Potential UDS Help


 
T

T Bounds

TVWBB Super Fan
Greetings friends! I hope all of you are doing well.

Years ago I first thought about a drum smoker to support my 18.5, but I never acted. Today I scored a cheap food grade drum (honey of all things!) unpainted, topless. We begin!

My first question for any experienced drum smoker maker is: why in the world would I not remove the "bottom" of the drum as well so I could more easily attend the charcoal if I need to? And how in the world does a non-welder, non-mechanic remove the bottom?

My thoughts:

1) Use an old Weber lid as a lid.
2) Simple bolts to support a single grate, or maybe two if I get foolish.
3) Simple charcoal basket rigged from something, somehow.
4) Holes with plugs to control oxygen. Any ideas on good, safe plugs?
5) Red paint.
6) Voila! I'm smoking!

Any thoughts, suggestions, and/or support would be helpful, particularly on the questions of removing the "bottom" and plug types.

Blessings to you all.
 
Without reading "hundreds of pages" and spending time that I won't get back ;) use an angle gringer to cut the bottom out. Same as what could be used to cut the slot in the top of the WSM barrel to snake the thermometer wires through, to the ET732.
 
I'm not sure I get the reasoning for removing the bottom. What are you going to set the thing on? It would need to seal up or you'd have no chance at maintaining a steady airflow to control temp. I get wanting to attend the charcoal, but one of the advantages of a UDS, similar to a WSM is that it's efficient. You shouldn't have to mess with the fire that much.
 
Thanks, Brian, Len, and Dustin.

So if one doesn't cut off the bottom, and let's say the pork butts require longer than one basket of charcoal can manage, how does one replenish the charcoal? Do you take all the meat off, including the racks, then lean in the pour it in from the top? And then how do you clean it out after a cook?

Maybe I just don't have the right visual of it or maybe I'm too "in the box" of my WSM. Thanks for any help.
 
I think many a UDS has been built. If problems with having the bottom intact would have surfaced, you would find it described in later builds. Keep it simple.
 
T Bounds said:
Thanks, Brian, Len, and Dustin.

So if one doesn't cut off the bottom, and let's say the pork butts require longer than one basket of charcoal can manage, how does one replenish the charcoal? Do you take all the meat off, including the racks, then lean in the pour it in from the top? And then how do you clean it out after a cook?

Maybe I just don't have the right visual of it or maybe I'm too "in the box" of my WSM. Thanks for any help.
Click to expand...

I've honestly thought the same thing you're thinking. You might be able to rig up some sort of way to do it and reseal like a WSM but it probably requires more trouble than it's worth. I'd look into something like this:

https://udsparts.com/kits/lavalockr-quick-coaltm-55-gallon-uds-ugly-drum-smoker-access-door.html

But that's kind of expensive. If you used a weber hinged grate you could drop some charcoal in pretty easily. My thinking is build a big basket and you won't need to.
 
My only experience with a UDS is my Pit Barrel Cooker. I use my WSM's more often than the PBC and I do not recall using the PBC for a smoke longer than, say, 6-8 hours. I don't think I've ever added lit coals to it--and at the moment I don't know how I would accomplish that task--but I have added unlit by wearing welding gloves, reaching deep, and gently laying them into the fuel bed so as to reduce flying ash. I don't recall ever inverting the PBC for cleanup; it comes with a charcoal pan with a handle and I simply lift it out and dump its contents into a metal garbage can.
 
UDSs are different - it's been more than a few years since I spent time in that thread, but go through a quick build.

From what I remember, they use a small ball valve (like one 3/4" or so) for the entire air intake. And the fire ring - I believe it's a basket with a handle you'd reach in & remove when done, so yes, to replenish coals you'd remove the food grates & add more, similar to a ceramic cooker.

Does the lid of your 22 fit tightly over it? I looked into building UDSs but never got past the thinking about it phase.
 
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