Ugly Drum Smoker

[Pappy]

If that is a golf ball basket used as a charcoal basket I hate you forever! Dammit. I spent I don't know how much time and money designing mine. You make me sad....

;(


Sure it will burn 230 for 20-22 hours but when am I ever gonna use that?

That's a wire egg basket, if I'm not mistaken.

Are you talking about my (Pappy's) charcoal basket?
It is made with 3/8 rebar around the top & 1/4" pecil rod for the side bars. Used weber charcoal grate on the bottom.
Cost about $5 to make it.

 

[Peddler]

OK here goes ...

Trouble maintaining temps after say 5 hours.

What advantage is a diffuser?
Which is better, a pizza pan, a clay pan, a water pan?
Is the charcoal grate better than the #9 X 3/4 expanded for the basket bottom?
15" X 10" basket, too big?

Thanks

 

[N8man]

typically, with my drumpit, around the five hour mark I close the intakes down to help prevent ash flying and gently kick the drumpit to knock down
the accumulated ash from the lit charcoal, wait a few minutes for
the ash to settle, then open the air intake and keep on keeping on...:thumb:

OK here goes ...

Trouble maintaining temps after say 5 hours.

What advantage is a diffuser?
Which is better, a pizza pan, a clay pan, a water pan?
Is the charcoal grate better than the #9 X 3/4 expanded for the basket bottom?
15" X 10" basket, too big?

Thanks

 

[Peddler]

OK , Yesterday I took apart the UDS to empty the charcoal and I believe I have stumbled onto the problem. It appears the charcoal only burned on one side of the basket and not an overall burn. I started the charcoal using the minion method coffee can in the center. Ash pan is a cheap grill bottom as per Norco but may be blocking some air. I'm going to drill a series of 1" holes around the pan. Second, Does the Weber grate do a better job of dispersing ash than the expanded metal?

BTW I did the kick the barrel maneuver also.:thumb:

Thanks again

 

[Sizzl]

If an airflow problem exists, rotate the basket 180 half way through the burn time and see if the burn pattern changes...

Sent from my GS3 via Tapatalk 2

 

[Peddler]

OK guys humor me on this post if you will.

Trying to fix a perceived airflow problem on my UDS that was built by Norco's recommended plans back at the first of the thread.

1) I am using a cheap grill pan as an ash pan, I felt the lip on the pan restricted air to the basket so I drilled 24 1" holes around the lip of the pan...this should help air movement under the basket.

2) I had used 3/4 conduit as risers on two of the 3/4 inlets. Got to scratching my bald head and thought that conduit is measured outside and pipe is measured inside so I replaced the risers with 3/4 X 18" black pipe thus increasing the intake air flow. Ball valve (brass) on each riser.

3) Fired up the smoker and ran an experiment on lids. The original has 8 1/2 holes around the perimeter about 2" in. Changed lid out to one that had a 2" bung hole and installed a 2" X 18" pipe riser or stack and appears to have better flow..

4) I am using a 12" turkey thermometer only and reading pit temps by that. Norco's plan uses a thermometer that has a 3" probe and I have read that there could be a 50 degree difference from outside to center ... is it possible that I'm cooking too low if the 3" thermometer (that I don't have) is reading 225* and the center is 50* hotter thus cooking more quicker. (Example outside at 225* as recommended thus the inside at 150* thus too low ???)

Please excuse the micro management of this simple appliance but I was totally not impressed with the brisket that I did last week and trying to get a handle on my problem (If I have one).

Thanks in advance

Jim

 

[jcinadr]

1) I ditched the cheap grill and went to a pizza pan. Holes should work as well
2) Risers on the outside of the grill will reduce airflow. I don't use them.
3) I use the bung hole with a stack. No issues on low and slow, will cause a hot spot on a hot run.
4) ?

My biggest problem was damp charcoal. I fear a water bath would cause same issues. Lots of energy is used to evaporate water. Hard to get temp up when you are evaporating water. Once water is gone, you get a spike/runaway. I could tell the difference from a fresh bag of lump to one that was oppened and left in my garage for a couple weeks.

I put a Guru on and never looked back.

