Plastic barrel wind break


 
Josh, I think I've seen those with the bands, and it might be possible. Let us know if you try it. I'm just gonna get another drum and leave a good bit of the bottom in for some structure. Since it's a wsm,
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the drum won't need to be lifted off that much.
 
Originally posted by Dave Russell:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by TravisH:
Technically, Stefan's barrel isn't sitting flat with "no gap at the bottom" as air is coming up between the deck boards.
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Click to expand...

True, but you don't need any air coming under the drum. Lots of guys make their UDS with an "old man intake", which is an elevated pipe intake that runs down to the bottom of the drum. The idea is that you don't have to bend over to adjust the vent, and more importantly, you don't spill your beer. They commonly use a ball valve, and I hear it works great as long as the pipe is sufficient in diameter (about 2") and doesn't run all the way to the top of the drum.

More importantly though, I wish I would've left my plastic drum the way I originally cut the bottom out with the wide lip left, cut around where there would be just a little room between the dome and edge of the lip after putting the drum back over the cooker ( barrel upside down). Sure, I couldn't lift the dome off, but I couldn't open the door or adjust the vents very easily without lifting the drum off, anyway.

I did a rib cook like this and was very impressed. Couldn't leave well enough alone though, and I cut the lip off and the drum lost all rigidity, warping real bad after my butt cook last week. Now, I plan on buying another one and just cut the inside of the bottom out like the first one. It really helped save fuel, and the wind was no issue, so taking the barrel off to adjust the vents wasn't needed once I got my temp where I wanted it. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>

Regarding using a drum as a WINDBREAK, I now feel totally different about my first statement regarding not needing any gap under the drum. YES, you do want some gap. It seems like a slight vaccuum of sorts is caused by the wind going across the top that must inhibit intake at the bottom. The reason I didn't realize this at first was that there was very little wind, and I was using the drum more for charcoal conservation in the cold.

Regardless, it'll warp if you don't leave a good lip around the bottom like I did at first. I've been using my old split metal drum (UDS) but I want to get another plastic one before next winter. I'll just be sure to leave a wide lip in the bottom so they'll only be a small gap between the dome and the inside edge of the lip that's left when you cut out the bottom. The bottom will be supported on blocks to leave a sufficient air supply, but not only will the drum block the chill of the wind on the cooking chamber and direct flow into the coals...there will be a lot of insulation to the cooking chamber since there's only a small gap at the top. Think of it as a cheap hard-shell plastic smoking jacket.
 
Picked up another plastic 55 gallon drum yesterday for $12 off craigslist from a guy 20 minutes away, and this time I'm not going to cut the whole bottom out and have it warp.

Gotta cut the top out and the "inner circle" of the bottom as well, paint with black spray paint for plastic, and install my cheap garage door handles. It's a cinch, especially if you know someone with a sawzall (reciprocating saw).

Folks, this is just a reminder of how great a wind break these things are and how it'll help make things easier with the cooler temps and breezes of fall coming on. As for how much it helps, let me put it like this. My quickest cook thus far with two decent sized butts and a brisket with water in the pan was TWELVE hours, and I credit the plastic barrel windbreak for not having to refuel and being able to get up to temp faster and get it done so much quicker than the usual 14 hours plus.
 
To account for the need for the lip to keep shape... Can it be split and hinged on one side, then wrapped around the WSM and joined on opposite side w/ a latch or something? Would still offer wind protection, keep shape and make it easy to open a bit to get the lid off, stoke coals, etc. and button back up again w/o going to the hassle of lifting and resetting it.
 
That's a good queastion, Rob. I can't promise it'll work, but probably so if you used the right hinges. I won't mess with it on mine though since the drum is pretty light and easy to get off if needed.

I used my new blue one for the first time yesterday and noticed that it didn't really help much for a day cook in full sunlight. I just wanted to see if there was much difference, but while there was a cool breeze, it was evidently just too light to matter. The drum blocked that, but then you blocked the black cooker from absorbing sunlight. Guess I ought to spray it with black plastic paint and see if that helps.

Another thing I noticed was that you don't want to lift the cooker up by a brick thickness. I got plenty draft by lifting it up only an inch or so on some pieces of thick bark, and the temp went up a few more degrees.
 
Hey guys , whats up? I have to do this! It is getting COLD in Michigan and I need a wind break!
Do you cut both ends of a plastic barrel? I heard Dave talk about warping issues. Would I cut the bottom inside of the barrel or cut on the outside bottom?
 
Dean, leave as much structure as you can to the ends of the barrel, as the originally posted mod just doesn't have enough rigidity to withstand warping. The top of the drums are to be cut just inside the ring, but you cut the bottom out differently, leaving a fairly wide lip if you want the drum to stay round. Of course the only problem is that you can't take the dome off if you've left a lip on when cutting out the bottom of the barrel. They're fairly light, though, but that's why I was answering about the possibility of cutting the drum in half and hinging, as folks do have done with metal 55 gallon drums.

Sorry I don't post pics but I don't have a smart phone and not the shutterbug of the family. Easy mod though, as basically the drum just ends up over the smoker upside down. Got mine for $15 off craigslist, from a guy right down the road.

I'd suggest after thoroughly cleaning that you paint the drum black with the spray paint that works on plastic. Not just for aesthetics but to soak up the sunshine on the cold bluebird days. Something as simple as a wool blanket will help in keeping the heat from escaping if draped over the top with a hole cut for the vent.
 
Thanks Dave!
I am fortunate to have a Father in law that has fruit orchards. I get free wood and a barell too! He said he has a dozen of them laying around. Some had round up, and some were apple cider!
I will be doing this mod with in a week. It is already in the low 30s every morning here. I just put a mess of pp in the freezer so no butts coming up. I will be cooking up some more spicy wings though, them were awesome. peace..
 
Hmm, maybe on second thought I will cut it in half maybe two feet or less from the top and hinge! Then when I gotta play with my meat (bad choice of words I know), I can just flip it and close it easy. If it warps I will go get another free one!
 
There ya go, Dean, and that's VERY cool having free access to the applewood.

Let us know what you come up with, and don't play with your meat too much!
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You know what they say! If you're lookin', you ain't cookin'.
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