Has anyone built a uds (Ugly drum smoker)

[raggedoutcummins77]

I was Wondering if anyone has built one of them? I have a Galvanized barrel and I don't know if that will work for it . Is there anyway to remove the Galvanizing from it or should I try and find a food grade barrel?

 

[ghuns]

Is there anyway to remove the Galvanizing from it

Only if you want to wear out a brand new Milwaukee right angle grinder. Find a non-galvanized one.

 

[jimd46902]

Is the galvanizing bad for smoking?

 

[ghuns]

Is the galvanizing bad for smoking?

It's bad for you. The smoker won't mind. I doubt the heat generated in a smoker would be enough to cause a problem, but I'd play it safe.

 

[Fargo]

Get an ungalvanized drum. Zinc oxide is given off as a vapor off of heated galvanized metals which will at best give you flu like symptoms and at worst can cause serious problems; especially after repeated exposure.

Best,

Joe

 

[jath08]

Definately get a food grade barrel and save the other for burning trash. Ive had galvanize poisining (metal fume fever) before from welding galvanized steel at work. Its not very pleasant to experience.

 

[CountryBoy19]

Definately get a food grade barrel and save the other for burning trash. Ive had galvanize poisining (metal fume fever) before from welding galvanized steel at work. Its not very pleasant to experience.

Doesn't necessarily have to be food grade, just no special coatings. As a matter of fact, most food grade drums have an epoxy coating inside which brings us back to nasty vapors etc coming off the drum while smoking.


I have built a UDS from a plain old 55 gal oil drum. Well, actually 2 of them. 1 for the barrel and 1/3 of one for the lid. I took the caps out of the barrels, put them on top of a large pile of brush we were about to burn and then lit the piles. What was left after the fire was 2 barrels that didn't have so much as a bit of nasty vapors left on the barrel inside or out. The extreme heat will turn every last bit of paint, oil, etc into carbon residue. That is what you want.

Making the drum smoke after that will be a bit dirty so keep that in mind. My UDS is about 4-5 years old now and I've smoked numerous things on it. Mostly ribs, pulled pork, cornish hens, pork loin, homemade summer sausage, and bacon but there isn't much of anything I wouldn't try on the smoker at least once in my life.

 

[66chevelle]

I have one that I made out of 2 hot water heaters. It works really good but I dont have the time to use it like I want. So I am going to be posting it for sale in the next few days.

 

[rw02kr43]

barrel

I built one. I bought a barrel on craigslist for $10. It had been used for some kind of wax or something. I filled it with pallets and had a heck of a fire. I use it for pork butt and every thanksgiving for the turkey. It's one of the best smokers I have. I'm working on a rolling cart and body for it that looks like a Dalek.

If you have a free week to read, this thread has plans and a ton of info.

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showthread.php?t=23436


Jason

 

[meyer4589]

My dad built one a couple of years ago. Not out of an old drum but from an old bread warmer from subway. It works really well for fish and sausage. What he did was take the warmer and removed all the shelves and cut a 4'' hole out the back for the smoke stack. Then he installed some stainless rods to hang the meat on. For smoke all he does is take a old pie pan and fill it with wood chips of his desired type of wood and places it on the heater coils at the bottom.

 

[bigdawgtrucks]

Contact Chuck Barnett. He has built several smokers, and would be happy to help. If you need his number let me know.

 

[Shootin'IN]

I built one for the river camp I had it worked good until the river came up & took it away.
If it is a lay down type put two temp gauges in it because the temp at one end (fire end)won't be the same as the other(stack end).