The Pickled Pig Forums - View Single Post - Pics! Our UDS Cooker (and How to Build One)

swamprb · 02-21-2009, 10:27 AM

You've outdone yourself again Paul! Very nice job on the Drum Smokers. I have built 9 of them over the last 2 years and I'm always tempted to make one with a ball valve intake, but I'm cheap!(and those valves take up trailer space) Except for the first smoker I built all mine are Big Drum Smoker clones, with three 3/4" intake vents regulated with electrical box conduit plugs (bungs) and all have the drum lid and a Weber lid for height.

Here are my comp and backyard Drums.

The two on the left are 38" drums with 2 cook grates for quantity or an extra 4" away from the heat. The one on the left is a 34" standard size drum with 1 cook grate and it is a heavier gauge steel than the tallboys.

Some folks do have a hard time locating drums with lids, but here I took closed drums that contained Olive oil from a soup company (free!) and cut the tops off and used Weber kettle lids.

I sometimes sacrifice a Weber kettle bottom and cut @ 2" off and make a Flange that I set in the open drums and it allows me to use the drum lid or a kettle lid. I cook a lot of whole chickens and the Weber lid comes in handy.

Bung plugs for intake vents - bag of 4 @ $1.25

Got a Rotisserie ring and spit motor? This really works well!

For those that are buying the new 22" WSM, you could just as well use a waterpan or heat deflector in a Drum with the same results IMHO.

I made sure that mine was Doctor Approved!
DrBBQ that is!

The size of the coal baskets doesn't really matter to me, I'll use either the charcoal grate from 18" or 22" kettle.

Thanks to Bubba and Jeff for hipping me to this type.

No welding needed, bolt the expando in a ring and secured to the grate with bailing wire.

I also have smaller charoal inserts that hold 5-6lbs for short cooks like chickens and ribs, Tri-tip and fish that make the drums even more versatile and fuel efficient.

None of my other cookers produce the flavor you get from a drum, thats what makes them unique, plus the satisfaction you get from cooking on something you built instead of opening a box is a good feeling!

Looking forward to seeing your drum cooks!

02-21-2009, 10:27 AM	#10 (permalink)
swamprb Registered Member BBQ Jedi Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Bothell, WA	You've outdone yourself again Paul! Very nice job on the Drum Smokers. I have built 9 of them over the last 2 years and I'm always tempted to make one with a ball valve intake, but I'm cheap!(and those valves take up trailer space) Except for the first smoker I built all mine are Big Drum Smoker clones, with three 3/4" intake vents regulated with electrical box conduit plugs (bungs) and all have the drum lid and a Weber lid for height. Here are my comp and backyard Drums. The two on the left are 38" drums with 2 cook grates for quantity or an extra 4" away from the heat. The one on the left is a 34" standard size drum with 1 cook grate and it is a heavier gauge steel than the tallboys. Some folks do have a hard time locating drums with lids, but here I took closed drums that contained Olive oil from a soup company (free!) and cut the tops off and used Weber kettle lids. I sometimes sacrifice a Weber kettle bottom and cut @ 2" off and make a Flange that I set in the open drums and it allows me to use the drum lid or a kettle lid. I cook a lot of whole chickens and the Weber lid comes in handy. Bung plugs for intake vents - bag of 4 @ $1.25 Got a Rotisserie ring and spit motor? This really works well! For those that are buying the new 22" WSM, you could just as well use a waterpan or heat deflector in a Drum with the same results IMHO. I made sure that mine was Doctor Approved! DrBBQ that is! The size of the coal baskets doesn't really matter to me, I'll use either the charcoal grate from 18" or 22" kettle. Thanks to Bubba and Jeff for hipping me to this type. No welding needed, bolt the expando in a ring and secured to the grate with bailing wire. I also have smaller charoal inserts that hold 5-6lbs for short cooks like chickens and ribs, Tri-tip and fish that make the drums even more versatile and fuel efficient. None of my other cookers produce the flavor you get from a drum, thats what makes them unique, plus the satisfaction you get from cooking on something you built instead of opening a box is a good feeling! Looking forward to seeing your drum cooks! __________________ Brian Left Hand Smoke "Fire it up" BBQ Team Midnight Ramblers BBQ KCBS CBJ PNWBA CBJ Current pit list: Big Green Eggs, WSM's, BDS clones, Weber Genesis Silver C, Weber Performer w/EZ-Que Rotisserie, La Caja China, Imperial Kamados, Little Chief Electric, Cookshack 008. Various Kamados, Red Weber Kettles and a New Braunfels Bandera under restoration.