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

el luchador 01-22-2018 07:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3938404)
Any down sides to using the drum upside down. My Weber lid fit the bottom a little snug but it fits. Drum is unlined and was used once for coconut oil


mine is upside down and it makes it a heck of a lot easier to clean.also, when the lid rusts I can just replace a lid instead of a whole drum.

potential downside -its only happened once- i was cooking direct and I guess the food was not directly over the coals. the fat dripped down and I saw some coming out the bottom of the drum.

Hinds15 01-22-2018 07:53 PM

I was thinking about it not sealing good because the plastic/foam gasket needs to come out. Lowes has some silicone door and window gasket that's good up to 400 degrees. A strip or 2 of that may help seal it up or just some good old high temp rtv.

el luchador 01-22-2018 08:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3938439)
I was thinking about it not sealing good because the plastic/foam gasket needs to come out. Lowes has some silicone door and window gasket that's good up to 400 degrees. A strip or 2 of that may help seal it up or just some good old high temp rtv.

do you mean sealed from air getting in, or from liquid getting out.

I havent had a problem with air. I can close all my vents and the fire dies in short order.

Hinds15 01-22-2018 09:14 PM

Just the grease from food. I have some weber legs left from another build and wondering if I can make them work.

Edit: just the axle and wheels

el luchador 01-22-2018 11:06 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3938498)
Just the grease from food. I have some weber legs left from another build and wondering if I can make them work.

Edit: just the axle and wheels


the silicone should work.

Czarbecue 01-22-2018 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3938498)
I have some weber legs left from another build and wondering if I can make them work.

Edit: just the axle and wheels

I know my 110 gallon build is a lot heavier but that looks like a coat hanger on top of a drum :heh:

Hinds15 01-23-2018 08:44 AM

It's feels sturdy enough to me. Will probably be adding some angle iron like the hunsaker.

el luchador 01-23-2018 08:38 PM

oh yeah.

Had the macro damper printed for my heater meter. this thing is massive. Im not even sure how Im going to attach it to the uds as it has a 3" outlet.


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgzM0iZ-IUM

http://i.imgur.com/CW6AubF.jpg

Blue Kettle 01-23-2018 10:03 PM

Why is it you seldom see food grade 30 gallon drums? I want to do build a UDS but I really think 55 gallon might be overkill for my situation.

el luchador 01-23-2018 10:32 PM

Why do you say the 55 gallon may be overkill?

Blue Kettle 01-23-2018 11:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el luchador (Post 3939150)
Why do you say the 55 gallon may be overkill?

Space constraints in terms of where to store it, lack of need for additional cooking capacity over the smaller drum.

Czarbecue 01-24-2018 03:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939132)
Why is it you seldom see food grade 30 gallon drums? I want to do build a UDS but I really think 55 gallon might be overkill for my situation.



Grainger sells unlined drums for $129. Stainless steel for over $700. Unless you’re talking about Craigslist...

Nuco59 01-24-2018 04:16 AM

30 gallon drums are not a common. 30 gallon drums with an open head- less so.

Do the 55 - it's really not that much bigger. They are easier to find, cheaper to buy and you don't have to use the extra grate space if you don't want to.

Don't do "food grade" - go "unlined". If it has a phenolic liner, you'll need 2 or 3 good fires plus some heavy steel brush work OR a friend with a sand blaster to get it all gone.

el luchador 01-24-2018 06:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939155)
Space constraints in terms of where to store it, lack of need for additional cooking capacity over the smaller drum.

I understand that.
Think about this. The uds cousin the pbc I understand is 30 gallons. They have to hang the larger meats.

The 22" diameter is just about enough to lay the larger cuts of brisket or ribs.
Get the 30 but you may have to hang, fold or bend some longer pieces of meat

Blue Kettle 01-24-2018 07:24 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el luchador (Post 3939197)
I understand that.
Think about this. The uds cousin the pbc I understand is 30 gallons. They have to hang the larger meats.

The 22" diameter is just about enough to lay the larger cuts of brisket or ribs.
Get the 30 but you may have to hang, fold or bend some longer pieces of meat

That's a good point. Actually, more I think about it maybe the space constraint wouldn't be that bad. I've already got a 22" kettle out on the patio and this would be a similar footprint.

Blue Kettle 01-24-2018 07:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuco59 (Post 3939181)
30 gallon drums are not a common. 30 gallon drums with an open head- less so.

Do the 55 - it's really not that much bigger. They are easier to find, cheaper to buy and you don't have to use the extra grate space if you don't want to.

Don't do "food grade" - go "unlined". If it has a phenolic liner, you'll need 2 or 3 good fires plus some heavy steel brush work OR a friend with a sand blaster to get it all gone.

