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

pman777 07-12-2011 10:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MushCreek (Post 1707339)
I use 3 U-bolts for my grates- slightly more support than 3 regular bolts, I guess. I use U-bolts because they are round, so I don't scrape myself reaching down to the fire basket, and I also use them to mount my fire basket when in the upper grilling position. I have 3 legs sticking out from the basket that rest on the lower set of U-bolts, and they each have a stud sticking down to fit into the U-bolt so it can't slide off. I use SS acorn nuts on the outside of the drum on the U-bolts for nice bling.

I just measured mine, and there is about 5" of grill outside of the straight line between U-bolts. It would be hard to get something heavy enough to tip the grill in that small space. It's never been an issue.

I was thinking about using u-bolts. Hope it's not too hard to find them in stainless.

MushCreek 07-13-2011 05:24 AM

The key is to adjust the height when you attach the legs. Here's my basket, and another shot in position.
http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...e/IMGP4836.jpg

http://i84.photobucket.com/albums/k1...e/IMGP4837.jpg

Dave S 07-13-2011 09:56 AM

^^^^^^^^^^ That is cool.

thoraudio 07-13-2011 10:34 AM

hmmmm, that gives me an idea.

The cheapie charcoal grill that I bought for parts on my UDS has parts designed to suspend the charcoal grate from the cooking grate, with three different levels. May have to see about grilling on the UDS.

lrh 07-13-2011 05:57 PM

Seasoning Burn and temp maintanence- Air Leak ?
 
Seasoned my new UDS starting this AM about 10. Built using a WlMart 39.00 kettle for the dome lid and used 3 3/4" intakes w/ risers that extend up to about the top rib on the drum, using a ball valve and 2 end caps . I used insulated rope around the lid lip since it had to be persuaded out with an adjustable wrench to fit the drum and my drum top is a little egg shaped rather than true round. I put in about 15 #'s of KB briq. and dumped 9 briqs started in a chimney on top of the load. Left all intakes open and temps fairly quickly went to about 370 and maintained there in the dome for 2 hours. Leaked no smoke from around the lid/drum during the burn, all was coming out the top vent. at noon I closed all three intakes. Temps slowly dropped. Its now almost 6 PM (10 hours total, last six w/o air) and the temp has been holding steady at 270 for the last 2 1/2 hours. Air temps locally in the mid to high 90's and very little breeze. Drum is setting in full afternoon sun. I haven't opened it to see if I have active coals. Is this within the expect range of possibilities or should I be trying to find an air leak?

coewar 07-13-2011 08:03 PM

Hey, 2 things.

First is that I think you should remove the insulated rope. I believe those are made from tiny fiberglass fragments and there might be a warning not to have it anywhere near food. Kitchen ovens have insulated ropes, but they are wrapped in some metallic lining or something, and they don't quite come as close to the food as possibly the lid of a UDS.. though I'd think it's the same.

Second, if you want to shut down your smoker, you have to also close up the vents. Not sure if you did because you wrote only about closing the intake valves. But in the sun, and with vents open, I have seen mine hang around 200 for a while. The sun is hot! :) I don't think you need to worry about looking for air leak.

The most important thing is to make sure you are getting proper air flow during cooking. If you don't, your temps will go up and down, and worse, if you don't have enough you'll develop extra creosote inside and on the food.

BulldogBrewer 07-13-2011 08:03 PM

Ok, a couple of stupid newbie questions.

1.) Is there a liner in these drums? It looks like just pain to me.
2.) Are these drums even usable candidates for UDS builds?

Here's the label on the side of both of them:
http://i.imgur.com/ZR805.jpg


Here's how they look when I get the lid off (they are open lids), aside from rust & dirt, I don't see any of the tan or red liner:

http://i.imgur.com/uil39.jpg

Here's where I've gotten with one of the two after easy-off and a wire wheel on an angle grinder:

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

I'm wondering how much more cleaning out this needs. I'm apprehensive about doing a big burn out since I'm in the middle of suburbia with all my neighbors 30 or 40 feet away.

Thanks!

lrh 07-13-2011 08:42 PM

Thanks for the response, coewar. I did close the top vent. Checked it again just now (8:30) and its now at 240 so I guess it is going to extinguish itself eventually. I was worried I had wasted the entire 15 # of charcoal.......

sandiegobbq 07-13-2011 10:47 PM

I tried the Easy Off on a varnished drum and it didn't do squat.

BulldogBrewer 07-13-2011 10:49 PM

Is that what this is, varnished? Any ideas on cleaning that up?

sandiegobbq 07-13-2011 10:51 PM

The one I bought was from ditty.com in Whittier.

It was a refurbished one and it had a varnish in it.

I called them up and they said to burn it out.

I have a friend with a weed burner and I am going to give
that a go.

Stay tuned.

MushCreek 07-14-2011 05:15 AM

If you close the intakes and exhaust, it should go out within an hour. You've got a significant leak. With one inyake open, and the exhaust open, mine cruises at 225.

BTW- Even if your thermo goes way down, and it appears to be out, there still can be embers. Ask me how I melted a hole in a plastic garbage can.......

lrh 07-14-2011 05:30 AM

Air Leak?
 
5:20 AM- Just checked it again: Top of the Dome at 190, 17 hrs after shutting it down. Dang it...... Time to pull the charcoal basket and save what I can and start looking for the air leak......

Well, could only salvage enough briq's for a couple of small grilling sessions. (I usually am grilling for just two so it doesn't take alot) What wasn't salvaged still did some good. Put the cook grill over the ash pan, threw on some chicken burgers, those will be a couple of lunches for Mrs. and me next few days. Think I'll silicone all the wahers/bolts I put in and replace the rope around the lid with a hefty bead of it, and try again, only with alot less charcoal in the basket next time.

Boshizzle 07-14-2011 08:30 PM

Just in case anyone needs to send a message.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/pi...pictureid=3334

Norcoredneck 07-15-2011 01:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by lrh (Post 1709295)
5:20 AM- Just checked it again: Top of the Dome at 190, 17 hrs after shutting it down. Dang it...... Time to pull the charcoal basket and save what I can and start looking for the air leak......

Well, could only salvage enough briq's for a couple of small grilling sessions. (I usually am grilling for just two so it doesn't take alot) What wasn't salvaged still did some good. Put the cook grill over the ash pan, threw on some chicken burgers, those will be a couple of lunches for Mrs. and me next few days. Think I'll silicone all the wahers/bolts I put in and replace the rope around the lid with a hefty bead of it, and try again, only with alot less charcoal in the basket next time.

Gotta ask yourself is it worth taking the chance of burning something down to save $5 worth of charcoal? Better to learn to gauge what you need. Get a 5 gallon bucket, weigh out 10# and mark bucket. For shorter cooks make a smaller ping to put in your charcaol basket. Old coals are ok but seem to crumble and add to the ash pile.


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