T Drum Smoker/Grill Build *Advice Needed*

Bftiedt · Post by **Bftiedt** » July 9th, 2013, 8:43 pm

Hey guys. So Im new to smoking and am in the process of building a smoker. My goal is something that I can smoke out of as well a grill in. So below is what I have so far. I am Still needing a little help on where to put vent holes , how big ect. I plan to cut a door in the bottom barrel since i will be using it as my fire box. Also wondering if i need to build something in the bottom barrel to hold my charcoal and wood or should i just use the bottom of the barrel for that? An advice would be great as thi is my first venture into this stuf.

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » July 9th, 2013, 9:04 pm

Welcome aboard and hopefully somebody will be able to help you shortly…

Sent from my iPhone using Forum Runner

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » July 10th, 2013, 6:43 am

This could get good!
Definitely put your charcoal in a basket off the floor with an ash pan below it. It will breathe much better and be much easier to clean out between cooks.

Clover Ridge Smokers · Post by **Clover Ridge Smokers** » July 10th, 2013, 6:36 pm

Welcome!! Can't wait to see this one come together.

Bftiedt · Post by **Bftiedt** » July 10th, 2013, 7:22 pm

Thanks guys. I should have it finished this weekend. After searching here and on google the last 3 days I think I know how I need to set everything else up! Can't wait to have it finished !

Smokeone · Post by **Smokeone** » July 10th, 2013, 7:53 pm

Good luck with the build. Looking forward to seeing it.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » July 10th, 2013, 9:20 pm

POST PICS OF THE FIRST BURN WITH STATS!

sorry for yelling but I really want to know how this one works out….

Bftiedt · Post by **Bftiedt** » July 13th, 2013, 4:36 pm

Got my basket mostly done. Also added a overlapping flap to my lid to keep heat and smoke in. Also got my door cut on the bottom barrel and made a handle . Still need to add my intakes and my chimney and do some clean up. Also probably going to add a shelf on the front.

Post by **Rodcrafter** » July 13th, 2013, 5:25 pm

I don't know how this will work out but your sure doing a nice job with it. I'm with Rick I'm really interested on the numbers and pics of the first burn.

Bftiedt · Post by **Bftiedt** » July 13th, 2013, 5:35 pm

Any reason to think it won't work well? This is my first build and I have never smoked anything before ( but understand how to ) so I may be over looking some aspects , I'm not sure .

Post by **Rodcrafter** » July 13th, 2013, 7:10 pm

Well what I've been thinking since you asked is, that this is how a UDS is fueled, but they are very tightly controlled on the oxygen intake. This setup is looking to me like it will have a "run away" on temp, because I don't believe there is a way using the materials you are that you can get it to be sealed enough to avoid it. BUT, I'm certainly not always right either, and I hope I'm wrong on this one. I hate to say anything that would be less than encouraging to a fellow builder. That is the worst that I see could happen.

Bftiedt · Post by **Bftiedt** » July 13th, 2013, 7:16 pm

That has been a concern of mine as well. I am trying to seal it as best I can and have also found some high temp duct tape ,that I plan to run around the lower barrel door once my coals are going good to help seal it up. This will be replaced every time it's used and just used as an extra measure . Hopefully that will help keep temps steady.

Clover Ridge Smokers · Post by **Clover Ridge Smokers** » July 13th, 2013, 7:43 pm

It definitely will be interesting the first time you fire this thing up. I hope we are not being critical, we're just really interested how it ends up working.

Bftiedt · Post by **Bftiedt** » July 13th, 2013, 8:14 pm

Critical is fine with me that's why I'm here. If it helps me learn I'm all ears !

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » July 14th, 2013, 9:15 am

Like RC that is my big concern....what did you plan on using for air inlet control on the firebox? If you posted a pic or something already I must have missed it....

Bftiedt · Post by **Bftiedt** » July 14th, 2013, 9:19 am

I haven't posed it yet. I plan to do just like a regular UDS . 3 pipe nipples with caps and one ball valve. Think that will be ok?

The Czar · Post by **The Czar** » July 14th, 2013, 9:36 am

I think I'm not sure..

....for grilling purposes I think you can get around the runaways but being quick and not leaving your CC door open very long when you open it...

...that being said, I now think more and it seems to me that besides the runaways....every time you open the door for grilling and close it your temps are going to be unstable...

...unless your grilling with the door open.....then I think the problem will be a for sure runaway with a flare up of flame..

...now there might be away around this depending on the FB to CC pathway....which I am afraid that is out of my pay grade...

.....

I say this based on this: Two weeks ago I fired up the UDS......I had the temp at 225 and added my ribs..

..hour later I checked it and the drum temp was at 80..

..I took the lid of and about ten to fifteen minutes later it started smoldering and five minutes after that is solar flared me!!! :microwave:

I reset the lid and it climb to 250 and stay the rest of the cook.. :bigfoot:

...So in the end with the CC open I am thinking it can backdraft and :explode2:

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » July 14th, 2013, 9:41 am

Here's what I would do if it were me lighting it for the first time!

After you have this thing lit, close the stack damper or put a can over it that fits to seal it up.
Tape and all.
Everywhere.
Immediately.
And stay with it.

Have a pair of welding gloves, a couple concrete blocks and a utility knife on stand by that you know will cut easily through the tape.
This will allow you to watch what happens to your temp.
Do not leave it. This could take an hour or 2 to find out.

If the temp rises, stalls and heads back down then carefully crack your valve open and gain control of it. YEY!

If the temp rises and keeps rising then pull the basket immediately and set it on some non-combustible surface like concrete.
Do you own a big bucket with a tight-fitting lid that you could dump the basket into and choke the fire?
Garden hose comes to mind too but ….. messy.

In the long run my hunch is you'll need at least a firerope around the FB door and possibly a thicker more ridged door too - to completely seal off the air supply. You've got a good design but a runaway fire could warp the whole rig beyond repair if you can't deal with it quick.

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » July 14th, 2013, 9:43 am

Part of a sentence didn't post….

When you shut the stack seal the entire cooker shut. Intentionally try to choke it.

sorry
r

Bftiedt · Post by **Bftiedt** » July 20th, 2013, 7:55 pm

Got some more work done today. Added my air intakes, built a new fire box door that fits perfect, welded the barrels together in the front, added some holes to my barrel for some and heat to enter my top barrel and added my temp gauge. I also decided to use a gate valve instead if a ball valve. Main reason ,it was a few bucks cheaper lol. I'll be adding a side shelf also before the build is done. Tell me what you guys think . Hopefully I'll have a test run next weekend .

Clover Ridge Smokers · Post by **Clover Ridge Smokers** » July 20th, 2013, 8:26 pm

Post by **Rodcrafter** » July 20th, 2013, 8:36 pm

Nice work,

Gizmo · Post by **Gizmo** » July 21st, 2013, 4:26 am

As long as it's well sealed so you can control the air getting to the fire you should be fine. Start small with the fire and work your way up. Best advice I can give…

FatKoreanBBQ · Post by **FatKoreanBBQ** » September 19th, 2013, 11:38 am

Any updates to this? How did the burn test go? This is about exactly what I am wanting to build to compliment my UDS

HARRY BARKER · Post by **HARRY BARKER** » January 7th, 2014, 5:25 pm

rocket stove!!!!

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