Ugly Drum Lid Exhaust?

[PolishDeli]

Anyone have experience with one of these? The smoke stack looks nice and solid, but maybe a bit short at 4in.

Feel free to recommend alternatives

Im planning several mods to an mes30 analog.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LWEQH03/?tag=smokingmeatforums-20

 

[forktender]

No, I have not, but the length wouldn't concern me for a second. I have hundreds of hours, on a simple bare bones UDS that has pick ax holes for the bottom and top vent and exhaust holes. If you are worried about the looks of the cooker you can make the stack as long as you'd like by using these parts.
2'' IPT
and 10''L X 2'' dia. Iron pipe, either blk pipe or galvi. pipe would be fine for this application, as the stack is more than enough distance away from the flame too ever get into the dangerous heat zone.

 

[PolishDeli]

Thanks forktender

A lot of the off-the-shelf cabinet smokers and UDS's don't even have smoke stacks. They only have a vent. So yea, I believe your pick ax holes are more than adequate.

On the other hand, searching the web and SMF theres a lot of duscussions about smoke stack calculations. From which I gather that a 50gal smoker would do well with a 3in diameter chimney that's around 3ft tall. Gigantic compared to the one I linked at 2in diameter and 4in tall.
...But maybe all that applies only to reverse flow off-sets.

 

[thirdeye]

A friend has a Big Poppa Smokers build with that kind of vent, the only issue for me is the balance (or lack of balance) when you are in the pit tending meat.

 

[Sowsage]

I helped a friend of mine build one for himself last year.. That's the one He used for his.He has no complaints... And it holds a temp well just like most drums will.. I welded an exhaust tip on mine that is 2.5 in and about 8" tall.. No difference in how mine performs compared to his.

 

[daveomak]

Exhaust for an UDS is simple... You should have about 36" from the air inlet to the top of the exhaust... A 3" exhaust is about the right diameter... to even out the heat in the drum, I recommend 8 each 1"xclose pipe nipples evenly distributed around the top sides of the drum ... about 3" below the rim... They can be closed off with pipe caps....
Regulate the temp with a ball valve on the inlet....

The drum lid needs to seal air tight...

 

[1MoreFord]

If your drum lid has a 2" bung hole I'd go with this one instead of the one you found. It's threaded so you can extend it if you want to.

 

[forktender]

My current DS uses a Weber Kettle lid, the only vent for exhaust is the stock weber spin vent on the lid, and it works perfectly. Don't overthink these things, they are a simple cooker that works.
My bottom vents are four 1/2'' IP nipples, one with a riser and valve, the others have 1/2'' FPT caps that only go on the nipples to snuff out the coals when the cook is done other than that I run everything wide open.

 

[PolishDeli]

Great info, thanks guys!