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

N8man 04-20-2009 08:11 PM

Good Looking DrumPit You Got There!!!! OutStanding!!!!:biggrin:

seattlepitboss 04-20-2009 08:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Thawley (Post 906917)
460lbs of caustic boiling water on a Costco turkey burner? You've actually done this?

I have put a drum *bottom* on my turkey burner. If your concern is that the burner won't support the weight, stack up concrete blocks around your burner and put your drum on the blocks. Actually, yours is a really good point. Need a very very solid base, tipping over all that solution would be bad. Real bad.

seattlepitboss

pinghacker 04-20-2009 08:43 PM

Nice job garyk1398. What is that ash tray?

Meat Burner 04-20-2009 09:09 PM

1 Attachment(s)
Just a little boost for the drumheads out there. Cooking competition on the drums is a good thing. 3rd overall in ribs and 7th in brisket, and a couple other anything but entries.

JTank70 04-20-2009 09:27 PM

Another Member Due to this Thread
 
5 Attachment(s)
Hi There,

Name's JT and I am a new member. I joined because of this thread. It took a while but I read the whole thing!!!!

I have lots to learn as I have never cooked on a smoker before. I stumbled on to this forum/thread acouple of weeks back while looking for info on smokers.

I have a fair amount of backyard charcoal grilling experience, but have lived a sheltered BBQ life and have not been exposed to much Que outside my own little world. So I am a newbie all the waqy around I guess.

Anyway....You all have inspired me to build a UDS. I have started to scrounge up some pieces parts from here and there and will be building soon. So far I have got a free ball valve, a Weber cook grate and two cans of grill paint from Lowe's (also free w $25 gift card) and today I scored a free hunk of expanded metal. I got a cheap $16 pit thermo by grill care that I hope will do for now. Sometime this week I am getting the nipples, caps etc.

I scored a free barrel from my boss. The barrel he gave me was a open top style with the lid and is in great shape. It was behind a house he had recently bought and was empty. It had a slight fuel oil/kerosene smell to it when I got it. That smell was totally gone after burning the barrel out once.

It has a olive green liner on the inside that seems to be tough as nails as the first and only burn so far did not seem to get rid of much of the liner.

I am moving forward with this barrel for now, but I am looking for a better specimen to work with. I was ok with the barrel I have until i read some of the posts on here that were of the "why take a chance?" perspective.
Got me thinking I guess and maybe a little paranoid. hopefully I will find a nice food grade Drum soon. I read all of the suggestions about finding drums on here and called lots and lots of people to no avail so far.

So, that where things stand for now. I know we all love to read bout others builds so i will post often through the process and try to get some good pics for you all.

Here is a few pics of the barrel I have become leary of using for now.

Meat Burner 04-20-2009 09:36 PM

New England brother...looks great so far!!! Keep after it and you will have a first class smoker very soon. Burn it out one more time just to be same, then "get r done". Keep posting those build pics.

BBQWildcat 04-20-2009 11:55 PM

Exhaust
 
Ok i drilled out the holes about 2" from the bottom. I used 4 intakes, 3 with caps and one with a ball valve. Which is the better type of exhaust for this setup? My drum lid has 2 bungs holes on it (one big one small) so will it be better to use the 8- 1/2" holes or use a pipe and 90 exhaust. Those freakin things make the lid HEAVY!!


Thanks
Tuck

Barbarian 04-21-2009 12:24 AM

2 Attachment(s)
Hey Gary, glad I could be of some help, I got all my help off the guys here. Welcome to the Drumhead Nation!!!

Hey BBQWildcat, I doubt you need the 90* elbow. I have to vent my exhaust out of my little Q shack so I don't want a elbow and I don't know why you would need one. You are correct about the extra weight IMHO. Also with the short 4" pipe I can shut down the drum with just a tin can over the pipe. I guess guys with 8 holes somehow plug them all up.

Chavo27 04-21-2009 07:19 AM

Do most lids fit right on the drum of do you have to customize them?
The lid I have isn't a perfect fit.. Should I keep looking for a better lid or work with the one I have?

Thawley 04-21-2009 09:07 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Barbarian (Post 907327)
I doubt you need the 90* elbow. I have to vent my exhaust out of my little Q shack so I don't want a elbow and I don't know why you would need one.

It's a weather thing. Keeps the rain out if you use the lazy-boy outdoor storage mod...

http://www.thawleyphoto.com/gallery/...tml/UDS-02.jpg

h20loo 04-21-2009 09:23 AM

As long as you have 2"s of exhaust the style doesn't really matter. I like to close off my intake and exhaust when I'm done a cook in order to save the unburnt lump. A puck works for me but there are lots of variations on damping down the barrel.
BTW- here's my latest drum-de-le-icious attempt.
Sour cream and brown sugar coffee cake with a bit of Maple smoke!
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/i...0loo/006-1.jpg

Barbarian 04-21-2009 10:04 AM

I guess I got the tin can mod from my granddad who always put a can over the exhaust pipe on his tractor to keep the rain out. I guess it really sunk in and that is why I do it. Plus it makes it real easy to shut the drum down after a cook or slow it down during a cook before taking the lid off to turn, baste, switch racks or whatever during a cook.

Norcoredneck 04-21-2009 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by garyk1398 (Post 907151)
I finally got my UDScompleted! Thanks to Pat (Norco), n8man and Barbarian for their help and words of wisdom!


Norco's new quote
"Now you got it purty,
Go get it Dirty"


Welcome to the Drom Corps.

JTank70 04-21-2009 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Meat Burner (Post 907249)
New England brother...looks great so far!!! Keep after it and you will have a first class smoker very soon. Burn it out one more time just to be same, then "get r done". Keep posting those build pics.

Thanks,

Looks like I might be keeping my original lightly kerosened drum for a burn barrel.

Today I got in touch with a guy from craigslist that has two 48 foot trailers full of drums. He said 90+% of them are food grade and most of those had olive, peanut oil or juice in them. To keep things simple he gets $12 ea. for any drum. He has sealed drums and open tops with lids.

Only negative about the whole deal is that he is about an hour away from me by car (about 75 mi). But, I am just happy to have found such a good source for drums.

I am going to have a couple of them for a weekend burn out. I might even have my uds all built by the end of the weekend. I have everything I need but the charcoal grate now.

JTank70 04-21-2009 09:03 PM

Sorry for double posting, but I just thought of a few qestions for you experienced UDS builder/operators. Your opinions would be appreciated.

1.What will give me the most accuracy bang for my buck wise as far as thermometers go? I have a $16 grill care pit thermo with a 3" probe but it has not been used yet and I can return it if need be.

2. Someone mentioned using brass nipples/caps on there intakes so the caps would not rust onto the nipples. Is this a good upgrade or just a waist of money?

3. I am thinking about putting a 2" vent cap on top of my 2" exhaust nipple. It is the type that would go on the fuel oil tank for your home. This would be for both looks and functional as a rain cover for the exhaust. Do you think it would fark up my air flow through the exhaust or cause any other undesireable outcome?

4. I am considering a very short riser for the intake with the ball valve. I will use a 3/4x1 1/2" nipple out of the the intake hole. Then a 90* elbow, followed by a 3/4 x 2 1/2" nipple and then the ball valve. like I said very short. Do you think such a short riser would cause me any trouble with intake or temp adjustment? I am just thinking that the short riser would get the ball valve a little mor out of the way and look a bit better.

Thats it for now.

I am sure I will think of more though.

Thanks in advance for your input.

JT


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