UDS question

[zakaluka]

I found a guide online for building a drum smoker out of scraps, most of which I can find around here no problem. Not quite sure where to find a shipping drum but I imagine that can't be too complicated.

Did most of you with drum smokers build them, or buy em?

Ball valve air intake seems sketchy. Are they made this way because a typical vent would get too hot to operate?

Just thinking about maybe doing one, since it looks like the cheapest way to get a proper smoker. WSM cost 300 bucks and just don't seem that large for doing big cooks ><.

 

[nrok2118]

Start here

http://bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436

 

[zakaluka]

Pretty silly of me to miss the sticky.

 

[STX Cue]

600 pages and 9000 posts is a lot to wade through. The short answer to your question is that the ball valve gives you a variable opening to control temps with. Mine usually runs 3/4 open with all of the others closed on a 55 gal drum (1 inch valve). On the salvage drum, I usually have a 1 1/4 inch full open.

I have built several. Two still live here and the rest belong to friends/family, and some guy who paid me $200 each to build him some.

 

[vafish]

The ball valve works fine.

I just built my uds a week ago. Have cooked on it four times now.

 

[SirPorkaLot]

Fridge magnet

:becky:

 

[Bbq Bubba]

Outstanding! :thumb:

 

[brickie]

Kiss is the method I use...Use a ball valve, it just works. Although in my next build I will try to build a vent similar to BGE.

brickie