UDS / Homemade Barrel Cookers

Very cool. Thanks for the quick input, fellas. I will tell him to hook me up with 2 kegs. (I will need an extra one for the dreaded idiot rule, I always seem to make at least one project-killing error the first time around whenever saws/torches/various power tools are involved.)

Be confident. If you get 2 kegs, go into the project with the attitude that you're gonna get 2 grills.

Food grade barrels can sometimes be had from bakeries and microbreweries. They will sometimes have a liner that will need to be burned out.

I've got an old smoker I made from a 30 gallon garbage can, and a double barrel monstrosity in the making (re "stallled"). I'll see if I can get some pics up.

Just found a WSM on Craigslist for $25. Going off to get it right now. The owner says they used it twice. This will make 4 at the house. It's an illness I tell you.

baker wrote:

Just found a WSM on Craigslist for $25. Going off to get it right now. The owner says they used it twice. This will make 4 at the house. It's an illness I tell you.

Yeah, if I found a WSM used only twice for $25 I'd get it too. It's definitely an illness. I've had my CG for less than 2 months and I'm already making plans for my next smoker. I think it has a lot to do with the do it yourself aspect as well.

jdub24 wrote:

I've been thinking about this for a while now. I've got a good friend that drove for Budweiser for 12 years. He says that he can get me a ton of kegs. Do you master craftsmen think that a keg can stand up to the necessary heat requirements?

I have been using converted beer kegs for homebrewing kettles for years now and they are heated by a cast iron burner. They'll easily stand up to barbecuing heat.

Any new ones being built?

wlfpkrcn wrote:

Any new ones being built?

I'm still giving my sources some more time on coming up with the free drums before I do mine.

wlfpkrcn wrote:

Any new ones being built?

I'm doing some mods this weekend which involve adding about a foot to the height and a new second cooking grate to one of my existing drums. I'll try to take pics.

I just found out... I'm supposed to get a 55 gal. drum for free I might also pick up a couple smaller 15-20 gallon drums and weld them together for a tall skinny smoker. I think I need to buy the wife flowers

Sounds good. Post some pics here as you go. I'm still waiting on mine, haven't really been looking lately though. I'll probably wait until after my daughter's wedding at the end of June before I push the issue.

Couple links with great info on building a UDS

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showt ... hp?t=23436

http://www.bbq-brethren.com/forum/showt ... hlight=bds

Motley Que I would love to get the plan for your smoker. Great subject hear there are so many deffence somker on the market so let keep this one going to little bit.

SCORE!!!!!!!!!

I just picked up a coal grate and cooking grate from a Weber 22.5". The cooking grate is perfect for a 55 gal. barrel. I'll use the coal grate as a base for a basket. I also got the bottom (still looking for the lid) I know the lid will work for a BDS. Do you think I can pull the broken legs off and use it as a lid? It doesn't have the the 3 hole air vents. It has the elongated holes with the triangulate ash disposal system. What do you guys think?

I think it will work fine, you could use the lever to cut the airflow when you are done to extinguish the coals. What are you going to use for dampers, holes and plugs like BDS, ball valves, or new idea or your own? I've been using foil tape on my second unit, until I install the valves, works great.

I haven't thought about it to much. I'm in the collecting parts stage. I don't want to spend much money So far I can build the smoke( once I have the barrel) to be usable for $0!!! I like the ball valve idea. I am going to try it on the ECB first. I just need the time to do it.