Is a propane weed burner not sufficient to get the job done of removing all of that at once? (Plus some wire brush after the fact to remove the remnants?)

el luchador 01-24-2018 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939208)
That's a good point. Actually, more I think about it maybe the space constraint wouldn't be that bad. I've already got a 22" kettle out on the patio and this would be a similar footprint.


plus, you can grill on the uds and get rid of the kettle if you wanted to

OR, you could just smoke on the kettle and forego the uds altogether. only thing is you wont get the fat dripping flavor(my favorite) but the kettle still puts out some GREAT Q

Hinds15 01-24-2018 11:26 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939214)
Is a propane weed burner not sufficient to get the job done of removing all of that at once? (Plus some wire brush after the fact to remove the remnants?)

Curious about this also. My drum had coconut oil in it and is unlined. I know a lot of people say it has rust inhibitor but to the touch it feels like metal and even sanding a small part its only metal.

I want to leave the paint that's on the outside too but that seems to be a questionable thing for UDS builds also.

DRMSMKER 01-24-2018 11:29 AM

The rust inhibitor is a coating or film that can be washed out with soap/water and a rag. its not the same has the thick solid liners in some barrels. Then you wipe down with vegi oil or pam and season.

Hinds15 01-24-2018 11:40 AM

Ah so most likely mine wouldn't have had it since the coconut oil would have kept the drum from rusting?

Blue Kettle 01-24-2018 11:47 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el luchador (Post 3939323)
plus, you can grill on the uds and get rid of the kettle if you wanted to

OR, you could just smoke on the kettle and forego the uds altogether. only thing is you wont get the fat dripping flavor(my favorite) but the kettle still puts out some GREAT Q

No doubt it makes some great Q. There's a part of me that thinks I'm being silly. That I should just be happy with the kettle and move on. But there's another part that wants a bit better temp stability (set it and forget it). The Kettle has served me well, particularly once I got a slow n sear, but I don't quite have set it and forget it confidence in it.

el luchador 01-24-2018 12:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3939352)
Ah so most likely mine wouldn't have had it since the coconut oil would have kept the drum from rusting?

correct. the lining is THICK. your barrel should be good to go. if It had coconut oil they already seasoned it for ya :thumb:

el luchador 01-24-2018 12:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939359)
No doubt it makes some great Q. There's a part of me that thinks I'm being silly. That I should just be happy with the kettle and move on. But there's another part that wants a bit better temp stability (set it and forget it). The Kettle has served me well, particularly once I got a slow n sear, but I don't quite have set it and forget it confidence in it.


the uds CAN hold more charcoal for longer cooks but I wouldn't be surprised if you could get the kettle to have better temp control.

I think with the coals being so close to the meat you may just be able to close down the bottom vent and just use the top vents for intake and exhaust.

or you could just buy a heatermeter and for $150 you have temp control, awesome thermoworks probe, AND wifi monitoring :biggrin1:

Blue Kettle 01-24-2018 12:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el luchador (Post 3939409)
the uds CAN hold more charcoal for longer cooks but I wouldn't be surprised if you could get the kettle to have better temp control.

I think with the coals being so close to the meat you may just be able to close down the bottom vent and just use the top vents for intake and exhaust.

or you could just buy a heatermeter and for $150 you have temp control, awesome thermoworks probe, AND wifi monitoring :biggrin1:

I'm unfamiliar with this product. Where can I go to find more details?

Nuco59 01-24-2018 01:29 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939214)
Is a propane weed burner not sufficient to get the job done of (liner) removing all of that at once? (Plus some wire brush after the fact to remove the remnants?)

I can't say for certain how well it would work. I have heard that if you are trying to burn out the barrel with a weed burner you need to do it from the outside of the drum. You stick the nozzle inside and it gets O2 starved, your flame goes out and you have raw gas settling inside the barrel.

possible "boomage and loss of eyebrows (or worse) could occur".

Unless you live in an area where you can open burn, I'd forego buying a food safe barrel with a liner. There are too many better options.

el luchador 01-24-2018 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939421)
I'm unfamiliar with this product. Where can I go to find more details?

https://github.com/CapnBry/HeaterMeter/wiki

it written by a tech guy so sorry about that in advance (no graphics etc)

it is basically an arduino mated to a raspberry pi and a damper.

here is a cost breakdown

1. heater meter package ($72- takes two hours to solder)
2. box for the hm $20 ( he often has misprints for free - I got a misprint)
3. power supply $15
4. temp probe $15
5. micro damper about $30
6. raspberry pi $35
7. wifi usb $8

total about $175

DRMSMKER 01-24-2018 02:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nuco59 (Post 3939448)
I can't say for certain how well it would work. I have heard that if you are trying to burn out the barrel with a weed burner you need to do it from the outside of the drum. You stick the nozzle inside and it gets O2 starved, your flame goes out and you have raw gas settling inside the barrel.

possible "boomage and loss of eyebrows (or worse) could occur".

