It can be made as easy or as complex as you choose. Get the open head with the bungholes in the lid and that will be the simplest drum to build with. Be sure you post pics.

Haha. I tend to over engineer everything so I'm just restricting myself.

I've read 75% of this thread and have about 30 of the most informative posts/links saved.

I want to document the build, but like I said, pressed for time.

I'll definitely have pictures when its finished.

I have a couple questions if anyone has ideas or opinions...

Isn't a diffuser vital for even cooking? I see most people don't have one so I assume it's not but it seems like there would be uneven heat distribution without one. The heat from the caracoles should be more concentrated directly under the charcoals.

Second, has anyone done any math on air flow vs. temperature? I wonder how large the exhaust should be compared to the intake for the best temperature regulation.

That would depend on outside temperature etc so I guess it's really complicated...

Don't overthink it. You will be disappointed most likely. KISS. Know what I mean? I didn't use a diffuser for a couple years but now use one all the time. It is a preference. Yes without one there will be a lot more heat right up the center (I measured about a 90 degree difference one day on mine without a diffuser but most will agree a 50 degree difference is an average). I have had ribs in the center get charred while meat around the edges didn't but that was my fault (plain and simple I burnt my food). Still I use a diffuser because I like the more even temps and if you drill holes in it the juices will still hit the coals so it really doesn't have a negative affect on anything that I can see. Plus a diffuser allows you to have multiple racks closet to the fire and not burn your meat on the lower racks.

I use about a 15 inch colander for my diffuser. set it on the fire box and sit the bottom rack on it.

Thanks for the insights. I have the basic idea and will make this thing cook some great meat.

That sounds pretty close to me. Might as well be grilling

You go dude! Can't wait to see the results.

Newbie questions
 

I've read the first 50 pages of this thread and intend to read the rest. However, I'm excited to get started and have a couple of questions.

1. I have a barrel that had spinach puree baby food in it and it has a rust colored paint inside. Do I have to get it down to bare metal for it to work?

2. To burn it out, how much wood do I use (quarter full, half full, etc)?

3. Do I drill the intake holes before I burn it out?

4. How many burns does it take to get the paint off?

5. I plan on using 4 3/4 inch ball valves for intake. Is this overkill?

I apologize if these questions were answered in one of the 700 other pages that I haven't read, I'm just so excited to get started.

"rust colored paint"
 

For one thing your rust colored paint is an epoxy liner. If your fire laws permit open burning then probably half or a little more should do a pretty good job. I won't say that 4 intake holes is overkill, but depending on the exhaust ports you use, three should be adequate. Don't take what I have said here as absolute, you should get more feedback and continue reading the threads. You might want to keep notes with page numbers so that as you gather info you can sort of keep score and the number of pros and cons to the many building options you will face.
HAPPY building - keep it fun!:clap2:

This place is frickin awesome. I'm only on page 81, but I've already learned sooo much. My drum is at the sandblasters as we speak and I have 3 cans of high temp spray paint waiting for her return. I plan on coating the inside with crisco, turning the drum upside down, and hitting it with a good coat or 2 of paint. Then, I can start contemplating what size and number of intakes and what size/type/numbers of exhaust ports. I think I have a good handle on the charcoal basket and luckily, I know a guy who is a really good metal guy. Now, I just need to read from page 81 to page 790 for the other modifications I may want.

x2 on the epoxy liner. One good burn will remove the paint. I always had cold spots with my burns and the paint at the bottom was always the last to burn off but I use pallet wood and I always cut into 5ths instead of a bunch of chunks. I bet if I used smaller pieces and packed the drum with more of it then the paint would have burnt off much sooner. Can't go overkill on intakes. Trust me. You can always cap em off but you can't open what you don't have. I always drilled my intake holes before I burn but that's a preference.

[QUOTE=NewToQue;2871002]I've read the first 50 pages of this thread and intend to read the rest. However, I'm excited to get started and have a couple of questions.

1. I have a barrel that had spinach puree baby food in it and it has a rust colored paint inside. Do I have to get it down to bare metal for it to work?



So the world actually needs 55 gallons of spinach puree baby food? That's gotta be one unique barrel, not too many of those floating around! I've got images of Popeye babies...just kidding.

[QUOTE=icebox114;2873086][QUOTE=NewToQue;2871002]I've read the first 50 pages of this thread and intend to read the rest. However, I'm excited to get started and have a couple of questions.

1. I have a barrel that had spinach puree baby food in it and it has a rust colored paint inside. Do I have to get it down to bare metal for it to work?



Yes you need to be down to bare metal on the inside.

not sure if it was really temp testing with intake size.
what i found on my drums is with 1 inch holes (2 opened 3/4 way open using magnets) my drum would settle around 230 ish. Then added 3/4 inch pipes and ball valves, now i open both all the way when starting and it'll settle at 250 every time, unless its really windy

If you are cooking low and slow, you are dealing with indirect heat and convection currents - they do a good job of diffusing. The only real problems with hotspots I have found is higher heats and food directly under my smokestack. Since I now use a BBQ guru and have forced air - I generally run with the smokestack closed. The lid leaks evenly enough(with forced air) that there is no smokestack hotspot.

Every drum is different. I made my second UDS with 2 one inch intakes each with a ball valve and 12" risers. It looked cool and bad ass kinda mad max style lol. But in truth I never had so many issues getting the temps to climb when I wanted them to without removing a lid. Oh it would hold 250 all day long with one valve full open but I occasionally want to got hot n fast for poultry. So I scrapped my risers and put both valves directly on the nipples horizontal. After that one valve full open and other closed held a steady 290-310 for several hours. And I could get good "throttle response" :thumb: with my temps rising and dipping from valve adjustments. I think one fully open 1" valve is still less than your two 1" holes each opened 3/4 of the way. You got to feel you own drum and see how it works for you.