had a few days off...smoker
 

the thread on whats in your smoker, and seeing a couple guys making their own smokers, inspired me to do my own drum smoker as well.

i picked up my Barrels last week. i grabbed 3, in case i messed up. for 12$, each i figured why not.


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjItMTcxM.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...AzMjItMT-1.jpg

started sanding today after i walked my son the bus stop. used a 7"angle grinder with a soft flexible sanding pad and 60 grit paper for most of it. used a wire wheel on my drill for the hard to reach ares.



http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjUtMTMwN.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjUtMTMwN.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

all sanded up.... bout 5 hours. not the most fun whith a bad back, thats for sure.


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjYtMTUxN.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjYtMTUxO.jpg



first coat of black heat paint. ( found at home depot on sale for 3$ a can)



http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...AzMjYtMT-1.jpg


done for the day. i will work on the expanded metal coal grate and air intake/ exhaust hopefully tomorrow.


feel free to toss out any suggestions, i am new to the smoking meat fun.

thanks for looking.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Awesome!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

That is a great start brother!!! I look forward to seeing the progress!!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Can't wait to see how it turns out!! :banger

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

That’s real initiative there! Just think how great those briskets are gonna taste.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Nice! Looking forward to see more!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Looking good! :tu

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Looks good!

But I saw this and thought to myself, how did he get the grindeer to stay there...DUH! I'm been at the office to long!

||
\/

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

today i made the charcoal basket. i had a old steel milk crate sittlg in the back yard. cut it down to 6 inches high, and added bolts with washers for feet. wont need an extra rack to hold a coal basket now...


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTUyO.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTUzM.jpg


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTU0N.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTgyM.jpg


wheels done on the base


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTgyN.jpg


90 degree angles of black pipe for the exhaust vents. the large one also acts as the hook for the lid.



http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTMzO.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTgxO.jpg



i have an old fire pit in the back yard. the ring and lid fit perfectly on the drum for a taller lid if needed.



http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTMzO.jpg

i have a bunch of old brass tubs and angles and fitting left from when i remodeled my old bar. my plan it to have intake holes drilled into the brass "handle" and control airflow by opening and closing some of them. the bottom base of the "handle" is open to the bottom of the drum. the top of it will be sealed, so air dont flow in at the top.


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjctMTcxM.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

That smoker is lookin' nice! Great job!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Going to drill a series of holes in the pipe and use a fitted sleeve over the outside that you can slide up and down to control airflow, I'm guessing?


A suggestion on your steel milk-crate coal basket- cut some sheets of expanded metal that are the same size as the four sides and bailing-wire or tack weld them in place as the grid is so large on the sides that if you ever "give the drum a shake" to knock the ash off the coals and bring the temps back up, you're going to have coals falling out of the basket. The grid size on the bottom looks ok (looks to be about the same spacing as a charcoal grate from a weber) and probably doesn't need a sheet of expanded metal.

Also, when you do your cooks, go to the dollar store and buy disposable aluminum baking tray - like a two pack of the big lasagna pans or a turkey roasting pan (sides might be a bit too high so so bend them down a bit). Set that pan in the bottom of the drum, then set your coal basket it in. This way, you can just reach in and lift the tray of ashes out rather than flipping the drum over to dump the ashes, which will inevitably get them stuck on the sides and groves in the sides of the drum which in turn can get them on your food during the next cook.

Now, go get that cooking grate installed and get yourself a can of PAM and season the inside of that drum before all that nice shinny metal starts rusting on you. :tu



BTW, Wes, you carpeted your garage/shop? Damn flooring guys...

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

The smoker is looking sweet!!! One thing to keep an eye on...

Many who have tried vertical extensions on the air intakes found they had air flow problems. The conjecture was that the air was having to be pulled down the tube too far. I really don't know, but if you have problems it would be a place to start looking.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

T.G.

yep, that is my plan with the sleeve over the handle. i am going to slice open a length of the brrass tube and slide it over the handle with the holes. i already have the expanded metal to line the grate, i noticed that might be an issue.

the baking trays are a good idea. i had thought of using the lid off one of the extra drums i bought to make a bottom catch pan. your idea would be less work, lol.

it is already rubbed down twice with veggie oil, didnt want it to rust in the building process.


thanks for the input!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Gator,

i had thought that my "handle" might not work well for air flow in. i figure if nothing else, it will work as a handle. lol. i also have a 1" hole at the bottom on the opposite side that i can close or open if need be. if i have to add extras, so be it. thanks for reaffirming my suspcions of what might be a problem in the future, and thanks for the input!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Cool.

