Ugly Drum Smoker

I have a bit of learning to do as I figure out exactly where my intake should be set to get my target temps. You will have it figured out in a couple of cooks- a UDS is very easy to dial in.

I used a homemade slider instead of ball valves. Has anyone else done something similar? If so what are your thought If it can open or close to regulate air, it's probably been used on a UDS. Big fan of the slider. If your slider is stiff, work it a bit - it will get easier. Might need to tweak it a bit with a pair of pliers or a persuader.

Also need to make a mount for my meat probe I used a thin strip of sheet metal (18 gauge) about 3" wide by 9" bent into right triangle -painted it black- used a couple of strong magnets to attach it to the drum. Stick my DOT to that - move it from cooker to cooker as needed.

Enjoy your drum- built my first one about 4 years ago- still cook on one about every other weekend.
 
Snakestyle5 said:
I’m a new member/new to smoking. I built a homemade UDS and tested it this weekend. I have to say I’m quite pleased. I have a bit of learning to do as I figure out exactly where my intake should be set to get my target temps. I used a homemade slider instead of ball valves. Has anyone else done something similar? If so what are your thought. I did it this way because it was much cheaper. I may change that down the road as the slider is a bit stiff. Also need to make a mount for my meat probe. Would post photos but I don’t know how. Lol.
Click to expand...

congrats!!!!!111

you have just built a smoker that has proven capable of winning multiple competitions in the right hands. there is nothing wrong with a slider. might even be a better way of doing it vs ball valves as its more repeatable.

just remember to sneak up on your set temp and, a UDS does not need a lot of intake air to maintain 225-275. it uses surprisingly little intake area so have it wide open till its within 25 degrees of your set temp, then close it down till its about 10 degrees away, then close it down quite a bit. if it stops rising or starts dropping, then open it just a bit more.

for reference, my drum will hold 225 degrees with just two 3/8 holes providing intake air.
 
Sans 007

This is the first time using "stubby 007" burning pure wood since the stubby mod was completed. My raised grate ring 4" above the barrel. That 4" allows cooking over fire burning wood splits. With fire management. You can grill from 250* up to 550*. Those are the temps I was able to maintain before shortening the drum. Stubby follows suit very well.
I smoke/grilled wings (marinated in Franks over night) at 250-275* for 1.5hrs till the wings were in 190*+ intenal temp range.
Anyways, with this set up I have 24" between the coal basket and cooking grate bottom. For those that want to know :becky:



Got stubby fired up, a bit of hot coals to help to make a nice coals bed quickly.


Toss the wings on and add dry rub


Flipped wings around the 45 min mark


Fire/flame control cooking at 275* Very easy to maintain thru the cook.


Wings done


Thanks for lookin.
 
Nope
Been doing this since
https://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=231293

But now I have a "stubby". My next(new) UDS will be a stubby. Except for not being able to hang full racks of ribs. I see no benefit to staying full size.
This is easier to clean (shorter and less reach). Cooks/operates just like full size. More mobile.
And no more getting grease stains on coats, shirts etc from bending over to get the coal basket handle.
 
instead of using a pan under the meat to catch drippings for ease of clean up does anyone just line the bottom of the drum with foil then later the next day just clean up the foil. Any fat that didn't make it into the fire basket that would have hit the bottom of the drum will now be solid and stuck to the foil for easy clean up right?
Thoughts on this? I was mainly thing about this from when cooking 3 racks of ribs where where the meat would over hang if i put a pan under and also would over hang the area of my basket and ash pan.
 
DRMSMKER said:
instead of using a pan under the meat to catch drippings for ease of clean up does anyone just line the bottom of the drum with foil then later the next day just clean up the foil. Any fat that didn't make it into the fire basket that would have hit the bottom of the drum will now be solid and stuck to the foil for easy clean up right?
Thoughts on this? I was mainly thing about this from when cooking 3 racks of ribs where where the meat would over hang if i put a pan under and also would over hang the area of my basket and ash pan.
Click to expand...

On a tip from a Gateway comp cooker, I line the bottom of my UDS and PBC with Floor Dry, a product gearheads use to clean up oil spills. It’s not flammable and easy and cheap to get at Auto Zone and such. I use about 1/8” thick of the pellets on the bottom and every few cooks I scoop it out with a dedicated pooper scooper from Amazon. Takes maybe 30 seconds and no muss, no fuss compared to foil.
 
