ugly drum smoker question

[Rusty Kettle]

Ok so I have an old barrel that I burned out couple years ago but never got around to finishing it. I am up and well I want to build an ugly drum smoker. I want to do it cheap too. I have a maverick wireless thermometer so I think skip the built in thermometer as the maverick will be more accurate anyways and is a waste of money for my project. I have an old probably 68-70 avocado green weber kettle that I picked up but is to far gone to use as a kettle. I am going to use the lid for a donor lid along with the cooking grate. To cheap out instead of buying a whole bunch of chit. I had seen someone use thin magnets. I was thinking I could steal those off our phone books to have covers for three holes. I probably will go ahead and buy a ball valve for air intake control.

Magnets for the three holes that I assume are uncovered just during start up and the ball valve for temp control. Would that be correct on how it works?

I was going to use 4 bolts and 2 washers to each bolt one on the outside of the drum and one on the inside for each bolt and a nut on each bolt to hold my cooking grate. Rather than spend a lot of money on the firebasket I was thinking to put 4 bolts down lower to hold and old cooking grate to act as a charcoal grate installed same as the cooking grate but lower to hold the charcoal. I actually probably have a flip side grate that could be used for the cooking grate to pop it open for easy refueling so maybe the flip grate on top and the old cooking grate on the bottom to hold charcoal and act as a charcoal grate without a fire basket. The ash should just fall through and collect in the bottom. Then the old kettle lid on top.

So how big should the intake holes be? The three for start up. What size ball valve? How does the ball valve attach? You think my idea for a charcoal grate will be functional? How high up on the drum should the charcoal grate be mounted? How high should my ball valve be from the bottom? How high should the intake holes for start up be?

Its a 55 gallon drum. Anything I am missing?

Thanks.

 

[AussieMatt]

Rusty,

So how big should the intake holes be? 3/4 or 1", your choice

What size ball valve? see above

How does the ball valve attach? With a pipe nipple...I said nipple! :heh:

You think my idea for a charcoal grate will be functional? Dunno. It should be fine, but I'd just buy 4 5 1/2" bolts, nuts and washers and use those as legs.

How high up on the drum should the charcoal grate be mounted? 5" is the usual.

How high should my ball valve be from the bottom? see below

How high should the intake holes for start up be? About 2"

 

[mikemci]

https://www.google.com/url?q=http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php%3Ft%3D43943&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwj0j-q_mcDLAhXHvoMKHTWGAuMQFggEMAA&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNGW3uzJ947vu2DMHoZHDRwJ3xee_Q

 

[DUBBAGA]

No issues with the idea of going cheap with a UDS build. The basic concept should work.

Here are a few things to consider about the charcoal grate idea though.

- Depending on how low you set your cooking grate, there might be a 24-26 inch drop to the charcoal grate. That will not make for convenient reloading through only the flip sides

- Using the charcoal grate without having some sides to form a basket, it will be difficult to ensure a consistent burn, and it is unclear how much charcoal you could stack to maintain a good airflow, thereby potentially limiting burn time

I strongly recommend hitting up some metal supply places to see if they have some off-cut expanded metal to piece together for charcoal basket sides

 

[kls44]

"I was going to use 4 bolts ... to hold my cooking grate."
Use 3 bolts, unless you are dead accurate you will end up with the grate rocking with 4.
You might consider installing adjustable shelving brackets, allows easy addition and/or positioning of cooking grate. I have 2 grates resting on 3 adjusting strips in mine. It also allows for raising the fire basket near the top to grill if desired.

 

[pbj]

Rusty,
You can get some thinner expanded metal at Home Depot. Enough to get 3 or so baskets for about $10. It is in the area where the cement forms are. I built one 4 years ago and it is still working. http://www.homedepot.com/p/27-in-x-8-ft-Steel-Lath-2-5-METAL-LATH/202093395?keyword=metal+lath

Edit: Use a 5 gallon bucket as a form when shaping the basket.

 

[Chitown_hillbilly]

My first "Cheap" fire basket was made out of some thin Chicken wire type stuff I found at Home Depot. It was plastic coated, but I burnt it off and it was plain steel underneath. I think regular chicken wire is galvanized, so don't use that.

Other cheap sources for baskets are the drum from a clothes washer. Usually low grade stainless steel.

 

[ITBFQ]

I strongly recommend hitting up some metal supply places to see if they have some off-cut expanded metal to piece together for charcoal basket sides

I agree. A few years ago I made my basket with a piece of expanded metal from Home Depot ($20), a replacement charcoal grate ($5) some stainless steel zip ties and a chain. I don't weld and the steel zip ties haven't busted yet. Maybe a metal shop would have some extra stuff laying around. There's a reason UDSs and WSMs are designed with charcoal baskets/rings. I understand you want to be frugal, but just piling the charcoal on a grate might lead to quite a bit of frustration.

 

[Bludawg]

You can skip the ball valve and use magnets on all intakes with no issues the UDS is based off the now defunct Big Drum Smoker (DIY UDS put him out of business) the BDS had no valve on it. Instead it used plugs to control intake air. The savings will put a dent in a 30 pack or your first brisket.

 

[Nuco59]

If you are doing it on the cheap -I second the use of flexible magnets in the place of nipples, caps and full port ball valves. They not only are cheaper and work better- they work better and are cheaper- win win.

The gent above is dead right about only using 3 studs for your cooking grate. Unless you are super precise in your measurements AND drilling, 4 will only get you a rocking grate. A rocking grate will not ruin your life- but will Pi$$ you off to no end.

good luck on your build!