Based on Gator's comments, I'd recommend you definitely do a seasoning run with no food being cooked. Just spray the drum down with PAM or rub with veggie oil one last time, load the coal basket with lit coals and run it for 8-14 hours. You get to season the drum, practice controlling temperatures and can test the vertical air intake design at the same time - and if it won't keep temp, you won't ruin any food.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

havent attache the upper support yet, so i can slide the sleeve on.



http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...AzMjgtMT-1.jpg


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjgtMTM1M.jpg


need to cut in half one more time to line the coal box.


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjgtMTM0N.jpg

thinking of using more brass to make a side table base with.


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMjgtMTM1M.jpg


all in all, this has been cheap project, and i am having a blast working on it. only cut myself once so far on sharp metal edge! hahaha

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

awesome idea of "practicing". thanks.

and yes, my garage is carpeted! have to have comfort under the feet when i shoot pool or darts, and relax in the lazyboy watching tv smokin cigars.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

finished it up this afternoon. started the morning off with a Perdomo ESV91 cameroon tubo


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTIwN.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

sliced open a section of brass tube to use as a sleeve for the air intake. sanded it up, and slid it on. drilled holes for the intake, and finished attaching the handle. works well, not too tight or too free.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTIyM.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTIyO.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTIzM.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTI0N.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTI0N.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

next i cut another section of tube open and flattened it out. cut a circle out cruedly with a grinder and ground it round and sanded smooth. used this as a door for an extra air inlet that i can open or close if need for extra airflow.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTMyN.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTMzN.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTMzN.jpg

lined the sides of the milk crate with some expanded steel so the coals dont fall out the larger holes on the side.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTUyO.jpg


i added a cheap thermometer installed at the cooking grate height for right now. later i will upgrade to a nice digital with a meat probe sensor as well. for right now i wanted to do this on the cheap. i think i got about 40$ into this, not to bad.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...AzMzAtMT-1.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Cool, looks very steampunk-ish. LOL.

Is that ashtray what I think it is? Which is made from concrete poured into a plastic bag and some items pressed in while still wet to mold the shapes for the cigar fingers and the bowl?

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

actually it is ceramic tile grout, set up in a plastic bag. after it starts to cure i carve out the bowl. when completely cured i use a angle grinder and a diamond blade to cut the rests

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

How do you refill the charcoal while cooking?

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

from the research i have done, looks like i shouldnt need to. if i end up needing to, i will build in an access door. i have 2 extra barrels i can use one to make door parts out of.

i also cut your mulberry up. i should get it out today or tomorrow, need to find a smaller box. it was cut last year, but still a bit green inside.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzAtMTcxM.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Neat. Thanks.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Looking amazing! And I must say...those Perdomo ESV 91 Cameroon tubos are wonderful...I've been holding onto my last one!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

yup, definitely tasty smokes.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

made the shelf today. used some more leftover brass, and had some old cedar planks that were used as shelves in my old garage before i tore it down and built a new one. added a couple "S" hooks and ready to go.

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzEtMTQwM.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzEtMTQwN.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzEtMTQ1N.jpg

http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...zMzEtMTU0O.jpg


now to ponder what to cook up this weekend....

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Looks great Wes. Have to call it a PDS though (Purty Drum Smoker).

Pork butt (shoulder) and 7-bone beef chuck roast are both easy. Cook 'em, shred 'em, optionally add some sauce and serve 'em on rolls. Both are very forgiving of cooking errors, I personally feel that 7-bone chuck is more forgiving due to the fact that the cooking method diverges into almost an unbasted but sealed roasting for the last two hours or so (at least the way I do it, it does), but that's just my opinion. Spare ribs are also easy and a shorter cook. I believe that, outside of Texas, it's traditional to break in the smoker with pork...

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

thanks for the suggestions my friend! care to share your 7-bone recipe?

