Mrs.Bam is away..how much trouble am i in?..lol

[BamsBBQ]

Hmmmm....Why do I feel the need to have a door? Also, are there two tiers of cooking space or just one? If there is a second tier and you have to go in from the top, isin't it a PITA to have to take one grate out (with meat on it) to get to the other grate?

if you put a door in it, you take away the cooking effects of an UDS...people have done it but the idea is to keep it fairly air tight with constant draw..you cant get a good seal on a door thus taking away the convection idea..

on this cooker there is only 1 grate as i am using a flat lid... for the option of having 2 grates a kettle lid is needed. as for PITA for the 2nd grate, its all about smoker management... meat that takes the longest goes on the bottom..butts,brisket etc etc...ribs and whatever else goes on the top grate..

 

[GrillinFool]

if you put a door in it, you take away the cooking effects of an UDS...people have done it but the idea is to keep it fairly air tight with constant draw..you cant get a good seal on a door thus taking away the convection idea..

on this cooker there is only 1 grate as i am using a flat lid... for the option of having 2 grates a kettle lid is needed. as for PITA for the 2nd grate, its all about smoker management... meat that takes the longest goes on the bottom..butts,brisket etc etc...ribs and whatever else goes on the top grate..

I happen to have an extra weber lid. I may have to give this some serious thought.

So, what is the little valve for on the bottom?

 

[BamsBBQ]

I happen to have an extra weber lid. I may have to give this some serious thought.

So, what is the little valve for on the bottom?

adjustable air intake... once your temps are up to where you want them, most people close all intake vents but the valve one..they control the heat and air flow with that one...

i am about to go take some more pics....i just put the final coat on it earlier today

 

[GrillinFool]

adjustable air intake... once your temps are up to where you want them, most people close all intake vents but the valve one..they control the heat and air flow with that one...

i am about to go take some more pics....i just put the final coat on it earlier today

Awesome. Thanks for showing us this stuff!!

 

[BamsBBQ]

final paint...its a green pearl color..cant remember exactly..got it at the pawn shop for $3 a can..lol

gonna fire this up tomorrow... the tradition of all ugly drum smokers is that the first smoke have at least one fatty...tomorrow it will be done..lol

 

[Fisher's Mom]

That is beautiful, Bams! We used to have a 65 Mustang that color and I loved that car.

 

[lilylove]

Amazing!! Very nice!!

 

[TexasGirl]

Nice! A pretty smoker!! LOL

 

[PieSusan]

I still think you are awesome and dw is lucky to have you!

 

[Mama]

Looks great Jeff!

 

[GrillinFool]

final paint...its a green pearl color..cant remember exactly..got it at the pawn shop for $3 a can..lol

gonna fire this up tomorrow... the tradition of all ugly drum smokers is that the first smoke have at least one fatty...tomorrow it will be done..lol

Do you need to use special paint to stand up to the heat? At the top it shouldn't be too hot, but near the coals it will be hotter...

 

[BamsBBQ]

you dont need to use special paint... most paint is good up to 400*F, most guys just use tremclad, i used dupicolor here because it was cheap..

that being said, you can use high heat paint, or engine enamel but it really isnt neccessary

Do you need to use special paint to stand up to the heat? At the top it shouldn't be too hot, but near the coals it will be hotter...

 

[lifesaver91958]

Nice job

 

[Keltin]

Is this the first start, or are you using the Minion Method for this cook?

 

[BamsBBQ]

this was a stock photo from another forum...

how i do it is..lay a coffee can with both ends cut out in the middle of the charcoal basket. fill desired amount of charcoal and wood chunks on the outside of the coffee can ring. light about 10 brickettes in a chimney...when they are ash, i put them into the coffee can and then remove can... open intake vents, bring up to temp and start enjoying some beer..lol

so your answer is yah it is basically the minion method....lol

smoker all done..ready to fire it up tomorrow

 

[Keltin]

this was a stock photo from another forum...

how i do it is..lay a coffee can with both ends cut out in the middle of the charcoal basket. fill desired amount of charcoal and wood chunks on the outside of the coffee can ring. light about 10 brickettes in a chimney...when they are ash, i put them into the coffee can and then remove can... open intake vents, bring up to temp and start enjoying some beer..lol

so your answer is yah it is basically the minion method....lol

smoker all done..ready to fire it up tomorrow

Do you use the Minion Method often? I haven't really as I usually fret and play with the smoker all day to control temp. BUT......the MM sounds great......but does it affect taste. Most say No, but you do get some "butts" that say yes. What are your thoughts.

 

[BamsBBQ]

yes it does effect the flavor, that is why you have to be careful what brand charcoal you use... kingsford as better burn temps,more ash but taste to much like chemicals to me... havent tried Kings comp yet, its suppose to be really good

royal oak doesnt burn as hot, but you get less ash actually. cleaner burn no off tastes... around here its cheaper for RO than kingsford(you also get less charcoal with king here)..

the UDS is a set it an forget it kind of smoker. you play with the intakes until you get to know your smoker. when the temps start to drop, give the drum a kick to release some of the ash and heat usually comes back up.. with one basket like i have, i can without a doubt get a 14 hour cook, and still have charcoal left in the basket...once you close off all the intakes, it goes out. the drum smoker sort of creates a convection effect, things cook faster.

 

[BamsBBQ]

i added a couple of more little things today

a handle to the lid and a basket to keep all the sauces,thermometers etc etc.. the parts came off of an old gas grill

 

[LETHAL GTS]

Thanks, this has been a very helpful thread.

 

[phreak]

I don't pop on here often, but I have built a UDS very similar to Bams, and I can vouche for the results. Very steady temps(as long as you keep the lid on), and I can easily run for well over 12 hours on a basket of charcoal.