Internal side fire box smoker

[milnezor]

I've been using my UDS for sometime now but while cleaning up the shed I spied a 44gal drum that's begging to be smoking food. After some rough sketching I have come up with the below design. I need some advice on whether this design will work.

The concept is to weld a plate 1/3 of the way down the drum to seal off one section from the other except for a small portion at the top which would allow smoke to flow from the fire chamber to the smoking chamber. The smoking side would be accessed by a lift up lid like a conventional side fire box grill. My question for the group is will the bottom exhaust vent create enough draw to bring the smoke from the top of the chamber, past the meat and out through the bottom? The top vent can also be opened to draw air and smoke from one side to the other.

Check these sketches, a please tell me if you think my concept will work.

Matt

https://s32.postimg.org/c1juwuumt/IMG_20160726_193246.jpg

https://s32.postimg.org/ua39t3ipx/IMG_20160726_193612.jpg

 

[red farr]

   yes it should work   ...   from the drawing it appears you're building an offset inside a drum   ... what are you going to use as fuel   ... will the fire access door be open or closed   ...   are you burning a smoldering fire or a burning fire   ...   how you operate this will make a difference in how you vent it , a smoldering fire it may be ok as is , a wood or burning fire will need more venting / draw 

these drum smokers are designed to burn a smoldering fire without many modifications   ...   but you already have one that's why I asked about the offset building project   ...  

Red

 

[milnezor]

Thanks for checking it out Red.

For fuel I have access to cherry, apple and pecan timber. The fire access will be a door that will be closed with vents to draw in air but the door could always be left open too.

The idea would be to start a fire inside which would then be spread out and continue to smoulder with the timber of my choosing. I could always use heat beads or lump wood charcoal in lieu of an actual fire and coals.

I love my UDS but I have trouble getting the heat beads started and keeping them hot. If I need to access the basket I need to take the meat out which is far from ideal. 

 

[red farr]

   ...   I'm finishing one up now much like yours and a little bit different   ...   it's a 30 gallon drum I turned it upright no welding involved that way   ...   if you set the drum upright you can achieve the same thing you have with less work   ...   fire access door is 7X9    ...   ran 4 bolts in from the side to place a baffle on   ...   and 4 more bolts for the cooking grate   ...

Red