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Sure, easy....

Get a 7 -bone chuck roast, thick cut, the night before cooking, coat with Worcestershire sauce and cover with whatever rub you like, Go easy on the salt, if you are using a commercial rub, cut it with sweet paprika and garlic powder by about 1:1. Stick it in a pyrex baking dish and cover with sran wrap, or if it's a boneless, you can wrap with a few layers of saran wrap. Let it chill in the refrigerator overnight or longer. Start your pit with the minion method and add the roast immediately - the cold roast will help keep your temps down from the start. (Read THIS and you'll understand) Cook at 220-240F until it hits about 190F internal - start checking after about an hour or so per lb. When it hits about 190F internal, pick it up, drop it in a foil pan, cover it tight with foil, jack up the smoker temp or stuff it in an oven at 350F until you can stick a fork in it and twist it like it's spaghetti (about an hour or so for a 4-5 lb cut) pull it off, drop the pan into an ice chest that has been pre-heated with hot water. Leave it in the ice chest for about an hour, Lacking a spare ice chest, preheat an oven to 200F, stick the pan in there. Pull it out, shred it, and mix it back into all the juice in the pan. Mix what you are going to eat with sauce if desired, bag and freeze the rest.

Some roasts can be stubborn and can take longer, it's all about the feel.

Serve on rolls with any combination of the following per your taste - pickles, slices of onion, peppers, cheese; strong flavored is best - swiss, blue, gorgonzola, chev (goat cheese),

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

excellent, thank you sir. may just try one this weekend.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

You're welcome, but dammit Wes, we've known each other too long for that crap, don't call me sir my friend.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

LMAO! you got it... Jackazz!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

That's more like it!

BTW - last minute modification the above recipe, based on something I noticed with the 7-bone chuck I just did tonight: after the chuck is finished after the 350F cook and rest period, take it out of the foil pan and drop it into a pyrex baking dish and shred with forks, don't dump the juice from the foil pan into the shredded meat just yet. Taste the shredded beef - if you like it that way, leave it the way it is. If you don't, dip a piece into the juice, see how it tastes.

The juice in the foil pan consists of a high percentage of grease - now, if you plan on freezing the pulled chuck and reheating it in a pan with a bit of water, you kind of need at least some of this - once it starts sizzling, you'll get this wonderful bacon-ish type crisping and flavor, but if you are serving straight up, I think it tastes better without the juice as it muddles the flavor a bit.

You could also chill the juice, and skim off the solidified grease and dump the remainder back in if you wanted too.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

I am going to have to say that Drum Smoker is simply amazing.

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

thanks for the kind words! hope it cooks as good as it looks, lol

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Adam, thanks for the tip

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

fired up a graycliff crystal today to ponder the finish on the shelf.



http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...A0MDEtMT-1.jpg


decided on a red stain and a few coats of clear. i think it goes well with the brass and black. also painted the lock ring black to match, makes for a super tight fitting lid. only thing i see i dont like so far is the lid handle. it is not high enough, and your knuckles contact the lid. shouldnt betoo hard to fabricate a new handle... maybe brass. just need to figure how to make sure it stays cool, and that the lock ring will still fit.


http://i561.photobucket.com/albums/s...0MDEtMTgwM.jpg

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Sweet UDS Wes....love the table!:tu

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

so how many cigars do you want to trade for it ? :)

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

The lid handle I have may be a little taller, but I used a small piece of pipe insulation and it works great.

Killer looking UDS!!!

Re: had a few days off...smoker
 

Just some random thoughts...

You could Hit up an industrial electrical supplier, like Graybar Electric or Royal Electric and pick up a 5" Telco D-Ring.

See here 5th item down on the page. They usually just have them in bins on in front of the store.

Maybe take a section of wooden closet hanger bar, drill the center out, then split it and glue it back together over the part of the handle you would grab.

Or. pick up a pair of the big bridal rings and mount them to the lid and use a old broom handle or clothes hangar bar between them. Probably would want to use a backing plate on the inside of the lid if you go that route, as they only have one mounting hole.

Lastly, get a piece of flat steel or thick brass stock, clamp it in a vice, grab a torch and start twisting it up into something that wraps around the ends of a wooden bar or old broom handle.