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.


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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.



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


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



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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.
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Awesome!
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That is a great start brother!!! I look forward to seeing the progress!!
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Can't wait to see how it turns out!! :-)
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That’s real initiative there! Just think how great those briskets are gonna taste.
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Nice! Looking forward to see more!
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Looking good! :-)
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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!

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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...


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wheels done on the base


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



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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.



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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.


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That smoker is lookin' nice! Great job!
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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. :-)



BTW, Wes, you carpeted your garage/shop? Damn flooring guys...
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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.
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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!
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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!
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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.
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havent attache the upper support yet, so i can slide the sleeve on.



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


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


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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
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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.
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