First build with no knowledge whatsoever.

daveomak · Feb 8, 2015

Add some ideas about air inlets and outlets.... and what you are planning on heating it with... etc.... we'll fix you up....

montreal smoked · Feb 8, 2015

DaveOmak said:
Add some ideas about air inlets and outlets.... and what you are planning on heating it with... etc.... we'll fix you up....

I really have no idea, I've never done this before. I guess I was thinking of going with three 1" ball valves plus maybe a 3" pipe and damper for air inlets. From there I'd go with a 14"x 24"h fuel basket. Heat it with lump charcoal, although if wood is possible I'd go strictly wood, or mix. Never tried briquettes, not sure about the flavour.

As for exhaust probably just a 6" chimney out the top of the lid. Please feel free to critique me as harshly as you feel necessary, I'm a newb and have a ton to learn.

daveomak · Feb 8, 2015

Probably 1 ea 3/4" ball valve and 2 ea 3/4" nipples with caps....    and for the exhaust, holes around the top edge of the barrel... that way, water won't drip in and on the food...   some folks have used corks to plug the exh. holes....

About the inlets.... if you need more air than the 1 ball valve will allow, pull off one pipe cap and adjust the ball valve.. more air, remove the next pipe cap...    that saves on ball valves...

I've never been a fan of exhaust out the top.... condensate drips on food...   built my first that way and that was my last.....

montreal smoked · Feb 8, 2015

DaveOmak said:
Probably 1 ea 3/4" ball valve and 2 ea 3/4" nipples with caps....    and for the exhaust, holes around the top edge of the barrel... that way, water won't drip in and on the food...   some folks have used corks to plug the exh. holes....
About the inlets.... if you need more air than the 1 ball valve will allow, pull off one pipe cap and adjust the ball valve.. more air, remove the next pipe cap...    that saves on ball valves...
I've never been a fan of exhaust out the top.... condensate drips on food...   built my first that way and that was my last.....

Right on Dave, you're the man. So, with using a drum lid is there always a problem with condensation? Should one invest immediately on a weber kettle dome? Or is the dome more about creating space inside the cooker? Or both? Btw how is the food out of a drum smoker if done correctly?

daveomak · Feb 8, 2015

The dome is usually used to create more room.... double decker, you won't need it...

We have members that have won competitions using UDS.... They are a very good smoker.... easy on fuel, easy to control temps... good food.... PRICELESS !!!!!

JckDanls 07 · Feb 8, 2015

If I were to try this... I think I would make doors in it as you won't be able to reach down in it as stated above... if you were to use wood, you would need an access door to the fire pit to add more wood... one load, I don't believe would last the length of a cook... JMO ...

gary s · Feb 8, 2015

Last BBQ comp. I went to several people were cooking on UDS

Gary

montreal smoked · Feb 8, 2015

JckDanls 07 said:
If I were to try this... I think I would make doors in it as you won't be able to reach down in it as stated above... if you were to use wood, you would need an access door to the fire pit to add more wood... one load, I don't believe would last the length of a cook... JMO ...

Oh for sure. I just failed to mention the doors. I definitely want doors with access to all levels of this thing.

daveomak · Feb 9, 2015

Doors..... get 3 drums exactly the same..... cut the smallest door first.. the next door 3" larger in all directions.... use that cut out for the first hole door... using the third drum cut a door to fit the second hole.... make it 3" larger in all directions.... gasket the doors.... the ribs on drums make for a pretty sturdy door... but they have to match...

montreal smoked · Feb 12, 2015

So, I got my barrels, did a burn and for the last4 hours have been trying to get the double uds up to temperature. I've done zero welding at this point. I want to see if it can be done first. I simply used the lid ring to attach two drums top to top. Drilled identical 3/4" 3x on the bottom of each barrell.

It seems there isn't enough air to heat the drums to temp as they continually dropped until data couldn't be kept anymore. Plus the top was consistently 30* warmer and more so as temperatures began to drop

I then decided to reload the bottom drum and put the lid with a 2" hole in between as a baffle. The temperature at the top of the bottom drum is at 250* while the top drum can't get past 100*. I then put 3 1" holes into the lid to see what that would change and the answer was nothing.

I understand there is leakage, but could that explain for the difference in temperature from top to bottom?

montreal smoked · Feb 12, 2015

I wonder if I funnelled the two drums to make an hour glass type shape if the temperatures would be more even. I don't know. Any ideas? On another note, I guess this thread is no longer a reverse flow offset build, I don't know if it should be moved or what, do what you will administrators, I apologize for the mix up.

daveomak · Feb 12, 2015

Plug 2 of the holes on the bottom... you've gotta mess around some to figure out what you've got.... Also, in cold weather, there is a LOT of surface area that cools stuff off......

timberjet · Feb 12, 2015

What do you have for a fire basket? If that is not a concern then let us know but i am thinking we need to have a pic or two to help you better.

timberjet · Feb 12, 2015

I have used a UDS on ice while ice fishing for up to three days before and have been able go to temp with 1 3/4 valve all the way open. I lit the fire outside in the basket and let it get going for a while. done this many times all the way down to -22 with wind. Ice shack with a stick burning wood stove for heat of course.

montreal smoked · Apr 13, 2015

I decided to go with a 1.66 vertical uds. The design was ripped off by another poster on SMF. It has a few smokes under its belt, but it is yet to produce something that wows me and/or the wife.

I am not sure if the quality of meat I used was up to par. The chicken was the best thing that came out of it, my beef ribs were ok at best. I made my first brisket and I mean first one ever, and damn was it dry. I'll post some pictures but I am kinda embarrassed by my shoddy workmanship.

montreal smoked · Apr 13, 2015

smokejumper · Apr 14, 2015

Montreal Smoked said:
I made my first brisket and I mean first one ever, and damn was it dry.

You can find more help with that over in the Smoking Meats section of the forums.
Brisket is not an easy cut to work with, Pork butt is a lot more forgiving.
Sometimes when people complain of dry brisket, it is actually under done. Did you have a probe theremometer in the meat?
I alway monitor the internal temp and then start checking it when it reaches 195 internal. It is not done until a probe (I use those bamboo kabob skewers) slides in and out with litle resistance. It will typically not be done until it is over 200 deg internal temp, but each piece of meat is different and some are done sooner than others.

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