SS.

http://www.bssa.org.uk/topics.php?article=140

Judging by this article, you got it up to around 340* Celsius. (644* F)


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willbird 07-05-2012 03:11 PM

Um could somebody please nuke the first post, I forgot to scale the pictures down :icon_blush:

I read the first 200 pages of the thread, dunno if I can rfead them all, but here is my effort :-).

Like most others I wanted to be "like but different", so I used FIVE 3/4 inlets, one with a ball valve. I made NPT threaded bungs to weld on the inside. I made mine in the lathe with a 3/4 NPT tap, but I could have saved a LOT of time, and others could make their own by either slicing off the ends of unions (two bungs per union) or using reducers (aka bushings). I drilled the holes with a good quality 1" hole saw I had already, the 3/4 hardware did thread right in sort of. But I'd rather have a tighter fit. The drum had some kind of alcohol in it, the inside is flipping gorgeous.

http://i.imgur.com/cu18j.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/SdmbI.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/5alFx.jpg
I added another little machinist trick with the Thermo bungs, drilled the proper side hole through the middle of a 3/8" hex bolt.

The drum is so nice inside I hate to do a face cord of hardwood style burn out
http://i.imgur.com/UXgJN.jpg

The Grates I got from Menards, Porcelain covered for a whole $7.99 each.

Bill

willbird 07-05-2012 03:20 PM

OK here it is all burned out, still wet from washing. Scrubbed it inside with a scotchbrite pad and water, nothing really on it to speak of.

http://i.imgur.com/NbzF1.jpg

Here it is all painted up, the old gas grill chassis needs a bit of work yet, but it will work (stolen idea from another brethren).

http://i.imgur.com/GnHU5.jpg

And finally the coal basket and ash/drip pan. Snagged two of the cheap $10 grills from walmart, wired the two grates together to form square openings on the bottom. Coaxed some expanded metal into a hoop and wired it together.

http://i.imgur.com/EZOB0.jpg

The basket is probably deeper than it ever will NEED to be, should be no harm in having a little extra depth :-). it should be about 15" in dia and 12" tall.

Bill

jcinadr 07-06-2012 09:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jetfxr27 (Post 2119658)
Looks great. I too am attempting to add an ATC without all the mess of wires. Can you give some details?

Looks like he is using a standard BBQ Guru setup (with a custom DigiQII mount), but does not have the blower or probes in the picture (the blower adaptor is shown on the bottom of the drum) DC power, fan, pit probe and meat probe plug into the bottom of the DigiQII unit pictured.

I don't really care for all the wires on mine either. I just used the bracket that came with the DigiQII to mount mine (tried magnets, but it always slid and fell off). The mount is close to the probe holes and the excess probe wire is coiled with leader keepers.

I have considered putting on a vertical air intake pipe and attaching the DigiQII to the blower assembly and mounting it on the top of the pipe. That would get the fan wire out of the way. Technically I could also switch to a battery powered system (rather than wall wart), but A/C is very convenient.

17mbpro 07-06-2012 10:47 AM

Rookies first UDS build
 
3 Attachment(s)
Thanks to all the knowledgable folks on this site I've been able to build this. I'm quite done yet, all I need to do is build the fire box and get a temp gauge installed Does anyone have a clever idea on how to attach the expanded metal to the grate without welding? The jury is still out on the handle and exhaust pipe, but I put them there just to see what it looks like....thoughts?

Kullas 07-06-2012 10:49 AM

There are some great looking smokers on here. the one thing i want to mod on mine is some side tables

willbird 07-06-2012 11:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 17mbpro (Post 2124260)
Thanks to all the knowledgable folks on this site I've been able to build this. I'm quite done yet, all I need to do is build the fire box and get a temp gauge installed Does anyone have a clever idea on how to attach the expanded metal to the grate without welding? The jury is still out on the handle and exhaust pipe, but I put them there just to see what it looks like....thoughts?

I just used soft steel wire (probably electric fence wire) and twisted it with safety wire pliers, but you could just as readily twist it with the small vice grips probably, just loop it around, cross the wires, clamp at the cross point, and twist until it is tight.

I just happen to have a set of safety wire pliers leftover from sprint car racing adventures, if you do not I bet the needle nose vicegrips would work fine, the key thing is to grab the wire and keep hold til all twisting is done.
http://i.imgur.com/JVfRe.jpg

Here is what it looks like twisted

http://i.imgur.com/tAYC1.jpg

Harbor Freight shows a set of the safety wire pliers for like $12 bucks.

They call them.................(I did not link thinking that is verboten, just go to HF and search them)

9" Safety Wire Twister

They work like a yankee screwdriver in reverse sort of :-).

Bill

willbird 07-06-2012 11:28 AM

http://i.imgur.com/GkuM5.jpg

Here it is running on the first run through empty with the inside coated with veg oil. Seems like I can hit 225 with just the ball valve, 300 not too hard one plug out and about 1/4 on the ball valve. Ran it the first time with some RO Briq that was on sale along with a chimney full of RO chunk to light it off.

It is HOT here today so I dunno maybe the first 200f is all solar :-) ?? So hot the camera lens fogged up :-).


Bill

h_nick78 07-06-2012 12:08 PM

I have a question. I can get an empty SS barrel from work that had 67.2% Nitric Acid in it. Would this be safe to use? I know you can use Nitric Acid to disinfect SS. I was thinking that I could pour in some baking soda to neutralize anything that might be left in it, and then rinsing it out and burning it off. Anyone have any experience with this?

Kullas 07-06-2012 12:41 PM

sounds like it would work to me

Paul Worth 07-06-2012 01:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 17mbpro (Post 2124260)
Thanks to all the knowledgable folks on this site I've been able to build this. I'm quite done yet, all I need to do is build the fire box and get a temp gauge installed Does anyone have a clever idea on how to attach the expanded metal to the grate without welding?

I have used hog rings on all my baskets so far. You can pick up hog ring pliers at Harbor Freight for less than $10. I use metal valve stems for the thermometer hole.

maliclipse 07-07-2012 12:29 AM

For the 85 gallon version do you keep the same size ball valve or go up to the 1"

How about the exhaust? 2" hole enough?

I'm getting started tomorrow on my build and am finalizing my design.

Thanks in advance!

willbird 07-07-2012 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by maliclipse (Post 2125170)
For the 85 gallon version do you keep the same size ball valve or go up to the 1"

How about the exhaust? 2" hole enough?

I'm getting started tomorrow on my build and am finalizing my design.

Thanks in advance!

My initial impression from one run with the drum totally empty is that one 3/4 inlet and one 3/4 ball valve will probably do everything I need for the most part. The 3/4 ball valve looks like it has a 1/2" hole in it.

Bill

Soulcoffr 07-07-2012 08:39 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by willbird (Post 2125386)
My initial impression from one run with the drum totally empty is that one 3/4 inlet and one 3/4 ball valve will probably do everything I need for the most part. The 3/4 ball valve looks like it has a 1/2" hole in it.

Bill

I went with the full port ball valve so I'd have the full 3/4" ID with the valve.


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17mbpro 07-07-2012 09:33 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Paul Worth (Post 2124457)
I have used hog rings on all my baskets so far. You can pick up hog ring pliers at Harbor Freight for less than $10. I use metal valve stems for the thermometer hole.

The valve stems are a good idea. Do you need need to pliers or could I use some snub nosed pliers (which I have.)


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