D&D BBQ said:
On a tip from a Gateway comp cooker, I line the bottom of my UDS and PBC with Floor Dry, a product gearheads use to clean up oil spills. It’s not flammable and easy and cheap to get at Auto Zone and such. I use about 1/8” thick of the pellets on the bottom and every few cooks I scoop it out with a dedicated pooper scooper from Amazon. Takes maybe 30 seconds and no muss, no fuss compared to foil.
Click to expand...

Good idea. Thanks!
 
D&D BBQ said:
On a tip from a Gateway comp cooker, I line the bottom of my UDS and PBC with Floor Dry, a product gearheads use to clean up oil spills. It’s not flammable and easy and cheap to get at Auto Zone and such. I use about 1/8” thick of the pellets on the bottom and every few cooks I scoop it out with a dedicated pooper scooper from Amazon. Takes maybe 30 seconds and no muss, no fuss compared to foil.
Click to expand...

whats the chemical composition. I would be afraid of fumes from that getting on my food.
 
ebijack said:
Just use the ashes from your cook to soak up any grease in the bottom.
Click to expand...

My ashes only fall in my ash pan, i'm talking about when you have meat like multiple rack of ribs or 4 butts at one time that will drip where my ash pan is not. I will look into the floor dry stuff. Do you think cleaning that stuff out is any easier than just reaching down and balling up used foil?
 
I got rid of my ash pan years ago. Much easier to just sweep up the ashes and grease.
This has ALOT of grease to manage

 
ebijack said:
I got rid of my ash pan years ago. Much easier to just sweep up the ashes and grease.
This has ALOT of grease to manage

Click to expand...

Before I had my ash pan I did what you do but then I'd let the clean up window close b/c of procrastination and then my ash and grease will harden to concrete.
 
bschoen said:
I had the same concern, I checked the MSDS. It appears to be 100% diatomaceous earth, so no problem. Here is a link to the msds (Manufacturers Safety Data Sheet, or something like that).

https://www.msdsdigital.com/floor-dry-msds
Click to expand...

contains less than 1% Crystalline Silica -Quartz
-May cause cancer by inhalation.

I personally wouldn't use that. just mho
 
el luchador said:
contains less than 1% Crystalline Silica -Quartz
-May cause cancer by inhalation.

I personally wouldn't use that. just mho
Click to expand...

So does cooking on a UDS in general, so if you’re worried about a SLIGHTLY increased chance of cancer, what are you doing cooking on one?
https://m.phys.org/news/2017-07-antibody-carcinogenic-substance-deciphered.html

“Antibody against carcinogenic substance deciphered
When fat reacts with glowing coal at a barbecue, a substance chemists call benzopyrene is created. It is a widespread environmental toxin that can cause cancer in humans.”
 
D&D BBQ said:
So does cooking on a UDS in general, so if you’re worried about a SLIGHTLY increased chance of cancer, what are you doing cooking on one?
https://m.phys.org/news/2017-07-antibody-carcinogenic-substance-deciphered.html

“Antibody against carcinogenic substance deciphered
When fat reacts with glowing coal at a barbecue, a substance chemists call benzopyrene is created. It is a widespread environmental toxin that can cause cancer in humans.”
Click to expand...

So I should increase my chances of cancer by adding another carcinogenic?

Ok makes sense
 
el luchador said:
So I should increase my chances of cancer by adding another carcinogenic?

Ok makes sense
Click to expand...

If you read your link, it referred to inhaling large quantities, such as when mechanics pour a bunch on the floor to clean up large spills several times a day without masks. You’re not doing that here whereas if you’re cooking on a UDS regularly without a deflector and so the fat is dripping on the coals, you are exposing yourself to cancer causing substances every time you cook.

Bottom line: It’s such a SLIGHT increase in cancer risk as to be almost neglible in either case above, much as the overblown studies a few months ago that screamed “red meat causes cancer” (further in-depth reading revealed less than a 0.5% increased risk, as I recall). You’re in the wrong hobby if you worry about that kind of stuff.
 
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