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It's starting to sound like my old earthenware Kamado-it went from green to orange before I rebuilt it! The BFarkinDS has cruised for 11 hours at 275* now, Lazarri Mesquite lump!
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Jgh,
Gather as much info as you can and build your dream. Show your wife this thread: http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/sh...&highlight=bds My wife rolled her eyes when I started gathering parts for mine. When she tasted the goods she had a change of heart. I actually heard her bragging about "our new smoker". Read the description of the BDS. lots of good info. I cooked the butts on mine with 1 load of 12# of kingsford. I still had time to cook when meat was done. Also keep in mind the I live off interstate 15 where the semi trucks blow over and the wind was so strong that day it blew all the potted plants and trees over on my patio. I have wheels on mine and I had to chock them because it was rolling away and I held 220-250 deg. I prommissed to make up a word document on my build but have family emergency and not able to get to my tools to measure hole size I used for fittings(see pics.). The holes in top are 8 1/2" holes. Do yourself a favor and get a step drill to make holes. If you ever drilled thin material you know the holes are not round but will be with a step drill. http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...neck/08873.gif http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/gifs/clear.gif My costco had them as a set. Little bit of money but they come in handy. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/gifs/clear.gif To answer other questions from the other thread. I have no door, I was waiting to see If I needed one. I loaded up on coal, lit, then threw on hickory chunks, Seemed to be a good combo. I have to dump mine out. Plan to make a scoop like Thirdeye did, pretty cool. I think the most difficult part of my build was the charcoal basket. Here is where I got my nickname "Norcoredneck" by my friends for my hillbilly engineering. I got a log (stump) about 13" in diameter. I got a piece of expanded metal 9 in"X43" I think. (circumference + 2" overlap) I used drywall screws and washers and screwed 9" width to log. I rolled log and tack welded when it overlapped. Remove log - ! ring. I used a piece of expanded metal and used 2 10" pieces of 1X2" tubing for standoffs and tacked it to ring. http://i91.photobucket.com/albums/k2...sentation2.gif Hope that makes sense. |
Food for thought.
Looking at Mistas fire ring I would venture to guess he took 30 gallon drum and sliced it kept bottom for pan and slice with expanded metal for basket. This is good because it accomplished his need for emptying ash. Plus it probably provides more even heat due to fire diameter than mine. 12# of charcoal in a 13" ring stacks about 6-7 inches. In a 30 gallon drum it is lower. If it is ideal to keep 24" between coals and grill it would give more room for 2nd grill.
Mista, keep track of my ramblings and when we build the envy of barrel smokers we can use the ideas or laugh at my delirium. I think I need to wash my hands after giving the old man his Mophine |
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http://www.thesurvivalgourmet.com/images/newsmoker4.jpg http://www.thesurvivalgourmet.com/images/newsmoker7.jpg http://www.thesurvivalgourmet.com/images/newsmoker8.jpg |
so, there is no need to dump ash during the cook to keep the airflow going?
Sorry if this is a stupid quesiton. Thanks B |
No its much like a WSM
Easy to use |
Norcore, thanks for the advice on the step drills. I tried using a metal hole saw with no luck. Figured there had to be a better way.
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You can cook more good BBQ in a 55 gal. drum than you will ever be able to eat!
I have made several custom builds. To make the holes I use an electricians "slug cutter". It makes nice clean 7/8" or 1 1/8" holes. These are perfect fits for electrical box plugs. I have also threaded 1/2" and 3/4" pipe nipples in the holes to draft air closer to the charcoal ring. The slug cutters are expensive tools but after you make a few cookers they are well worth the price. These things can really cook. |
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Now get on over to Cattle call and and introduce yourself! |
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Thinking about building my own (Don't tell the wife). Right now I'm trying to locate as much info as possible from fellow Bretren. How do you remove the ash pan without tipping the hole unit? Also, as far as supporting the cooking grates, which is better - bolts or welded brackets? One of my neighbors is a welder, so it wouldn't be a problem to ask him for assistance. Thanx. |
The diameter of the ashpan is small enough for me to take it straight up without bumping the support brackets. Maybe the next version will have a hole for hooks to lift it out...
http://www.thesurvivalgourmet.com/im...ewsmoker11.jpg |
i am thinking that for my ashpan i will use a water pan from a broker brinkman electric smoker that i will have. one question i have is what do you do about the drippings from the cooking grate that dont land on the coals?
I will use bolts as i have no welding capabilities. my other thought for airflow in the lid is instead of drilling 8 holes, to drill 3 and put adjustable valves in them like i will do in the bottom. any thoughts on this? |
They fall in the bottom of the barrel. Hit it with a power washer (I take mine to the self-serve car wash) once every blue moon. Otherwise, don't sweat it.
I would worry more about about adjustable valves in the bottom. You want you top holes open until you are done cooking. |
Motley Que,
I totally agree with Bigmista. Leave the holes on the top open fully while you cook. You need good convection flow in the drum. I have 3 -7/8" holes on the bottom of my drums. I usually only need one plug out to maintain a temp of 260 degrees. Two out and it goes over 340! I have never run with three out. I use Royal Oak Lump charcoal. It burns quite hot. Brickettes burn much cooler and are very constant in temperature. (easier to control) You MUST light the charcoal from the TOP. If you start it from the bottom you will never be able to control the temperature. |
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