Unless you live in an area where you can open burn, I'd forego buying a food safe barrel with a liner. There are too many better options.

I thought most people burned theirs out after they've drilled all the holes.
(i didn't burn mine b/c mine was new w/ no liner)

Blue Kettle 01-24-2018 04:20 PM

Alright. I just got a quote on a new unlined drum for $68. Its about a 1 and a 1/2 hour drive but thinking that might be better than screwing with the burn out and paint removal b.s. (was going to have to buy a weed burner to do this in the first place so that's $30 right there I won't have to spend if I opt for this).

SmokerKing 01-24-2018 04:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939537)
Alright. I just got a quote on a new unlined drum for $68. Its about a 1 and a 1/2 hour drive but thinking that might be better than screwing with the burn out and paint removal b.s. (was going to have to buy a weed burner to do this in the first place so that's $30 right there I won't have to spend if I opt for this).

Save yourself a lot of grief, make the drive to buy a new unlined drum, you won't be sorry. Granted, you may be looked down upon by the hard core, cheapskate UDS builders for not making the painstaking mistake and paying $68.00, oh well.

Blue Kettle 01-24-2018 05:13 PM

Question, if you end up buying a painted but unlined drum, do you have to still strip the outside and re-paint with high temp paint? Or is most of that paint on these drums sufficient to handle average smoking temps (225-325 give or take)? If I could avoid painting altogether that'd be pretty nice.

SmokerKing 01-24-2018 05:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939566)
Question, if you end up buying a painted but unlined drum, do you have to still strip the outside and re-paint with high temp paint? Or is most of that paint on these drums sufficient to handle average smoking temps (225-325 give or take)? If I could avoid painting altogether that'd be pretty nice.

The paint on the new drums I have purchased is damn good. If you want to leave it the stock gloss black, you'll be fine.

If you want to change it to a different, non-high heat color, then Scocth-Brite the gloss black, spray high heat flat black as a base and then paint it any non-high heat color.

If you can find the color you want in high heat, just spray it over the scuffed up gloss black.

Blue Kettle 01-24-2018 05:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SmokerKing (Post 3939568)
The paint on the new drums I have purchased is damn good. If you want to leave it the stock gloss black, you'll be fine.

If you want to change it to a different, non-high heat color, then Scocth-Brite the gloss black, spray high heat flat black as a base and then paint it any non-high heat color.

If you can find the color you want in high heat, just spray it over the scuffed up gloss black.

Thanks so much. That's just what I was hoping to hear.

el luchador 01-24-2018 05:32 PM

the stock outside paint will handle 400 degrees no problem.

buy 2 drums that way you have a spare if you need one.

I have 2 drums in my garage just in case

Blue Kettle 01-24-2018 09:58 PM

In terms of the exhaust, I seen everything online from daisy wheels like on the big poppa smokers, to a pipe with an elbow to chrome exhaust tips from a car muffler to just plain old holes with no adjustment or cover whatsoever. Does it make any difference in terms of how hard it is to control temps? Those ones where they just drill about 6-8 holes sure seem attractive to my cheap side.

el luchador 01-24-2018 10:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939738)
In terms of the exhaust, I seen everything online from daisy wheels like on the big poppa smokers, to a pipe with an elbow to chrome exhaust tips from a car muffler to just plain old holes with no adjustment or cover whatsoever. Does it make any difference in terms of how hard it is to control temps? Those ones where they just drill about 6-8 holes sure seem attractive to my cheap side.

cheap is good. consider putting the holes on the side for a more rain proof drum. since rain water can sit on the drum lid, one thats not very tight will let water in your drum. using the pbc method on the side seems like a better idea to me.

also, doing it on the side allows you to put your temp probes in without having to drill addl holes .

also we dont technically even need holes- just lay your lid on the drum and crack it open a tiny bit and youve got all the venting you need.

GrassRun 01-24-2018 10:47 PM

I opted to follow the KISS principle with three 3/4” intakes and eight 1/2” exhaust. My plan was to evenly space eight quarters around the lid of the drum, mark them with a Sharpie, then drill the holes.

As I stood there contemplating how best to measure, my better half walked up with a beer in hand for me, took the quarters, arranged them on the lid and then she said “There you go. How’s that?” Nothing left for me to do but enjoy the beer.

