First cook on an ugly drum smoker plus build pics

[Tony]

alemaster:

Yeah...Thanks much for the invite!

I won't be gettin' into Rehoboth until Saturday Morning...

I'll catch up with Ya'll,though!

Best Regards, Tony

[mutha chicken bbq]

Hey Marky C,

Can I ask what the reason is for the 3 nipples at the bottom? I know the valve is for intake but why bother to put the nipples and caps?
Is it to keep the barrel from warping?

Just courious. By the way that thing is cool!
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[Marky C]

Mutha,
They are air intakes also. You open all of them when lighting, then shut them as needed to hold temps. Usually only need one open and adjust the valve as needed. The BDS has 3 - 7/8" inch holes (no nipples) with caps. There are actualy 4 - 3/4" nipples on mine one of which has the valve on it. On this one I extended the nipples to get close to fire, not sure if this a good feature yet. As I have only cooked on this one once. They will also hold the fire grate when I get one. I am thinking about only putting 3 in my next one. I don't think 4 are neccessary.
Rocky of BDS has obviously tried many different set ups before he got the one that worked to his liking. If you do some searching on BBQ sites you will find there are a lot of different set ups on the homemade ones.
If you just drill the holes and use the metal caps there is no welding!!!
_________________
Kill a cow, Start a fire ...
The magic begins.

2 Drum Smokers
Traeger Texas
CharGriller
22" Weber Kettle
Portable Sportsman Gasser
Sizzle Q Griddle
1 Hot Rock

[Texacue]

Nice job there.

Here's a pic of one I made last year.

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There's no such thing as bad barbecue - some of it's just better than others.

[Texacue]

Here's another before the first cook.


_________________
There's no such thing as bad barbecue - some of it's just better than others.

[soonerjimmie]

Ugly smokers need lovin too
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Thanks,

Jimmie
JJ's (almost famous) BBQ

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[crgowo]

Do you have a water pan or anything between your lit coals and cooking grate and if not how do you cook slow and low. Wouldn't the direct heat of the coals cook the meat instead of smoking it?

Im interested in building myself one and using the ball valve as a vent is a great idea. I would have made it a lot more complicated and time consuming

Since you put many holes in the lid I guess you would not be interested in closing all vents to put out the fire and reuse the coals another day?

Thanks

[Marky C]

No water pan.
Make sure the cooking grate is 24" above the fire grate. (Not the fire basket) With that distance it's not exactly direct cooking.
So from the bottom of barrel to the top of the intake nipples where the fire grate will rest is 2.5 to 3". Then 24" from fire grate to cooking grate. Should leave you about 7" to the lid, on a 35" barrel.
8-half inch holes in lid. You can put caps in them if you like. Keep them all open when cooking. Good Luck
_________________
Kill a cow, Start a fire ...
The magic begins.

2 Drum Smokers
Traeger Texas
CharGriller
22" Weber Kettle
Portable Sportsman Gasser
Sizzle Q Griddle
1 Hot Rock

[Marky C]

Finaly got some expended metal for the fire grate and ring. Cutting this stuff is not easy, forming a fire ring is no easy task either. (Atleast I didn't have to make a trip to the emergency room)
The best we had to cut it with was an angle grinder. This is the hardest part of building a drum smoker. I am not the craftiest person.
I thought $325 for a BDS was a little high for what it was. But after building, I have about $60 into it, and thats with $10 barrel, free welding and help of friends with tools. I would bet Rocky is paying a little more for those nice barrels plus labor and whatever. I doubt that he's getting rich off these things.
So IMO, if you have the tools, sources and know how, build one, it's fun. If not, send Rocky some money, he's earning it.
_________________
Kill a cow, Start a fire ...
The magic begins.

2 Drum Smokers
Traeger Texas
CharGriller
22" Weber Kettle
Portable Sportsman Gasser
Sizzle Q Griddle
1 Hot Rock

[adolpho]

Would a WSM fire ring work? It still wouldn't break the bank to pay for it. I think these cookers (vertical drums) are neat smokers with simplicty in cooking and making. I think even I can make one of these.
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[crgowo]

Ive never worked with expanded metal but what I was planning on doing was getting a charcoal grate for a 22inch kettle and getting a strip of expanded metal cut a 4-5 inch strip the lenght of the circumference of the charcoal grate. then fold it over to make a ring and weld it... then if possible weld it to the charcoal grate.

How are you building yours?

edit sorry not diameter

[Marky C]

Sorry, I am not familiar with the WSM fire ring.
Everything I have read, calls for about 13" across X 6" high. I believe smaller would work but not for real long cooks. The basket I bought worked. Filled, it burned hot enough to smoke on for more than 6 hours.
They are getting 12+ hour burns out of 8lbs of charcoal.
_________________
Kill a cow, Start a fire ...
The magic begins.

2 Drum Smokers
Traeger Texas
CharGriller
22" Weber Kettle
Portable Sportsman Gasser
Sizzle Q Griddle
1 Hot Rock

[yukondude1]

About the charcoal baskets--- I used a metal cutting blade in my reciprocating saw to cut the metal. Then bent it to the appropriate shape and used the cut ends to bind the whole thing together. (used offset pliars to bend the ends to secure the whole thing).

Yukondude

[cajun]

You can cut the expanded metal with a medal cutting saw blade that fits in a skill saw works great.... Cajun

[yukondude1]

Cajun,

That sounds even better than using a reciprocating saw! I had to clamp the expanded metal and do a lot of horsing around to get it secure. I'm making some more baskets, so I'm going to try your method.

Thanks,
Yukon

[Marky C]

[coyoterick]

Just got my Ugly Drum Smoker functional this morning - there's still a couple things I'd like to do to it, like adding handles to the sides and possibly casters on the bottom. I'm also going to turn the charcoal ring into a real "basket" by fastening it to an old small grate that I have lying around instead of leaving it sitting loose on the larger bottom grate. Need to pickup some plugs for the bottom holes - I found that electrical panel hole plugs will work fine.









I already had some expanded steel scraps lying around in my shop, it cuts fairly easily with a good pair of tin snips. I used baling wire to fasten the ends of the ring together.

I have almost $80.00 into it, the Weber grates have been the biggest expense.

Rick

[Marky C]

That thing looks really nice and a tall barrel too? I also bought 2 webber grates, but decided not to use the other as a fire grate @$15 a piece. I didn't think it would hold up as long as the expanded. I like the lid hook .
Anyway, Nice smoker, good luck.
_________________
Kill a cow, Start a fire ...
The magic begins.

2 Drum Smokers
Traeger Texas
CharGriller
22" Weber Kettle
Portable Sportsman Gasser
Sizzle Q Griddle
1 Hot Rock

[coyoterick]

[Marky C]

Thats funny, I saw a robe hook that had 2 hooks and the holes nearly matched the holes on a handle. I wasn't sure if they were long enough to hang lid with, it probably will. I just dig little Sh!t like that, anything to make it more functional. I'd like to see some pics of that basket.
Man, I really really like this drum smoker. Holds some steady temps.

Does anyone know where I could find a WSM charcoal basket?
How wide and deep are they??
I can't seem to find them on Weber part sites.
_________________
Kill a cow, Start a fire ...
The magic begins.

2 Drum Smokers
Traeger Texas
CharGriller
22" Weber Kettle
Portable Sportsman Gasser
Sizzle Q Griddle
1 Hot Rock