 

[Peddler]

JC. thanks for the answers

Let me try to clarify 4.

I had read that there was a 50 degree difference in from the center of the grill to the outside of the grill. If all readings are done from the outside (225*) that would mean the center would be then 275*. OK?

I had smoked a brisket @ close to 225* on the center of the grill and probably didn't cook it long enough but it was @ 195* when I pulled it. The point was to me a little rubbery.

My question is "Where are most reading temps from, center or outside?"

My test burn last night ran about 14 hours with a 90% charcoal burn on about 7 lbs of charcoal, a lot better.

Thanks again
Jim

 

[sjm845]

I measure from the center with a 12 inch turkey fryer thermo just below the bottom grate. Works great and matches up with my ique very well.

 

[JimmyK]

Help a rookie

My brain hurts and my eyes are bleeding from all the info in this thread, but I am excited to build my first UDS.

I hope to do my first burn out of the drum this weekend.

Questions from a Brethren rookie:

1. My drum has paint and rust on the inside and outside.
a. Is the rust a problem? Will the burn out take care of it?
2. How many burns should I do?
3. Do you suggest pre-drilling my air intakes at the bottom of the drum before burning?


Thank you!

 

[swinn]

Well, step one is, buy a barrel. I have now done that. Question. If I am going with the lid and ring instead of Webber lid. Should i stay with one rack or is two ok?

Sent from my Nexus S using Tapatalk 2

 

[Bludawg]

You can still do Two racks If you want to 7 & 14 " down from the rim

 

[Sizzl]

Those pics of pappy's basket made me make another one.
Daggum it. Tapatalk won't upload pics.

Sent from my GS3 via Tapatalk 2

 

[Hoosier1960]

You want to drill your intakes for sure before the burn, otherwise it won't get enough airflow to get really hot especially toward the bottom.

 

[JimmyK]

Thanks Hoosier1960!

 

[sjm845]

New Mods on latest drum

2 hr delay from school...time to post my newest TrashCan.

Threaded a pipe into the stock bung for a stack--only use with my dryer-vent mod.

Wanted wheels but did not want to drill into the UDS bottom so I made a redneck drum dolly with some dumpster dived wheels and an old UDS lid that was scrap. Works great!

Always use a cheapo turkey/candy fryer thermo. Picked up a fitting from the Depot so it slides in perfectly and gives me temp at the center.

Redneck waterproofing for my Ique 110. Good enough hanging under a table or tarp!

Finished product on the dolly and with my Anti-weather dryer vent mod! 2 racks inside--works like a champ. It's amazing what you can do on the cheap, with your own hands + a little creativity and knowledge from this thread!

 

[HookedOnQ]

Well i finaly made it too the end after 3 weeks,699 pages,10476 post and i did it without skipping a single page.. There is a ton of info and some great ideas on here now to start getting things together for my build will try and post some pics as i go

 

[Skidder]

Well i finaly made it too the end after 3 weeks,699 pages,10476 post and i did it without skipping a single page.. There is a ton of info and some great ideas on here now to start getting things together for my build will try and post some pics as i go

If I had an extra trophy it would be yours. I would never have done that. My hats off to you. But seriously you only only have to look at a page or two to figure out how to make a K.I.S.S. drum

 

[HookedOnQ]

honestly my build was already planed before i ever started reading this thread i did it just to do it i deff learned a thing or two and got a few good ideas along the way so it was worth it. dont think i would do it again tho lol

 

[sethga]

Sorry on the late replies .. can't search so hard time finding my post

Just added PID control to my UDS. I already had one for my CharGriller, that I use for Sous Vide too .. I wanted a 12volt one so I built this guy.



Documented my UDS build here .. thanks again to all who contributed in this thread!
http://www.ice8420.com/blog/2013/01/ugly-drum-smoker-uds-build/

Sethga, Did you powder coat your drum yourself, or did you have someone do it for you?
I have been looking into building my own oven for powder coating. However I am interested in what it would cost to have it done.

I had it powdercoated. I have a friend that has a powdercoating business - Precision Powdercoating in South Jersey (Philly area). GOod luck finding an oven that will fit a UDS