Blue Kettle 01-25-2018 07:34 AM

What about building a charcoal basket. I'm finding that looks to be a particularly expensive part of this endeavor what with having to buy expanded metal, a charcoal grate, and enough bolts and nuts to actually put it together. That Big Poppa basket pre-built for $57 really doesn't look like that bad a deal by comparison.

el luchador 01-25-2018 08:04 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3939846)
What about building a charcoal basket. I'm finding that looks to be a particularly expensive part of this endeavor what with having to buy expanded metal, a charcoal grate, and enough bolts and nuts to actually put it together. That Big Poppa basket pre-built for $57 really doesn't look like that bad a deal by comparison.

metal bucket with a few holes around the side, and a few on the bottom put up on a couple of bricks would work fine and be about $10 :rockon:

something like this

https://i.imgur.com/eoYii82.jpg

Hinds15 01-25-2018 08:45 AM

Lol me and blue kettle are kinda on the same wavelength. I'm taking the advice of others and going with the hunshaker style intake on the bottom so wind isn't as much a factor. I will be building a conventional charcoal basket (2 sheets expanded metal, 17inch charcoal grate, nuts/bolts, and ash catcher). My question is with the intake at the center of the bottom how high should my ash catcher be to allow good airflow and do I need to worry about a lot of grease coming out?

DRMSMKER 01-25-2018 12:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3939886)
Lol me and blue kettle are kinda on the same wavelength. I'm taking the advice of others and going with the hunshaker style intake on the bottom so wind isn't as much a factor. I will be building a conventional charcoal basket (2 sheets expanded metal, 17inch charcoal grate, nuts/bolts, and ash catcher). My question is with the intake at the center of the bottom how high should my ash catcher be to allow good airflow and do I need to worry about a lot of grease coming out?

If you're going with a vent in the bottom center, i wouldn't worry about an ash catcher under your basket, put a pan under the drum and then just sweep the ash and drippings through the hole on the the pan and toss..I dont' think you will get good air flow to the basket with a pan under covering the intake unless you raise your basket much higher than most have them..
just my .02 so probably worth just that much.

Hinds15 01-25-2018 12:09 PM

I was thinking of that also when it was suggested to me but hunsaker has a ash catcher under their vortex charcoal basket. Even if I raise it for the ash catcher I should still have room for 2 grates and a 3rd for the deflector.

Edit: if it's too high I'm fine with cutting a few inchs off the 12inch expanded metal

DRMSMKER 01-25-2018 12:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3939998)
I was thinking of that also when it was suggested to me but hunsaker has a ash catcher under their vortex charcoal basket. Even if I raise it for the ash catcher I should still have room for 2 grates and a 3rd for the deflector.

I was unaware they did that with their baskets. So if that's the case, then i it should work just fine. They should know, they invented it haha. From the pics it looks like it's only about 1 inch about the ground an inch below the basket.

Czarbecue 01-25-2018 01:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3939886)
Lol me and blue kettle are kinda on the same wavelength. I'm taking the advice of others and going with the hunshaker style intake on the bottom so wind isn't as much a factor. I will be building a conventional charcoal basket (2 sheets expanded metal, 17inch charcoal grate, nuts/bolts, and ash catcher). My question is with the intake at the center of the bottom how high should my ash catcher be to allow good airflow and do I need to worry about a lot of grease coming out?

Their ash catcher tray (pizza pan) sits 1" above the legs of the vortex basket. That is plenty of space for air to come in from the intake. I have my charcoal basket sitting inside a deep dish pan that has a 1" coupler for its feet. Catches all the ash with no spread, homies.

Hinds15 01-25-2018 05:49 PM

Pictures of the deep dish see the up?

Czarbecue 01-26-2018 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hinds15 (Post 3940158)
Pictures of the deep dish see the up?


I used 2” square tubes that are 1” tall for the pan to sit on. The pan is 22” in diameter and 3” tall.

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...1468a9a065.jpg

https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/201...b35502755b.jpg

el luchador 01-26-2018 11:05 AM

may I ask where you got the 22" pan?

Czarbecue 01-26-2018 11:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by el luchador (Post 3940555)
may I ask where you got the 22" pan?

From 4" to 24"!

https://www.bakedeco.com/detail.asp?...categoryid=103

Blue Kettle 01-26-2018 12:24 PM

Still considering this UDS build but I'm starting to resent having to drive from OKC to Tulsa just to acquire the drum. What's frustrating is there's got to be some of those here locally it's just finding them. What am I missing? Would a restaurant supply place have these perhaps? Craigslist is a dry well.

Czarbecue 01-26-2018 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Blue Kettle (Post 3940600)
Still considering this UDS build but I'm starting to resent having to drive from OKC to Tulsa just to acquire the drum. What's frustrating is there's got to be some of those here locally it's just finding them. What am I missing? Would a restaurant supply place have these perhaps? Craigslist is a dry well.

https://www.grainger.com/branch/Okla...ity-Branch-568

Czarbecue 01-26-2018 12:33 PM

And then there's this guy....

https://oklahomacity.craigslist.org/...430591786.html


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